Billy Sunday Visits Exira
In the fall of 1901 the city
of Exira was visited by one of the most charismatic personalities
of the early 20th Century: Billy Sunday. Sunday was a former baseball
player who began preaching the gospel in communities across the
country. The following account follows a five-week period as the
citizens of Exira prepared for Sunday's arrival, building a large
"tabernacle" in the city park. These articles from the
Audubon County Journal, while a bit flowery at times, chronicle
Sunday's arrival at Exira, his revival meetings, his interaction
with the people of Exira and his eventual departure.
September
12
The big revival meeting
For the past week a crowd of willing workers have been diligently employed erecting a tabernacle in the center of the Park and in a few days a series of meetings will be started and conducted by a union of the churches. Reverend Sunday, of Chicago, one of the best known and most successful revivalists in the United States, has been secured and will be on hand and commences the work on Wednesday, September 18th. He will be accompanied by one of the best known singers to church workers.
The money has already been
subscribed sufficient to cover all the expenses of the meeting.
Every dollar has been raised from the members of the churches
and no one has contributed over $2. It is a union meeting, an
united effort and at the meeting will not be conducted in the
interest of any denomination, but for the interest of the unsaved.
In order to assist the singer a choir of about 50 voices, composed
of the best singers of the town, has been secured. The churches
are organizing so as to have everything in systematic running
order that they may bring about the desired results. The churches
and those interested are not starting any reform; it is no crusade
against existing evils other than sin. It is to be for the good
of the town and community, hoping to give society a moral uplift,
a strong public sentiment for purity and sobriety and an ingathering
of the unsaved. Much interest is already being manifested by the
public and everyone wishes those most interested success. Union
prayer meetings are being conducted and when the meetings open
there will be a united band of willing workers who will put heart
and soul into the meetings and do all in their power to make the
meetings a success.
September
19
Big Crowds At The Tabernacle
Never in the history of Exira has the attendance and interest been so great as in the union meetings now in progress at the tabernacle in the park. Each evening the large crowd began to assemble early and by the time the song service ends, usually every available seat is taken.
The work and sermons of most evangelists to the people in general is obnoxious and often repulsive but this is not true as to Reverend Sunday whose words and actions are indicative of ernest sincerity and true loyalty to the cause for which he labors faithfully putting his very heart and soul into his every effort.
The tabernacle capable of
seating 1000 people is too small to hold the great crowds that
are being constantly augmented by fresh arrivals. Consequently
today steps are being taken to take in a space of 14 ft. in width
at the South end of the building.
October
3
"The Devils Boomerang up to date" is the subject "for men only" to be delivered at the tabernacle next Sunday at 3:00 p.m. by the Rev. Sunday, every man in the community should be present saint or sinner.
The meetings in the tabernacle still continue in interest and in large attendance. Reverend Sunday still holds his audience despite predictions otherwise. The park is every night lined with teams and many are driving in from neighboring towns of Audubon and Brayton. Today several arrived from Harlan where Rev. Sunday held service last summer. The preaching has turned from the church to the world and the tremendous appeals are shaking the town from center to circumference, there being 51 forward promising to lend their influences for the noble, good, and the right. It is useless to try to describe either the language or the power of the evangelist, but few men as we said last week can excel him in oratory for when a man can hold a mixed audience an hour-and-a-half without them tiring he has a peculiar gift and a telling message
He now makes his appeals of love so that it reaches everyone present. Each night the seating capacity is crowded and the Christians are working hand-in-hand for the cause of right. Wednesday was observed as a day of fasting and prayer. Several cottage prayer meetings were held and all had good audiences. No one can yet measure the influence as everyone is truly thinking. Fathers and mothers are wondering if they would want their boys and girls to do all they do, and blush at the thought. The tone of the town is changing and that which is high, pure and noble is taking place of all other.
The Rev. Sunday engaged with the boys in an exhilarating game of baseball the other day on the school grounds and then went and purchased the very latest regulation ball to be had in town and quietly and unostentatiously made the lads a present of it. And now the boys are for Sunday in toto.
Exira's Transformation
The Closing Days Of The Meeting Near At Hand
The principal and we might say the only subject of conversation among all classes of people is the meetings now being held in the tabernacle in the park and the marvelous results that have been achieved and the potential influences for the good that have been accomplished. Reverend Sunday has convinced everyone who has ever heard him that he is sincere and earnestly working for the good of every individual, whatever may be his occupation, environment and condition in life.
