Category: Campaign

Billy Sunday’s prayer in the House of Representatives, Jan 10, 1918

Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 – 1931), Saturday 23 March 1918, page 7

The U.S. House of Representatives, 1918. Colorized by author.

BILLY SUNDAY’S PRAYER.

CHEERED IN PARLIAMENT.

Billy Sunday prayed in the House of Representatives at Washington on Thursday, January 10, and was applauded at the close of his appeal. Mr. Champ Clark, Speaker of the House, extended the invitation to Mr. Sunday to take the place of the regular House chaplain. Mr. Sunday, in his prayer, verbally assailed the Germans, and invoked the aid of Divine Providence to help the President, the Secretary of War, and Congress to defeat Prussianism.

“We thank Thee that we are Americans,” prayed the evangelist, ‘”and live beneath the protecting folds of the Stars and Stripes. We thank Thee, that Thou canst look over the battlements of glory on our land and see that there is not one stain on any star or stripe. We thank Thee for our happy homes. We thank Thee for our wives and little ones. We thank Thee for the fruitful trees and bountiful harvests. We thank Thee that as a nation we have never gone to bed  hungry, or scraped the bottom of our flour barrel, and we pray for Thy continued mercy and blessing.

Most Infamous Nation in History.

“We pray that Thou wilt forgive our transgressions and blot out our iniquities. Thou knowest, O Lord, that we are in a life-and-death struggle with one of the most vile, infamous, greedy, avaricious, bloodthirsty, sensual, and vicious nations that ever disgraced the pages of history.

‘”Thou knowest that Germany from the eyes of mankind has wrung enough tears to make another sea; that she has drawn blood to redden every wave upon that sea; that she has drawn enough shrieks and groans from the breasts of men, women, and children to make another mountain.

‘”We pray Thee that Thou wilt bare Thy mighty arm and strike that great pack ot hungry, wolfish Huns, whose fingers drip with blood and gore. We pray Thee that the stars in their courses and the winds and waves may fight against them.

“We pray Thee that Thou wilt bless our beloved President and give him strength of mind and body and courage of heart for his arduous duties in these sorrow laden, staggering days. We pray Thee to bless the Secretary of War and the Secretary of the Navy, and bless, we pray Thee the Navy Strategy Board. Bless we pray Thee, the generals at the head of our army and the boys across the sea. somewhere in France, and bless those protecting our transports, loaded to the water’s edge with men and provisions.

Prays for Allied Victory- ‘ “Bless our boys at home who are in ‘ cantonments. Bless, we pray Thee, this Senate and House, and give them wisdom and strength, for they seem to have come into the kingdom for such a time as this.

“‘And, Lord, may every man, woman, and child from Maine to California, from Minnesota to Louisiana, stand up to the last ditch and be glad and willing to suffer and endure until final victory sha’ll come. Bless our Alliée, and may victory be ours. And in Thy own time, and in Thy own way, we pray Thee that Thou wilt release the white-winged dove of peace until it shall dispel the storm and clouds that hang lowering over this sin-cursed, blood-soaked, and sorrowing world, and when it is all over we will uncover our heads and lift our faces to the heavens ‘ and ring with a new meaning

“‘My country, “tis of thee, sweet laud of Liberty.

” Of thee I sing.’

“‘And the praise shall come to Thee forevermore through Jesus Christ. Amen.”

The House broke into instant applause at the ending words of the prayer. Many members crowded around the evangelist, and shook hands with him, and an in-formal reception was held in the lobby.

The Billy Sunday archives at Grace College in Warsaw, Indiana have the following related artifact in their archives. He seems to have spoken at Union Station Plaza, starting January 6, 1918.

Champ Clark (James Beauchamp Clark, 1850–1921) was a prominent American politician and leading Democrat in the early 20th century. By 1918, he was near the end of his long and distinguished career in the U.S. House of Representatives, which he had served in almost continuously since 1893.

Transcription of above letter:

WALLACE BASSFORD, SECRETARY

THE SPEAKER’S ROOMS
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

WASHINGTON, D.C.

January 8, 1916.

