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Billy Sunday
William Ashley Sunday, better known as
Billy Sunday, became a historical evangelical figure following modest beginnings.
1862 was the time, November 19 to be exact. Born in Ames, Iowa, Billy’s parents
were William and Mary Jane Sunday. The young Sunday never knew his father, though,
whose life was claimed by the Civil War before Billy’s birth. His lineage could
be traced to German immigrants. Sunday’s family played a smaller than normal
role in his upbringing. Billy’s mother wasn’t well able to care for him, so he
and his siblings went to stay at an orphanage when he was twelve. The lad was fairly
independent, probably as a result of his raising. He was pretty athletic, too.
Holding various jobs in his teen years, he was drawn to baseball and played
semi-professionally in Marshalltown, Iowa. He was a fast runner and was discovered
by manager Cap Anson of the Chicago White Stockings (which came to be the White Sox).
Billy soon became a well-paid professional athlete playing for Chicago,
Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. At nearly $5,000 annually he earned almost as much each month
as the average worker did in an entire year. But money later gave way to other
unlikely priorities.
In 1887 while in Chicago, Sunday heard hymns sung at the
Pacific Garden Mission, a ministry that survives to this day. They are credited with
the conversion of many to Christ, not the least of which is Billy Sunday. He soon
enrolled at Chicago’s Northwestern University where he attended one term.
Shortly after Billy’s new life with God began, he met the lady who would further
change his life. Billy Sunday took Helen “Ma” Thompson to be his wife in
1888. (They later had four children—one girl and three boys.) Feeling
the call of God to preach, Reverend Sunday left baseball after an eight-year playing
career. His first stop in ministry was at the Chicago YMCA in 1891, where he worked
for one-fifth of his previous salary as a member of the religious instruction staff.
After two years at the association, Billy broke with his athletic ties altogether,
assisting evangelists such as J. Wilbur Chapman until 1895.
The following year the budding preacher embarked on his first
independent crusade in Garner, Iowa. Ma and the kids spent a good bit of time at
home while the evangelist traveled during the ministry’s early years. Nell (as
she was also called) later spent more time by his side and was instrumental in planning
his crusades, handling finances, and speaking at women’s meetings. Billy was licensed
to preach in 1898 and was ordained with the Presbyterian Church in 1903.
Sunday’s dynamic and fiery style of preaching made many friends and some enemies who
didn’t agree with his message or demeanor. He expanded his ministry by helping
to pioneer ministry via a new media outlet called the radio. Between the advent of
the radio and automobile, the famous preacher was able to reach more people than ever
before. He reportedly preached to more than one million people in person, not
including those who heard him on the airwaves or read his sermons in newspapers. In
1911, the Sundays moved to Winona Lake, Indiana where they held bible conferences and
meetings. They also entertained and inspired guests during summer months with teaching by
Sunday and other religious leaders along with enjoying music performed
professionally. It was clear that, while Sunday was serious about living for the
Lord, he also appreciated leisure and routinely employed humor in his messages.
Rev. Sunday was certainly not all talk, though. While the
masses enjoyed his preaching, perhaps as many respected his firm stand against drinking
alcohol. This was a constant topic in Sunday’s sermons. The zealot de jour chose to
dive headlong into the political spectrum—not as a candidate, but as an activist.
He began to gear up for the fight and in 1912 received a Doctor of Laws degree from
Westmont College. By 1917, he ran a long revival campaign in New York City, perhaps
in part to gain the attention of the populous. Historians argue he was so
influential in the culture of his day that he was actually instrumental in the passing of
the Prohibition in 1919. The reverend continued his crusades during the 1920’s
in spite of concerns over World War I. Times took a turn for the worse for the
Sundays. Discouragement came in with the 1930’s. The Great Depression had
begun and the stresses felt by Americans could not be hidden.
The grief of losing their only daughter, Helen in 1932 and son,
George, in 1933 struck a hard blow against the family. To add insult to
injury, the ’33 repeal of prohibition was enacted in opposition to the
evangelist’s promises to continue fighting against it. The hardships may have
been just a bit too much for the renowned preacher, as he died of heart problems November
5th 1935, two weeks shy of his 72nd birthday. Ma continued to
do charity work until her death in 1957. Visitors still make their way to the
Indiana home place of Billy and Ma Sunday. But the true heritage of the man of
God’s life may be summed up by the inscription on his tombstone in Illinois: I
have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith—II Timothy
4:7.
Resources: wheaton.edu, wholesomewords.org, geocites.com,
members.tripod.com, graveyards.com
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