New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-23
Overjoyed, the Evangelist
Praises New York as a
Responsive City
$4,000 Try to Get
Inside Tabernacle
Closing of All Saloons to
Conserve Grain of Ma
ton Demanded

Trail-hitting throngs that battled for
seats or even standing room in Billy
Sundays Tabernacle yesterday twice
TANNED the four sawdust paths that
point tae way 20 salvation seekers and
broke all known records Of evangelism
More than $4,000 men and women
sought admittance at the afternoon and
evening meetings in the structure 81
1esth Street and Broadway. or TINS
number 3,6O6 hit the trail at the bid
ding OF the fiery evangelist and pro-
fessed their intention Of becoming
Christians. In both cases the figures
were FAR in excess of those of any OF
his previous records. and caused him
70 shout his Joy from the highest point
in the building TO which he could clam
Der at the conclusion Of his nights
meeting.
"Oh, YOU have it in you, little old
New York" he exclaimed, laughing and
clapping his hands. you're the most
responsive city I have ever hit. You
make a man preach his fool head of
and be happy while he's doing it,
Wants All Saloons Closed
There were two distinct points made
in his sermons which awoke the most
vigorous responses from his audiences
he has received since the opening Of
his meetings here. The first was his
demand that the government immedi-
ately close all saloons. breweries and
distilleries as war measure, that
grains might not be diverted from food
aud that men might not be disqualified
from military or civil service because
OF drunkenness. The second was his
demand for a single standard Of NOR
atty.
y call upon the government TO pass
a Jaw that will, as 2 wer measure, i'm
mediately close all breweries and
houses that deal in intoxicants,' said
Nr. Sunday. During cur period Of
strife, at least, let there be no waste
Of grain that might make food in order
TO poison our men. That is a simple,
common sense measure, and shows what
NC think of rum in time Of emer-
gsncy."
The $4,000 men and women who had
succeeded in crowding into the Taber-
nacle before the doors were locked in
the afternoon, arose and clapped until
;he preacher paused and leaned upon
his rostrum. awaiting an opportunity
to resume. When 1t seemed that they
we're through he started to speak, but
his voice was drowned by a second out
bCr-t
!; was in his evening sermon, on the
subject Of "Backsliding," that the
evangelist made his demand for single
standard Of morality.
Single Standard Urged
"Sin knows no sex" he said. "What
Is wrong for a man is wrong for a
woman, and what is wrong for a wom-
an is wrong for a man. If il is right
for man 10 squirt tobacco juice along
the street ahead Of him as he walks, 1t
is right for a woman to do So A wife
has Just as much right to come totter-
ing home at o'clock in the morning,
vhiskcy-soaked and spcwng into the
faces Of her family. az a man has
every bit as much. 4 fallen woman is
no more pitiable sight than a fallen
man"
When the evangelist made his daily
appeal for converts he was met with a
rush Of men and women who swept
away the ushers and personal workers,
whose duty heretofore has been to lead
tie wayering ones 10 the altar. At both
the afternoon and evening service four
lines were formed, and the centre sec
lion OF seats. which had been vacated
as usual for the new converts, filled so
rapidly that other places had 70 be pro-
yided.
The lines OF trail-hitters included
men. women and children, of ages rang
ing from eight or nine years TO sixty.
Moreover, 10 seemed that every faith
was represented IN the cvaugclists re-
eruits Many Jews were numbered
among those who SHOOK the hano Of the
perspir'ng Billy and were counted as
converts.
With tho approach Of tho line the
evangelist leaned forward and grasped
outstretchcd hands. Both Of his arms
were busy-so busy, in fact, that he
found no timo 10 reach back TO the
platform for the handkerchief with
which he usually mops the perspiratiOn
from his dripping face.
'NCity Doing Wonders"
God bless you'll God bless you'll Oh,
New York IS doing wonders for the
dsuSe," were remarks that he made
oyer and over again as the lines passed
before him.
Meanwhile the choir Of $500 voices
sang persuasive hymns 10 those who
still we're wavering in their seats about
the auditorium. stand Up, Stand Up
for Jesus" was favorite. Those who
had studied the psychology Of Mr. Sun
days congregations declared that the
choir. effectively using this hymn as a
poreuader, had drawn thousands TO the
sAwdust trail
Actual count by a mechanical counter
accorded the passage Of 1892 men and
women into the evangelist's fold In the
afternoon and 1874 in the evening.
Jest how many of them actually sign
! applications for enrolment upon the
membership lists Of city churches will
not be known until to-day.
NTI IT