Dwight Lyman Moody (1837-1899) was born in Northfield, Massachusetts. His father died when Dwight was just four. His poverty-stricken mother raised him and seven siblings by herself. Growing up in a sleepy Massachusetts village, he obtained little more than a basic school education.At age seventeen, D. L. Moody left home for Boston, where he took a job as a shoe salesman. He was outgoing, confident, hard working, and optimistic. Chicago was a bustling city of 80,000
a dynamic centre of business opportunity. In 1856, Moody moved there to pursue his fame and fortune. He was nineteen and he became successful in his aim to gain wealth. Moody was converted through Ezra Kimball, and in 1860 he gave up his business ambitions. He started a Sunday School to reach poor children from the slums of Chicago. He pursued this assignment with a singleminded zeal and determination. His work quickly grew until 800 children were attending. As the teens grew into adults, Moody cared for their spiritual needs and the needs of their parents. This was his main ministry during the 1860s.In 1862, Moody married 19-year-old Emma Revell. He was rough and without formal education. Emma, however, was cultured and refined. She handled all of his correspondence, the family finances, and raised their three children. She was the backbone of Moody’s success. Moody became widely known along with his friend Ira D. Sankey and many souls were led to the Saviour.