New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-12
Former Fishman Tells of
Billy Sundays
Campaigns
Old Men in Line
One Convert Had Not Been
Inside Of a Church for
Ten Years.

Fifteen trail hitters. most Of them
old men. walked down the carpeted
trail in the Grace Methodist Episcopal
Church. in 1Olth Street. last night to
grasp the hand of ZAP Saunders.
former fish dealer of Scranton. Penn,
and one of Billy Sundays advance
guards. One OF them, a gray-haired
old man with tear-stained eyes. who
said he hadn't been inside of a church
before in ten years. explained he had
"just happened to drop in as he was
passing"
Ten other persons Joined the church
principally as result of Saunders's
sermon. The stocky little speaker
stumped about and more than once
pointed to his wooden leg.
81 shot that leg off in &c Of
drunkenness" he said. "ive squan-
dered more money on booze than MIR.
Sundays expenses in this New York
campaign will amount TO.
81 tell you Billy Sunday is a real
man. 1t amt education and looks that
count. One of the best preachers |
ever listened TO was six feet tall and
about two feet wide. Most preachers
have got faces like pieces Of putty, with
holes punched in them for eyes. But
Billy Sunday isn't like that. He's a
real, live man, with real, live mes
sage.
Used to Mock at Sunday
IL remember how | used to scott at
him. Why, used to take delight in
shocking people by my opinions of
what faker Billy Sunday was. Then
he came to town. | still laughed. |
still got drunk. | was drunk when
| started for his tabernacle The
business men on my block had gotten
up a parade, with a brass band. to
march to the tabernacle. They asked
me to join them. | laughed at 'em.
Then the parade came by my store.
| went out to watch IL go by, and one
of the men shouted for me to join in.
In spirit of mockery, with my breath
reeking with liquor, | ran out and went
singing down the street with them in
my fshy white coat. | marched right
into the tabernacle, still singing in my
drunken way.
"But | was right where / couldn't
get away from Billy Sunday. His eye
was on me. He preached right at me;
he preached to me. 1t seemed as If he
never took his eyes off me, and what he
said seemed 70 fit my case exactly. Az
first / began to feel uncomfortable. and
then | became sober. That night
couldn't sleep.
"The next morning I put on my
best clothes. One Of the neighbors
leased me about becoming converted
and wanted TO know if / was going
to the tabernacle. NO; I'm goin'
ishin,' | said. What have you got
on your good clothes for" he asked.
I'm goin' TO change 'em when get
to the river ! said.
Ashamed Of Conversion
al was ashamed to let 'em know | was
going to the tabernacle. But ] couldn't
any more have stayed away that day
than could hy. But couldn't bring
myself to 20 in the main entrance,
where everybody | knew would see me.
So | creeped around 20 the back and
climbed over the fence. 1t was some
climb. with my wooden leg, and ! was
sweating some when | got through, but
| made Il. That day shook Billy Sun
days hand, and went every day until
he left.
when he had gone tried TO go back
TO my business, but | lost $4,000 the
first month. ] couldn't stand IT. IL
was the Lords way Of calling me. |
had to shut up my business and preach
for Billy Sunday. That's why I'm here
to-day. friends, 10 tell you what Billy
SUNDAY did for me and did for Scran-
ton. Billy Sunday was worth $1,000 a
month to the town in what ne saved 1t
in the money that had been spent by the
men in one block for booze. That's the
kind of O man Billy Sunday Is, friends,
and he's going TO wake New York up
as il has never been stirred before"
Fifteen hundred persons attended the
meeting.