Evangelist Billy Sunday (1862-1935)
Former professional baseball player-turned urban evangelist. Follow this daily blog that chronicles the life and ministry of revivalist preacher William Ashley "Billy" Sunday (1862-1935)
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
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.]
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
The movements and gestures of Billy Sunday have never failed to attract attention everywhere he goes. He is probably more active in the pulpit than any other preacher in the world to-day. Many try to imitate him, but none entirely successfully.
It has been figured the evangelist will make 1,700 or 1,800 moves in the ordinary sermon and in some of the longer ones, he moves 2,000 or 2,500 times, or even more.
In a recent sermon an effort was made to keep tally of every move the evangelist made. He gesticulated with one or both hands 884 times in less than one hour on that occasion, this being the most numerous movement of any one kind. He struck the pulpit in front of him with his clenched fist 826 times, and he swung from one side of the pulpit to the other exactly 229 times. On 121 different occasions, he paced from one end of the platform to the other, and 68 times he waved his handkerchief, either in the air or by his side.
The South Bend Tribune. Sat, Jun 07, 1913 ·Page 6
DR. J. W. CHAPMAN IS VISITOR AT SERVICE
HE CALLS SUNDAY’S MINISTRY MARVELOUS ONE.
Citation: The South Bend Tribune. Wed, Jun 04, 1913 ·Page 11
Drives 100 Miles in Automobile to Hear Baseball Evangelist Preach—Gives Short Talk.
Dr. J. Wilbur Chapman, one of the most prominent evangelists in the country, who visited the Billy Sunday tabernacle last night, called Billy Sunday’s ministry one of the most notable of modern times. He said the baseball evangelist is doing a wonderful work, which is being felt throughout the country.
Dr. Chapman was accompanied by Mrs. Chapman and their daughter, Mrs. Bertha Goodwin. He had only just returned from Australia on his world tour in evangelistic work, and drove 100 miles in an automobile so that he could hear Sunday preach last night. Billy Sunday learned his trade, so he expressed it, under the other evangelist, and there was a warm greeting between the two when they met on the platform.
It was however, no less warm than that which was accorded Dr. Chapman when he became generally recognized by the crowd at the meeting. Those in the preachers’ section were the first to recognize hi mand they began the applause. Thousands in the throng joined in the ovation. The tabernacle became a great sea of waving handkerchiefs and the applause was deafening.
Dr. Chapman praised Sunday highly to the audience, then declared:
“Billy used to tell the people when he introduced me, that when he started out as an evangelist he used to use the outlines of some of my sermons. Let me tell you the sermons he is delivering now, are not my own. I have wished often I could claim some of them, however. They would be worth claiming.”
The South Bend Tribune. Wed, Jun 04, 1913 ·Page 11
BY JOHN HERRING.
City Councilman, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
[Note: Mr. Herring had applied for a saloon license but afterwards “hit the trail” in the Wilkes-Barre campaign.]
Citation: The South Bend Tribune. Tue, Jun 03, 1913 ·Page 8
From my own personal observation I do not hesitate to say that Wilkes-Barre and Wyoming valley has never enjoyed so much happiness as prevails at the present time as a result of the Billy Sunday campaign. The great change that has come over the community as a result of Mr. Sunday’s campaign is very noticeable and I believe that if the people of this city could have him they would ask Mr. Sunday to come back to our locality and stay another seven weeks.
Throughout our locality saloon-keepers do not deny that they have been badly affected by Mr. Sunday’s campaign. The faces which were very familiar in such places for many years are now absent. Men who for years have led a reckless life and neglected their families have been released from the influence of drink and are once more respected by their fellow men. A visit any night to the large hotels in the central part of our city is sufficient to prove that the patronage at these places is not nearly as great as before the revival. I believe it is safe to say that the amount of good done by Mr. Sunday in this vicinity cannot be measured.
Never in the history of our churches has the attendance been as large as during the past few weeks, or since Mr. Sunday left for South Bend. One church, the Central Methodist Episcopal has taken in nearly 800 new members to date and many more are expected. Another church, Westminster has taken in about 500 and several other churches have taken in like numbers. In fact, if the enthusiasm continues and I have every reason to believe it will, many of our congregations will have to enlarge their edifices. It is surprising to know the number of our influential citizens who for years have been out of the church now within the church and taking an active part in its affairs. Another feature of Mr. Sunday’s work is that men of high positions in life who were converted are now members of the Y. M. C. A. personal workers league and are out daily leading others to the cause of righteousness. The work that is being done by the personal workers is admirable. Employers can be found working hand in hand with their employees all working in the interest of Christ. So satisfactory have the results been that other cities have asked several of our young men to visit and tell the story of the great amount of good that has been accomplished. Only last Sunday one of our newspapermen went to Williamsport and so pleased were the people with his message that he was forced to repeat it at three different meetings.
The question has been asked as to whether the merchants of this vicinity have been benefitted by the Sunday revival. Every day one hears some merchant say that accounts which he had closed several years ago have been re-opened and are being settled by the people who contracted debts.
