New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-27
Trail Hitting Begins
Before Crowd Rises
Rain Keeps Night Audience
Down; Unusual Number
Out in Afternoon

saws. has he seen o huuGricr city. Inc
weak spot. he holds, is that its churches
and citizens aren't giving him the sup
port and cooperation Of which they are
capable
people are just IS dead morally and
tpiritually as they were before | came
he declared al the Tabernacle last
night. 81 don't know anything about
the churches. and haven't asked about
them. but III bet half Of them aren't IN
terested in this campaign after three
weeks Of IT, It ought to have prece'
dence over every thing even over the lit
erary society and the paper on The
Lady OF the Lake.
Rain Keeps Audience Down
Rain reduced the evening audience
from the average 10000 TO about 10000
but in the afternoon 10000 came
through tho drizzlc-a figure far be-
vond the usual attendance at that SEES
sion. In the evening 700 went up to
take Billy's hand; At the earlier meet
ing, 324.
The ceremony Of trail hitting was
varied last night. Previously, when the
evangelist has sounded his call the en-
t;re audience has risen, the better TO
see the procession along the sa"dus'
eisles. As a result, there has been con-
siderable confusion, the act has lost
some Of its significance and many per-
sons have undoubtedly taken advantage
Of the situation for no other reason
than TO take the hand Of noted man
ave b,sn preaching nearly three
weeks" said Billy last night as he
prepared for the call TO the trail. For
the first time I'm going to ask you
IL some of YOU Will get up before the
people rise and walk down here and
take nv hand. Come on, now, will you
do it?" he asked, with his best smile
In the complete silence that followed
his plea a score of persons left their
seats and marched to the front and
waited under the pulpit for Billy 10
lean into his submerged reception boN
One was a collarless young man, wear
inc a white stiff shirt and ralncoal
frsved at the neck. Another was an
older man. overcoatless, who looked as
though he might have come IN from
farm. Two young girls came along,
then a soldier in Khaki. a white-nalred
old lady. and presently lines were
forming in the aisles and the process
sion was moving as OF old.
Aims at Sailors
While this was happening Billy was
levelling his guns at squad OF sailors
from the L. s. S. Olympia, who we're
seated near the front.
Come on, YOU Olympia boys he
shouted. Come on, you sailors.
He shouted happily when the sailors
looked at each other and came over IN a
body. GLORY be to God ana ms
cause" said Sunday, and with one OF
his lightning moves he mad Jerked up
the trapdoor In the platform and was
down in his box and ready TO shake the
hands Of as many hundreds as were
waiting 20 get al him.
The eyaugehsts sermon last mgnt
was the story of the md woman VINO
touched the hem OF Chrlst's garment
and was healed of "a grevous disease,
but IL also served. as usual as a vehicle
upon which Billy could ride over the
Ium trsffckers
"Thc whiskey gang hates me- he
said 81 know why It's because
don't compromise with them. J know
all about the dirty sinking bunch and
their dirty, sinking business. Ihey
are only in % for the money they can
get out OF d. They never did anybody
any good In their lives
Il. d. J.. Ns.l.F u g n
dealers and was lambasung the trat-
dckers In drugs. moment later he
had launched into a description of the
terrible plight OF a drug user, who
went down and down and finally landed
where his daily diet was quart OF
whiskey. three ounces OF ,nloral and
forty grains OF morphla.
He was seized with a suicidal mania
one day and tried 10 drown himself;
falling at that, he Iesortcd 20 carbOhc
acid. only TO discover that what he
thought was the poison was nothing
but butter color. la desperation he
cut his wrists with pair Of scissors.
That was a failure, TOO, and when the
audience heard that Billy eventually
converted the man the Tabernacle
ratified with applause.
Discusses Other Faiths
Billy said he believed in God like
the Unitarian; he believed in most OF
the tenets Of the Universalist faith, and
he believed some good things and much
nonsense in Christian Science.
But until you can bring me re
ligion that will show better results than
the old Gospel OF Jesus Christ, don't
talk 20 me about it, he concluded. Il
won't allow Jesus Christ 20 be stripped
Of His deity by any God-forsaken
bunch without a fight
Many delegations were in the audi
ence. among them chorus OF 2.OOO
which recently assisted M "a revival IN
East Orange. They sang from the rear
Of the Tabernacle. Other groups were
from the Carpet Mems Association, the
Brooklyn Sunday School Union. the
Flatbush Christian Church, the Little
Missionary Mothers Club and 81.
Stephens Mems Club.
Half OF the afternoon audience OF
10000 came from Flatbush, and the
Spring hats that most OF them had
donned. despite the drizzle, made a
brilliant showing until Homer Rode
beaver spoiled II all by asking that
thev be removed. There was also pres
ent a delegation OF members OF the
Woman's National Sabbath Alliance. a
fact that afforded Billy an opportunity
20 express his opinion Of the proper
Observance Of the Sabbath.
Howe Goes With sabbath
For twenty years" he said. - have
fought for observance OF the Sabbath
day in the same way that ] have
fought against the saloon. If the Sab