Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-07-04
RAPIDLY RECOVERING
FROM WINTER CAMPAIGN
Famous Evangelist Is Living Life OF
" Farmer on His Hood River
Valley Place.
HOW THE WEST REGARDS HIN,
There Is Air Of Skepticism, but He Is
Rated According to His Success
Even as Vaudeville Star or Capt..
talist.

heralded in Mandatory manner in a
great number OF the Atlantic City coast
city newspapers. produces a kind OF
shock to the sensibilties OF the aver
age Western newspaper writer. Such
result has followed tho reccnt-year
evanglistic campaigns OF Billy Sunday
FORMER baseball player. whose spectac-
ular meetings = "protractcd." they
would be called in sections Of the
south. where the camp meeting con-
. tlnues to be an annual event-have
aroused public interest and have been
productive OF volumes OF newspaper
stories and articles. Billy Sunday
would never get such n hearing in tho
West
Western audiences may fraternizc
with Billy Sunday as man; they will
attend his sermons and pay respectful
attention TO his quaint and character
istic expressions: they will watch his
strenuous gestures: and at times they
may become animated. still an atmos-
phere OF skepticism prevails. The
Western man looks askance at Billy
Sundays religion. The dynamic energy
OF the man demands attention, but, in
aSword. the purported serious purpose
OF the evangelst's mission is not taken
seriously by the man OF the West.
PuT OS SAME PLANE
WITH VAUDEVILLE STAR
Environment has great deal TO
do with this point OF view. The aver
ago Westerner looks upon life and men
from Il uiUcTent angie iFlfn MS Eastern
brother. Billy Sunday, the successful
evangelist is considered out here in
Oregon. where he has chosen 10 make
his summer home. would be 4 sue
cessful vaudeville star. 4 successful
capitalist. successful politician The
tactics he pursues in converting sim
ners present themselves TO the West
crn mind rs kind OF sham. and there
Is nothing more desp!cable 20 the
Wcsterner than posing. Yet these very
lice a1N 81 bat, anIl
that they get results. bring in the
bacon" Because of this fact Billy
Sunday Is accepted in the West. In
casual conversations I have had with
men and women, not only OF Hood
River hut OF other Western places.
havs Invariably found this to be their
point OF view.
II one were TO take hundred repre-
sentative neighbors Of billy Sunday
here in the Hood River Valley and each
Of them were TO express his feelings
| relative 10 the evangelist, ninety out
OF that hundred would most likely re-
ply: oh. he's got more religion
than have but he gets the money"
But these Hood River neighbors evince
pride In having Billy Sunday among
them, They speak about him as they
would the successes OF their prize
! winning apples or strawberries. and
1, when tourists pass this way they are
! iHvaria bly, shown the country home OF
the preacher.
I Leaving aside any criticism OF the
man who has caused the thousands to
hit the sawdust trail. that self-same
! man liz making the most OF his vaca-
ton. To all appearances a happy AS
bride and groom enjoying their
honeymoon. he and Ma" Sunday. the
efficient helpmeet. whose assistance and
sympathy have made possible his sue
cess In religious work are for the time
being forgetting the outside world.
rambling there like children within
the bounds OF their idyllic, rustic sur
roundIngs.
NO TRUCE WITH DEVIL
ON PART OF SUNDAY
The devil may consider summer as
truce time on the part OF his arch
enemy. and accordingly work over
time In tho big human vineyards. Not
30 with Billy Sunday. There is no
truce with him. for. as he character
ICES II. the vacation is all "a part OF
the days work" He is taking it easy
In order TO recuperate and strike harder
than ever. The recent numerous SER
imons at Paterson and Philadelphia
made a heavy inroad on the nervous
energy OF the preacher man, and when
he. Mrs. Sunday and their two sons,
Paul and William. left the East six
weeks ago the evangelist was badly in
need OF rest. But l am now feeling
hne. he says. land few more weeks
Will make me fit"
From press reports of Mr. Sundays
sermons one might think on going for
call on him at his ranch. that his
conversation would be filed with nu-
merous vehement expressions When
talking with Hood River visitors who
call on him he appears no more dra-
matte than the ordinary man. At rare
intervals, when discussing some topic
Gf interest. his face will light I'D with
the usual Billy Sunday animation or
he may let fall some of those apt
slang phrases that have had so much
10 do With making his sermons ia
nous. He seems tired. The crowfeet
lines about his face show the effect
OF much work.
work is laid out for three years in
advance. "Of course I have made no
definite plans for this length OF time"
he explains. but have outstanding
promises TO work at different cities
that Will take that long. shall leave
the Hood River Valley in July and
visit the Panama Pacific Exposition at
San Francisco. July % is Billy Sunday
Day at the fair. Then will 20 to
Omaha, where l have agreed to deliver
journey to Syracuse, " Y, and then to
Trenton. n. j. have agreed also TO
preach as soon as l can get around to
them at Minneapolis. Chattanooga,
Tenn; Chicago. Washington, d. c., AL
oany, n. Y. and st. Louis"
HOOD RIVER VALLEY HOME
wELL-KEPT COUNTRY PLACE
The Hood River Valley country home
OF the evangelist is in charge of his
brother-in-l law, l.. c. Heller. 1t is one
of the best kept places in the COM
munty OF handsome country homes The
rose gardens and arbors evidence much
care. The outbuildings and stables are
neat IN appearance and all have been
Tremendously painted No finer four
rear-old orchard may be found in the
a N q @
Crhich are installed all the latest con-
Heniences-electric lights and appar-