The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1915-03-11

{ club was tied with the Detroits for
the worlds championship The bat
/ ter knocked the ball clear out Of the
field. Billy turned and ran, yelled to
! the crowd TO open a path for him to
pass through, leaped over the benches
: jumped high in the air and fell under
| the feet Of a team OF horses: but arose
victorious with the ball still tight in
I his hand The crowd Of fans went
, wild with delight as they ran up to
/ him and nearly mobbed him with
shouts and cheers as the great hero
of that critically important game.
Ii was in the height Of his baseball
career that message came to him
from heaven telling him to become an
evangelist. He had three-year con-
tract with his club, and told the Lord
to secure release for him, and then
he would willingly make the sacrifice
for his sake. The release was procured
and handed to him as he was lead
ing a meeting But at the same mo-
ment the manager Of the Cincinnati
team came up to the platform where
Billy was, with a contract at $500 per
month and check for the first
months salary in advance. 1t was
a great temptation; but he refused
that $500 per month with all the base
ball glory, to become an obscure
assistant secretary in the Chicago Y.
NJ. c. A. at SS3 per month.
We must turn back for moment
and speak of Billy Sundays CONVEX
sion. One Sunday afternoon in Chica-
go, Billy went out walking with some
of the most famous players in the
world. They entered a saloon to get
| filled up and then sat down on the
curb stones at the corner of vacant
lot. Across the street there was an
open air meeting conducted by some
christian workers from the Pacific
Garden Mission. 1t reminded Billy of
mother and the songs she used to sing.
He sat on the curbing and sobbed and
sobbed until young man stepped up
and invited the ball players to meet
ing in the mission. He said: "You can
hear drunkards tell how they have
been saved from drink, and young
girls tell how they have been saved
from the red light district" Billy
arose and said to his companions:
Boys, I'm through, | am going to
Jesus Christ. We've come to the part
ing of the ways" Then he turned his
back on them and walked into the
little mission He fell on his knees
and staggered out of sin and into the
arms of the Savior.
Soon after his conversion Billy
united with the Jefferson Park Pres
byterian Church in Chicago. He at
tended all the services regularly, in
Guiding the Christian Endeavor Soci-
ETY. and the prayer meeting. 1t was
at the prayer meeting that he met
Miss Helen A. Thompson, the young
woman who afterwards became his
wife, They have four children: Helen,
George, William and Paul. Two of
them are married. The Sunday home
is at Winona Lake, Indiana. The
oxyo nnol;ct ic ho,oa n,,1xt a CIort tipno
each summer, and "Ma" Sunday, as he
calls his wife, is usually away with her
husband on his campaigns.
While Billy Sunday was in the Y.
NJ. C. A. work in Chicago, a dissipated
looking fellow came up to him on the
street and asked: "Pard, will you give t
me dime ?" "No, sir" 81 want to {
get something to eat" "You look like |
a rum-sucker." 81 am" IF you will t
come in and attend our meeting, | will \
Jake you out afterwards and buy you 9
a supper" The fellow was about 30 c
years old, and he had been without
'ood for two days. He was deeply '
moved by the meeting, and at the close t
when Billy went up to him he wcpt as /
ne told his story: Y
"There were three Of us boys in the a
amily living in Boston. Our father I
lied and left us considerable money. ! q
ook my share and began drinking and a
At last | reached Denver, S
ny money was all gone, and / got II
position as fireman in the switch yards h
# the railroad. My mother kept writ Il
ng to me but | never even read the a
etters When | saw the postmark h
nd the writing ! would throw the CT
etters into the fire box But one day, Il
can't tell why, | opened one Of her a
etters and it read: Dear Frank, ! e.
avent heard from you, but / am
rue you need mothers care; and un- :.
ess yon answer this time ! am coming :.
II the way to Denver to see you. II
rom your loving mother threw al
er letter into the fire ard paid no al
ttention to it, One day about two m
L L. ! bi