Introduction

In a little log cabin in 1862, on the nineteenth, of November, William Ashley Sunday was born. Better know as evangelist Billy Sunday, he was raised on a poor farm in Ames, Iowa. The log cabin was just like many of those days. It was old and run down in bad need of repair. The Sunday family had no money to fix up, the old log cabin. Billy’s father died on the battle field three months before Billy birth. Billy had two brothers that we know about. One bother named Edward and the other named Albert. The strand of raising up three boys took its toll on the mother Sunday. The cost of raising the boys was more than she could afford. Billy was very sick the first three years of his life. Billy was small, weak and had a hard time putting on weight. No doctor in the aria could help Billy until an Old French doctor prescribed a natural remedy of herbs. Billy’s health improved rapidly. Billy was getting stronger and he was putting on weight.

Billy got one of his first jobs with a near by farmer. He road the lead horse of a four horse teams, that pulled a reaper at twenty-five cents a day, for eight days. Brown E. P. The Real Billy Sunday Indiana: Christian. At the age, twelve Billy and his brother went to an orphanage in Glenwood, Iowa. They stayed in orphanages until 1876 making their stay in orphanage a total of two years. Billy got the job of being the janitor. His pay was twenty-five dollars a month. One day he went to the bank to get his check cashed and the teller handed him back fifty dollars. That fifty dollars turn out to be a burden that bother him for years. Finely years later, he sent the fifteen dollars back with interest and a letter telling the bank what had happen. Billy got lots of emotional relief when he sent back the money. Billy never kept any money that did not belong to him after that. Ellis W. T (1959).. Billy Sunday The man and his message. The Moody Bible Institute.

Baseball caught Billy's interest. Billy played for the local team; one year the local team won the state championship. A captain, by the name of Anson who just happen to be captain of the White stocking heard about Billy. Anson heard about Billy by Anson's Aunt Em. It took no time before Billy played for the White Socking. Billy found Jesus by listening to some gospel singing. A group did the singing from Pacific Garden Mission. His work for Jesus was just beginning. Before it was over, he led many to the saving, graces of Jesus Christ. Billy Sunday will always be remembered as one of the greatest evangelist of all times. Billy past on to Heaven in 1935. However, many men of God use his story still told today, and his sermons are still being used. Brown E. P. The Real Billy Sunday Indiana: Christian.

Billy's home

The birthplace of Billy was an old log cabin in Ames, Iowa. The old log cabin was in bad need of repair. It only had only two rooms in it. The floors made out of rough cut, pine boards. Flagstone fireplace was the only source of heat they had in the log cabin. The chimney made out of logs, covered with clay, attached to the fireplace. Small windows, were the only look out holes they had. The roof was not very high; it hung just high enough that they could walk under it with out bumping their heads. However, this was a typical, Midwestern log cabin of the time. The Sunday's home is still standing in Story County, Iowa, today. Brown E. P. The

Real Billy Sunday Indiana: Christian

Billy's childhood

Billy was born in Ames, Iowa, in 1862, on November 9. He is the son of William, and Mary Jane Sunday. His father joined the army four months before Billy's birth and died three mouths before Billy was born. His father never got to see Billy. It is not know where his father is barred; some say barred on the battle field and other say divert places. We do not know what his father died of; we do know he died of an illness, not as result of the war. Some say the illness came from a cold, that turn into pneumonia. Billy father was a contractor and a brick mason. Billy's father was one of the first builders to build a brick building in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. This building is still standing today. William Billy's father also could play the violin. It was, told of him, that William could hold his on with any band around.

http://www.kclibary.org/sc/post/churches/200000433.htm

Billy was born with many health problems. One was he could not gain much weight. The Sunday's mother tried all kinds of remedies that the doctors gave her, but nothing seems to work. Second, he was very small for his age. All of Billy's brothers had no problem on size. They growled up with ease. Third Billy was weak. Billy could not keep up with the other kids because; he would tire very ease. Death look like it had a hold on Billy and would not let go. God had his eye on Billy. God led his mother to a doctor whom prescribed herbs for him. A French doctor gave the herbs to Billy's mother to try on her son. It was almost over night that the herbs took hold on Billy. Billy got stronger, bigger, and heavier. The three years of Billy being near death were over. All the running and jumping that Billy could not do, now he could do. Billy could now play with all the other kids in his neighborhood. Brown E. P. The Real Billy Sunday Indiana: Christian