Judging from the activity among the ministers since Mr. Sunday’s visit it cannot be denied that the great evangelist has done a wonderful amount of good among the ministers of the gospel. The better work being done by the ministers in my estimation is due to the fact that they are now receiving the co-operation of their congregations, which was unusual heretofore.
Regarding the liquor traffic and the effect of the revival in surrounding towns, two of the saloon keepers, I have been informed, have quit the business. One was a resident of Parsons and the other of Edwardsville. Two pool rooms one, of which was to be replaced by a saloon, have been wiped out and have been replaced by a grocery store and confectionery.
An organization of railroad men at Ashley was disbanded after the officers were converted and the men are all doing personal work now. A club room at Plymouth, where men assembled on Sundays and did considerable drinking has been changed to a prayer meeting room, the sale of liquor having been discontinued.
In Wilkes-Barre several men who for several months had been gathering weekly in a garage and playing poker were converted and are now holding Bible classes instead.
A representative of the Bell Telephone company said a few days ago that since the revival the company’s receipts from saloon pay stations have fallen off a large per cent and the receipts from drug store stations have increased accordingly.
Although the grand jury of our county ignored several cases against “speakeasies” that were raided by Sheriff Kniffen, one of the converts, the religious organizations throughout the whole county have passed resolutions supporting the sheriff and his crusade and the Y. M. C. A. personal workers’ league plan in a few days to hold a big street demonstration approving the sheriff’s work.
In conclusion I would state that it is difficult to express the real situation existing in his locality as the result of the great evangelist’s good work.
That the change among the people is also being felt by our city officials was evidenced several days ago when the mayor of our city, Hon. John V. Kosek, caused every side room, where cabaret shows were held nightly and where women of questionable character congregated, to be closed. Hotels that for years were known to have been the meeting place of immoral men and women during the past week have been in darkness.
Billy Sunday was given over $23,000 by the people of this valley and I do not hesitate to say that if he had been given $100,000 he would not have been repaid for the good he accomplished.
The South Bend Tribune. Tue, Jun 03, 1913 ·Page 8
PERSONAL WORKERS TO EXTEND REVIVAL
WILL FILL SUNDAY’S PLACE ON HIS DEPARTURE.
ALWAYS DO GREAT WORK
Citation: The South Bend Tribune. Thu, May 29, 1913 · Page 7
Results at Wilkes-Barre and Columbus Show What South Bend Can Do in Important Branch of Campaign.
The recent organization of the personal worker’s league among the men of the city has brought many to believe that this body of men will be the means of making the Billy Sunday campaign a most productive one, permanently.
It is not the purpose of the personal workers’ league to work only during the few remaining weeks of the revival but the members propose to maintain the same spirit that pervades religious circles at the present for months to come. The league is designed to take the place of Billy Sunday after he leaves, carrying on the revival work in different places in South Bend and Mishawaka, and surrounding districts.
Is Important Factor.
In other cities, such as Columbus, O., and Wilkes-Barre, Pa., the personal workers’ league has been one of the most important factors during the closing weeks of the campaigns and of great assistance to the evangelist in his work. The men who belong to the league go among their associates, whether in the factory, in the office or in the stores, trying to persuade other men to become Christians. It has been found that this is a very effective way of bringing men to the tabernacle meetings and eventually to the altar as the proposition is put to them in a practical manner and appeals to the majority.
In Wilkes-Barre, where Mr. Sunday recently closed a campaign, the personal workers’ league is holding meetings throughout the city, in the towns and in the vicinity every day. Excellent results are being derived from these meetings and men are being converted almost every day. The league is credited in an effort to convert the whole Wyoming valley and have organized a perfect machine which is working the community systematically and thoroughly.
Much Interest Here.
Present indications point to the fact that South Bend will have even a greater personal workers’ league than that at Wilkes-Barre, as more men are taking an interest in the work from the very start. The members include many of the most prominent business and professional men of the city and all are using their influence in an effort to get their associates to ‘hit the trail.’
They are entering the work with a spirit of enthusiasm unknown in re-
Meet Each Noon.
The personal workers are to meet every noon at the Y. M. C. A. while the campaign is on, and frequently after it has closed. The first day, nearly 100 men were in attendance, and each day those present were urged to return the following day with a friend. The plan has accomplished good results and the membership of the organization is steadily increasing.
In case it is decided to begin the noon mass meetings downtown next week, the personal workers’ league will meet daily at the same place where the meeting is held. The business for the day will be transacted as soon as the men get together, then the meeting will be over in time that they would have an opportunity to listen to Billy Sunday speak and hear the sermon, if necessary.
The South Bend Tribune. Thu, May 29, 1913 · Page 7
BY THE OBSERVER.
Citation: The South Bend Tribune. Wed, May 28, 1913 ·Page 13
To those who know Billy Sunday it seems he has two almost distinctive personalities. This statement may seem odd inasmuch as it would lead one to think the evangelist is some such sort of a fellow as Dr. Jekell and Mr. Hyde but such an impression would be inequitable to Mr. Sunday. The personalities are not moral instead they are physical. Two distinct characters are noticed, one on the platform and the other off.
