Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-09-18
BILL SUNDAYS NO
SLOUCHN FACT Is
Is QUITE A DANDY

Bill Sunday is no SLOUGH. o.
course, you have noticed that fact
Neither in his dress, his physical
build and carriage, nor in his man
ner of delivering himself of his
message
He has the build of the athlete
that he is-smalI of waist, taper.
ing from broad. well-formed shout
ders; movements quick and supple
as cat; alert to everything about
him; ready of wit and for every
emergency prepared. And he says
he is physically fit, ready to circle
the bases in IA seconds, a record
he once set in his baseball days.
AS for his dressing, perhaps you
have noticed that he is quite a
dandy, immaculate in every partic-
ular from the patent leather
oxfords, silk stockings with clocks
mind you, the spotless white silk
shirt, white collar, and small black
tie. to the well cut, tailor-made-
looking suits that fit a figure that
looks almost boyish despite the
years that crown his head.
Sunday, since his conversion
years ago, has led a life of exem-
plary simpleness and care as to his
physical, mental and moral health,
and to this fact he lays the won
derful physical endurance that
characterizes him for the long
months of his campaigning. He
INDUCES in no extravagances. is
careful of his hours of sleep and
rest, and MA" Sunday sees to it
that he never leaves the tabernacle
in a condition that might expose
him to the elements and thus bring
about colds and other ills. She
sees to it that a dry shirt replaces
the one that has become damp as
which he has gone, and if the
weather is damp she is Vigilant
that he wears his top coat. She is
a sort of guardian angel, as it were,
and probably her watchfuI care is
responsible for the excellent ply
steal condition of the noted Billy.
You have noticed, too, how things
happening in the audience attract
his attention, no matter how wrap
ped up he may appear to be in the
burden of his theme. Nothing es-
capes him, and he is never in want
for quick repartee.
What is it that draws great
crowds to hear Billy Sunday,
preacher Of the word of God? 1t
is a question that has been asked
over and over many times as he
travels from city to city the coun-
try over. 1t is not alone his style
Of delivery, his gestures, his plain
ness of stating facts, his unafraid-
ness, his use Of slang and homely
phrases. Every sermon carries a
message of Jesus Christ stated in
a manner that the people are unac-
customed to hearing from the lips
Of a preacher. He breaches the
word of God as it is interpreted to
him and gives to it an earnestness
born of years of experience in
seeking the light. But perhaps one
of the things that attracts the av-
erage hearer more than anything
else is the way in which he illus
trates his talks For every point
which he wishes to send home he
has an apt illustration, often home
ly and commonplace, but an illus
tration that will appeal to the mass
of people, an experience that near
ly every one has gone through, and
stated in such way that no one
can possibly miss it's import. so
simple that the point stands out in
bold relief He is not generally
given to floBery speech, he does
not use the peculiar expression of
- t.. 1r4fT 4 h.
the average preacher of the day;
he resorts to everyday language
in telling the bible story, speech
that the smallest child can inter-
pref, though he kids himself by
saying that every once in a while
l have to run in a little Latin to
give tone to my sermons, to make
people believe that l know what
the Latin phrases mean"
He holds interest, never once
does it lag, and his audiences liter
ally sit on the edge of their seats
waiting for the next thing to hap
pen. He whets their appetite. too,
from day 10 day with promise of
things that are to come, with prom
ises of going after the gang of
the devil" and people do love to
hear the other fellow lambasted;
of course, it never applies to them
selves, so they come day after day,
some of them anyway, in the hope
of seeing the other fellow get his
just dues.
But he does preach the gospel,
and after all religion is something
that when it does get hold of the
hearts of men, draws them with
an irresistible force from the
wrong to the right.