Willmar tribune., 1915-09-08
CHAPTER TX.
Man to Man.

care anything about the re-
suits Of yonr actions, you can lie If you
want to; you can steal If you want to;
you can fight booze, you can commit
adultery If you want to, but listen to
me: be not deceived. God is not mock
ed, and what you sow you'll reap. You
can go your way and you can go 1t to
the limit, but as sure as there Is God
above you will have to pay the price,"
With these words, spoken with in
tense earnestness, Billy Sunday began
an address to the men of Bronson and
the surrounding country one Sunday
afternoon. 1t was thrilling sight for
the evangelist when he stepped on the
platform. The immense tabernacle
was crowded to the rear doors, fully
ten thousand men being massed to-
gether in the most wonderful religious
service ever held in all Michigan. In
the choir loft there were fully one
thousand more men and boys. 1t was
after three weeks Of hard campaign
ing, during which Mr.. Sunday had
preached as no one ever preached be-
fore in Bronson. He had denounced
sin. hypocrisy, ungodliness and every
form Of evil in a terrific manner, using
at times vocabulary Of his own. He
pictured the results of infdelity with
unsparing vividness. But he had kept
his great audiences night after night
In good humor and he carried public
sentiment with him in a manner that
amazed such men as Bud McCrea and
Mr.. Graham. In his pictures of heaven
and in his descriptions of hell the
evangelist became tragedian and the
people rejoiced and trembled in turn.
After the first two weeks he began to
plead with men to forsake their sins
and surrender themselves to Jesus
Christ and take up the Christian life.
The responses to his invitations were
Immediate. Hundreds pressed forward
to confess their willingness to live
henceforth for God. Among the pen
itents had been men of all classes.
rich and poor, learned and ignorant.
Some society women crowded to the
front In company with operatives from
the Gregory factory. Students from the
Normal school and professors also,
were among the throng which '+hit the
sawdust TRAIL"
The Courier devoted more than half
its space every day to reporting the
meetings, and religion was the sole
topic of interest in Bronson. Prayer
meetings were held every day in every
section of the city; shop meetings at
noon were addressed by scores Of min
listers and prominent laymen. Busi-
ness men who had never before men.
toned religion to their associates now
pleaded with them to accept the Chris
tian faith.
made beforehand to insure the success
of the great mems mass meeting that
Sunday afternoon. 1t was q. beautiful
winter Sabbath, and Reginald Nelson.
who had remained faithfully at the
press table night after night, sat on
the platform and watched the regi-
ments Of men throng into the taber-
nacle. When the multiplied thousands
filled the broad arena he said to him.
self, '"This is an army"
After the opening singing and prayer
Billy Sunday began his address. At
the opening sentence he caught the at
tention Of all.
II am going to hit right out from the
shoulder today, men," he continued.
God knows l feel kindly toward you
and that have no other aim than q
desire to help you. Before you leave
the tabernacle hope shall have con-
vinced you that l did not come here
today to pump you full of hot air"
Here the speaker unloosened his col
lar and tie and laid them on a nearby
chair and also removed his coat
II am trying to practice what
preach" he exclaimed, "for ] throw
too many rocks at other people to live
In glass house. l am trying the best
know how to tote square,"
There was burst of applause from
the audience. and Mr. Sunday contin-
ned with increasing animation:
II know what it Is to work. l lived
on a farm In early life, and from nine
years of age have been doing a mans
work in the world My father died in
the war, and my mother was left q
widow with family Of small children.
l tell you l have crawled up out Of the
sewers Of poverty"
The great army Of men were now lis
ten1ng intently, and the evangelist
plunged into his theme.
II have been told good many things
about some Of you fellows here in
Bronson" he declared, walking up to
the edge of the platform and glaring
out over the throng. II know that
some Of you go home at night, you old
devils, from places where you wouldn't
think Of taking your wife for all the
world. And you young bucks. 1 know
about you. too. Some Of you go down
to the haunts Of vice, and If some one
asks you to go to the tabernacle and
hear Bill you answer, oh, no, he is too
Id vulgar You miserable, little.
low down wretches, some of you are
80 low down that you would have to
reach up to touch the bottom, and you
are so crooked you could hide behind
a corkscrew." ".
These statements evoked roars Of
laughter and applause, but Reginald
could see number of young men flush
az the speaker made these biting re-
marks, and among them was Roland