The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1916-09-09
Evangelist Made Most of His
Opportunities, and Was Ready
When Fate Called Him to Pulpit


mert in which be worked, Billy"
could be- seen prEcticing on the dia.
moud
II vas here that Cap" Arson. Of
the chicago National league team.
found Billy sunday and took him
ou' Of obscurity into The limeligh;
OF he baseball world
Away from little Marshalltown 10
tn great CTS OF Chicago went An
SON and billy. and It was owing
20 Arson faith In "Blly's" ability
and 20 his own influence that the
future evangelist become mem.
Dor OF the team and a highly val
ued member. roo.
BILLY" Is Converted
This Was great leap for Billy"
Sandsy bur it did not compare
with, The less spectacular change
which came over him when ne hap
penod upon q religious meeting in
mission one evening He con
t.nued 10 attend ,he mission in the
evenings. playing ball in the after.
noon until he found that he had
become thoroughly converted.
Always frank and outspoken. he
Immediately told hts friends about
II and was surprised aud delighted
when they greeted hlm with open
arms and heart, and promised TO
help him an the, could Re joined
the Jefferson Park Presbyterian
church. attended all the services
ard "a soon its most energetic
member To him God vas an ever.
present comfort and he communed
with Him as with a friend and took
Him into hts confidence The habit
has never changed and the feeling
ef PEAL contact billy Sunday OK
pc~ienccs is probably the reason soi
his ine1aausub,s inspiration and
strength
re 6rst appeared as an evangel.
ist in Chicago while playing csntar
feld on The Chicago nine His frs
audience was made ny of 500 men
who care more FOR him as base
bali player than o. preacher Al
that meeting - persons became
converted
From .he 0rst Nr SUNDAY spor
agcn-ly and with great feeling
Everyone who came to hear him
was impre sod rita bis sincerity
He needed no training and never
halted FOR word or feurc 20 *
press ui- meaning Re knew the
struggle and hardships ~ life and
the hopes and p.ration- Of the
average man and swept a~;ie an
ortrarcoue matter between IL
re2ched Tor and found me heart az
his listener and The listener re-.
ponded
Becomes Religious Secretary.
while in the Jefferson Pars
church be met Miss Helen a
Thompson, an ardent church WORK
er who later became bis wife
Much Of The success n Billy sun.
day Is due 70 the support sym.
pathy and calm Judgment oil his DO
voted partner from whom ho is but
rarely separated FOR more than
day.
20 insistent wcrc tho calls from
The religious world for his services
that Billy" Sunday finally gave up
his position a. a ballplayer and be-
came speaker. giving all his tim"
20 that work His first position Nas
hat Of secretary Of the religious
OF the Y VI {. a ia
chicago. AZ a salary Of $50 per
month
His experiences in this work in
al parts OF the biz city gave him
lurther insight into the needs ~
the human soul and how 70 meet
them Probably his knowledge of
human nature ~ the source Of his
power over the hearts OF men In
Tho capacity In which b. found him
self he met tho criminal the desti-
'ute. Tho forsakcn, the drunken and
victims ~ All sorts Of Injustice He
believed that they were an beloved
by their Maker and talked 70 them
accordingly
Fate Gives Him Hic Chance.
u was through Billy Sunday
friendship for Peter BilhorR. singer
With Dr. Wilbur Chapman. the
evangelist. that he came into his
own at last and began his life work
a. an evangelist. Dr. Chapman
needed an assistant and believed
that Sunday was the man who could
beat help him From being al.
vance man. looking after the build.
.0g Of tabernaclcs and all tho min.
ute detail ~ organization ne would
fll In AZ speaker Tor outside mect
ing4. etc, and 6rally when n wreck
Rept Or Chapman from hts desfina-
ton for nine days BHly" Sunday
took his Mace IIa SUCCESS IA an