Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-01-18
SUNDAY SCORES
! GREATEST VICTORY
OVER THE DEVIL
Evangelist Brings 1884 Per-
sons to Christ in Day of
Three Sermons Thrilled
With Enthusiasm.

w iii LSlltIluSldollls
"Blnyp Sunday scored the greatest sue
cess OF his revival campaign in this city
| yesterday, when he brought 1884 persons
to glory row" to acknowledge their be-
lief in Christ as their personal Savior be-
fore tho thousands seated In the taber-
nacle.
II was a desperate battle which the
evangelist waged against sin and vice yes
terday. a nand- d-to-hand struggle with the
devil, which lasted more than three and
a half hours with only two short intermis-
slons during which the tabernacle was
emptied and rapidly filled again with
eager thousands who for hours had stood
patiently waiting in the rain to gain ad.
mission to the building.
When IL was over "Billy" was almost
exhausted. His voice was almost gone, he
was colarless and coatless.
He was literally dripping from head TO
foot with perspiraton, but he had won
great victory and was radiant with the
happiness OF one who had achieved his
hearts desire.
The evaagelist's morning sermon on the
text, LORD, Is IL IL 0Eu DttIl
by him on Saturday night, and there was
little surprise when l5T converts hit the
sawdust trail' in response TO the powerful
sermon, but the afternoon and evening
sermons on Chickens Come Home to
Roost" proved to he a surprise to every
cne of the 10000 persons who heard it.
From the text it was expected that
Billy" had reserved a humorous sermon
for his "men only" audience, but 1t proved
% H., ,f tln nrrtT N q
on sin that has ever been heard in this
city That 1t was effective was proved
by the SOL converts won in the afternoon
and the i76 who answered the call at the
evening service.
CONVERTS COME EAGERLY.
The converts were not "down-and out
ers" yesterday. There were men, and
during the first service women, who were
willing to undergo drenchlng In the
rain to give BILLY" chance to fight for
their souls. There were young men. clean
cut and unafraid, middle-aged men, their
faces lined with an intimate knowledge
OF the vices which the evangelist was
scoring, and there were old men eager
to seek atonement before 1t should be
too late; all of them willing and anxious
to say with the evangelist. Lord, be
merciful to me. a sinner.
You see how the devil fight" Mr.. Sum
day said as he entered the tabernacle
shortly before 10 o'clock yesterday. HE
brings down pouring rain and tries to
keep the people from coming here, but
look at them!''
The building was already filled and
hundreds who had come only a half hour
before the scheduled time thinking that
the rain would keep the crowds away,
were unable to enter the tabernacle. Mr..
Sunday began a few minutes after his
arrival.
The throngs outside the tabernacle in
creased steadily until more than 10000 per-
sons, most of them with umbrellas, but
many without any protection from the
rain, were ready to stream into the build
ing at the close of the service.
At the afternoon, as at the morning
service, large crowds who were unable to
enter the tabernacle remained outside,
disappointed, In an attempt to catch a
word or two coming from the platform OF
the tabernacle Sunday scored every vice
known to mankind and brought the truth
of his message home to his audience with
an emphasis hardly ever before revealed
by the evangelist.
"If I knew absolutely that there was
no future life. no heaven, no God, then
I would continue to live the life l am
living now for the blessings that come
to me-" he cried. 'If knew death would
would end 1t all I would not change one
iota in my way of living"
AUDIENCE AsToNIsHED.
And then he warmed up to his subject
and "iit into the DEVIL" as one convert
put it, until his audience was gasping
with astonishment and excitement. Bill
ly' brought his sermon TO a close with
story of a race between the Chicago,
Burlington and Quincy Railroad and the
Northwestern to obtain a 100000 United
States mail contract, race in which he
had figured prominently as a fireman on
the Burlington train.
The Northwestern train was on time,
the Burlington road 40 minutes behind.
Put her in on time or put her in tht
ditch" was the order given the Burling-
toms engineer. The throttle was opened
and the great monster leaped into the
night hitting 60 almost before she hs,.
left the yards" She plunged through a
binding snow storm the engineer tense
at the throttle, Billy firing the engine
until his back seemed to break.
With the vlvidness that only Sunday
can put into story, BILLY" continued the
tale, describing each thrilling detail OF
the nsrve-racking race, bringing 1t to a
climax when he shouted, "But-but we
brought her in two minutes ahead of
time! And the Chicago. Burlington and
Quincy pulls the fastest mail today"
DRAWS PARALLEL.
He leaped 10 the pulpit and drew a
parallel between his story and the lives
of men who are staggering to hell in
stead Of hghtng winning race toward
Heaven, how they are damnins their chill
dren and their chIldren's children by the