The Washington herald., 1918-01-30
DAY
GREAT EVENT
In U. S. WAR
Nearer Boys Get to German
Lines, Closer They Are to
God, Sunday Says.

One Of the greatest things Presi-
dent Wilson has done since the start
OF the war, according TO Billy Sun
day, was 70 set aside a day Of prayer
for the American people
The evangelist declared in his after
noon sermon yesterday that another
such day would be in order "just be-
fore our boys and their allies begin
the great drive on the Western front
Prayers TO God for the American
soldiers are worth an army" In
Billy's opinion
'1nfidelity has disappeared the
nearer the allied soldiers get 10 the
firing lines" said the evangelist cit
has entirely disappeared at the 'front.'
line trenches. am told You'll hear
cuss words and the talk OF infidels
and agnostics a mile or two back
from the trenches; but the closer they
get to the trench. the nearer the SOL
diers get to God"
Billy declared that none OF you
owe anything 20 that buil-neck cuss.
the Kaiser. across the sea- Neither"
he insisted, do you owe anything 10
the devil but persistent warfare
so let the Kaiser take his daddy.
the devil, and wen all 90 at both OF
EN- for all we're worth"
The evangelist laid much OF the
blame for the spread Of agnosticism
in this country in the last nifty years
to ''the damnable teachings" that
"emanated from the beer mugs OF
! Heidelberg and Leipsic. and was part
OF scheme to get the world pre-
! pared for the war into which 81 is
! now plunged" He again emphasizes
that the Kaiser is not a Christian
Then he declared that talk Of the
war as the failure OF Christianity
Is ''all bunk" and that mot Chris
, tianity. but a civilization that isn't
Christian is directly responsible.
The evangelist again denounced as
! traitors those persons in this coun-
try who do not do their bit in the
war work
''If you can't look at this war from
Americas standpoint and you don't
get in line and help all you can. you're
an old fraud" said Billy.
The evangelist went into details 70
emphasize the ineficiency OF the
church. He declared himself 10 be in
efficient, and said the church is
crowded with inefficient ministers.
deacons, elders and Sunday school
teachers"
InemcIeney In Church.
Here are some Of the causes OF the
inefriciency which Billy declared
exists In the church today:
Its long tolerance Of the saloon
evil. which. he declared. could have
been wiped out years ago IL every
church member did his duty and
voted II out OF existence.
u N.n -
OF the Bible from the public schools.
Its sit by and do nothing" at
titude for years in regard 10 child
labor.
Its failure to divorce Itself from
worldly hings and its Endorsement OF
50 much ''socializing slush."
Its failure to convert its own mem
bers and its own preachers and the
injection OF eugenics. literary stunts
and higher criticism into its teach
Christ.
Billy declared that TO him 'Tts
nauseating to see preachers. after
reading the newspapers, get Up in
their puplits and talk politics, when
the average whiskey-soaked. ward
heeling politician can give him cards
and spades on the subject and beat
him hands down"
Billy raped those who have been
dead beating their way TO Heaven
through failure TO help out in the
Tabernacle collections. He referred 10
the offerings as ''measley" and de-
clared any theater in Washington
would take from the people twice ss
much iaheSath weeks this revival
has bed - the whoIe cau-
paign eAse fund"