The Washington herald., 1915-01-06
Revival in City Of BrotherIy Love.

The first result of the Rev. Billy Sundays re-
vival campaign in Philadelphia, is revival of sec
tarianism and discussion of the relative merits
of the different roads to salvation. Mr. Sunday is
responsible for the discussion since he began it in
his first with rather harsh criticism of the
Unitarians and other religious organizations which
do not agree with him and his methods. The Uni
tartan ministers have replied and some of the other
Protestant ministers have enthusiastically indorsed
the revivalst. 1t is unfortunate that revival for
which great preparations have been made at an ex-
pense of $4,000, with the hope of rcviving the
churches and bringing more general recognition
of Christian religion, should be accompanied by
such discussion and division among the workers
in the cause. But it is difficult to keep free from
sectarianism in a revival conducted by such a rad-
cal Billy Sunday His enthusiasm and his con-
victions concerning his particular belief, make him
proselytng preacher as well as a revivalist and
while he condemns sin in high and low places he
also criticises other church workers who do not
subscribe to his faith and his methods.
There would seem to be a good field for re-
ligious effort in Philadelphia, outside the ranks
OF the present church organizations for, by the
gious statistics, it appears that only 40 per cent
of the population of that city is identified with
any church organization. In a population of
more than a million and a half, this leaves
about 100000 people who are still outside
the fold ample material for a nine weeks
revival. But Mr.. Sunday, in his first sermon, went
after the 100000 church members we'll the
100000 who, to use his own expression are not
with the churches and so low down that they
need an airship to get to hell"
Such a revival campaign may bring good results
in spite OF the sectarian differences that mani
fest, but the prosclyting feature has rather em-
hor
ed by the Quakers, is not a Protestant city, even
measured by its churches. More than half the
church communicates of that great city are known
Roman Catholics, and only little more than one
fourth OF all the church members are identified
with the Protestant churches, that working in
harmony with Mr. Sunday. When there are still
100000 people outside the churches, and Mr. Sun
days campaign is to bring them into the fold, it
would be more encouraging if the church workers
engaged in the campaign could show the spirit OF
brotherly love which has long been the boast Of
Philadelphia, in their effort to snatch the brands
from the burning rescue the lost sheep
But Billy Sunday is law unto himself in the
pulpit and has adopted the methods of Peter Cart
right the pioneer revivalist of the West who de-
nounced New Workers and all Eastern people as
heather because they ate oysters and shrimps in
stead of honest corn bread and bacon. Sunday
also has his Western preJudlces as well as base
ball vocabulary, and, in particulars, his way
to heaven IS about narrow that of old Peter
Cartright. The baseball managers of today may
take exception to the above reference to Mr. Sun
days baseball vocabulary for it is doubtful if any
umpire would permit the men on the diamond to
take such liberties with the English language as
Mr.. Sunday does in the pulpit. This baseball vo-
cabulary is OF the past we'll some of his other
evangelizing methods.