Day: May 5, 2025

The Duluth News Tribune. Thu, May 02, 1918 ·Page 8

Billy Sunday’s Theology

WE ARE for Billy Sunday.

There are a lot of people sincerely worried because his specially built tabernacle is to cost $25,000 when money is needed for the war. There are others who worry because holes have been dug in the courthouse lawn.

Others fear that, aroused by the impassionate William, a good many people on that last day of his visit may add to his wealth. A still larger number do not like his brand of theology and rebel at his salvation processes.

But it is a fact that most folks, if they did not worry about one thing would worry about some others. The building salvage will be considerable for the tabernacle; the grass will grow again, and no one who does not wish to do so need give a cent to Billy or even go to hear him. It is all free will, not foreordination.

Moreover, there is a psychology in giving. The money he gets from his hearers would not go to any other cause; no one else could get it, and he does not destroy it. As a matter of fact, war work will get more through his coming. He himself gives liberally to every war cause and then buys Liberty bonds. But besides this, he finds the combination to purses that no one else can open. He creates and strengthens the spirit of giving.

The more any community gives, the easier it is for it to give, and this goes on increasingly. Billie knows this and for himself only asks the last day’s collection. He takes his chance, and if he gets more or less, he earns it. He works six weeks for the result, and leaves behind this greater willingness to give.

Billy Sunday certainly has one brand of theology we like. He has a religion to which we respond. He has a gospel which needs to be preached here, as everywhere. This is the theology, the religion, the gospel of Americanism.

He preaches it with unequalled force and vigor. He drives it home with a club. He has no more doubts as to it, as great a faith in it as in his old-fashioned brand of Christianity. He does not quibble, nor apologize, nor temporize, nor emasculate as to either.

Tens of thousands will go to hear him. He will have many thousands no one else can reach or attract. They will all hear this gospel of Americanism, not just preached, but driven home and spiked down. He has exactly the methods needed to accomplish the result.

Thousands who hear him may be no better Christians afterwards, or may backslide in the niceties of Christian conduct, but what is much the same thing today as is the unwavering, unquestioning Christianity he preaches, they will all be better Americans and that will stick. He takes doubt as to this war, as to its righteousness and our common duty in supporting it, and scalps it, leaving not a hair of its camouflaged head to comfort or conceal an ingrowing brain and conscience.

If for no other reason than this, we are for Billy. We do not it would be money well spent to arouse the people of all this section to their obligations just as citizens. He is the best recruiting agent, the best antidote for the slacker, the best seller of Liberty bonds, the best promoter of war giving and the most inspiring sledgehammer of unadulterated Americanism this country has produced. If for no other reason, we are for Billie Sunday. We do not care what his other theology is, his American theology is right and it is needed. We will all be better citizens, more loyal, more un- selfishly patriotic, more willing to give what is dearer than our own lives, for his coming.