Billy's Jobs

Billy's first job was helping a near by farmer. He road the lead horses, of a four-horse team. That pulled a reaper for eight days. This was a man's job, but Bill was only a boy. That did not stop Billy from putting in eight days of hard labor. Billy earned only twenty-five cents a day for his hard work. Earning this money a total of eight dollars made Billy very happy. Another one of Billy's jobs was to help make sugar cane. Billy's grandparents are the ones that gave him that job. Billy and his brother lost that job when they got the blame for something that was not their fault. Billy's grandpa told the Sunday boys to get a neck yoke out of the barn, and take it to the field. On one end of the yoke, a big ring came loose and fell off. Grandpa Sunday gave Billy and Edward bad tongue, lashing. Billy left his grandparents at that time. Edward pleaded with Billy to stay but it did no good. Billy's next job was in a hotel in Nevada. He got the job of utility boy. The utility boy had to met all the customers, and tote all their begs in to the rooms. He also did all the jobs that no one else wanted to do; sweeping the floor was just one of the job he had to do. The only pay that Billy got for this job was a place behind the counter to sleep; his meals, was also included. Billy lost this job when he asked for one day off. On his day off, Billy went to see his grandfather, and stayed two nights instead of one. When Billy went back to the hotel, he no longer had a job. Billy could no longer get into the hotel; the manger of the hotel told Billy to move on, but Billy had no places to spend the night. The wife of the manger took up for Billy; she let him stay one more night and fed him one more day. The morning after Billy applied for a job in the house of Colonel. John Scott. Colonel Scott's wife had her doubts about young Billy. She told Billy to clean the step going down to the basement. She said, that if I am satisfied with your work you have the job. Cleaning steps was no problem for Billy. One of the jobs Billy did at the orphan's home was cleaning the stairs. That meant Billy was an old pro at cleaning steps. After he was done with the steps, Billy got the job hands' down. Billy did anything he needed to do in the Scott's home. His pay was a lot better in the Scott's home. He not only got room board and meals; he also got eight dollars a month. While at the home of Colonel Scott he went to school and passed with high owners. High school gave Billy another chance to earn some money. The job, janitor came open at the high school. Billy got the job. The job meant getting up at tree in the morning, and starting all the wood heaters in the school, about fourteen in all. He had to keep the fires going all day on top of his schoolwork. How many people today do we know that would start the day off at tree in the morning? Hold down two jobs, go to school at the same time, and get good grades? After high school, Billy moved to Marshalltown. He got a job in a furniture shop. Billy hated that job. One day the owner saw Billy varnishing a chair Billy's boss said to Billy!

"That is not the way to do it let me show you how". Brown E.P. (1914). The real Billy Sunday Christian. Knickerbocker, St. John, IN 46373.

Billy's boss asked Billy if he could

do it the way he showed him? Billy said "Not on your life". Brown E.P. (1914). The real Billy Sunday Christian. Knickerbocker, St. John, IN 46373.

Billy for Baseball

The baseball enthusiasts of that time knew about Billy Sunday and his speed as a runner. Billy started playing baseball in Marshalltown. He played for the local fire department league. One year the Marshalltown ball team won their way to the state champions. The fame of the boy from Ames, Iowa was spreading all over the state. Billy well known for his speed on the field could still a base in no time. He gave pitchers a hard time. The pitcher had to watch for Billy sliding in to the next base as well trying to throw the ball to the batter.

