The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-04-11
10000 LEARN
WHAT SUNDAY
REVEALS ARE
Sermons Shock Church Peo-
pie Out of Their COnser-
vative Notions.
PLEASED BY RECEPTION
Evangelist Believes New York
Will Be Biggest Arrow
in His Culver.

Billy Sundays Tabernacle, crowded to
the windshai,en walls last night, after q
fair sized congregation in the afternoon,
echoed to his fiery denunclation OF the
soul winning methods Of modern churches.
According to Billy, It IL as easy to scald
a hog in icewater as It is to turn a man
from sin the way most churches do the
Lords business.
The modern way is not his way. he
told 10000 people afternoon and night,
for he is an old fashioned preacher who
believes the Bible Is the Word Of God
from cover TO cover, and that no amount
Of ethical culture and Heidelberg theol-
ogy will keep the wicked from singeing
in hellfire.
He devoted most Of his two sermons
yesterday to shocking conservative
church people out Of their conservative
notions and to elapping at the girders
and fieerers who say his revivals are
simply abnormal spasms Of religious
emotion. followed invariably by hurtful
reactions. If there is anything that
makes Billy rear and prance and paw
the air 1t is the sneer that he makes a
lot Of noise for lot Of money. and gets
nowhere In the end. Over Monday he
had heard n lot OF that sort Of talk. and
when he went into action yesterday
stripped to his fighting togs. he struck
right and left at tho doubters.
Tells what Revlvals Are.
The two sermons were largely for the
purpose of clearing from his road what
he calls the rubbish OF modern church
teachings and modern church methods.
He preached afternoon and night on the
general topic of what rev,vals are. why
they are. and what good they may be
expected to do. and every few minutes
he threw in a stinging Characterization
that made some Of the gentle old ladies'
and staid old gentlemen in the Taber-
nacle blink their eyes bit. They re-
covered nobly. however. and were among
the very first to applaud.
His congregations have been composed
very largely OF churchgoers who are
TO. used to hearing pulpit dissertations
Of the kind that are the flesh and bone
of Billy Sundays gospel talks. but
nobody has picked up coat and hat and
walked out. Billy holds his New York
crowds as he held his crowds In the
West He is attracting also about the
number he expected to get. The Taber-
nacle was only half filled yesterday
afternoon, but it was crowded last night,
every seat taken. with fringe OF
standees around the walls.
Billy is merely running along the gos-
pei trail at these first meetings. blazing
the big trees go the thousands who come
after may follow without stumbling A
vast deal of preliminary work and in
struct!on is necessary, He must accus-
tom his hearers TO his unique methods
He must train them TO sing as he would
have them sing. He must make them
understand that they can do q lot of
things in their church tina. he won't per.
NIT in his Tabernacle. They must muffie
coughing. for example. Women must
remove their hats Nobody must come
| late-that is, after he gets into the swing
OF his sermon. Billy is an autocrat in
his amiabie way. and when he lays
down rules lie means that they shall be
| lived up to.
Pleased With Reception.
Later on--in a day or two-when the
people have been taught TO sing hymns
with real zest, when they come to under.
! stand the big scope OF his plan, the re.
vivalist will begin to emite at every imr
in the devils crew-a sermon for every
one of the seven sins and a sermon fol
each of their innumerable variations.
So far he Is delighted with his recep
tion in New York-delighted with thu
| size OF the congregations. with their OBJ
vious approval of him. with the pewspa
per reports Of his meetings. with tn,
general atmosphere OF the start Of hi.
three months campaign. The uncertaint,
and nervousness that gripped him wher
he first approached the city (it was hart
for Billy Sunday to get away from tn,
talk he had heard for years. that h,
might make a big success elsewhere b,,
was pretty sure to fail in New York; ha,
relaxed. and now when he springs upol
the platform, sticks out his pugnaciou
jaw. grins his boyish grin. swings boil
arms and let's out shout of greeting
Hello. people," he does II with an al
OF confidence. He thinks New York will
turn out to be the biggest arrow in n,
quiver.
Before Billy got to preaching las
night there was singing that shoul
have pleased any ear, however cautious
Rodeheaver. the trombonist and choir
leader. essayed fancy tricks with tn
congregation as he taught them Billy
pet hymns. tossing n verse to one far
away section and another verse TO
group across the big building and the
turning TO tho choir OF 1000 and de
|
singled out a youngster of six for
verse of "Brighten the Corner Wher
You Are"
stand up and sing IT. son" sa,
Rody Lets hear your voice. Don
be afraid of all these people"
Son shows He's brave.
Son got up bashfully. came In aftc
the pianos. a note or two tardy, but yer
bravely for all that. and quavered hi
way through the verse. a sparrow chirr
ing In barn. There was a storm {
applause and the congregation and cho
submerged the childish voice with thur
dering harmony. Rody threw q praye,
book to the boy as a reward for extrem
yalor under fire.
Billy Sunday danced upon the pla
form. smiling right and left There
nothing finer about him than his smil
which brightens all his sermons an
perhaps helps to take the sting fro,
, some Of his talk. That smile Is part {
, his religion. part Of his technique as q
= evangelist.
l Don't think that Tn any long face
. mutt of n preacher" says Billy whe
] anybody speaks about his cheerful gri
There Is a lot OF fun In religion"
I He strained at the leash while Rod,
, HEAVIER led In the singing Of shall "