The Washington herald., 1918-02-28
ASSAILS.
SNEERERS AT
REVIVALISTS
Thousands Stand to Show
How They Were
Converted.
BY ARTHUR JOYCE.

BY ARTHUR JOYCE.
! The biggest crowd that has yet at
! tended a Tabernacle service saw Billy
Sunday demonstrate in a practical
way last night the worth Of an evan
: gelistic revival.
! Near the conclusion OF his sermon
| on THE objectionable Sin," the evan
gelist went into a discussion Of the
value Of revivals. He pulled his
/ kitchen chair into the center Of the
platform, climbed on its doubly-wired
seat and asked every processing
| Christian" in the audience of about
1900 persons 10 stand up. About 90
per cent OF the crowd scrambled to its
! feet.
Then he asked those who had been
converted to Christianity through re-
vivals to remain standing. Only few
Of them sat down. Billy then urged
| every "professing Christian who had
been converted before the age Of %
years to remain standing. Nearly 50
per cent Of them remained on their
feet. All but about nifty sat down
when the evangelist asked how many
had been converted between the ages
OF 20 and 90
Nine persons were on their feet when
he asked for a record of conversions
made after the converts had reached
the age of 40. or these nine, four said
/ they had accepted Christ after their
! fiftieth birthday, and there wasn't a
| person on his feet when Billy asked
| for after 60' conversions.
Rails mt sneercrs.
Now. whore are you people who
sneer at revivals?" asked Billy.
"Revivals are Gods ways of keep
ing people out of hell. There are
ministers in this city who haven't
darkened the Tabernacle doors
since I began preaching here. I
wouldn't darken their churches II 1
lived in Washington. Yet they
profess to be on Gods side and to be
doing their utmost to bring men
and women to Christ
Billy emphasized that Gods
spirit is moving now as never be-
fore in the history of Washington"
He denounced the infidel in bitter
terms and defied those who, he de-
! clared. have been sneering at the
campaign. He said he'd like to get
his hand on the throat OF those
who sneer at Gods word"
Assaults German Peace.
The evangelist referred again to
| the "camouflaged peace talks" Of
| the Germans. which he assailed
| bitterly. In the audience were about
! 5000 representatives OF the War De-
partment who heard Billy denounce
a recent order permitting officers
of the army to drink at social af-
! fairs.
Il believe in everything the Uni
ted States government has done in
this war crisis. said Billy. but 1
won't stand for the order allowing
officers in uniform to drink at
luncheons and social Bftairs In the
homes OF their friends. II the Of
ficers are given this privilege, why
not the privates? With a lot of
drunken soldiers you can't expect
us to lick a tomcat. II there is
any person who should have a clear
mind. it's the officer who leads his
men into battle.
"An PopByeock.-
It's all poppycock. don't care
who issued the order. You can tell
them said so and 1 stand behind
the assertion. I'll stand for every
thing Uncle Sam has done, but I'll
de burned IL I'll let that order go
by without a protest"
The great crowd cheered loudly and
hundreds OF soldiers who sat in tie
sawdust applauded.
Billy had lots Of good words to say
about Washington and he declared he
will mot carry out OF the Union Sta
ton one particle of enmity against
I. k,aS.
thirty-One years trying to build up a
Christian character. And / want to
compliment the guy who attempts to
tear it down." he added. for tackling
the biggest job he's ever had in mis-
life"
Boosts FIremen's Cause.
There was a special delegation OF
firemen in the Tabernacle and Rody
, asked those in the audience who want
ed the two-platoon system adopted in
| Washington to stand up. The entire
audience arose. He complimented the
firemen and policemen OF Washington
as being the best he had caught W.
with anywhere in the country and
urged the big audience to get behind
the movement to give the firemen de
cent working hours and a chance to
get home to their families"
At the afternoon service yesterday
Billy emphasized that because OF the
revival. 1.-The distance between Wash
ington and heaven has been mate
! rally shortened"
DR.. Isaac Ward did The pinch hIr'
etunt for Rody and Albert Peterson.
the Tabernacle custodian. presided at
the piano in place of George Brewster.
Rody and Brewster werc unable to