Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-05-02
Chapter VII.

a large number Of SkeptiCS to question
tho sincerity of Rev. w. A. Sunday
It is a well established principle OF
law that causes which govern in the
origin Of any act must be fully
weighed in considering it's ultimate
consequences. The strongest proof of
the sincerity of Mr.. Sunday in his
subsequent activities is found in the
early steps which he took following
his conversion, to alter the course or
his life pursuant to the new convic'
tons he entertained.
Probably the very first step was
that of declining to play baseball on
Sunday. This new stand while ditfi'
cult, was easier to take because of his
exceptional ability and prominence IN
the club of which he was member.
This did not satisfy him, however.
Repeated visits to the mission per.
suaded him that there was Christian
work which he could do along some.
what similar lines. An early step was
to petition for his release from the
team with which he had contract.
At first it was impossible to bring
about the desired result. In 1881,
however the dissolution Of the So
called brotherhood" threw lot OF
baseball talent into the open market,
and it was possible for the young con-
vert to secure his release. -
Now it must be borne in mind that a
salary of $1,000 month was posi-
BILE salary for a top notch baseball
player Of national acclaim. To these
specifications Billy Sunday conformed
in every detail. Yet despite this fact,
and the further one that he had wife
to support he relinquished all further
connection with the baseball field to
become an under secretary at the Chi
cago Y. M. C. A. in March, 1851, at a
maximum salary of sS3.33 per month.
To make the contrast still stronger
the Chicago association at that time
was in such straights for funds that
his salary was sometimes as much as
six months in arrears. The evangelist
has remarked often enough that no
one then accused h.v Of being
CRATER. According - lis own state
rent, Il went hu..s,y at noon and
walked to and from work to save car
fare"
Properly speaking the Y. NJ. G. A.
period of Mr.. Sundays life which ex-
tended from 1891 to 1895 should be
considered as a part of his education.
It gave him training, which has
since proved invaluable, of meeting all
manner of men on the broad plane OF
humanity. 1t gave him an opportunity
at public speaking, Of which according
to all reports in the beginning he was
awkward enough. More important
than these it brought him in touch
with the big men who were doing
things in the religious world, and out
of it ultimately grew his association
with DR.. ]. Wilbur Chapman, even
then a world famous evangelist
L. Wilbur Messer, general secretary
of the Chicago Y. M. c. A., in discuss
ing Mr.. Sundays connection with his
institution said:
"Mr. Sunday had begun the Christian
life, as a result, as I remember, of his
contact with the Pacific Garden Mission
and soon became identified with our as
ISOLATION activities. Mr.. Sunday rendered
very valuable service in the specific re-
ligious work Of the association. He was
especially strong in his personal effort
among men who were strongly tempted
and among those who had fallen by the
way. He was also effective in his evan
gelistic appeals even at that early period
IN his Christian life.
eve never had man on our staff who
was more consecrated, more deeply spir-
itual, more self-sacrifcing or more re-
sultful in his work in winning men to
Christ.
'Nrr. Sunday while with us was bitter
foe of any kind Of vice and did some
effective work in creating public senti-
Dent concerning certain evils which be-
set youns men. Mr. Sunday has since
that timc rendered most valuable service
in many cities where he has conducted
meetings by approving the association
and by raising large funds for It's sup
port.
ct count my friendship with Mr.. Sum
day as one of the rare privileges Of my
life"
The change from active outdoor life
to the comparative confinement of in
stitute work at first interfered serious
ly with Mr.. Sundays health and he
was obliged to take an extended vaca-
ton at Lake Geneva for recuperation.
More and more, however, he made
his Y. M. c. A. work take him into tie
open, and meeting with the various
classes Of people whom it was his
province to interest.
An incident of his work Is probably
ty2ical of it's general trend. In ona
of his sermons Mr.. Sunday says,
'eWhen I was assistant secretary of the
Y. M. c. A. in Chicago. I had H. L..
Hastings, who edited an anti-intidel pa
per, send me $500 copies Of it. Bob In
gersoll was delivering three lectures in
McVicker's theater, and ! had these
copies distributed to people on the side
walk as they went in or out. The first
night Ingersoll has big audience. The
next night 1t was smaller, and on the
third night it had dwinGled almost to
nothing.
Every day at noon, while Ingersoli
was lecturing, Hastings would go to old
Farwell hall and answer IngersolI 8
-+atements Of the night before One night