The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-02-03
p,r.xrr WEAK POLITICIAN.


The text uxed by Sunday in his
rrncihxlor sermon was the expression
~ pont{us PLATE: What shall 40
with Jesus who ts called the Christ
Ee represented PLATE as weak poll
flefnn who let the influence of what
rscrle would think lead him ~ his ac-
lion OF giving Christ to the mob
spu,ttics killed Christ" said sunday.
ssror plate knew that il Christ were
&, his tomb his own seat on the throne
would he more steady. He let n
tunch ot temple sweepers, Saddncees.
rhar,sees and all that raebie influence
hi1n because they were powerfui ana
held the vote. The common people
loved Christ. The sentence OF thar 1901
froh would never have stood refersn-
dun, vote; the common people were
no, told about that crucinxion- There
npe men in Richmond who would cru
stfy Christ today X he were living.
there are Pharisecs right her@~~rtght
over thcre--everywhere-~ would
besray Christi
..lsIIiy shot this startling announce
Y.ent straight into his audience point
ing with his finger. and continued:
Judas got thirty pieces OF silver Tor
ne,rayfng his Lord: that WAS exactly
s1bes what did you get for betray-
ing him. new automobiles A new
fr,endc A new house? The privilege
Of robbing your neishbor? Did you
satisfy your lust or stinginess or greed
by hetraying your Lord And there
are some modern sneaking. weak. low
down. hypocriticai Pilates who would
betray Christ before modern Caesars
and modern Pharisces"
Hero the speaker took off HIS coat
and Haunted Il In the faces turned up
to him.
Don, go back Gtteen hundred
years. stay sitting right where you
THERE WERE ENEMIES.
OF course Jesus Christ had enemies.
pvery man who ever stood for de-
cency has had enemies, but who
among you can crtticise him or raise
ono question al to his being the son
OF God. Can any OF you recall q
greater man7 Can you call up one blot
on hts records? What man ever did
for the world what Jesus did? Why,
II Shakespeare came down that aisle
you would all stand up sut ~sf *csperA
for a great man, but IL Christ came
YOU would all fall to your faces in
reverence
Reject his divinity IL you wish, but
what are you going to do with the his
rorieal man? He is greater than Alex
andcr. Caesar, NapoIeon--greater than
them all, and are the men who have
accepted him foolsr IL woodrow Will
SON a food? Was Lincoln a fool? Was
Ice a fool?" Not one moment did the
speakers grip on his audience relax.
He held them spellbound, his violent
movements being unnoticed lost In the
rcneral impression he made upon his
hearers
when Sunday initiated the cry OF a
lost soul from the abyss of hell its
effect was far from being as humorous
a mention OF such a thing in print
would imply. II curdied the blood OF
his congregation in a way no movie
thriller has ever done an audience His
representation OF the cry of the Flor
srtines to the message of Savanaroa
was theatrically perfect.
Al the climax when he called out.
who will stand up for Christ as the
true ron Of God7' his gigantic congre-
cation lcaped to it's feet as one man.
Az the choir sang lust as ! am,
without One Plea" Billy Sunday gave
hia simple invitation.
Ov~r a hundred people came for
ward. including seven police Officers
nnd q f1reman. They had heard Billy
and were convinced and we'll pleased
81 the message he had brought them.
The music was especially impressive
aurirf.y the service. II was not APP
pluuded. but was received with deep
yelling and keen appreciation. BiIly's
~.s,-sin~ rrare~ was given from
tAa top Of the pulpit. and delivered
IN Il the earnestness Of q truly sins
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