The Detroit times., 1916-09-09
Billy Sunday Made Most of His
Opportunities, and Was Ready
When Fate Called Him to Pulpit

hours III 'Nf NNNtA IfhiNS - ahttHA-
ment in which ne worked. BILLY"
could De seen practicing on the dia.
mond
Il MAS here that Cap" Arson, Of
the Chicago National league team.
found Billy" sunday and took him
out OF obsCurity into the limelight
OF the baseball world
Away from lir'lr Marshalltown TO
the great CITY ~ Chicago went An.
son and Billy aud IL was owing
TO Anson> faith IN phys" ability
and 20 his own influence that the
future evangelist become mem.
Der O; the team. and a highly val.
aed member, TOO
Billy" Is Converted.
This was great leap FOR Billy
sunday bar il did nor compare
With the less spectacular change
which came over him when be hap
perad upon a religious meeting IN
q mission ore evening he con.
'inled To- attend he mission in the
evenings. playing BAH IN the after.
noon. until he found that he had
become thoroughly converted.
Always frank and outspoken. be
Immediately told his friends about
IL and was surprised and delighted
when ,hey greeted rim with 'opca
arms and heart, and promised "a
help him an they could tie Joined
Tho Jefferson Park Presbyi eriaE
church. attended all The services
and was soon IT'S most energetic
member To him God was an ever
presen; comfort and be communed
With Him as with a friend and took
Him into his confidence This habit
has never changed and The feeling
OF real contact Billy" Sunday px-
periences IS probably The reason for
his ine&haustibls inspiration and
strength
Re drsi appeared "a an evanEet
Isl in Chicago while playing center
held on the Chicago nine Hi. first
audience was made up Of 500 men
who care more for him as base.
ball player than a. a preacher Al
that meeting Is persons became
converted
From he ers' Mr. Sunday spokr
and with great feeling.
Everyone who came to hear him
was ssed with his sincerity
He needed no training and never
halted for a word or arure 10 OK
press his meaning He knew the
struggle and hardshlps % life and
the hopes and aspirations OF the
average man and swept arae am
extraneous matter between. re
reached for and found the heart OF
his listener and the listener re-
sponded
Becomes Religious Secretary.
While in the Jefferson Park
church he met Miss Helen 4.
an ardent church work
er. who later became his wife.
Much Of the success OF Billy" Sun.
day Is due 20 tho support, sym
pathy and calm judgment OF his de.
voted partner. from whom he is but
rarely separated for more than a
day.
so insistent were the calls from
the religious world for his services
that Billy" Sunday finally gave up
his position az a baIlplayer and be.
came speaker. giving all his time
20 that work HE fret position was
that OF secretary Of the religious
department OF the Y VI g. A In
Chicago. al a salary Of $50 per
month
His experiences in this work In
all parts % the big city gave him
further insight into the needs Of
the human soul and how 10 meet
them Probably his knowledge Of
human nature is the source ~ his
power over the hearts Of men. In
the capacity in which DO found him.
self hc met the criminal, The dosti
iWe. The forsakcn. the drunken and
victims ~ an sorts Of Injustice. lie
believed that they were All beloved
BY their Maker and talked 10 them
accordingly
Fate Gives Him His Chance.
II WAS through BILLY" Sunday
friendship for peter Blhorn. singer
with Or J Wilbur Chapman, tho
evangelist that ne came into his
own At last and began his life work
as an evangelist Or. Chapman
needed an assistant and believed
that Sunday vas the man who could
best help him From being adj
vance man looking after The build
ing OF tabernacles and all The min
u'c detail ~ organization be- would
Nh In as speaker for out -idc meet.
inRs. etc and fhally Hhen wreck
kept Or Chapman from HE dcstina.
tlon for nine DAYS Billy" Sunday
took hiz place lie SUCCESS a. an
evangelis, from that day was never