"Billy" Sunday, the Man and His Message: With his own words which have won thousands for ChristEllis, William T. (William Thomas)
Religion
"Billy" Sunday, the Man and His Message: With his own words which have won thousands for Christ
Ellis, William T. (William Thomas)
Baseball players -- United States -- Biography; Evangelists -- United States -- Biography; Sunday, Billy, 1862-1935
"Don't look as if religion hurt you. Don't look as if you had on a
number two shoe when you ought to be wearing a number five. I see some
women who look as if they had the toothache. That won't win anyone for
Christ. Look pleasant. Look as if religion made you happy, when you had
it.
"Then there is music. When you get to heaven you'll find that not all
have been preached there. They have been sung there. God pity us when
music is not for the glory of God. Some of you will sing for money and
for honor, but you won't sing in the church. Much of the church music
today is all poppycock and nonsense. Some of these high-priced sopranos
get up in church and do a little diaphragm wiggle and make a noise like
a horse neighing. I don't wonder the people in the congregation have a
hard time of it."
So Sunday sets the city to singing. His sermons are framed in
music--and not music that is a performance by some soloist, but music
that ministers to his message. His gospel is sung as well as preached.
The singing is as essential a part of the service as the sermon.
Everybody likes good music, especially of a popular sort. Sunday sees
that this taste is gratified.
The Tabernacle music in itself is enough to draw the great throngs
which nightly crowd the building. The choir furnishes not only the
melodies but also a rare spectacle. This splendid regiment of helpers
seated back of the speaker affects both the eyes and the ears of the
audiences. Without his choirs Sunday could scarcely conduct his great
campaigns. These helpers are all volunteers, and their steadfast
loyalty throughout weeks of strenuous meetings in all kinds of weather
is a Christian service of the first order.
[Illustration: "SOME OF THESE HIGH-PRICED SOPRANOS GET UP IN CHURCH AND
MAKE A NOISE LIKE A HORSE NEIGHING."]
True, membership in a Sunday choir is in itself an avocation, a social
and religious interest that enriches the lives of the choir members.
They "belong" to something big and popular. They have new themes for
conversation. New acquaintances are made. The associations first formed
in the Sunday choir have in many cases continued as the most sacred
relations of life. The brightest spot in the monotony of many a young
person's life has been his or her membership in the Billy Sunday choir.
The choir also has the advantage of a musical drill and experience
which could be secured in no other fashion. All the advantages of
trained leadership are given in return for the volunteer service.
Incidentally, the choir members know that they are serving their
churches and their communities in a deep and far-reaching fashion.
Many visitors to the Sunday Tabernacle are surprised to find that the
music is of such fine quality. There is less "religious rag-time" than
is commonly associated with the idea of revival meetings. More than a
fair half of the music sung is that which holds an established place in
the hymnody of all churches.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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