Tag: Christian Doctrine

A Letter about Prayer

Published on by Isabella AldenLeave a comment

Isabella Alden was blessed with two striking talents: she was a gifted storyteller and a skillful teacher. She used those God-given talents to explain sometimes difficult Biblical truths in simple terms her readers could understand. In 1895 she wrote this short but effective letter to readers of The Pansy magazine about what it means to be intimate with Jesus:

DEAR YOUNG PEOPLE:

Why should we pray, do you think?

I have been looking in the Bible for a reason. I find a splendid one; it is because God hears, and helps. Look at the seventeenth verse of the thirty-fourth Psalm and see if it does not say so.

“The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.”

To be sure it begins, “The righteous cry,” but that means the people who try to do right. There isn’t much use in the prayers of other people; because, of course if we do not mean to try to do right, what use in asking God to help us? But now, what a wonderful thing it is that he is ready to hear us at any time and at all times! You know people, I presume, who are often too busy to hear what you have to say. Suppose God were so. Suppose he had to wait until he had answered twenty-five thousand other prayers before he could listen to yours!

When should we pray?

I know a girl who is troubled over the verse:

“I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.”

“I can’t do that; “she said. “I have to think of lots of other things, and talk about them. How can anybody?”

It happens that this girl has a young friend about whom she talks a good deal.When she has any company her friend is sure to be one of them; if she has a gift she is sure to share it with her, if possible; and her brother said to her once, “You are always talking about Fannie Pierce.”

I reminded her of this, and of how much she made people realize that she loved Fannie, and said to her that I supposed the verse meant something like that. There were people who loved Jesus so much that they thought about him whenever any question came up as to where they should go, or what they should do, or be; wondering what would please him, and going to him about it, and thanking him for help. There is a sense in which they might be said to be “always thinking about him;” yet they think of many other things; only they are sure not to plan things which will not be pleasant to their friend.

I think she understood me, for she said, “Oh, I know how I feel about Fannie. Do you really think I could be as intimate with Jesus as that?”

What do you think? Doesn’t he call us to be very intimate with Him?

Isabella’s “Letter about Prayer” reminder us that the best lessons are often the simplest. Although it was written for children, Isabella used a very relatable example of a girl’s friendship with “Fannie Pierce” to explain a spiritual concept. For today’s readers, Isabella’s words still challenge us to consider if we are truly as “intimate with Jesus” as we are with those we love most on earth.

Do you think Isabella’s letter accomplished it’s purpose?

Mr. Moody’s Bible Class: Lesson 6 – The Assurance of Salvation

Published on by Isabella AldenLeave a comment

“Confidence is essential to success in every pursuit of life,” evangelist D.L. Moody writes in his April 1897 Bible lesson—and this truth applies equally to spiritual matters. Many Christians, he tells us, live imprisoned in what John Bunyan called “Doubting Castle,” experiencing weary, gloomy faith instead of joyful certainty.

Banner from magazine in black text on a white background. "Mr. Moody's Bible Class" is written in a large decorative font surrounded by a lightly drawn border illustration of lilies. Below the border are the words "Conducted by Dwight L. Moody" in a decorative fancy font.

Through the Apostle John’s five tests and some very memorable illustrations, Mr. Moody shows how every Christian can move from doubt to confident trust in their salvation.

You can read Lesson Six for free! Click here to download a large-print PDF version you can print or share with friends.

Then, join us again on April 28, 2026 for Lesson Seven of Mr. Moody’s Bible Class. If you missed Lessons One through Five, you can find them by clicking here or on the Free Reads tab above.

Mr. Moody’s Bible Class Lesson 5 – The New Birth

Published on by Isabella AldenLeave a comment

What does it really mean to be “born again”? In this fifth installment of Mr. Moody’s Bible Class, evangelist D.L. Moody tackles one of Christianity’s most essential — and most misunderstood — doctrines: Regeneration.

Mr. Moody teaches that forgiveness alone is not enough — God must give us an entirely new nature.

“Heaven,” he writes, “is a prepared place, for a prepared people.”

Through stories and the dramatic example of Saul’s transformation on the Damascus road, Mr. Moody explains what regeneration is, what it is not, and why it is not an arbitrary demand but an absolute necessity.

And he concludes his lesson with a question every soul must answer: “Have I been regenerated through the atonement made on my behalf?”

You can read Lesson Five for free! Click here to download a large-print pdf version you can print or share with friends.

Then, join us again on March 31, 2026 for Lesson Six of Mr. Moody’s Bible Class.

If you missed Lessons One through Four, you can find them by clicking on the Free Reads tab above.

Mr. Moody’s Bible Class: Lesson Four

Published on by Isabella AldenLeave a comment

In previous lessons we’ve journeyed from understanding sin’s devastation to embracing the Gospel’s remedy to practicing true repentance. Now, in this Bible lesson he wrote in 1897, D.L. Moody explains the central doctrine of Christianity: the Atonement.