Rev. William A. Sunday,

My dear Friend:

Don’t you forget that you, your wife, and your son and his wife and Mr. Rodehever are to take luncheon with me at the Capitol at 12:30 on next Thursday. Chaplain Couden asked me last week one day, if I would have any objection to your opening the proceedings of the House with prayer. I told him, of course not. I would be delighted.

I asked him about the day, and he said he had written you a letter which he had not sent but would send it, asking you to pray at the opening ceremony, and telling you to set your own day.

Now, I have this suggestion to make to you: The House meets at twelve o’clock sharp and we begin our luncheon at twelve thirty. You come up to my office about ten minutes before twelve on Thursday, bringing your folks with you. They can go up in the gallery and you can open the proceedings with prayer and in a few minutes we can go to lunch, so that you can perform both functions at once.

I am not advised as to whether you have any automobile. If you have not, and will let me know at once, I will send my own, which is big enough to hold five or six people and have it bring you up to the Capitol and then take you and yours wherever you desire to go afterwards.

So please send me an answer to all these queries by the bearer, as to whether you can come up Thursday in time to open with prayer.

I enjoyed your Sunday sermon very much. I hope your meeting will be a great success.

I will have a pleasant, small company to lunch with us.

Your friend,

Champ Clark

What did Billy think of the South Bend campaign?

Citation: The South Bend Tribune. Mon, Jun 16, 1913 ·Page 12

I regard the South Bend – Mishawaka revival Meeting as Marvelous. Judged by every standard and by every comparison it ranks with the best.

From now on the names of South Bend and Mishawaka will be mentioned as the cities where the great religious awakening occurred as well as the homes of world renowned industries.

I am more proud than ever I live in Indiana

Wm Sunday

2 Tim. v:15.

WHAT BILLY THOUGHT OF CAMPAIGN

South Bend Tribune headline for final day of campaign

Citation: The South Bend Tribune. Mon, Jun 16, 1913 ·Page 1

SOUTH BEND’S RELIGIOUS CAMPAIGN PROVES TO

BE MOST NOTABLE IN HISTORY OF ALL INDIANA

AIR OF SADNESS PREDOMINATES AT CLOSING MEETING OF BILLY SUNDAY’S BIG REVIVAL.

“BOSS” AND “MA” SAY THEIR LAST FAREWELL

Hundreds Cheer Evangelist and His Wife on Rear of Car as They Leave City—Other Thousands Disappointed by Early Departure—Last Day of Services Proves to be Remarkable One—Over 30,000 Present.

RESULTS IN BRIEF.

Conversions.

Previous conversions ………. 5,455

Saturday and Sunday ………. 943

Grand total ………. 6,398

Attendance.

Previous attendance ………. 519,550

Saturday and Sunday ………. 46,500

Grand total ………. 566,050

Collections.

Special offering for Billy Sunday ………. $10,500.00

Collections for local institutions ………. 737.98

Fund for campaign expenses ………. 18,500.00

Grand total ………. $24,737.98

The taking of the offering for Billy Sunday was one of the features of the closing day of the campaign. Seventeen or more different people and concerns of South Bend and Mishawaka gave donations of $100. The largest was $200, given by Samuel Murdock, of Lafayette, Ind., one of the owners of the Chicago, South Bend & Northern Indiana railway. The donations of $100, which have been recorded thus far, are from the following: South Bend and Mishawaka Ministerial association; Mrs. George Wyman; Mrs. M. V. Belser; citizens of Kingston, Pa.; by George L. Newell; Folding Paper Box company; Stephenson Underwear mills; E. G. Eberhart; Stephenson Manufacturing company; C. C. Shafer; Col. George M. Studebaker; Mr. Clement Studebaker; a friend; Clement Studebaker, Jr.; J. D. Oliver; Mrs. George Ford; C. A. Carlisle and the Mishawaka Woolen Manufacturing company. The $50 donations, which have been reported to those in charge of the campaign finances, are as follows: Mrs. J. C. Ellsworth; W. O. Davies; F. H. Badet; Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Thompson; J. C. Bowsher; McBrillan & Jackson; S. P. Studebaker and Mrs. Ida M. Stull, and the U. B. Memorial church.

