Category: 1909

Billy himself defends his free-will offerings he was given, 1909

The Canton Press-News. Fri, Aug 13, 1909 ·Page 1

Billy Sunday’s Defense.

The one evangelist who has shaken half a dozen lowa cities more than any other is popularly called Sunday, for that is his name, ‘Billy’ Sunday. He is often scored severely for bis antics on the stage and for the way be rounded up the money on leaving the town he has excited to a high pitch. In his latest interview Sunday makes a defense of his style of getting the currency. He points to Jeffries, Bat Nelsons and the other fighters, and says: “But these fellows can get the money and nobody accuses them of graft. But let a preacher get together a few dollars and he is immediately called a grafter.”

He is not a quitter and announces the fact this way: “I expect to stay in the game as long as 1 have the physical and mental strength.

I have amassed a few dollars but it all came from free-will offerings.

I gave up ball playing and turned down offer of $12,000 a year to take up Y. M. C. A. work. Why during July and August of this year I could have made $20,000 on the chautauqua platform from the offer I have had, but I turned them down. I did it for the reason that I need all my strength for preaching. I don’t know no more about theology than a jackrabbit know about ping pong, but I preach as hard as I can.”

Mr. Sunday is booked for years ahead. -[Davenport Times.]

The Canton Press-News

Billy Sunday’s Bible and Psalm 37

Many surviving signatures of Billy Sunday accompany and simple inscription to Psalm 37.

There is a KJV Scofield Bible, dated 1909, on the bed of Billy and Ma Sunday in their home in Winona Lake. This particular Bible was gifted to Billy in 1917 on Easter Sunday, in New York.

Permission granted by the Winona Lake History Center to photograph the Bible.

1909 postcard of Billy Sunday has writer defending reputation of famous preacher

A postcard postmarked November 23, 1909, recently sold on eBay with the following handwritten message by the sender.

[This text is legally in public domain.]

Dear Mother & Father,

Am sending you this of “Billy Sunday” if anyone ever says anything against him tell them they don’t know a thing about him he is a sincere Christian he doesn’t go around the bush for any one he is out spoken and some people can’t stand that. are all well hope you are the same.

Mary

Springfield, Illinois (early 1909)

Billy Sunday held his revival campaign in Springfield, Illinois, from Feb 26 – Apr 11, 1909. This campaign followed his successful 1908 revivals—including the one in Bloomington—and was a major early-city campaign that further cemented his national reputation.

Key details of the Springfield 1909 revival:

  • Duration: 6 weeks
  • Location: A large wooden tabernacle was specially built on 2nd Street between Monroe and Capitol for the meetings.
  • Estimated Attendance: Tens of thousands attended over the course of the campaign.
  • Conversions: 4,729 people were said to have made commitments to Christ during the meetings.
  • Social Impact: His preaching led to the founding of Washington Street Mission, which continues to serve the community today.
  • Historical Context: Sunday’s campaign came just a few months after the 1908 Springfield Race Riot, making his calls for moral reform and community healing especially resonant.

This Springfield campaign was a milestone in Sunday’s ministry, helping launch a decade of high-profile urban revivals across the United States.