“For nineteen hundred years,” Mr. Moody writes, “the chief point of controversy between faith and unbelief has been the doctrine of the Atonement.” Yet it remains “the very foundation of Christianity.”

In this month’s Bible Class, Mr. Moody uses vivid Old Testament examples—Abel’s sacrifice, Abraham on Mount Moriah, and the Passover lamb—to trace the “scarlet line” God wove through Scripture to prepare humanity for Christ’s ultimate sacrifice. He reveals six precious benefits of Christ’s blood and concludes the lesson with the greatest question facing every person: “What is my relation to the Atonement?”

You can read Lesson Four for free! Click here to download a large-print PDF version you can print or share with friends.

Join us again on February 24, 2026 for Lesson Five of Mr. Moody’s Bible Class.

If you missed Lessons One through Three, you can find them by clicking on the Free Reads tab above.

Mr. Moody’s Bible Class: Lesson Three

Published on by Isabella AldenLeave a comment

In Lesson One Mr. Moody diagnosed the disease (Understanding Sin) and in Lesson Two, named the cure (The Remedy of the Gospel). Now, in Lesson Three, Mr. Moody outlines the five essential steps of genuine repentance:

Conviction
Contrition
Confession of Sin
Conversion
Confession of Christ

Using the biblical examples of King Saul’s shallow confession, David’s broken heart, and Joseph of Arimathea’s courageous stand at Calvary, Mr. Moody explains the difference between true and counterfeit repentance.

You can read Lesson Three for free!Click here to download a large-print PDF version you can print or share with friends.

Then, join us again on January 27, 2026 for Lesson Four of Mr. Moody’s Bible Class.

If you missed Lessons One and Two, you can find them by clicking on the Free Reads tab above.

Mr. Moody’s Bible Class: Lesson Two

Published on by Isabella AldenLeave a comment
Decorative banner from the magazine that reads "MR. MOODY'S BIBLE CLASS." To the left of the text is an open Bible set against the petals of a flower. Across the top of the banner is a repeating pattern of half-circles and spires to add visual interest.

In his first lesson, evangelist D.L. Moody diagnosed humanity’s deepest problem: the universal reality of sin and its separating power. Now, in this second lesson, Mr. Moody presents the remedy: the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Through scripture and stories, including a powerful account from a Civil War hospital, Mr. Moody shows how Christ came to heal the broken-hearted, deliver captives, restore sight to the blind, and liberate the bruised. As he reminds us, “The Gospel of Jesus Christ is all that we choose to make it.”

You can read Lesson Two for free! Click here to download a PDF version you can print or share with friends.

Then, join us next month for Lesson Three of Mr. Moody’s Bible Class: “True Repentance.”

If you missed Lesson One, you can find it by clicking here.

Mr. Moody’s Bible Class

Published on by Isabella AldenLeave a comment

Isabella had a special bond with evangelist Rev. D.L. Moody. They were contemporaries who shared a common mission: bringing biblical truths to everyday Americans through accessible, compelling writing.

While Isabella wove Christian principles into her novels and short stories, Mr. Moody taught them directly through his preaching and writing.

In 1896, Mr. Moody published a twelve-part Bible study series in The Ladies’ Home Journal, a magazine that regularly published sermons, essays on religion and faith, and stories with Christian themes. He called his series, “Mr. Moody’s Bible Class.”

Decorative banner from the magazine that reads "MR. MOODY'S BIBLE CLASS." To the left of the text is an open Bible set against the petals of a flower. Across the top of the banner is a repeating pattern of half-circles and spires to add visual interest.

Each month for twelve months, Mr. Moody filled the pages of the magazine with lessons on the fundamental doctrines of Christianity, from sin and redemption to prayer and Heaven. His accessible writing style and practical approach made theological truths understandable to every-day readers, while he challenged them to examine their own faith.

Magazine announcement: Mr. Moody's Bible Class by Dwight L. Moody. The famous Northfield evangelist begins, in the November Ladies' Home Journal, a series of popular Bible studies in the form of a great National Bible Class, destined to prove the most helpful religious department ever sustained by a magazine.
From The Ladies’ Home Journal, October 1896.

“Mr. Moody’s Bible Class” is now available for a new generation. Each of his lessons has been carefully formatted for modern readers, with added reflection questions and organized Scripture references.

Magazine announcement showing a drawing of Mr. Moody sitting in a chair with his open Bible in his lap. He is surrounded by men and women, young and old, sitting and standing. Text beneath the drawing reads: "Mr. Moody's Bible Class. A New Religious Department by Dwight L. Moody."

Whether you’re studying alone, with a small group, or teaching a Sunday school class, Mr. Moody’s lessons offer rich yet practical insights into the foundations of Christian doctrine. Click on the link below to view or download the first lesson:

Lesson One: Understanding Sin

You can read more about the friendship between Isabella’s family and Mr. Moody by clicking on the links below:

Isabella’s Uncle and the Hymn that Changed America

Horatio Spafford’s Second Chapter

Marking Ester’s Bible

How to Have a Good Prayer Meeting