At home, on the street, coming down the aisle in the tabernacle, Billy Sunday appears to be a man slightly below the average in heighth, a bit stoop shouldered, chest somewhat sunken, with kindly eyes and an expression sympathetic on his face. But the moment he steps to the platform, takes off his hat, removes his overcoat and faces his audience he seems to be another man.
His strength of character appears to have grown tenfold. His chin seems more square, the lines of his face smooth out, and his eyes fill with the spirit of anticipation. The shoulders, which were but a moment before stooped, appear to straighten and broaden. His chest seems to fill out, and his whole body appears to have grown within the twinkling of an eye.
When speaking the evangelist has a way of impressing one with the fact he is wiry and has tremendous strength of body. And for a man of 50 years, Billy Sunday is of a fibre seldom equalled. This is due probably to his activeness on the platform, his utter disregard for the law of gravitation, as he whirls and balances now on one foot and then on the other.
When off the platform these things do not impress one. Sunday appears hardly more than the ordinary type of a man of unusual intelligence and his mysterious change of personality is a puzzle to many who have watched and studied him. Very few men make a better appearance on the platform, an appearance of ease, than does Billy Sunday and he seems more at home in the pulpit than anywhere else.
The South Bend Tribune. Wed, May 28, 1913 ·Page 13
FREELY ADMITS HE TAKES SUGGESTIONS
BILLY SUNDAY EXPLAINS THAT OLD CHARGE OF STEALING.
OFTEN FAILS TO CREDIT
Citation: The South Bend Tribune. Wed, May 21, 1913 ·Page 11
Sometimes He Doesn’t Know Where Stuff Came From, Often He Forgets It, Baseball Evangelist Declares.
Ask Billy Sunday if he steals some of the material he uses in his sermons and perhaps he will frankly admit it.
That is, he will confess that he picks up hints, paragraphs, poems and anything else which will assist him in his work, only giving the creator of the things the credit when he happens to know their names, or when he thinks of it.
“The accusation in regard to my stealing the stuff for my sermons makes me tired,” said the evangelist when approached regarding the matter.
“There isn’t a public speaker today but what does the same thing. Every day I get poems and paragraphs and other knick-knacks through the mail from people I do not know, who suggest that I may have some use for them. I clip and save thousands of such things myself in the course of a year.
Doesn’t Know Author.
“Well, when I get ready to work them into my sermons, nine chances out of 10 I won’t know the name of the author. But I use them just the same, and give those who originated them credit when I can and when I remember it. But if I had to stop and give credit for every bit of outside material I work into the sermons, I wouldn’t have much time to say anything else.
“There are a dozen or 15 evangelists who are using my stuff every day they preach. Do I get any credit for it? Well, I guess not. They are free to use it if it will do any good without crediting it to me, so why should I go to the trouble of mentioning all these folks in my sermons.”
About Mothers’ Poem.
The evangelist told of an incident a few days ago in connection with his special Mothers’ Day address. He said he recited a poem during the sermon, which had been sent him by some anonymous letter writer. The poem was an excellent one and suited his purpose exactly. He quoted it word for word in his mothers’ sermon without giving any credit for it and a day or two later, discovered the name of the author while reading a magazine.
He has now noted down the name of the author and will give him credit for the work when he delivers the sermon again. The evangelist says if he is guilty of stealing literary stuff that every public speaker in the country could easily be convicted of the same offense.
Reads Everything.
The evangelist reads anything and everything worth reading, which is brought to his attention and by so doing he collects thousands of suggestions and hints for sermons and additions to sermons. He said he believed his clippings for his sermons in the course of a year, would fill an ordinary two horse wagon.
Sunday has a marvelous memory, which is also of great assistance in his work. In the preparation of a sermon, he writes only fragments of it out, depending on his faculty for remembering to carry him through it. A few notes, all of which have been typewritten, are all he has to show for the majority of his sermons, many of which have become famous and are generally regarded as masterpieces.
The sermon he will deliver to-night at the tabernacle, “The Second Coming of Christ,” has been heard by thousands, as one of the evangelist’s very best, is not in the mind of Sunday in full and probably never will be, unless he takes the trouble to clip it from some newspaper, which is printing detailed accounts of his talks.
Only Few Sentences.
Instead, it consists of only a few terse half completed sentences, which are set down in type written form to assist him in remembering the balance. In the majority of instances, the wonderful word painting in the sermons are simply noted in two or three words and a brief sentence may stand for two or three stories he tells during the talk.
The South Bend Tribune. Wed, May 21, 1913 ·Page 11
PORTION OF CROWD OF 9,000 PEOPLE SURGING FROM TABERNACLE AFTER MOTHERS’ MEETING
THOUSANDS LEAVING AFTER MOTHERS’ SERVICE.
Mothers’ day proved quite as great a success yesterday afternoon as did the initial men’s meeting of the campaign last Sunday afternoon. Nearly 9,000 men and women, the majority of them the latter, heard the evangelist deliver his wonderful sermon on ‘Mothers’ during the special service.
-By Staff Photographer.
Citation: The South Bend Tribune. Sat, May 17, 1913 ·Page 12
Evangelist Billy Sunday (1862-1935) 