Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-01-05

The last time l saw Billy Sunday was
when he went to the bat on the South End
ball ground, in Boston. That was a good
many years ago. Since then he has become
the most successful evangelist in the world
On Sunday afternoon he went to the bat in
the tabernacle and he was the same dynamo
OF nerves, the same honest Billy Sunday who
strikes truth full and fair and sends 1t into
the heart straight to the conscience, or
makes target of the funny bone.
Evangelists in class by themselves.
Most of them have the commanding power.
b. Fay Mills would today make a general.
Moody eXacted obedience and Gypsy Smith
gives orders with military presumption. Billy
Sunday is also the boss. He is in command.
Things are done in order at the tabernacle.
Ladies remove their hats or get out. There
is no crowdng in the aisles. Ushers under
stand their business.
The tabernacle was not filed in the after
Hundreds of vacant seats were back
of the platform, but the floor space was
taken. When the collection was taken there
was perceptible fiutter of fear. 1t was the
sound of the coin in the tin cans. The
opening exercises were not marked by the
spiritual fervor that characterized the Moody
meetings. The singing lacked volume and
devotional expression.
His Power-What Is 1t?
Billy Sunday Is not easily defined. Power
conceals it's secret. Psychologists would call
it hypnotism; theologians, the power of the
spirit; the ethical teacher, the gift of truth;
the dramatist, the art of the player; while
others declare:
His strength is the strength of ten,
Because his heart is pure
IQillv tSupdo1, a.. - ,ra~l
mon is carefully prepared and some of it
read from manuscript Certain climaxes are
illustrated. At one point he slides to a base
at another kneels, or leaps upon the pulpit
DESK or smashes chair to pieces Edward
Everett did not more carefully prepare a
speech with its proper gestures than does
TINS evangelist build his sermons. The local
color with which he decorates his main
thought is taken from the city in which he
speaks.
HIS imagination interested me. Speaking
on THE Grenadier," the consideration of his
theme invited the use of the imagination. and
he gave 1t full play. The sermon WAS an
application of military attributes to practical
life' a rebuke to the wind jammer" of the
prayer meeting, and an appeal to the man
VINO has taken an oath to be good to 20 out
ana honor 1t. He assailed the "saphead"
VINO crlucises the Church, and the descrip-
ton he gave Of Daniel in the lions den and
of the head of John the Baptist on a charper
will not be forgotten.
confess to liking for his so-called slang
Most of it is plain English with a p,,ncb in
IT, 1t is the punch which preachers ana
editors and people who use words eeneraIIv
lack Words are like shot, made TO strike
ana especially when used to influence great
podles OF people. 1t is refreshing TO hear
man say what he thinks and say IL as he
pleases-a thing most public men signaIlv
fail to do.
Man-Fashion
Personality is inseparable from orator,oo,
power. The man is always greater than The |
work the man is doing. Billy Sunday Is a |
pam man. dressed in business mans suit
DehaVing In sincere democratic fashion |
ana speaking as man to men, The Ameri-
can people like that sort OF man. No Prince
Albert, no white tie no holy tone No gr,ls
ana ribbons, no nonsense but straight ont-
rrem-the-shoulder talk-that is the kind ~
man the American people like He Is not 4
sermon maker-sometimes no blood relation
pet"een text and sermon-Just a text for a
starter, ana Sunday does the rest.
HIS mouth and eyes are eloquent. Web-
sters eyes emitted flashes OF hre. so do Billy
sunday ais mouth Is even more eloquent
when It smiles than when Il talks p,s -
speaks with ais whole body, ana esnecIaII,,
his right les, He runs bases between truths
ne jumps up and catches q conviction ,vhiyl-
ing through the air, he stoops to cono,,sr. ana
gathers the dregs Of the dictionary ans h.x,s
them forth Perspiration ana Inspiration
meet in one glowing personality.
HAD Doctor Eliot closed his address in
withersnoon Han the other nignt standlnr 5,
lhe pulpit eeak be would have shocked the
,ountEy ena made John fIafsard tara over
g PIG fe hnE Ehis = Faat SHY sna1st
~ dramatic eeeaes sassssElae