In the summer of 1891, Dr. John Smith, of Edinburgh, came to America with a huge roll of invitations from ministers of Scotland, asking Mr. Moody to visit that country again. He left America in October, 1891, and with Mr. Sankey held short meetings in ninetynine towns in Scotland during the winter. This was his last visit to Scotland. In April, 1892, he visited Palestine. From Paris he wrote to his Mother, “I have a great desire to see the city of gold.” Accompanied by his wife and younger son, Paul, he joined friends in Rome. The day after his arrival in Jerusalem, which happened to be on Easter Sunday, he spoke from the summit of the new (or Gordon) Calvary on the text, “As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people from henceforth even forever”— pointing to Hermon, Olivet, and the mountains of Moab, all in sight from where he stood. It was afterward found that he had unwittingly spoken in the midst of a Mohammedan cemetery, and a little feeling was aroused. The week-days were spent in visiting places of interest in Jerusalem and the immediate vicinity. The farming on the hillsides specially attracted his attention. To see men living in their little houses perched like crows in a nest on
the edge of the snowline, reclaiming patches of land, some of them hardly twenty feet square, excited his wonder. He would frequently say, “Look here! See that hillside farming! That beats all I ever saw. If ever I hear a Northfield man complaining of his farm again, I’ll fall on him.” This reference to his size caused much merriment. Mr. Moody preached at various times and places while in the Holy Land. Of his preaching here he said he had preached for thirty years, but had never felt the awe of God that he felt when preaching in the Holy Land. After spending about two months in Palestine, which was the longest vacation he had ever taken, he returned to England. The vacation was not an unbroken rest, however, for he had preached in Rome, Jerusalem, Cairo, Naples, and Paris, sometimes twice a day, besides conducting numerous Bible readings to gratify the importunities of English and American friends, who recognized him wherever he went. On Mr. Moody’s return to England he again “got in harness” and preached in and around London. In August he crossed to Ireland and preached in a number of places there. Returning to America with his elder son in November, he had his memorable experience on board the North German Lloyd liner, the Spree, an experience that was thrilling, and that threatened to end the career of this noble man of God. He took passage from Southampton, England. When about three days out he was lying on his couch congratulating himself on his good fortune, and feeling very thankful to God, who had so marvelously taken care of him all his life, so that he had never been in a serious accident of any kind. He says:
“Suddenly I was startled by a terrible crash and shock, as if the vessel had been driven on a rock... My son jumped from his berth and rushed on deck. He was back again in a few moments, saying that the shaft was broken and the vessel was sinking.” Mr. Moody did not at first believe that it was so bad, but soon found that the report was only too true. The officers and crew did all they could to save the vessel, but it was soon found that the pumps were useless, for the water poured into the ship too rapidly to be controlled. The ship drifted helplessly; there was no wireless or any possible way of communicating with land. Night came on. Mr. Moody says: “That was an awful night, the darkest in all our lives! Seven hundred men, women, and children waiting for the doom that was settling upon us! No one dared to sleep. We were all together in the saloon of the first cabin—Jews, Protestants, Catholics, and skeptics—although I doubt if at that time there were any skeptics among us. The agony and suspense were too great for words. With blanched faces and trembling hearts the passengers looked at one another, as if trying to read what no one dared to speak. Rockets flamed into the sky, but there was no answer... Sunday morning dawned without help or hope.” As the second night came on Mr. Moody asked the captain’s permission for a religious service in the saloon. The captain said, “Most certainly; I am that kind, too.” Mr. Moody says: “Nearly every passenger attended, and I think everybody prayed, skeptics and all.” He read the ninety-first Psalm. The eleventh verse touched him deeply as he read, “He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep
thee in all thy ways.” And surely he did it. Mr. Moody, on examining himself, was assured that he was saved and ready to go; but he thought of his wife and children, and friends in Chicago, and that perhaps the next hour would separate them forever in this life. He says: “It was the darkest hour of my life. I could not endure it. I must have relief, and relief came in prayer. God heard my cry, and enabled me to say from the depth of my soul, ‘Thy will be done!’ Let it be Northfield or heaven, it makes no difference to me.” The steamer Lake Huron finally got the rocket signal of the disabled vessel and after seven days of peril and hardship the ship’s crew and passengers held a joyous thanksgiving service in the harbor of Queenstown. The captain of the Lake Huron was also a man of prayer, and God heard the united prayers of his people and saved them all. Mr. Moody always spoke with profound respect and gratitude of the courage and gallantry of the officers and crew of the Spree. Mr. Moody and his son then sailed for America on the Etruria and reached New York safely the next Saturday.