His sentences are forceful, and being always grammatically correct and so logically arranged that they are rhetorically correct. He makes no compromise and offers no apology for what he says. To him, sin is sin; he believes that there are two forces at work in the world, one for good and the other for bad, and that all people in and out of the church are allied with one force or the other, lending their time and money and influence for their maintenance or support.
He plainly preaches that all will be saved or lost, that there is an eternal hell for the lost and eternal heaven for the redeemed. So forceful is he in his earnest and fearless appearance that he breaks down every barrier and tears away every pending obstacle that might retard or hinder the onward march of the unsaved leading them to accept or repel all that is pure and true, high and noble.
The men's meeting Sunday afternoon presented a scene that words cannot express and the seed sown at the meeting will in years to come show itself in the lives of those present. Twenty nine men in the prime of youth and noble manhood went forward and turned their backs upon sin and worldly amusements. So far one-hundred fifty have been converted, but as to what the remaining days will bring forth cannot be predicted. Every merchant and businessmen, whether saint or sinner, believes that the work accomplished is for the good of the boys and girls, good for young manhood and young womanhood, for the purity of society and as a safeguard and protection of the homes.
It is the hope of our people that the influence of these meetings will help all in years to come and as a result the boys and girls of today will be nobler and better men and women of tomorrow. Nothing is too good for our town and as the betterment of our town depends on the betterment of its citizens, every citizen whether Christian or not will freely and willingly give his or her support on this side of right.
The people love their homes,
freely support the public schools and liberally contribute to
the support of the church, and take away these influences from
the town and there would be such an exodus from the place it would
be as deserted and still is the cemetery. Give us happy and contented
homes filled with the comforts of life; surround us with prosperous
men active in the daily walks of life; schools to educate our
boys and girls, making them an honor to the community and a blessing
to their parents and churches, where the minds and hearts may
be cultivated and soon with the Christian graces that prepare
people for the duties of this life and fits them for the eternal
world to come, and no one in Exira will ever complain or murmur.
October
17
The members of the various churches of the town gave a reception Tuesday evening in the Christian Church to all the new converts. An interesting program of music, prayer and testimony was given, many of the new converts taking an interesting part in the exercises. After the program was given the crowd went to the tabernacle in the park where refreshments were served and all enjoyed themselves. The social and practical feeling was never so strong in Exira as now and the indications are that there will be many pleasant social functions given by the churches of the town and that they will be appreciated and attended with an interest heretofore never shown.
If you want a good picture of Rev. Sunday and his singer Mr. Fischer order them now at Mrs. W. A. Wellman's Photographic Art Gallery .
We understand that arrangements have been made by the clergy of Audubon whereby the services of Rev. Sunday will be secured about January 1902 for holding a revival in that town.
Our hotels and restaurants have been doing a lucrative business for the last two weeks on account of the services in the Park bringing in so many outsiders.
Sunday evening closed and meetings that have been in progress in the tabernacle in the park for the past three weeks and Reverend W. A. Sunday departed for his home in Chicago on the Monday noon train. As a result of the meetings, 260 people were converted and will at once unite with the church of their choice.
The greater part of the work has been accomplished during the past week. No one predicted such a complete and overwhelming victory for the united efforts of the various churches of the town.
At the closing service Sunday night over 1000 people were present to listen with marked attention to the matchless eloquence and his fearless and forceful logical and consistent argument.
At the close of the last service when the invitation to come forward was given, 48 people went forward.
A free will offering was taken at the Sunday services to remunerate Mr. Sunday for his tireless and ceaseless efforts which amounted to $873 being one of the largest collections ever taken to support him in his laudable and commendable work.
No one who has ever listened to his burning words of truth have any fault to find with his methods and heartily endorse his work; and no one can tell the appreciation as were expressed by the general public for the valuable services he has rendered for the community by teaching of the higher and noble virtues in the various walks of life's duties.
At least 200 or at the depot Monday noon to bid Mr. Sunday and his singer Mr. Fischer goodbye. A chorus of voices sang song after song and as the train pulled out the crowd sang "God Be With You Till We Meet Again," and stood and waved their handkerchiefs until the train disappeared around a long curve in the distance, the evangelist and the singer standing in the rear platform with handkerchiefs waving until the train was lost from view.
Mr. Sunday will ever be held
dear to the people of Exira and many warm friends here will fondly
cherish the memory of him who worked hard for their joy and comfort,
and for the eternal peace and happiness of their homes.
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The article above was taken from articles
in The Audubon County Journal, 1901.
Other web sites for more information about Sunday:
Account of sermon at University of Kansas, 1916