Billy Sunday’s seven weeks’ fight against the devil in St. Joseph county became religious history to-day after the baseball evangelist had shown 6,393 people the road to salvation and approximately $10,500 had been raised for him.

The final curtain was rung down last night and the hard working little evangelist, with his wife, said goodbye to South Bend at 10 o’clock this morning. With a check for the $10,500 tucked away in an inside coat pocket, Billy boarded at 10 o’clock Northern Indiana Interurban car for his home at Winona.

A thousand people saw him off. Hundreds waved their hats and handkerchiefs at the evangelist, his wife, and Rev. William Asher, as the car moved out of the station and down Michigan street. All three stood on the rear platform bowing and smiling in response.

It is estimated a crowd of 8,000 or 10,000 people would have been at the car to say goodbye but the evangelist, leaving an hour earlier than he expected, disappointed many. The Northern Indiana company agreed to run the car through to Winona to insure the evangelist he would be able to eat lunch under his own roof.

State’s Greatest Revival.

With Sunday’s farewell prayer and a general handshaking all around at the tabernacle last night the meetings, which undoubtedly constituted Indiana’s greatest religious campaign, came to a close. The meetings ended quietly and with that heavy solemnity, which told plainer than words what it meant to the people to bid farewell to “Billy,” “Mr.” Ready, “Mac,” Ackley and all the rest.

Tears started in the eyes of many a man, and many a woman, as farewells were said on the platform. Hundreds crowded near the revival leaders to shake their hands and the number to about Homer Rodeheaver, director of the great chorus of 1,000 voices became so large, the people had to be formed in a line and were compelled to move rapidly as soon as they had said goodbye.

Completely worn out, Mr. and Mrs. Sunday were conducted from the tabernacle without notice to the eager thousands, who wanted one more glimpse last word of farewell. The evangelist was forced to permit, however, because of his weakened condition, to leave the building as soon as possible.

[Much more coverage in this issue.]

Big plans for the ‘final week’ of the South Bend campaign, c. 1913

FINAL WEEK WILL BE GREATEST ONE

BIG PARADES ARE PLANNED FOR CLOSING HOURS.

Male Members of Sunday Schools Will March to Tabernacle on Tuesday Night.

The most significant period, from a religious standpoint, in the history of South Bend will open to-morrow. This period will close next Sunday night with the termination of the great Billy Sunday campaign in South Bend.

The program for the final days of the campaign indicates plainly it is to be the banner week of the campaign.

Important meetings have been planned for all hours of every remaining day, and there will be parades and similar celebrations galore.

Three big parades have already been arranged for. They are the men and boy members of the Sunday schools and the farmers of St. Joseph county, both of which will occur Tuesday night. The other, which may prove the largest parade of the campaign, will be made up of factory men and women. Thousands of the employees of the manufacturing institutions of South Bend and Mishawaka will make up the parade, which will take place Saturday night.

Both parades to-morrow night are expected to attract hundreds of men. It has been estimated that 1,000 men and boys will march as representatives of the Sunday schools of this city and Mishawaka.

Prominent Church men are working hard for a good turnout in the parade and every male member of every church in the Sunday movement will be expected to take an active part in the parade or explain the reason why. The church men and boys will assemble in front of the Y. M. C. A. at 7 o’clock and will march as a single delegation to the tabernacle.

The farmers will meet at the northeast corner of the courthouse yard at 9 o’clock and will march to the tabernacle with members of the Ancient Order of Gleaners at their head.

Every effort is to be made to make the factory parade on Saturday night the biggest event of the campaign. Every manufacturing institution in northern Indiana and southern Michigan will be asked to send delegations to take part in the parade. Albert Leisure, of the Studebaker corporation, was elected chairman and C. F. Rogers, secretary, of arrangements for the event, at a meeting of delegates at the Y. M. C. A. Saturday. These officials of the parade urge that the different institutions send representatives to a general meeting Tuesday night after the sermon, to make final arrangements for the parade.

The South Bend Tribune. Mon, Jun 09, 1913 ·Page 8