The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-03-14


that had inflicted the blows, and
when they spat in His face, he shout
ed: oh, ! wish I'd been there when
they spat in His face!" He made as
if he was grasping a ball club, and
one could close his eyes and hear the
swish of the willow bat as it
whizzed through the air and went
"cr-r-racksh!" into the skull of a
Roman soldier! At this point the
audience was fairly carried away,
and broke out into applause.
YES" he shouted, I'm ready to pull
my coat off and die for Jesus
Christi" and he suited the words by
his action by pulling off his coat.
He declared that men are not in
ing with God.
Hurry! Hurry! Papa!
Hurry! Hurry! Papa!"
Billy Sunday closed his discourse,
which was masterful exposition of
a rugged gospel breathed forth by a
man very much in earnest, by telling
of a true incident that occurred in
the South in the family of one of his
friends and acquaintances. The man
took his son out in the woods where
he was cutting down trees. After
telling huge tree he sat down on
the fallen titan of the forest to rest,
and his little son came for permis-
sion to wade in the lagoon. He gave
permission, coupled with words of
caution, and the little fellow began
wading in the water. A small hill
lock hid the child from the fathers S
sight. Suddenly the father was
startled by hearing the lad call,
Hurry, papa, hurry! Hurry, papa,
hurry" Grasping his ak he ran
with the childish shout coming to
him, Hurry! Hurry Papa The
alligator has mel" The man plung-
ed into the water towards the mon
ster that was bearing away the lad
to it's feeding ground. He caught up
to it, and swinging back his ak was
about to crash it INTO the reptiles
skull when with it's tail it rapidly
churned the water, and as the lad
called in terror to his father the
brute disappeared from view and the
water choked out the cries of an
guish. Men sought all that day for
the alligator, and it was finally found
and slain, but it's death could not
OOOIuS JllS DlOhSu hSdl u VI IlC
er and mother.
For days." said Sunday, " I could
not get away from the cries of the
lad who thus perished; and at night,
l heard them in my sleep!"
And yet, he declared that the pow
ers of sin right in Wilkes-Barre were
far more terrible than the jaws of
and the victims who are
going down to hell are calling to
Christians for help, crying out in
their agony and terror, Hurry!
Hurry! Hurry"
Then followed the invitation, and
many men, women and children
came forward and shook hands with
Billy, showing that they intended to
begin living active, earnest Chris
tian lives. Tears were flowing down
the cheeks of many of those who
came forward.
Why There is Call
For Billy Sunday.
There are those who wonder why
Billy Sunday is thus called upon to
come to talk to the public. The rea-
son is plain. Listen!
A young minister became convine-
ed that his congregation needed a
plain talking to. He had heard Sam
Jones talk very plain, telling his
congregation that they were lop-ear-
ed hounds, and if they didn't like it
they could get up and shack out.
They smiled, but sat still. That ap-
pealed to him as being the correct
way to preach and he resolved to try
it. He called his audience the fol-
ouTit, C1Indou nd
and said if they didn't like it they
might get up and shack out. To his
they got up and
'shacked out"
Billy Sunday can say what no min
lster dare say, but probably wants to,
to his little congregation. Hence,
in order to get rugged truth before
the congregation, Sunday is the most
available and effective evangelist
that can be obtained.
He breaches very unique gospel,
and draws people to hear him be-
cause he tells them the truth and
Is fearless. There is an old saying
that "all the world loves a lover"
and an equally true saying may be
up in the expression, "All
the world likes to hear brave man."
To those who complain that peo-
pie do not care any more to hear
the gospel, that only the few will
go to hear the gospel, that only the
few will go to hear a sermon, while
the multitudes will flock to the
shows and the offerings of the world
The writer hereof points to the great
Billy Sunday crowds, greater than
can be gathered to witness any form
Of amusement, any political move
ment or any literary efforts, and
asks that an explanation be offered.
Do we not witness an exemplifica-
Lion of the gospel statement of the
Master himself-"And l, if l be lift
ed up will draw all men unto me?"
FRANK P. WOODWARD.