The Washington herald., 1916-04-25
Rewards for Soul Saving.

The people of Baltimore have just given
Billy Sunday $4,000 for the two months OF his
time spent in telling them how to live 1t is
expected, however, that further contributions
will increase the evangelst's reward to $4,000
The total number of persons who hit the
trair-Sunday's term for the expression Of
desire to live good hfe-is announced as
$4,000, at the tabernacle meetings, or at auxll-
iary meetings conducted by Sunday or men,
bers of his party. Just how many converts
are represented by this number cannot easily
be estimated, since in the count OF tran
hitters," ministers, Sunday school teachers and
many other model citizens were included.
Neither can any estimate be made of the num-
Der really in need of redemption, who will
forget all about Sunday and their pro-
fessions, and return to their more or less
evil ways before the evangelist begins his work
of saving in another city If he has actually
persuaded as many as 1000 persons permanently
to lead upright lives, it may well be argued
that they will be worth quite $40 each to the
community, to say nothing of the benefit to
themselves here and hereafter.
Thus it may perhaps be admitted that Sun
day has given full value for the money he
has received, if a cash value may be placed
on a saved soul But why is it necessasy, if
it is necessary, for Baltimore or any other
city to send for Sunday, at such large expense
to lead the people into the right path There
are huadreds of ministers in Baltimore, preach
ing right living, comforting the distressed and
afflicted, feeding the hungry and burying the
dead, who in their whole lives will not
ceive so much paid to Sunday for two
months of his services 1t is not unreasonable
to believe that these in doing their every
day duty are accomplishing as much for the
ooJ ~ he ifv
by methods that are repusive to large num-
Der of intelligent persons in every city that
he visits If there is need of a religious
vval in any community it might be worth
while for its pastors to try the experiment Of
conducting it themselves Any $4,000 thank
offering" at the close could be devoted to
worthy and needy charities at home; but if
the people will not contribute large
sum, or any sum at all unless they are berated
denounced and brow-beaten, then the money
might better be dispensed with. Even though
such methods may be necessary to induce the
giving of money it is incredible that they
alone will make Christians.
Sunday, it would appear, is a craze fad, the
result of the prodigious amount OF advertis-
ing his unheard-of audacity has commanded,
and as such possesses unequaled drawing
power that affords him at least the opportun-
ity to make conversions. This being the case
and taking into consideration the fact that
Sunday is a very rich man, it is not too much
to expect that at some time in the future
his zeal for saving souls may lead him to
consecrate himself to the work without price.
1t may even be that he will start free con-
versions with his campaign in the Capital of
the United States; and if he should be un-
able to stay the food of thank offerings" they
could be given to charity. Sunday has no
need of more OF this worlds goods, but he
need not for that reason lay down his work
of soul saving and while he will not be
asked to sell all that he has and give it to
the poor, if he contributes his $4,000 COL
lections to the feeding OF the hungry and the
clothing Of the naked, many thousands will call
his name blessed.