Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1915-02-08
SEES BLISTERS ON
POLITICIANS HIDES
IF SUNDAY COMES
Rev. Davis w. Lusk Tells What
Newark May Expect from
Evangelist.

"Tf Billy Sunday should come to
Newark there would be more blisters
raised on the thick hides of the
politicians than ever a doctor saw on
any patient, provided he felt in the
humor to go after them. And al
though he is fierce In his denuncia-
ions he always has good cause for
MS exposures" These were state
snents made last night by Rev. Davis
W. Lusk in a sermon preached IN
the First Presbyterian Church, Afl-
3ngton. Rev. Mr.. Lusk, who is su-
perintendent Of the Newark Pres
bytery, filed the Arlington church
pulpit in the absence of Rev. William
A. Coombe, who is on a short Vaca-
sion.
Continuing Rev. Mr.. Lusk said:
ssThere is scarcely any sin known 10
man that Billy Sunday fails to deal
with, and the bigger the sinner, the
more distinguished he is, the more
attention he will receive The pauper
will be more mercifully dealt with
than the millionaire. Billy sunday
calls TO account" said Rev. Mr.. Lusk.
those who are in authority IN
municipalities and in the State legis-
atures, governors, mayors and alder
men.
HE can call people more names
and come out smiling than any man
in America. He has not only an
Ananias society, but a Judas society
and a P late society, and Pharisee
society, and a lot of other soc ceties
into which he distributes his victims.
He does it with consummate skill and
with terrible effect. But he usually
does il In a way that commands the
approval of the multitudes.
"Billy Sunday never floats around
I'D the air: he Is always down on
1he ground He p.eads for righteous
life. He pleads that heaven should
oegin here. He also breaches hell,
and so much so that some people
think Ii is his main message. He
makes more of hell than he does OF
heaven. He says: we need a new
article In our creed Know what 1t
s? Hear me I viii tell you. be-
ieve in hell, not in gehenna, not in
lades. I believe it is the word of
God.
"T do not make hell, but preach
t. If I preach t, ii Is up to you. II Is
ike the young minister who got up
% preach his first sermon and said,
II am sorry to be compelled to in
'orm you that many of you are living
such a life that if you died in your
present condit on you would go to a
place so terrible that 7 can't pro-
aounce IT," Well I will tell you.
will pronounce it. You will go to
hell. That is where you will go As
ne uttered this the audience gave him
app ause.
"He says again: If Andrew Car
negie gives away every dollar he has
70 the church and does not repent he
viii go to hell. Billy Sunday does
not appear to have any theory of
ltonerlent. but simply procla'ms the
TACT Of Christ as an al.-sufticient
Saviour for mank nd, He claims that
the gospel is big enough for the big
gest sinner and the love of God is
broader than the measure Of mans
mind
Here then are some Of the ele-
gnents that may be named as con-
tribUting to Billy Sundays success /
Let me recapitulate;
Il He is a ffrst-class actor. People |
ike that.
20. He has a keen sepse of humor |
and the ridiculous. People like that. |
''3. He has a vivid imagination. ,
People like that,
Il. He is intensely human. People /
ike that.
IS, He speaks with authority. Peo-
pie like that.
e6. He Is terrible in his denuncia- /
ions. People like that
=. He IS practical. People like
hat.
IS. He breaches hell People like
hat.
20. He breaches salvation from sin.
People like that.
40. He breaches the supremacy Of
People like that.
eve may not agree W tn his theol-
agy, 1t is misty with age and out OF
harmony with the scientific thought
Of the times; we MAJ not agree with
ais views of the Bible, for he holds
20 a liberalism that does not coincide
with the advance scholarship of the
day; We may not agree with his
methods, for he runs a plough-share
through all the conservatism of the
community and turns up subsoil
that is fairly startling; we may not
agree with his preaching for he
startles and thrills and melts and
arouses his audience with wit and
oathos and denunciation and words
md metaphors that are simply tre-
mendous; we may call n m vulgar, or
lntiquated in his theories. or overly
stern in his morality or anything we
please. still we have to confess that
ae gets the results.
"Would 1t be wise 10 have Billy
Sunday come to Newark for a cam
oaign? We have settled down to a
certain standard regarding amuse
ments. Nearly all of our church
people go to the theatres and some
Of the ministers go. too. They think
It all right Nearly all of our young
people dance and think II all right
Now, If Billy Sunday were to come
mere. he would set up a new standard
Ind he would probably wage such a
war upon the present standard that
It would be demolished How long it
would stay demolished is another
question. Would the reaction be
greater than the reform? This is a