Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-04-30

tally q Presbyterian trait True 10
the earliest inhuences az his home
he exempllfles the benefit Of hts moth
er's church, the foundations Of which
were laid in evangelism. At the time
of his conversion, Mr.. Sunday had
been baseball player of national rep
utation for four years; he was In
receipt of salary which at the time
was considered very large. AS life
goes. for men of that class, success
and whatever happiness that Is sup
posed to bring with twas already
his. Nothing that life In future years
has brought him has ever caused him
to deprecate his earlier calling and
his associates. Without being blinded
to their faults, he has always had for
them the greatest charity.
The life Of q baseball player 10 In no
sense calculated to induce religious
rejection. It's practices are not con-
sistAnt with any particular church
life. It Is not to be presumed, there
fore, that the conversion Of the base
ball player-Billy sunday-was predi-
Gated upon in previous religious activi-
ties other than that of his very early
home days. Hundreds Of thousands
Of persons have heard him tell the
story, and dozens Of men have at
tempted to write It, but none have
achieved an approximation Of success
when he has departed In any way from
verbatim report. AS Mr.. Sunday
tells the story:
'Twenty-six years ago I walked down
street in Chicago In company with
some ball players who were famous In
this world-some Of them are dead now
and we went into saloon. 1t was sun
day afternoon and we got tanked up. and
then went and sat down on q corner.
never go by that place but I pray. 1t 10
Van Buren, street, Chicago.
"As I said, we walked on down the
street to the corner. It was vacant
lot at that time. We sat down on the
curbing. Across the street company
of men and women were playing on In
struments-horns. flutes and slide from
gospel hymns that I used to hear my
mother sing back In the log cabin in
Iowa, and back in the old church where
I used to go to Sunday school.
"And God painted on the canvas OF my
memory vivid picture Of the scenes of
other days and other faces.
MANY have long since turned to dust.
I sobbed and sobbed and young man
stepped out and said:
1--WE are going down to the Pacific
Garden Mission; won't you come down to
the Mission? I am sure you will enjoy
it. You can hear drunkards tell how they
have been saved and girls tell how they
have been saved from the red light dis
trict.'
IT arose and said to the boys:
| "I'm through. We've come to the part
ing of the ways and I turned by back
on them. Some Of them laughed and
some of them Knocked me; one of them
gave me encouragement; others never
said a word.
, left that little group on the corner OF
State and Madison streets. walked to the
little mission, went on my knees and
staggered out Of sin and into the arms
OF the Savior.
II went over to the west side Of Chi
cage where I was Keeping company with
girl, now my wife. Nell. I married
Nell She was Presbyterian, SO I am
Preshy terrain: Had she been CATHOLIC
would have been Catholic-because
was hot on the trail Of Nell.
1.-THE next day 1 had to go OUT to the
ball park and practice Every morning
| at 10 o'clock we had TO be out there and
practice. I never slept that night. I was
! afraid Of the horse-laugh that gang would
| give me because had taken my stand
| for Jesus Christ.
! II walked down to the old bah grounds
I will never forget it. I slipped my key
| into the wicket gate, and the first man &c
meet me after + got inside was Mike
! Kelley.
"Up came Mike Kelley" he sand: Bill
| I'm proud Of you. Religion is not my
| long suit, but I'll help you all cam uI
came Arson, Pferer, Clarkson, Flint
| Jimmy Mccormick Burns Williamson
| and Dalrymple. There wasn't fellow II
, that gang who knocked; every felio"
had a word of encouragement for me.
That afternoon we played the old De