The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-11-07

, to campaign against liquor fn the interest of the allied cause.
 He did combine his revival meet ings with war work when the United States entered the war, cam paigning against the devil and for patriotism alike.
 Illness Hampered Work
 During the past few years illness had cut down his program although at the time of his death he was negotiating to conduct a two weeks meeting in a Washington, D. C., church. He also had planned to preach in Miami, Florida, next Feb- ruary.
 He preached his last sermon only a week ago Sunday at Mishawaka, Indiana, near his home at Winona Lake, Ind. More than 20 converts came to the altar, Ma" Sunday said proudly.
 Sunday was an ordained minis ter of the Presbyterian church although he never had formal theo- logic training. He held an honor ary degree of doctor of divinity from Westminster College, New Wilmington, Pa.
 More than 80,000,000 persons, many of whom Init the sawdust traiI' to become converts, have at- tended services conducted by Will liam Ashley Billy" Sunday. His dynamic manner of expression and pugilistic emphasis had popular appeal.
 Although his delivery and ser- mons brought criticism from church circles, he was said to have preached to more people than any other person in the history of Christianity.
 He often pulled of his coat and vest during the heated moments of a sermon. If enthusiasm waxed warmer, he removed his collar and tie:
 He explained his pulpit vernacu- lar by saying:
 T may be crude. use slang. But I always make myself under stood. The average man-the man in the street-has only about 300 words in his vocabulary. He needs the message and I speak his lan- guage so he will understand"
 Used Baseball Experience
 He used his experience as a ma- jor league baseball player to in- crease his popular appeal. When stricken by heart attack in Chattanooga, Tenn, May IS, 1895, Sunday said:
 T still have a third strike left"
 Recurrent illnesses in later years forced him to take vacations after almost each of his strenuous reviyals. He was confined several times with more serious ailments.
 Stamina and determination were built by Sunday during his major league baseball career.
 He joined Cap" Anson's Chi cago baseball team in 1883. The club won two championships in the five years he played. He was with Pittsburg two years and concluded his baseball career in 1891 after playing with Philadel- phia.
 Native of Iowa
 Sunday was born in Ames, Ia., Nov. 19, 1863, the son of William and Mary Jane Sunday. The father was with the Union army at the time and died in service without seeing the child.
 The boy spent most of his early life with a grandfather at Ames and at the Soldiers Orphans Home.
 He later went to work at Mar shalltown, Ia., and began his base ball career there. He helped the town win the Iowa state baseball championship, IS to 6. from Des Moines. Sunday scored six runs. Anson secuted the game and of fered Sunday 8 contract to play in the Chicago outfield.
 He retired from baseball at the height of his career to accept an $85-a-month job at Y. M. c. A. He was converted at the Pacific Garden Mission in Chicago.
 Became Evangelical Assistant
 His first evangelical work was as an assistant to Dr. J. Wilburn Chapman. When Dr. Chapman secured pastorate, Billy" as he came to be known, conducted his first revival in a small Iowa town.
 His rise was meteoric. He car ried his own retinue of assistants, choir, and ushers. Collections talk en at his services were responsible for building of numerous taber- nacles throughout the country.
 Sundays multitudinous follow ing forced his managers to find large meeting places for the serv- ices. Often thousands were turned away. Nightly contributions ran into thousands of dollars.
 New expressions and illustra- tions were frequent in his sermons but his text almost always was the same. He preached repeatedly against Demon Rum" and brought converts to the "Sawdust Trail with forewarnings of 'hell fire an6 birthstone"
 Preached Old-time Religion Sunday said he preached "old- time religion"