The theocrat. [volume] (Zion City [i.e. Zion], Ill.) 1914-1949, 1918-03-09
The following is quoted from pamphlet pub
lished by A. Sheldrick, East Mortified, Massa-
chusetts:
SUNDAY STEALS OTHER PEOPLES
SERMONS

SUNDAY STEALS OIHEk FEOfLG -
SERMONS
Much has been written and talked about Sun
day stealing other peoples sermons and then
copyrighting them as his own. The laws OF
copyright are very stringent, and those who
obtain a copyright required to go before
notary public and swear that what they copy
right are their own production.
[ think it has been proved conclusively that
Mr.. Sunday takes Talmage's Sam Jones George
R. Stewards and, am sorry to say, the great
infdel, Robert Ingersoll' s. will only deal with
three Of these, namely, Robert Ingersoll, Tai
mage and Gypsy Smith I sitting in the
Tabernacle at Beaver Falls on the cold Sol
diers' Memorial Day and [ heard Sunday give
wonderful sermon which contained language
had not heard him use hitherto. AS the old
soldiers came out Of the Tabernacle, they began
waving their arms frantically, and said, " Al
ter sermon like that never let them call Sun
day again. :"
The Beaver Falls papers referred to it the
next day as a most wonderful sermon and re-
marked that it seemed to be Clipped with the
Fire of God'' However, the following day
this good impression deadened when the
Socialists paper came out with 'sdeadly par
allel,'' showing that Sunday had used Mr.
Ingersoll's Memorial Address almost word for
word, and then, in one Of his Sunday afternoon
should attempt to pluck one word from the lips
Of the eloquent orator Of other days, but niger
soil was nothing more than a mouthful OF
wind Now [ think this was very drastic
speech to make after having stolen the mans
address and copyrighted it as his own.
Sunday Steals and Copyrights Gypsy Smiths
Sermons
About eight years ago [ was sitting in the
room with Gypsy Smith in the Chicago Audi
forum Hotel. At that time he was conducting
a month S revival meetings at the Armory in
that city, and which was creating great stir.
I saw Gipsy's large black eyes begin rolling
about as if he was agitated He had two news
papers spread open in front of him. I said,
''What is the matter?' He threw the papers
across to me and said, "Read these and two
whole pages were devoted to 'tBilly'' Sundays
meeting and sermons delivered at Cedar Rapids,
Iowa.
He said, "Can you recognize them?' l said,
Yes, these are two of your best sermons on the
subject of Repentance and The New Birth, - !"
and at the bottom of each full page were the
Words Copyrighted by VIM. A. Sunday"
need hardly say there was something stirring.
Mrs. Smith urged her husband to prosecute,
and Gypsy sat down and wrote Mr.. Sunday as
follows:
81 have before me two newspapers contain
ing two OF my own copyrighted sermons which
you have not only used but copyrighted them
your own. Before proceeding to take action
shall require your full explanation"
By return mail came a registered letter writ
ten in Sundays own hand, writing with the
deepest humiliation" pointing out his sorrow
and what would be the consequences if Mr..
Smith took action, adding it might not only
ruin his reputation, but his wife and family
By this time Mr.. Smiths anger had Gained
down somewhat, and after further correspond
ence he wrote Sunday saying, he should require
his presence at Chicago for a personal explana-
ton. Several letters passed in which Mr. Sun
day said the work was so important at Cedar
Rapids that the committee had begged him to
stop another week, but he assured the Gypsy
that he had had the plates destroyed and he
would not use them again. and am surprised
that after the Gypsy Smith trouble he should
again have been foolish enough to do the same
thing, this time not to a Christian but to- an |
infidel. He did this Gypsy Smith affair with his
eyes wide open Mr.. Smith delivered these
sermons at Winona Lake Conference and Sun
day instructed his secretary to take them
down verbatim, which information had from
the secretary himself