Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1921-03-18
500 "H|T THE TRAIL"
WITH BILLY SUNDAY
First Invitation at Great Revival
lists Meeting in Cincinnati
Gets Quick Response


into the aisles and hit the saw
dust trail on their way down to
the front in answer to the clarior
call of Billy Sunday-his Come
on, Come on" in the first hit-the
trail invitation he has given dur
ing the ca1npaign-thus bringing
to an auspicious climax his 22nc
sermon in Cincinnati.
The number was far greater
than even the NOR optimistic
members of the Sunday party hat
expected, and it gives the present
revival one of the most notable
opening responses that has greet
ed the evangelist in his 20 years
experience.
The response was immediate
for no sooner had Mr.. Sunday
leaped into the air at the heightI
and conclusion Of his sermon witt
his war cry Come on" than they
started down the trail-old anc
young, men and women, Baptist
Methodist, Presbyterian, Jewish
several converts who had beer
reconstructed but all Of one mind
For more than half an houl
they filed in double rows past the
evangelist in his coop" beneatl
the platform, to grasp his hant
and receive the blessing
The hit the trail invitation came
at the end Of a sermon on "Tht
Hour is Come" and as the clima>
If several touching little storie
the story of Jenny Lind and tn
olacksmith's boy; the story
Red Riley, a Chicago crimina
Ind the story of the Scotch shep
lerd who herded his flock from
he storms of winter.
Mr.. Sunday had caused man
an audience to shed tears with hi
pathetic recitals Of these stories
when he threw his hands out ap
Pealing to his audience and issu
ed the call
"The hour is come for us t.
show Our stand for God. VII
you do it T.: How many will come:
All stand. Now how many will
say: Here's my hand and here
my heart? Who will lead tn
lead the way? Come on, Bap
lists: come on, come on, all o
you"
AS they started Mr.. Sunda'
dropped through the trap-door O.
platform to greet the convert,
and reConsecrated church mem
bers as they filed past him.
The day was more than the first
hit-the-trail day for Mr.. Sunday
For him it was the 10th anniver-
sary of the beginning of his car
eer as an evangelist, since i
marked the anniversary Of th>
day when he decided to turn
down then magnificent offer to
be ball player for a life devoted
to religion.
And for his audience, it had hi.
added significance-it was "Bap-
tist Day" at the tabernacle. Moro
than 5000 Baptists were in a spe-
cial delegation i'll his audience,
and an equal number were on the
outside unable to get into the
building, after all imposing march
through the streets to the taber-
male.
Secretaries gave to each Of the
converts card on which they
were requested to fill out their
names and addresses, their
church or church preference, if
any, SO that they may be follow
ed up later and enrolled in the
congregation of the church which
they prefer to join.
Mr.. Sunday brought the service
to an end by returning to the
platform, after all of the trail
hitters' had been seated and wav-
ing Goodnight" just before he
left the stage to don his overcoat
and return to his hotel.
1t was announced that the hit
the-trail invitation would be ex-
tended by Mr.. Sunday at all ser
vices hereafter. afternoon and
night.
Mr.. Sunday opened his sermon
with reference to the anniver-
sary of his entry into the evan
gelistic field, which was aside
from his sermon
"It was just 2o years ago to-
day that decided to go into the
Y. M. c. A. and into Christian
work." he said. 81 had a contract
with Philadelphia, and then Jim
Hart, of the Chicago Baseball
Club, came to my room at the Y
M. C. A. and threw down con-
r II