Dwight L. Moody
A shoe salesman turned powerhouse preacher who built a sprawling evangelical empire, reaching millions with his plainspoken, urban revivalism.
1837–1899 (age 62)·American evangelist·Birthday: February 5
Biography
D.L. Moody preached in railroad yards, saloons, and massive urban tabernacles, delivering God's message with the urgency of a breaking news story. He had a fourth-grade education but found success in Chicago's shoe trade before abandoning commerce to save souls. Moody's style was direct, conversational, and relentlessly practical, focusing on God's love over judgment. His 1873–1875 campaign in the British Isles drew staggering crowds and spread his reputation internationally. He founded a church, a publishing house, and schools that prioritized educating women and the underprivileged. Moody built the durable, modern machinery of evangelism that outlasted his own sermons.
#1 When Dwight Was Born
The biggest hits of 1837
Dwight's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1837Born
1842Started school
1850Became a teenager
1853Could drive
1855Could vote
1858Turned 21
1867Turned 30
President: Andrew Johnson
1877Turned 40
President: Rutherford B. Hayes
1887Turned 50
President: Grover Cleveland
1897Turned 60
President: William McKinley
1899Died at 62
President: William McKinley
Key Achievements
- Founded the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, a cornerstone of evangelical education.
- Conducted massively successful international revival tours, most notably in Great Britain from 1873 to 1875.
- Established the Northfield School for Girls and the Mount Hermon School for Boys, pioneering in cross-class education.
- Founded Moody Church in Chicago and created Moody Publishers, a major religious publishing arm.
Did You Know?
He was functionally illiterate until a Sunday school teacher taught him to read using the Bible.
During the Civil War, he served with the U.S. Christian Commission, ministering to Union troops without taking a salary.
He once preached to a crowd of over 20,000 people in the open air at the historic Haymarket in London.
His famous Northfield conferences inspired the founding of the Student Volunteer Movement for foreign missions.
“Faith makes all things possible... Love makes all things easy.”
