The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1915-02-18
HOW HE WINS THE CROWD.

He frankly admits that he uses his
startling outbursts of slang and his SEN
sational acrobatic methods upon the plat
form to draw the crowd He says, III
I talked the same and acted the same as
the other fellows do wouldn't get any
more people to listen to me than they
pet" With the crowd before him he
wins their confidence, makes them ms
friends and delivers the message that is
in his heart He talks PLAIN, blunt IAN
guage. tinged with the vernacular OF the
snoring crowd and that all who follow
our great national game are accustomed
to use. He brings the facts OF vice ana SIN
and the truths of sound morailtv, the
spiritual life and individual responsibility
home tG the common people as no other
man has done it in this generation
While he is reaching the man at the Dot
tom, people of every class recognize the
application of the same truth to their own
lives and so he gets them all In select
audience he has proved that he can d.
vest his spe CHI of all slang and command
as perfect English as any OF his critics.
THE FACTS ABOUT HIS INCOME.
Some who condemn Billy Sunday say
that he is working on cash basis, and
point to the big free will offerings, which
are his only compensation in these cam
naiqns. but which run into many thou
sands of dollars year. The understand
ing is that the last day of the meetings.
as described in my first article two weeks
ago, Billy Sundays remuneration comes
upon purely voluntary basis. II at any
time improper pressure Is brought to
bear by Mr. Sundays associates to make
these offerings large, it opens the way
for criticism which might impair his IN
fiuence. So long as the offering tor Mr.:
Sunday is in fact free-Wlll offering,
see no just grounds for criticism because
the offering is large, and we cannot
blane Mr.. Sunday very much for his re-
tort to tn 3se VINO demand an accounting
of his income, that it is nobody S business
what he does with his money. There is
reason to believe that should he happen
to accumulate fortune good use will he
made of it when the time is ripe.
Meantime, shall we blame a man for
providing for his wife and children and for
his own future after be may have broken
down in health? Shall we blame him for
refusing to proclaim abroad the fact, as
| am told on good authority, that he
tithes his income for the Lords work
and that he is consta !tly rendering sub
stantial aid TO the needy in silent, private
ways? If Billy Sunday is mercenary,
why does he scorn the honorable pa
form of the Chautauqua circuit when OF
fered princeiy salary by the season?
Why does he choose to work harder than
any man of whom we have record has
ever worked as an evangelist, wearing
his life out and surely shortening his
days?
No hint of suspicion has ever appeared
against his honesty or integrity of char
E acter or the purity of his personal life.
SERVICE NOT THEOLOGY HIS FORTE.
MANY are troubled about his theology.
The most unfavorable Interpretation OF
Billy Sundays theology" places him in
company with men whom the Christian
Church holds in reverent respect and
whose views still largely prevail in the
church. Mr.. Sunday himself declares
that he knows no more about theology
ethan a jack rabbit knows about ping
pong or GOLF" and urges all Christians
to quit quibbling over non-essentials and
unite in Christian service on the great
fundamental truths. | am told by men
in churches that have been in his cam
paigns that most of his converts work
out their theology in the church of their
choice. to which they quickly turn from
the ''sawdust trail.
The man who is afraid to hear the
truth about himself, his sins and his
duty should beware of Billy Sunday. The
man who is courageous on that score
should give him hearing, as most of
those who condemn him have not done.
i failed to find in Philadelphia anyone
who had actually heard Billy Sunday
who was not on his side. 1t is steadily
increasing army that comes to scott but
remains to pray with and for Billy Sun
day.
After talking with many men of many
types and classes in Philadelphia l came
TO this conclusion: The impression eft
by Billy Sunday is not that of perspir-
ing actor hurting slang and anathema,
but of passionate prophet welding the
sword of the spirit, The slang and the
startling platform manners are forgot
ten; the moral and spiritual message,
shot straight, strikes home.