The Washington herald., 1918-02-21
GREE'TS
BIG CROWD OF
WAR EMPLOYEES
Evangelist in Rare Form as
He Flays Religious Cow
ards at Tabernacle.

1t was state Department Night"
at the Tabernacle last night. On the
platform were Secretary Of State and
Mrs. Lansing; Assistant Secretary
William Phillips and Mrs. Phillips;
Wilbur Carr, director of the Consul
lar Bureau and Mrs. Carr and in the
audience were several hundred men
and women representing various divi-
sions of the Department. Behind Sec
retary Lansing sat Justice Mercy
nolds. of the United States Supreme
Court. Near them were Bishop Nc
Dowell, of the Methodist church and
Maj. Raymond Pullman. head OF the
District Police Department
Billy Sunday preached in great form.
His sermon was replete with charac-
teristic Sunday. phrases and there was
in 1t many telling points that appar-
emily hit hard" judging from the
number of trail hitters" at the close
of the meeting.
600 Hit Trail.
Nearly 600 men and women walked
the "sawdust aisles" in response TO
the invitation. Among them were
numerous representatives of the State
Department. Secretary Lansing seemed
intensely interested in the trail hit
ting" since he stood on the platform
during the entire proceeding so as to
see better the march of the pen
tents"
The entire Kresge five-and-ten cent
store delegation of about fifty young
women marched up the aisles in a
body. were loudly cheered. A section
of about 400 members OF the choir
marched down from the platform and
shook Billy's hand. There were among
the trail hitters" also numerous
soldiers and sailors; representatives
of the District Association of Workers
for the Blind; Baraca Philathea
Union, Southern Office Building en-
ployes, representatives of the Wool
worth stores, the War Trade Board
and the Order of the Eastern Star.
Billy was full of pep during his ser
mon. He laid fiat on the floor by way
Of illustrating a point in a story; he
tilted back in his chair; initiated
rookie" going through series OF
drills and gave an imitation OF old
Elijah beating it down the road to
escape being beaned with a stone"
At one stage of the sermon he
grabbed his chair, threw it back as
though getting ready to put one
over the plate, and declared. with
all the emphasis he possessed:
THE fellow who won't jump to
his feet when the band plays the
Star Spangled Banner is a coward.
Darned If / wouldn't knock him
down."
He threw the harpoon into "re-
ofN Ja
are many business men in Washing
ton who are too cowardly to come
down here and hear me preach for
fear they'd become decent and give
up the old gang they're tramping
round town with"
IF some of you people got your
deserts" shouted Billy, you'd get
hell and you'd get it in the neck.
Heaven would be empty in 4S hours
if God kicked out everybody who
hasn't any business there"
Billy has no time for the crying
Christian He declared you can
take the thirty-third degree of sal
walton without a tear"
THE fellow who will get down on
the sawdust and wall and fuss and
fume." said Billy, isn't getting re-
ligion. He's probably got the stom-
ach ache"
Billy paid tribute to Ma" Sun
day. He declared that while Nell
wouldn't take first prize at a beauty
show, when it comes to good horse
sense, she's got any woman I ever
met backed off the boards and fan
ming for air"
Following the service there was
prayer meeting on the platform
led by DR.. Isaac Ward.