Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1915-05-14

after three weeks Of hard campaign
ing, during which Mr.. Sunday had
preached as no one ever preached be
fore In Bronson. He had denounced
sin. hypocrisy. ungodliness and every
form of evil In a terrific manner. using
at times a vocabulary of his own. He
pictured the results of infidesity with
unsparing viyidness. But he had kept
his great audiences night after night
in good humor and he carried public
sentiment with him In a name that
amazed such men as Bud McCrea and
Mr.. Graham. In his pictures Of heaven
and In his descriptions of hell the
evangelist became a tragedian and the
people rejoiced and trembled in turn.
After the first two weeks he began to
plead with men to forsake their sins
and surrender themselves to Jesus
Christ and take up the Christian life.
The responses to his invitations were
immediate. Hundreds pressed forward
to confess their willingness to live
henceforth for God. Among the PEN
itents had been men OF all classes.
rich and poor. learned and Ignorant
Some society women crowded to the
front In company with operatives from
the Gregory factory. Students from the
Normal school and professors also.
were among the throng which "hit the
sawdnst trail"
The Courier devoted more than half
its space every day to reporting the
meetings. and religion was the sole
topic of interest in Bronson. Prayer
meetings were held every day In every
section of the city: shop meetings at
noon were addressed by scores Of min.
listers and prominent laymen. Bust
ness men who had never before men
toned religion to their associates now
pleaded with them to accept the Chris
tan faith.
Elaborate preparations had been
made beforehand TO insure the success
Of the great mems mass meeting that
Sunday afternoon. 1t was n beautiful
winter Sabbath. and Reginald Nelson.
who had remained faithfully at the
press table night after night, sat on
the platform and watched the regi
ments of men throng into the taber.
nacle. When the multiplied thousands
filed the broad arena he said to him
self, This is an army"
After the opening singing and prayer
Billy Sunday began his address. At
the opening sentence he caught the at.
tention Of all.
81 am going to hit right u from the
shoulder today. men," he continued
"God knows | feel kindly toward you
and that / have no other aim than a
desire to help you. Before you leave
the tabernacle l hope shall have con-
WINGED you that ] did not come here
today to pump you full Of hot air.
Here the speaker unloosened his col.
lar and tie and laid them on a nearby
chair and also removed his coat.
81 am trying to practice what ]
preach" he exclaimed "for ] throw
too many rocks at other people to live
In a glass house. | am trying the best
| know how to tote square"
There was a burst of applause from
the audience. and Mr.. Sunday contin-
ned with increasing animation:
81 know what it Is to work. / lived
o. a farm in early life. and from nine
years of age | have been doing a mans
work In the world. My father died In
the war. and my mother was left q
widow with a family Of small children
| tell you | have crawled up out OF the
sewers of poverty"
The grent army OF men were lis.
tening intently. and the evangelist
plunged into his theme.
81 have been told a good many things
about some Of you fellows here In
Bronson he declared. walking up to
the edge of the platform and glaring
out over thu throng. II know that
some of you go home at night. you old
devils. from places where you wouldn't
think of taking your wife for all the
world. And you young bucks. / know
about you. too. Some of you go down
to the haunts of vice. and If some one
asks you to go to the tabernacle and
hear Bill you answer. oh, no.. he is TOO
d-d vulgar. You miserable. little.
low down w%retches. some of you are
80 low down that you would have to
reach up to touch the bottom, and you
are so crooked you could hide behind
a corkscrew."
These statements evoked roars of
laughter and applause. but Reginald
could see a number of young men flush
as the speaker made these biting re-
marks. and among them was Roland
Gregory, who had attended the meet
ing for the first time that afternoon.
Il know the fellows who will find
fault with my talk today" continued
Billy Sunday. Every fellow that Is
not toting square, every fellow who Is
lecherous, false, dishonest and mean
will go away from here and cuss me,
but you men who believe in what is
right and who want to see Bronson
cleaned up, you men who are trying TO