Billy Sunday: A Voice For God

Billy Sunday (1862-1935), was a professional baseball player from 1883 to 1891 for Chicago, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia teams. He was converted through the street preaching of Harry Monroe of the Pacific Garden Mission in Chicago. He left a $5,000 a year salary as a baseball player for $84 a month in a ministry position with the previously evangelistic YMCA. From 1893 to 1895 was associated with J. Wilbur Chapman. He was an evangelist from 1893 to 1935. It is estimated that over 300,000 people walked the “sawdust trail” to receive Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord. (Adapted from “The Wycliffe Biographical Dictionary of the Church,” page 387, Elgin S. Moyer, 1982, ©Moody Press, Chicago, IL).

For more information about Billy Sunday, please visit the Christian Biographical Resources for many links, pictures, and articles about this great evangelist.

Billy Sunday was saved because a soul-winner wasn't afraid to go out onto the street preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ! You'd be shocked how many Christians get upset when other Christians go street-preaching. I remember street-preaching in downtown Chicago at State and Rush Streets one night years ago. I was standing up on a fire-hydrant with my Bible in hand preaching and a taxi-cab driver pulled up in front of me. Tears were just running down his face and he wanted to be saved. I witnessed to him concerning Christ. You just don't forget moments like that. I also remember when a friend of mine had a bag of flour throw at him while preaching. Then came the tomatoes. There is nothing like street-preaching! I was younger then and didn't know any better to stay off the fire-hydrants, but I wanted to reach people for Christ.

Billy Sunday was hated for his strong stand against alcohol, gambling, and dancing.

“I've stood for more sneers and scoffs and insults and had my life threatened from one end of the land to the other by this God-forsaken gang of thugs and cutthroats because I have come out uncompromisingly against them.” —Billy Sunday

I love everything about Billy Sunday. He reached millions of people for Christ in his lifetime. Billy Sunday didn't pass out menus at his revival meetings, he told it like it was! You heard the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth! I was saddened the first time I realized that Frank Sinatra mocked Billy Sunday in the song “Chicago.” Though Sinatra himself didn't write the song, his voice has made the wicked song a legendary world-renowned performance. The song is evil. I hate that song because it attacks God's man. In so doing Frank Sinatra attacked God. I've written an article on Frank Sinatra's lousy song... Chicago!

Billy Sunday is extra special to me because he used to preach at the Pacific Garden Mission in Chicago. He was also saved because of the mission's emphasis on evangelism. Many preachers over the years have preached from the pulpit of the Pacific Garden Mission. My father also preached once a week at the mission for many years. He often brought me with him. Often my mother would come with and play the piano (she was close friends with Lucille Becker who played the organ on “Unshackled” since it began in 1950). Lucille went to be with the Lord in 1999 and my mother in 2001. It's a good feeling to know that we were a part of the ministry that God used to lead Billy Sunday to the Lord. Although Billy Sunday graduated into Heaven in 1935, his spirit lives on within the hearts of soul winning, sin-hating, sinner-loving Christians.

Pastor Harry Saulnier (1902-1990) was faithful director of the Pacific Garden Mission for nearly half a century, 46 years. In 1945 he used to preach a 15 minute message on the radio called: “Doorway To Heaven.” That little sermon time eventually inspired the radio drama series, Unshackled, which began in 1950 and still continues until this day. Unfortunately, younger neo-evangelicals have crept into the mission, bringing in the Devil's heresy of Lordship Salvation into the mission and popular radio series. Dear reader, Lordship Salvation is not the Gospel of free grace. What is Lordship Salvation? It is the false teaching that faith in the Gospel is not enough to be saved. In addition, they say you must also be willing to turn away from your old sinful ways, and make absolutely surrender to Jesus as “Lord” to be saved.

It is tragic that PGM has adopted a false gospel that cannot produce regeneration (i.e., the new birth). You don't get saved by “inviting Jesus into your heart,” nor by “repenting of all your sins,” which is the junk theology taught on Unshackled nowadays. Repentance is simply acknowledging THE TRUTH that one is a guilty sinner in need of redemption (2nd Timothy 2:25; Romans 3:19-20). A man is saved when he is persuaded that Jesus is the Christ, the only begotten Son of God, Who died on the cross for his sins, was buried, and resurrected three days later (John 20:31). That is the Gospel (1st Corinthians 15:1-4). Anyone who believes (places their confidence in) the Gospel is immediately and forever saved. Until Pacific Garden Mission stops preaching another gospel of Lordship Salvation, God's curse will remain upon their organization and labors (Galatians 1:6-9). They have moved away from the hope of the Gospel.

The mission is located in downtown Chicago on State Street. Unfortunately, the city of Chicago confiscated the land and forced the mission to relocate. It's a shame that the city of Chicago will grant “landmark status” to homosexual Henry Gerber's home, but then deny such a status to the Pacific Garden Mission (that has helped millions of needy Chicagoans over the past century). Howbeit, the mighty works which have been done in Jesus' name over the past century are a testimony to the grace of God and the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.