Billy could run around the bases in fourteen seconds flat. His fame spread far, even to the ears of the Chicago White Stocking, manager. The managers, home town just happen to be Marshalltown. One day Anson (the manager of the Chicago White Stocking) came home for a visit. Billy was playing in the state champions game, in witch his team won. Although Anson did not get to see the game, he heard how the Marshalltown team won the game with Billy's help. He herd how Billy had not been on their team, they would not have lost. He also heard how Billy could run around all tree bases in fourteen seconds flat. He heard when Billy got a hit the player in the infield would say hurry up, and get the ball. Anson wanted to see this young boy every one was talking about. Anson was always on the look out for new players. When he heard about the young man that could run around the bases in fourteen seconds, he had to see him in action. Anson had a player on his team that was well know for his speed on the ball field. This player's name was Arlie Latham. Latham was the National League champion sprinter. A race was set up between Sunday and Latham. Latham went into the locker room to get ready for the races. He put on his high dolor running shoes and his sporty looking pants and jersey. All cameras, was on Latham when he came out of the locker room. He looked like he could out run anything that got beside of him. The crowed turn around looked at Billy and started to laugh at him. One person in the crowed said to Billy were your running shoes? Billy standing there in his bear feet said I run with no shoes, Billy did not have any running shoes nor could he afford them. As the two men got side by side, Latham got down in a starting pace, while Billy stood almost strait up. When the race was over Billy won the race, by out running Latham by fifteen feet. Anson did not waste any time signing up Billy in the Chicago white Socking. Billy could not hit very well He struck out the first thirteen times up to bat for the White Stocking. He took many chances; Billy would cause many balls to be though away, because he would still bases before anyone could throw him out. He stole 96 bases in one season. Billy could throw as strait and as hard as anyone could. Billy was a major player in the major league baseball games.

Ellis W.T. Billy Sunday The Man and His Message (1959) the Moody Bible Institute.

Sunday Meats Jesus

Billy gave his life over to Jesus on a street corner. Baseball had been good to Billy; Billy was on zenith of his game, however Billy had even a stronger calling. One day Billy and his teammates were walking on the street going to saloon to saloon. Billy just likes most ball players he had a drinking problem. On this day, they came by a group of gospel singers, singing on the street corner. Their singing ringed in Billy's head, he tried to shout it out, but this time unlike the other times it just kept ringing in his head. Every time Billy tried to walk off the Holy Sprit would cause Billy heart to seem as if it was going to stop. The only relief Billy could get was the sweet songs the singers were singing. Billy stop to listen, his teammate told Billy to come on; but Billy told his teammate go on with out him. After listen to singers from the Pacific Garden Mission, he follow them back to the YMCA, there he gave his life to Jesus in 1886. The next day it was in all the newspaper that Billy, turn his life over to the Lord. When Billy came back to the clubhouse, he thought the other players would make fun of him because in those days ball players was knotted as heave drinkers. However, praise came his way for turning his life over to the Lord. Even one player told Billy "God bless you Billy".(Kruger). Billy played baseball for another five seasons. He played for Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Billy's game just got better and better. It seemed as if Billy could play forever. No one could out run Billy in the game of baseball. Internet Site http://www.lovejesus.org/bsunday.htm

Billy Joins the Ministries

Billy Sunday's baseball career ends after seven years and his ministries began. In 1890, Sunday gave up his very profitable baseball career to work for God. The YMCA gave Billy a job as assistant secretary. This job lasted for five years. This was a very important time for Sunday; it was a time for him to lean more about the one an only Lord. Sunday learned what to read and was to find help in the bible. Sunday became interested in the spreading of the gospel. This led to Sunday getting involved in the ministry of Dr. J.Wilbur Chapman, as an assistant. Sunday was very active in his part of Chapman, ministry. Sunday learned a lot from Dr. Chapman; Sunday learn the fundamental of preaching the gospel. He learned how to prepare his sermons by watching Dr. Chapman. Intenet Site http://www.biblepreaching.com

Billy Sunday's ministry

In tree years working with the YMCA with Dr.Chapman, Sunday started holding his meeting. Sunday had a very special way of presenting the gospel. Sunday would get excited while on the floor. One of the things he been knotted for was running around the pulpit as if he was running home in baseball. Sunday would also run across the stage, and slid in to home base just as he did in baseball. (Mackenzie J.D). Rev Houser said "Sunday had a flamboyant way of preaching". ( Rev.Houser) In 1903, Sunday was ordain a Presbyterian minister by the presbytery. The way Sunday preached was more like a Baptist than a Presbyterian.

