Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-12-17
W. A. SUNDAY, THE EVANGELIST.

w. N. OONDA L, j
Ottumwa has just witnessed one of the most remark
able experiences that it has ever had, or ever will have.
For the past five weeks Billy Sunday has been the domi-
mating feature of Ottumwa life. His name, his work, and
his individuality have been topics of conversation wher-
ever any number of men or women or both were assembled
Men and women may or may not agree with Mr.. Sun
day in all that he says and does; they may agree In part
and disagree with him in part Of what he says; they may
indorse all his methods or only part OF them, or they may
condemn all of them, but certainly all who are fair to them
selves will admit that in the pulpit he is one OF the strong
est Municipalities of modern times. Six out of~eVery
seven days for the last five weeks there have been from one
to three meetings held in the tabernacle erected IN this CITY
for these meetings and almost every day, at at least one OF
the meetings, this building, which holds about o,op Peo-
pie, has been crowded. Several times the building has not
been able to accommodate the throngs, and ovefnoW heet
ings have been held in the churches and addressed by
members of Mr.. Sundays organization. On Sunday a1tet-
moons Mr.. Sunday has addressed meetings to men only.
AT some of these there have been fully 5000 men IN the
building. 1t is a wonderful sight to see 5000 men in one
body listening with the most rapt attention to one man
addressing them. 1t is one of the marvels that the same
man can draw from 5000 to 10000 people to hear him for
six days a week in a city of less than 25,0CO inhabitants.
People have come from miles around Ottumwa to attend
these meetings. Delegations from cities IN adjoining states,
from the smaller towns surrounding Ottumwa, from the
farming communities, people from all walks Of life repre-
sented in this city, have been in attendance at these meet
ings, and while they were attending them they listened to
the speaker, and they heard him, too. It's one OF the no
ticeable features Of Billy Sunday meetings that the
strictest attention is given to him while he is preaching.
The indistinct hum that is in a big crowd gathered to hear
a political speaker or at an address at a Chautauqua meet
ing, is not there. Sunday and his efforts, and his topic
thoroughly dominate his meetings. He is not interrupted;
he is not bothered with the crowd, the bigger it is the bet
ter be likes it.
What is the reason Of this intense interests 1t is be-
cause he is telling the people what they want to hear.
His success is the strongest evidence that can be sub
mitted that from the pulpit the people do not want any
lectures on current topics. Billy Sundays success at get
ting big crowds to hear him, at changing people from sin
full ways to being desirable citizens, can be traced to but
one thing, that is, that in the soul of every man and woman
there is a yearning for something that the pulpit alone
can supply. The minister who thinks that by making
his sermon a lecture, a one man discussion of current top
les, he is going to please and augment his congregation, Is
mistaken. The man Of the world, the man who works in
the business house or shop or factory, or travels dav after
day, gets enough Of that kind of stuff during the week. tt
is the atmosphere in which he lives. While he NAV not
admit it to himself, there often, comes a time to hin,
brought to his mind by something he sees, or hears. or
reads, when he knows that he ought to devote some atten-
ton to the things about his life that deal with the future.
There are not many people but believe in some kind of 2
hereafter.
Senator Beverage says that one Sunday a man Of his
acquaintance stopped him as he was coming out Of church.
This man said to him:
81 have just come from church, and / am tired and
disappointed; l went to hear a sermon, and heard > loc-
is to be reared. n u day culture Wilson, made public toda
come whsn Me ' uWG,al lemun "nlch shows that all records f
empy-nlndeuness VIII De e bumper crops ere broken h tb