Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-05-12


Copyrighted by the Frankenburg Co..
The records established at Bloom
ington were Immediately distanced a,
Decatur, however, and the invincible
nature of the Sunday organization was
further demonstrated. w. F. Hardy
editor Of the Herald has distracted
from his files the information concern
ing the meetings and vouches for its
accuracy. He says "the campaign
opened February 7, 1908, and con-
tinued until March II, after which
the evangelist left for Charleston,
illinois. The number Of conversions
was 6,2o9 and the free will offering
$11,379.56. The assistants were Cliff
ford Pledger, evangelist; Fred Seibert,
custodian of the tabernacle and per
sonal worker; Fred G.. Fischer, choris-
ter; Charles Butler, soloist, and B. D.
Ackley, pianist.
Making his first entrance into what
Is usually known as the East Mr.. Sun
day opened . campaign at Sharon,
Pennsylvania, IN May, 1908, continuing
for ave weeks, after which he returned
to Winona Lake for a vacation. Ac-
cording to Ralph w. Roberts, secre-
tary Of the Y. M. G. A., the number Of
conversions In Sharon was 400 and
the free will offering 5000. The as
sistants were Messrs. Fischer, Ackley,
Gill. Pledger and Seibert. and Miss
Miller.
Following his vacation Mr.. Sunday
once more returned to Illinois, opening
his fall work with q campaign at
jacksonville. The frst meeting was
held on September '25 and the series
continued through to November 5, 1908.
This campaign Immediately preceded
tho ono at Ottumwa, Iowa. The Jack
sonville Journal gives the conversions
at 1902 and the free will offering
$7,ss72o. The usual assistants par
ticipated. They were: B. D. Ackley.
Fred q. Fischer Fred Seibert, c. P.
Pledxer and Charles Butler.
Ottumwa, Iowa, enjoyed one Of the
big meetings Of the fall Of 1908. E. P.
Canny Of the Ottumwa Courier, is
authority for the statement that Com
ing from Jacksonville, Illinois, Mr..
Sunday began q series Of meetings in
Ottumwa, November 6, 1908, and con-
tinued through to December 16. The
number of conversions is given as
1882 and the free will offering is given
az $7,365.77. The assistants were G..
p. Pledger, Charles Butler. soloist;
Fred @. Fischer, choir leader; Bged
Seibert, in charge Of tabernacle; B.. D.
Ackley. pianist, and Mrs. Muirhead,
woman assistant.
Many new phases Of the work are
developed in the campaign which fol-
lowed Ottumwa, when Mr.. Sunday
made his frst excursion into the ex-
treme West, conducting series Of
meetings at Spokane, Washington.
Spokane was the largest city the
evangelist had undertaken up to that
time, and he had doubts in his own
mind 40 to his ability to handle so
large place. Spokane at that time
had q population of 100000. Spokane
established new record in the taber-
nac4e line, building structure calcu-
lated to seat 10000. Rev. Conrad
Bluhm. OF the Centenary Presbyterian
Church at Spokane, reports the mum
Der Of conversions as 1855, and the
free will offering as $10,s71. The as.
sistants were, Rev. c. P. Pledger, B. D.
Ackley, Fred g. Fischer, Charles But
Ter, Fred Seibert, Mrs. 1Muirhead and
Miss Miller. Rev. Mr.. Bluhm was in
timately connected with the campaign
and in speaking Of it says: Ellis meet
ings began on Christmas Night. i
had feared the opening night, it hap
pening on Xmas. Probably the most
extensive publicity he had to that
ume received was given to announce
his advent to Spokane. We used the
big advertising cars Of our two trolley
companies; we sent to all the sub
urban railway stations huge posters;
we reused The Inland Empire of
which Spokane is the nerve-center, a
district the size of New England, New
York and New Jersey combined; we
got the unanimous support Of our
three big dailies; also Of most of the
suburban press; we had large prints
Of the evangelist in the windows of
the majority of our homes; and from
the pulpit, the hastings, and every
place where two or three were gath
cred together there we met them and
they we're Billy's. The impossible had
been accomplished-the man who was
unknown. and who by most Of our
people was looked upon simply as
good evangelist instead Of the evangel-
istic genius OF America had suddenly
become the first man among us; Xmas
night the citizens gave him recep-
tion that fairly swept the evangelist
of his feet-the place was packed to
the doors.
"Mr. Sunday has been in few places
where his work has been more funda-
mental than in Spokane. To this CEN