Sunday Grew crowds

Sunday always grew a crowed because everyone had to here the ball player turn evangelist. Because of his baseball fame, he was in great demand. One of Sunday meeting was in Garner, Iowa, in a drug store big meeting room. Sunday had no idea how they knew him, but he went anyway. He preached seven messages that he got from Dr.Chapman. There were so many people, which come to the meeting that Sunday stayed another week. He preached the same messages he had the week before. After the second week Sunday, run out of sermons. Sunday had to come up with his sermons. He prayed to God and asked God to give him some new sermons. He said

"God you have got to do better by me, you have got to give me some sermons"(Kruger) God delivered with words that only Sunday could use in his sermons. Sunday got up one hundred and fifty sermons that only he could preach. Sunday wanted to get his words across as plan as he could. He called sin by its name. Sunday would not hold back words and try not to hurt feelings. No body came to his services with out getting their toes stepped on. Sunday look at sin as sin no matter how much money or how much power of influence you may have. When Sunday went to a town for a service, he required al the churches in the community give up their Sunday morning services so they all could come to here him. (Kurger)

Billy's Tents

Sunday held some of his meeting in tents in the beginning. Many of night the wind and storms came on his tents. Sunday would get out of bed in the middle of the night, run to the tent and set on the guide ropes or tighten up them. However, the tent always packed to the limit. People would stand out side of the tent just to here what Sunday had to say. Sunday would grip the audience by their ears with his piercing voice and would not let up until they asked Jesus to come into their life. The crowd kept getting bigger as the days went by. The standing room even filled to the limit. Sunday's crew of men had to turn people away because there was not even standing room left. What was supposed to be two-week meeting, many times end up four-week meeting. This happen just so every one could here Sunday preach the gospel.

Sunday ask all the people in his ministry how could more people here him at the same time. The questions were tossed, around for some time. No one seemed to know what to do. The ideas of a tabernacle were brought up. In Perry, Iowa, Sunday was to hold meetings. The executives that invited Sunday was ask to build a tabernacle. Not one of the men ejected to the idea. They built a thousand seat tabernacles for Sunday at a cost of seven hundred dollars. However, this proved to be too small. On this trip to Perry, Sunday led tree hundred to Jesus Christ. This was the start of the end of the canvas tents. In Salida, Col., A tent was put up for the meeting, but on the last day of the meeting it started to snow. The snow was so heavy the tent fell under the weight of the snow. Sunday said after this, he would not hold another meeting in a tent. Sunday also said that tents are not safe. Then on out throughout his ministry he held his meeting in tabernacles. One of the largest was in Kansas City. It took fifteen train carloads of lumber. The size of the tabernacle was two hundred and fifteen feet by tree hundred and two feet. Twelve thousand people could set in the building and another four thousand could stand on the out side edges.

". Brown E.P. (1914). The real Billy Sunday Christian. Knickerbocker, St. John, IN 46373.

Sunday's Saying

Sunday had some things to say that would stay with you. Sunday said things like

"It's a damnable insult some of the rigs a lot of fool women are wearing up and down our streets, no man with good, rich red blood in his veins can look at them with prayer meetings thoughts". Internet Site http://www.semissourian.aa.psiweb.com/pages/past/Sunday.html

"There are men in Hell because they wasted too much time in trying to find out where Cain got his wife. ". Brown E.P. (1914). The real Billy Sunday Christian. Knickerbocker, St. John, IN 46373.(p.168)

"In every community are some folks the devil can catch with a bare hook". Brown E.P. (1914). The real Billy Sunday Christian. Knickerbocker, St. John, IN 46373.. (p.166)

"The man who votes for the saloon is pulling on the same rope with the devil, whether he knows it or not"". Brown E.P. (1914). The real Billy Sunday Christian. Knickerbocker, St. John, IN 46373. (p.168)

Billy's Death

The world will probley never know another man like Billy Sunday. Sunday carried on up to his death. Although in his last days he was slowing, he never gave up the fight to win people over to Christ. It was in 1935, when the Lord called Billy to his great reward in Heaven. Sunday's death was a heart attack.

Closing

Billy Sunday's name will be remembered for years to come. The little sick kid from Iowa, became one of the greatest evangelists this world has ever knotted. Billy led more people to the lord than anyone of his day. Great men like Billy Graham have used his words to pattern their sermons. More preachers and teachers use his words than any other evangelist in that time pied. I hope this essay will let you learn about a man, who gave up one of the best money making careers in the history of baseball, to become a tool that God could use in his plan.

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