The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1915-06-23
HE ROASTS
REvIvALIST
METHODS
BY loRlN o. ANegviNE

Dispatches 70 The st~ TO.
day, from Philadelphia. bring
word 81 the resignation Of
Bentley o. Aekley. private sec
Rotary and pianist FOR "6illy"
Sunday. the evangelist. They
also state that Sundays sd.
vance man. Rev. e. N. Emett.
has been summariiy dropped
from Sundays staff.
AekIey's going is brought
about. according TO Aekley. be-
cause as private secretary, he
was oNer~orked and underpald
In proportion to what the more
favored members OF the Sun.
day circle received: also be-
cause certain phases Of the
Sunday soui.savins process
got on his nerves"
This Is big news" Hundreds OF
thousands OF people. from the PA.
cific to the Atlantic seahoard. have
heard Ackley's playing at the Billy
Sunday tabernaclcs. and have sung
the many hymns Ackiey composed.
He was with Sunday five years
ago. during five.week campaign
In Everett
Covered" Everett Meetings
During those five weeks | had a
fine chance TO observe him. as
sat almost at hts elbow. covering
the meetings for an Everett paper.
NV most vivid memories OF Ack.
ley were the manner In which his
fingers trickied over the treble
KEYS in certain part OF the Spar.
row Song and the habit he had
Of playing "yip-Ay-Addy-Ay-Ay."
while Pastor Sunday was praying.
He played II with the soft pedal
down hard. just loud enough so
Miss McLaren. the singer. might
hear.
Miss Mciaren was very religious.
but she was not without a temper.
Ackley, who was a terrible tease,
liked 10 see her eyes flash.
Hut they buried their animosities
when Miss Mef.aren mounted the
platform for a solo. Her voice and
Ackley's playing we're the final ar
guments that brought many an old
topper down the sawdust trail
Sunday has lost a wonderful mu-
stefan In the passing OF Ackley. lie
preached powerful sermons on his
piano. At the opening song serv-
fee. you could hear the chords
crashing from his instrument above
the roar OF song from 5000 threats.
Fisher. the choir leader. used TO
have the pianist play IN a half
dozen different keys Ackley's own
HYMN. Help Somebody Today" to
FIT the voices OF Individual groups
OF youngsters. old men. young Won
en-. etc. II was largely Ackleys
playing at these times that warm
ed up the crowd for the sermon.
Exhcrted the Crowds
After the sermon. Ackley urged
the doubtful ones In gentle. hushed
tones. Very low and subdued, the
tones were now. tho stu audible
to the farthest corner OF the tab
ernacie. Very low and very sweet,
gently exhorting. earnestly plead
ing. until tears were eoursing down
hundreds Of cheeks.
In resigning. Ackley charges
Homer A. Rodeheaver. the present
choir leader. and Fred Se'bert,
caresaker OF the tabernacle. made
fabulous sums on concessions,
while the pianist struggled along
"a SIS a week salary, $50 OF wnich
came from tabernacle collections.
Saws Rodeheavsr Cleaned Up
He says Rodeheaver cleaned up
500 600 in the PhiladeIphis cam
paign. besides salary. chiefly from
the sale of hymn books, In which
Ackiey's hymns we're featured FOR
writing these hymns. Ackley de-
cIares he received but $40 each.
The monumental Job Of Keeping
the boss from being annoyed, by
keeping away cranks, was another
final straw. While Sunday and the
rest OF the staff were on their sum
mer vacations. Ackley says he
shaved on as secretary.
He also says that now he Is out
Of n. he may have some interest.
ing things 10 tell about the inner
workings OF the Sunday organiza-
ton
SUNDAY WON'T
ANSWER PHONE
The Star "wednesday tried to com
munica,e with Billy Sunday. TO get
his version Of the trouble. by long
distance telephone. at his ranch
Hood River. Or. But long dis
lance" reported he refused TO an
- hnr caIla