Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-11-03
SUNDAY WELCOMED
BY 5000 PEOPLE
IMMENSE CROWD GREETs EVAN.
GELIST AT OPENING
SERVICE.
The Des Moines Register and I,eade

The Des Moines Register and Leader
tells of Rev. w. A. Sundays opening
day in the following:
The Rev. Billy Sunday went to work
IN Des Moines yesterday morning
went to work with militant vigor
that seemed to carry the 5000 odd
people in the big tabernacle willingly
with him in the sweep of the initial
effort of what it's promoters hope will
be the greatest religious revival Des
Moines has had.
People began arriving at the tab
ernacle shortly after 8 O'Clock for the
meeting which began at 1890. AS
the opening of the meeting approach
ed, there were continuous streams of
humanity entering at every door.
When Homer Rodeheaver, leader Of
Mr.. Sundays choirs, mounted the plat
form fully $500 people were seated
IN the building, and there was a
fringe at the rear of persons Tor
whom there were no seats.
The Rev. DR.. John l.. Hillman led
in the first prayer. After an intro
ductory speech by P. B. Sheriff., it
was the evangelist's turn at the plat
form. He stepped quickly to the read
ing table, grasped it at the sides with
either hand, took long breath, and
introduced himself to Des Moines
without wasting second
Mr.. Sundays words come pouring
from him more rapidly, perhaps, than
those of any other public speaker, and
it Is largely by means of the "antics"
by which he is well known, that his
meaning is made clear. He hops from
one side of the platform to the other,
he pounds everything in the pulpit
that has fiat surface with his fists,
and almost every sentence is rein
forced by vigorous gesture.
ut was well worth living life to
be accorded reception such as was
given me when got here last night"
he said in introducing himself. II
feel like a sort of cavalier among
roundheads in Des Moines, for am a
pioneer. trod the streets of hDes
Moines when it was much smaller
city than it Is now; my mother wet
the streets of this town with her tears
when my father marched away to war
with the Twenty-third Iowa"
The Introduction wasn't long. The
Rev. Billy Sunday wasn't long in get
| ting down to brass tacks." I'm
not lodging opposition; I don't want
to be unopposed. Woe unto you when
all men speak well of you. But you
| want to remember that you invited
me to come here; I didn't beg for the
privilege Of coming he said.
| Eight thousand or more persons
who heard the second sermon Of the
Rev. Billy Sunday yesterday afternoon
| left the tabernacle with clearer un.
derstanding of the methods he en-
ploys in carrying on his great religious
what he intends to accomplish in Des
Moines.
Long before 2 o'clock the huge
| tabernacle was comfortably filled and
half hour later, when the services
were begun many persons found them
selves unable to secure seats.
In the throng were persons repre-
senting every walk of life in the city;
men and women of every religious
denomination and scores Of people
who have not passed through a church
| door in years.
In his Characteristic manner, the
Rev. Sunday riveted the attention OF
his audience and talked for fOrty-five
minutes, pausing at times long enough
! to allow the humorous side of his re-
marks to make the impression he de.
sired.
| Iowa's Prosperity.
II do not believe the sun shines on
| a spot more prosperous than Iowa
was the compliment the evangelist
paid his native state in his opening
remarks. Il am looking forward here
to one of the greatest meetings I have
held We have a tabernacle that will
be Just as comfortable when the temp.
erature is down to 40 below zero as it
| is today and there is nothing that will
give people an excuse for staying
away.
! 'In nearly every city l am asked
to preach sermon against the Cath
tolics," he said. ~ tell people who
make such requests that there is en-
tirely too much rot and muck in oul
own yards.
"There is good in the\ Catholic
church Just as there is in the Protest