New-York tribune., 1919-01-28
Clcrgynsen Assert Most of
Those " l1o Hit Trail
v ere Church Members
say lie Did G,i>c
Prohibition Boost
Broadway " as Zoo Much,
SAYS One; AngeICabrieI
Could Noa Do Better

ministers and laymen who were re
sponsib'e for bringing William A. Sun
dav to New York City twenty-five
months ago. They were asked to give
their opinions as to the permanent ef-
fects of the ten-week revival on the
religious and moral life Of the me
tropoNs. The net result Of the survey
was.
New York City churches received
few. If any, new members as result
Of the crusade.
A large percentage of the men and
women who hit the sawdust trail"
were already church members. These,
it was stated. were reawakened TO a
sense of their religious duties and ser
vices.
A large number of the 65, 900 trail
hitters we're visitors from other cities
and states, and are scattered, so that
the pcrmanency OF ther conversion
cannot be tested.
On the question of the general moral
effect on the city. the opinions OF those
interviewed differed widely. One group
coutena4d shat the evangelist had too
much to contend with in the cabaret,
the dance hall and the attractions OF
Broadway, and made little headWay
aginst conditions surrounding wee.
Another group sserted tnat the uplltt
effect while apparent here, was really
national IN scope.
Bshap Luther j.. Wilson declared
the Billy Sunday drive was a decided
factor n helping to swing the national
prOn litIon movements
The statements of the revival lead
ers follow
Tne ReY. DR.. Edgar W. Work, Fourth
Presbyte:ian Church:
"Lookng back at the Sunday cam
paign here from tho retrospect of al
most two years, J shou 4. say that its
effect on New York City was not very
profound. III did not at all reach the
expectations Of the churches in results.
at was thought that the drive would
stir ,hc city and move it from centre
to circumference. 1t did neither of
these things. A far as the general
permanent moral effect on the life of
the city is concerned, | believe the
evangelist had too much to combat in
the attractions of Broadway, the caba
yet. the dancing place and the motion
picture.
"Sunday's chief crusade was against
liquor and the Demon Rum, and think
he failed in it utterly in New York.
In certain Western states where he
conducted rcvivals l am firmly con-
vinced that his influence helped bring
lbout prohibition in the state, and this
probably constituted the balance of
power which swung national prohibi
ton. But here again New York City
was uninNuenced.
"While there did not result a general
quickening in morality and religious
feeling, all that is clear IS the fact
that individual churches got out of the
drive what they put into it. Those
that entered fundamentally into this
crusade were benefited proportionately.
My own church got very few actual
new members from the drive. Most of
those who professed conversion and
hit the trail were already church
members. so that no large accessions
TO membership resulted. Last year. it
is true, this church received hundred
new members. but this addition cannot
be traced to the campaign, and they
would undoubtedly have come anyhow,
even without campaign.
"One permanent effect Of the Sun
day drive was the formation of fne
Bible class for men, which is in exist
ence to-day, with severty-fve to one
churches scattered over the city shared
in these benefits, but. as a whole, the
drive was disappointing"
Bishop Luther b. Wilson, president
Of the Board Of Foreign Missions of the
Methodist Episcopal Church,
While there was no appreciable in
crease IN the membership of the
churches as the result Of the Sunday
campaign, as have gathered from re-
ports TO me, there were number of
Individual cases in which men were
led to the acceptance OF Christ, and d
general stimulation Of activities on the
part of members of the different evan
gehcal Churches IN the city was mani
lest.
The work that was done helnod
also IN the stimulation OF patriotism. as
well as IN the encouragement of hos
tlA'y against the saloons, 20 that | be-
heVe the evangelist played an apDreci-
aDle part IN the coming of prohibition
ne work started by Sunday is CON
Nnuing. l was present in Newark two
or three weeks ago, at q revival under
'he sunday organization and such
meetings held frequently since the
urive nave been spreading the Good
WORK broadcast
Frank Goodman, notorious cxQambler
and underworld leader, who was CON
Eer'ed ny Billy Sunday here and is now
m nc act'Ye director OF the New York
J" a. Sunday Evangelical Association:
ne ministers who say that the
sunday campaign had no appreciable
thect on the morals Of the city are
Iead wong. It js true that out Of the
oOO VINO signed cards there were
many already su the church, many who
came from otncr states, many who were
no. sincere.
he number Of converts who Joined
cnufcnes ia this city does not supply
'ne measure OF the revival. II fur
nlshc9 national uphft, il made re-
hgion 1--we topic OF conversation all
over the country.
was a gambler for twenty Two
years, and race track leader for
seVen'een, With the police OF half n
Hozen states looking Tor ne. and |
1ho" what J am talking about when /
say mat sunday dealt heavy blow at
organized vice ,n this city.
he DID - through his successful
httacEs on the Demon Rum. here as
elsewhere. W mere there is no drink
inK tnefr vii oc no Gambling. and
SUNDAY Tough; winning fight again u
liquor. prominent brewer Of N,yv
for%, "nom ] mot q few days ago.
zaid TO me: Fifty per cent Of INV
t'orcs arc out of business, and IL isn't
because of the war entirely. lt's be
cause of that Billy SUNDAY
u nave J 200 names of banhers, MGR.
chants. ~wyeTs. prominent people OF
All profes sions. on nic - Iny oG;co. Al
tncs" men ere actlYe fcigious WORK
ers 10" as q result II The casnpaiyn