The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-02-17
SHOW THYSELF A NAN
NOT A M0llYCODDLE


BE strong and show thyself a man.
not mollycoddle, mutt sissy OF
cipher" was Billy Sundays preamble
to his men only sermon sunday after
noon at 1880. The first clause Of this
sentence was spoken by David OF
Israel in his last advice to his son
/ Solomon. and Billy put a few modern
words In IL to make the meaning be-
yond doubt The whole battalion OF
the Richmond Light Infantry Blues
i< &-A MO- - g. MI r1-yS
"A. body There were not quite enough
men to fill the building so the usn-
ers let In several hundred women who
were waiting for the following ser
vice.
The address to the men was an in
spring one to any man. an exhorta-
ton to prove manhood by deeds
which will stand for themselves be-
! fore the world. Don't be just a from:
door" said the evangelist. Some
| people are just a front door; open
| that door and you are in the back
yard" His contention was that no
| man ever became great by accident.
and that every man gets out of life
only that which he looks for. His
| sermon was on idealism. the kind OF
| idealism which II not selfish like Boil
shevism but which elevates the world
/ and does not tear IL down.
The great men OF history form ed
the unbeatable argument with which
he proved his assertions. and one of
the most powerful things that he said
was. II every man would live right
no boy would so wrong" He recall
ed to his audience the hero worship
which is a part of every boys life,
claiming that every man on earth
good or bad was some boys idol for
better or for worse. Give the Rich
mond boys q chance to become a
strong man by setting them the ex-
ample OF a sturdy Christian ufe!" was
his final plea
Advise Your Son.
! In demonstra ding now David's ex-
/ ample as a strong man gave him
authority to advise his son. Billy Sum
day described In his characteristic
way the Bible incident in which
the son Of J esse slew Goliath the Phil
istine. David, the shepherd, who
was not afraid of lions or bears came
to Saurs camp one day to oring his
soldier brothers some home grub. he
| began" and while he was there that
big bluff Goliath came forth spcuting
his defiance to the Izraelite army.
Who is that stiff who is singing
! that liner asked David, and they told
him that all the men were afraid of
| him on account OF his size ana the
noise he made. Why don't some body
call him?' asked the boy, getting no
answer he agreed to fight. but scorn-
| ed Sauis armor and went down to the
creek and got himself g. bag full oil
| bricks Then the giant laughed and
called David crowbait and shook his
J =, s- <1st -
strong and his eye unerring. took
his sling and pasted the old boot
| square on the coco between the lamps
and chopped his block off with his
own sword. and the Philistine gang
beat it" And waen Sunday. initial
ing David, with superb delivery cast
the imaginary stone at an imaginary
Goliath 1t was so realistic that his
audience could almost see the rock
fly.
Making q Living.
! The preacher also explained the Diff
ference between making a livirg and
making a life "A thief. a yegg and
prostitute make a living. but 1t Il
only a strong man who will make a
big life, but he prudent A prudent
man does not swallow a potato bus
and then eat paris green to kill it
He sees his way clear and Their
climbs the stairway to SUCCESSFUL he
doesn't try to get an elevator, he
climbs the step. one by one. feeling
his way as he goes. And as his hero
he has the nan OF Galilee. a man To
whom he can always look for help
and a man who will always set him
good example OF all that strong
man should be-"
/ Ii there Is such an institution as
a refrigerator in hell it has been kept
/ in the shade until Billy Sunday ex-
/ planned yesterday how the devil has a
refrigeration process to hinder the
development of mans Christian
/ life, just like a florist keeps his bulbs
from sprouting and his roses from
blooming by keeping them in An ice
chest
| A man from the Richmond Light
Infantry Blues lead the half hundred
people who came down to grasp Billy
Sundays hand at the end of the ser
mon.
Four hundred mon from the Fratar-
nal Order of Americans were present
at the men only service, and con-
tributed several of their number to
Sundays growing list of converts.
Many OF these men remained for the
overflow meeting which followed the
men only meeting