The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-11-24
BILLY SUNDAY HAS
144O CONVERTS
FIRST NIGHT
Record Number Responded to APP
peaIs Of Evangelist
MtETIsG WAS FOR MEN ONLY
Sunday Assailed the Liquor interests
and Says That He Plans to Make
Boston Cry.

Boston, Nov. 23.-Billy Sunday start
ed the trail hitters tonight, breaking
all other first nights for converts in
the history of his religious revivals.
Just 1440 people In the tabernacle re-
sponded when after windup of re-
markable oratory the baseball evan
gelist called for trail hitters. To
nights service was for men only. and
the evangelist took advantage OF the
opportunity presented He assailed
the booze interests and reiterated his
statement OF last night, when he said
he would make Boston a dry city.
His sermon this evening was taken
from the text II Chronicles xviii 10.
"As the Lord liveth, even what my
God saith, that will | speak
Mr.. Sunday said in part:
"Micaiah was a man whose SER
mons were not written on the head
of a flour barrel; the condition of his
cellar had nothing to do with his liber-
ty in the pulpit. His theology and
pantry were not dependent on each
other. He was afraid OF being canned
by taking dead aim at some influential
sinner on the front seat. A patch in
his coat did not make him think he
had no call to preach,
"He did not lose my sleep because
his preaching was not popular with
certain crowd. He did not throw
up the sponge because all-star
preachers knocked him.
Let a preacher get in the pulpit
and tear the mask from the devils
face and the congregation is shocked
AZ the mention of hellfire and brim
stone, they have Mysteries. A ser
mon by a man filed with the Holy
Chest bores them to death. They
see nothing in it. 1t is hard for them
to keep awake.
THE kind OF a preacher they want
Is one who will allow them to serve
the devil all week. then 80 to church
on Sunday without losing any self
respect. They do not mind hearing
about the sins OF Europe, but they
want nothing said about the sins of
the United States.
"They will agree with the preacher
who proves there is a devil in the
slums, but disagree with a man who
proves there is a devil on the boule-
ward They will agree with the man
who says there is a devil in the red
light district. but will cruelty the fel-
low who proves there is devil in
the drawing room. They will agree
with the preacher who knocks the sa-
loon, but il will rail against the man
If he tells them they are running a
booze joint in their own home.
Somehow. Jehosaphat could not
lead himself to believe in the proph-
ecy of Micaiah He faced about on
the throne that he could look Ahab
in the eye and asked. Is there not
here a prophet OF the Lord
"Ahab said Yes. a fellow | forgot.
Eccentric creature who robs his
family of their bread and butter
every time he opens his mouth to
preach. A man, lacking in discrimi-
nation and correct judgment. A
prophet of ability | admit, but he is a
fanatic Nothing his talent, took in
terest in him and would have ad-
vanced him to a good appointment
with good pay as spiritual advisor of
the court. but to my chagrin found
that in his preaching he had no more
regard for the feelings of royalty than
a steel trap.
"T had to change my preacher or
stop going to church He never
phophesied any good for me in all his
life. And in order that brotherly
love might prevaid and someone high
ly connected might not take offense
and withdraw his support | decided
to have this obstinately eccentric ana
fanatic preacher locked up-in other
words, canned! But to show you TO
what absurd extremities religious hot
headedness can go | will have this
unfortunately dogmatic preacher
brought out. Then you will see he
never looks to see who is in the
church before he breaches.
And, summoning an officer to ap-
pear, Ahab said; Fetch me quickly,
Micaiah, son of Imla.'
"Micaiah said that the troops
| should not be sent in the field but
be sent home in peace. Ahab warned
him to tell nothing but the truth. 1t
was not the truth that Ahab wanted.
He wanted the prophet say that he
would have 1t all his way. No rebel
against God wants the truth. All he
wants is all high authority for living
in sin without being brought to judg-
| ment.
The reason why some people hate
the Bible is because it tells them If
they live as they want to- God has
determined that they will suffer.
When wicked man, by distorting the