Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-12-28
WHY BILLY" SUNDAY
rs COMING HERE
How the Welfare of Philadelphia Will
Be Promoted by the Results of His
Work-Evidences of Christian Unity.
By EDWARD H. BoNsALL


MI osT of the people in and near PhiIadel-
1El phia are talking more or less about
BILLY" Sunday and his coming. The Editor
of the EVENING LEDGER has penetrated to
the core of the subject by asking. why Is
Mr.. Sunday coming to Philadelphia
To give a categorical reply I would say
that this famous evangelist is coming to our
city because many sincere wishers for the
welfare of Philadelphia believe that he may
be the means of doing for our community
that which we most need.
Mr. Sunday represents vital. effcacious
Christianity. He does not represent 1t after
my own particular order, to speak per-
sonally; nor, dare say, would any ecclesias-
teal group of Christians in Philadelphia ac-
cept this remarkable man as their typical
exponent. That, however. is a minor mat
ter. Mr.. Sunday breaches substantially the
truth which all evangelical Christians hold
as essential. His messages all ring true to
the Gospel which the ages have tested
This mans extraordinary preaching makes
men and women over in the new. Many
Philadelphia ministers and laymen per-
sOnally investigated the evidence upon this
point before they issued the invitation tc
Mr.. Sunday to come here. They were abso-
lutely convinced of the genuineness, per-
manence and magnitude of his work All
criticisms seem trivial alongside of the
abundance of clear evidence that he is being
marveously employed by God for the most
high and holy ends.
Deepest Need of the City
We Philadelphians know that ours is
notabIv cit. Of churobos
minimize the worth and work of our
churches and their members when we freely
confess that the deepest need Of our city is
for revival OF the religion which trans
forms human lives into holiness.
The sense of this need for a spiritual vIsi-
tation, and the deep yearning for It on the
part Of our clergy and laity. is doubtless
largely responsible for the surprising una
nimity and cordiality of the action of the
churches in inviting this unconventional
preacher to our conservative old city. AL
ready the Sunday campaign has demon
strated the great oneness of our local Chris
tian forces by the way in which Christians
of all names and polity and creeds have
worked together for the Forthcoming meet
ings.
A noteworthy evidence OF this practical
Christian unity, and awakened spiritual
eagerness which Mr. Sundays coming has
made plain to all Philadelphia, may be found
in the prayer meetings which are being held
on two nights a week in the private homes
OF the city and in several suburbs The
gentlemen who have the oversight Of them
say that these gatherings now number
Approximately 1000 night. with an attend
anee OF about 100000 persons That Is TO say.
during this present week there were held
perhaps l4000 special prayer meetings, with
100000 persons present. A moments thought
OF what this indicates makes clear the pres
ent spiritual potency IN our local church
life OF the mission Of Mr. Sunday 20 hold
Cur reason Tor inviting MF. sunday 10 bo,a
a mission IN Philadelphia is found in the
conviction that religion Is now. as It ever
has been the roek-bottom concern Of lie.
On Il the Whole house Of our civilization
must BE- built America could not long sub
sist apart from the Christian conviction ana
sincere piety o1 a. uncounted host Of her
citizens This truth was established in ne
very foundation Of our own city ana Com.
monwealth.
Truly Praclicai= Concerns
We consider ourselves most .practie.rs
when ge seek 20 turn our peoples thouehts
60 the supreme concerns Il religion. the
shortest, kpFest route 70 civic virtue ana
private morality and sEeiency ana haeD,-
ness e y way of the religion uhieh 80
aoeef % transform eharectsr
7qnae Ris|t e Fhladelphsa rs
z4s 81 eoaaasatls sasr,pat is aflne
fn - sfeat purposes q religion ma ~
afezt aiase. ne hsssls 6 81 soask sff
q os fe aas ~ 81