New-York tribune., 1915-03-16
Evangelist illustrates Bib
lical Scene Before Jersey
Legislators, Who Enjoy
Athletic Preaching-Real
Atmosphere. However, Is
Lacking in Capitol.
tFrom Tie 1rlbunc Correspondent

Trenton. n. j.. March 15.-The New
Jersey legislators and their friends who
heard Billy Sunday to-day were n very
critical audience.
They did not go into trance over
the talk Of the evangelist, nor did the
Assembly Room in the State Capitol
ring with constant laughter. In fact,
the throng there was a throng while
very much interested. was still skept-
cal 10 am extent. and there was only
subdued laughter until Billy told his
famous story Of how David killed
Goliath. Sunday burst out:
David soaked him on the COCO. be
tween the lamps, and he went TO the
mat, hing!"
Sunday whirled twice on one leg,
threw his arm with the motion OF a
man hurling a sling, and then upper
cut across the Speakers desk, so close
TO Governor Fielder that the erstwhile
ball players fist shot right out under
the Governors nose. The whole room
ful Of people laughed and applauded.
But this was the best sensation Of the
day
Atmosphere Lacking.
Il may have been that the big room.
with the yellow shades pulled down TO
keep the sunshine out. did not provide
the atmosphere of one Of Sundays
tabernacies. filed with hnlf-hysterc8l
people. There was no sawdust yester-
day. no smell Of clean pine boards, no
great chorus to work the throng up to
religious frenzy, no dazzling lights and
deep shadows.
Sunday himself had small chance 10
work" for he stood in a narrow space
back Of the Speakers deck, fanked as II
was by oil paintings of Washington
and Lincoln. But. anyway. there was
something that was lacking. the some
thing that brings so many up Sundays
-awdust trail to shake his hand and
some day 10 pour out thanks offer
ing OF money. l. was interesting, but
not thrilling.
The picturesque evangelist snucked
off his big fur coat and his queer little
gray slouch hat and entered the Capt.
tol with Assembyman Charles II. VOL
verton, Of Camden; the Rev. Harris J..
lobst, Of Iunterdon, and Robert Pea
cock. ~ Burlington. The first OF these
is the man who introduced the local op-
tion bill, which has passed New Jerseys
lower house and is now before the Sen
ate. And the second is clergyman,
who said a little later in introducing
Sunday:
~ am unworthy TO loose the latchets
OF this wonderful mans shoes. ! be-
ieve he is doing more for God and for
man than p thousand preachers. lie
can reach down to the gutter or mp 70
the Capitol and pick up men"
Sunday sat with AsScmblymau Pea
cock and MA" Sunday. a pretty brown
haired woman, while the crowd settled
itself into its seats and its close filled
standing places about the walls Homer
4. ROdehcaver. the musical director
"Rodey." they call him kept the audi
encc amused with Brighten the Corner
Where You Are" "Sweeter as the
Years Go By" and others of the songs
that Sunday crowds always hear.
80 Here Goes"
Two women. one IN red hat, the
other i'm q blue one, made a bright
touch Of color IN the front seats. A
baldheaded man hung his overcoat
over the balcony rail and leaned his
elbows on il. Another man. with a
gray beard. stood in the gallery and
put his hand behind his ear. The blue
caps and uniforms Of policemen were
strewn about among the crowd. Sun
DAY Icapcd 10 his feet.
"You didn't expect ] cturc on law.
sociology. Jurisprudence or obstetrics.
=, got me here to preach. SO here
goes!" he snapped out in a hoarse
voice. Ii was like the hail of the
Nordenfeldt, as "A poet once sang.
And then he swung into his sermon,
"Man or a Mutt, GasOlene or Dish
water, Heads or Tails He referred
now and then as he raced along to a
manuscript carefully hung into a
leather cover with steel rings.
Epigram piled on epigram, phrase
T. ,wod on phrase, adjective rocke.ed on
adjective Sunday was co.orful, IN
teresting. ruappy. appealing. 1t was
really fascinating to see no. the man
created his effects, how he built them
up with a wonderful crazy quilt OF
picturesque slang.
It would not do to snalyze all the
epigrams. Some would sound trlte II
translated into ordinary English. Nor
would it be possible or profitable to re-
neat them all. They were character
p