Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-02-14
BILLY SUNDAY TO men
Evangelist Pleaded With Them TO
Live Strong and Clean Lives.
MORE THAN 1000 WERE PRESENT

| Many Members or 6tlIy 0unody S'op
from Atlanta and Greenville Heal
Him--Larsest Single Delegation o
Men Present Were Those Who CAM
on Moooe Special from Yorkvil'e-
Hundreds Hit the Trail and Promis
ed to Go Straight.
(By a Staff Correspondent)
Spartanburg, Feb. 12-Several hun
dred men hit the saw dust trail and
promised to live closer to Christ fol.
lowing Billy Sundays invitation tt
them to come on at the sermon fol-
men only in the tabernacle here this
afternoon. They literally fell over
themselves to grasp the hand of the
! famous evangelist, who, despite the
fact that he was dead tired and the
perspiration dripped from his face
grasped heartily the hand Of each man
and spoke fervid God bless you
Old men and youn men came. Young
boys were in the line and middle -aged
men-scores and scores Of them, were
among those who promised to take the
advice of Mr.. Sunday and "be strong"
in future.
It Is estimated that there were more
than 1000 men crowded in and about
the great tabernacle for the service for
men only. Long before Homer Rode
l. ,ta
tabernacle was we'll filled and they
pushed and tugged for a chance to get
into the tabernacle until after 2:30. In
deed so great was the throng that Mr.
Sunday himself had much difficulty in
getting into the tabernacle this after
noon.
The service prior to the sermon this
afternoon. was unusually interesting
because of the presence of number of
members of the Billy Sunday clubs OF
Atlanta and Greenville, who came in a
body Perhaps the largest delegation
of men were those who came from
York county on the Billy Sunday spe-
cial conducted under the auspices OF
York lodge, No. 1861, Loyal Order of
Moose.
Fred L. Willis, president Of the Billy
Sunday club Of Atlanta, was introduc-
ed to the audience and he briefly told
of the work that the Billy Sunday club
in that city was doing in trying to pro-
mote Christianity among people of all
classes and callings. He told Of mis-
sionary work that the club had done In
assisting in organizing similar clubs ir
other cities. When Mr.. Rodeheaver ask
ed representatives of various Billy Sun
day clubs over the South to stand up, II
developed that the representatives OF
clubs in half dozen cities were pres
ent.
A member of the audience this after
noon was George Arnold, Of Paterson,
N. j., a retired silk manufacturer, who
was introduced. Mr.. Rodeheaver in
formed the great body Of men that 1t
was Mr. Arnold who was responsible
for the meeting held by Rev. Sunday at
Paterson, N. j., and which paved the
way for his coming, to New York and
other great Eastern cities.
Marvin Thrower, an Atlanta million :
aire, and one Of the most enthusiastic
members of the Billy Sunday club OF
Atlanta, was introduced and made
short talk. "All one must do to get re-
ligion," he said, "is to drop everything
to make a complete surrender to Je-
sus Christ
Until few years ago." explained
Mr.. Rodeheaver, Marvin Thrower
spent his time hunting and having q
good time. Since he was converted by
Billy Sunday he has been devoting his
time and his money to the work of Win
ming souls for Christ"
Referring to the sermon for negroes
this morning, Mr.. Rodeheaver said that
he was especially pleased with thelt
singing and that he had found that ev-
erywhere he went in the South the ne
groes could sing. But Norfolk, va.
has the largest number of good singing
negroes in the country, If not in the
world" he said.
Then Messrs. Rodeheaver, Peterson
and Matthews of the Sunday party, and
Donald Sanders, Esq, of Spartanburg
formed a quartette who sang number
of negro songs which proved quite pop
ular. So hearty was the encore tha'
the ouartette responded with more.
The big body Of men sang brighten
the Corner" and other popular songs
during the services and sang them sc
heartily that they made the rough roo
reyerberate with the sound Of Their
voices. At the request of Spartan
burg newspaper man they sang, 1.-THE
Church in the Wildwood" and there
were other hymns sung on request.
Talked Baseball.
While waiting for DR.. Ball of Tho
First Baptist church to finish talk te
the crowd in regard to the collection
for the evangelist, that is now being
taken, Mr.. Sunday stopped at the press
box to talk baseball with Morgan
Blake, sporting editor of the Atlanta
Journal. In fact, Billy was engaged il