Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-04-06
EVANGELIST IN OPENING MEET.
ING OF FOUR WEEKS REVIVAL
TALKS TO 5000.
DENOUNCEs
CRITICS
Says He is Called Crater" Yet He
Never Heard Complaint When
He Was Drawing His Salary AS a
Ball Player.
(By a Staff Correspondent

by a Staff Correspondent ).
Fairfield. April 6.-"That's all; good
night" said Rev. w. A. Sunday LAST
night after he had preached one hour
and five minutes at rate exceeding
200 words a minute to q congregation,
that filled every nook and Granny of
the tabernacle that was built to &C
commodate 5000 souls, that's all:
good night Mr.. Sunday turned
around to give some instructions to
Fred Fischer, his singer, and spoke a
few words to him. He CHANGED to turn
back toward the audience. There still
sat the people with no intention of
moving: A look of surprise came over
his face. why, ] said that was all,
he repeated, good night" Even after
this 1t took the immense congregation
fully half minute to realize that the
service was over. Such is the power
of the Rev. W. A. Sunday, who last
night opened four weeks revival in
this city.
Mr. Sunday is just what was expect
ed. Fairfield got brief introduction
of him last summer when he was here
for one day and at last nights meeting
he preached in the same peculiar man
ner. His utterances are earnest and
convincing he initiates no one; his
unique style is original. Perhaps to
further emphasize his peculiarities NJ.
Sunday took last nights text from the
little heard of book of Habbakuk From
the third chapter and second verse OF
this prophecy he took the words, 20
Lord, revive us again in the midst Of
the years in the midst of the years
make known; in wrath remember mer-
cy."
/ The theme of the sermon was the
need, value and reason Of a revival. In
dozen different ways, with bits of De,
scr1ption SO vivid the scenes they de.
picted could be pictured, with illustra-
lions that were as aptly chosen as they
were picturesquely recited, with bits
of acting that showed the genius of the
man facing those 5000 people, he told
Fairfield people of the need the church
of God had for a revival of religion in
lit.
i Mr.. Sunday pointed out that true
Christian people would not find fault
with the methods by which revival
was brought about.
Some people criticise me fercely
and maliciously," he said. Perhaps
don't do things just like every minis
ter of the gospel does. l do things in
I the way 1t is natural for me to.
couldn't be pastor Of church flf-
teen minutes for I'm not cut out for it.
i I've gotten lots of offers from
churches, but couldn't do the work.
One church in an Iowa town called me
and one woman Of that church prom
Used $500 of my annual salary her
self. What do you think of that? But
i / couldn't take It, If would start to
la town to take the passionate of a
church I'd buy round trip ticket.
"a pastor can't be an evangelist and
an evangelist can't be a pastor. If the
: Lord puts his approval on somebody s
methods, it's up to you to keep your
mouth shut, and you will, too, If YOU,
have brains enough to fill thimble
even though those methods don't meet
your approval at all 1t makes me sick
to see these people who in prayer
, meeting or when 1t comes to helping
the church out in any way, making il
grow and build up, aren't worth
shucks, but when revival comes
along they are the loudest in putting
) done and how the whole thing ought
W NC coHuuCteu, anu Wy " SMUT ou
their schemes loud enough to break VI
!. the whole affair. Gods part is to save
and our part is to pray, preach, sing
r and talk to fellowmen about Jesus
! Christ. You can't do Gods part, ans
r you can bank every dollar you've go
that unless you do the part that's laic
out for you, there won't be anytime
: done.'
Then the speaker spoke of things
: that were taking people away fromalh'
> religion of Jesus Christ. eve ar
: cursed with more isms, chisms, ologies
and fol-de-rols than ever before. w
. have Universalism UniyersalistS
Spiritualism, Christian Science, Dowie