Dwight L Moody’s Greatest Mistake (Part 1)

People often ask, “What makes a person end up on Skid Row?” I’m sure there are thousands of answers, but people end up on the streets because of bad decisions and horrible mistakes.

Dwight L. Moody, the great 19th Century evangelist, said that his greatest mistake occurred October 8, 1871.

Moody was preaching to an auditorium filled with people on October 8, 1871, and he closed the service by asking the question, “What will you do with Jesus?’” Then he added, “I wish you would seriously consider this subject, for next Sunday we will speak about the cross, and at that time I’ll ask again, ‘What will YOU do with Jesus?”

Moody’s soloist then sang the closing hymn, which included the lines, “Today the Savior calls; for refuge fly. The storm of justice falls, and death is nigh...”

Little did anyone in attendance know that these words would be the last ever heard in that huge arena. Even as he was singing, the soloist’s voice was nearly drowned out by the sound of the clanging bells of the horse-drawn fire wagons in the streets. That night, October 8, 1871, was the night of the Great Chicago fire that destroyed nearly the entire city. Among the hundreds who died were some who earlier had been in Moody’s audience.

Tomorrow, I’ll share the rest of Moody’s tragic story.

Blessings!

Willie Jordan

(Mrs. Fred Jordan)