Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-10-10
Looker-O On In Iona

ParkerSburg, Oct 10.-To q non-par-
tisan 1t was quite interesting, while in
Grinnell the other day, to hear the diff
ferent opinions concerning the coming
visit of the Rev. William Sunday, the
evangelist. so well known. The first talk
on this subject was with a good dea-
con in one of the churches OF the town.
HE was forced to admit that Sunday
was vulgar, lacked reverence n not
such a mar as the average church
would want for a pastor" but and a
big emphasis on the but" we need
Somebody here to wake us up" Sup
posing that Sunday does insult every
| minister on the platform by calling
them oil sorts of m they know
what is coming to them, and invite such
language. He always says such things
to the ministers of the town. Yes he
| will probably say about the second or
third night, that Grinnell is the wick
eldest city he ever visited. We are a
good ways from being perfect and such
talk won't hurt us any. I think the end
Justifes the means. An ordinary
preachers talk don't stir us UP a bit.
We need %arousing." To a question in
regard to the probable free will Of
fering Grinnell will probably raise, this
good deacon said, II presume Sunday
will get more. money for a few weeks
work in Grinnell than any preacher
here is paid for a years faithful serv-
ice. but we have hundreds here that
should be brought into the church. II
Sunday can get them, how can you fg-
ure dollars as against human souls,
Yes, one-third of the population OF
Grinnell attended church services once
every Sunday, 1t was a cornmendable
record but we are not getting the young
men into the church. Card playing,
dances. theater-going, women's clubs
for card playing all these things are on
the increase. and our church member
ship Is not increasing on a percentage.
EmphaticaiIy yes I want Sunday to
come to GrinneN.
There on the hotel porch a man
was interviewed. Want Billy Sunday
to come to Grinnell? Well, should
say yes! Surprising he does pray with
his eyes open, and give directions to
the choir and ushers i'll regard to seat
ing people, while the audience +
shouting amen and 'glory hallelu-
|iah:" s%upposing he does carry away
So. 900 of Grinnell's good hard o
let him home. give him the dollars. IL
he can wake up some of old dry bones
and get them up to the mercy seat.
Why, I'll chip In a dollar myself. IL ne
can get old mar -- and -- ana
- to see themselves as we see
them. These old fossils, h~ide-bound
in their self-righteousness, are eter-
nally talking because we have an
organization, and we actually play
cards. They kick because we go to
dances instead OF their prayer meet
ings. They're going to bring Sunday
here to convert us. All right, While
they are getting US, 0 notice what
Sunday tells them about being hypo-
critics. drones and dead Christians.
When this scribe got in a word edge
wise 1T was to mention that these old
fossils were good men to have around
when $500, 900 endowments for college
purposes were being received. mat
such men helped by the outsiders had
already over $780, 900 in church build
iings in Grinnell, that such men paid
the grocer and the butcher M were
model citizens in many respects. "oh.
yes" said the Ia that's all
true. ana the worst of it is they know
it. ana mention 1t. j want Sunday to
come here and rip them up the back.
Before he gets thru with them they'll
think we are pretty good people, even
If we do play a game Of cards. of bill
lizards, dance, or go to a theater." Be-
fore this trip to Grinnell the writer had
some doubts concerning this Billy
Sunday being needed in a town like
Grinnell. but there seems to be such
a general desire for him to come and
convert "the other feller,' perhaps
it is well to fall into line.
~