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The words of Billy Sunday, an early 20th-century evangelist and former professional baseball player, echoed across America last week, coinciding with the opening day celebrations in stadiums. Known for his "fire and brimstone" style of preaching, Sunday is credited with leading 300,000 individuals to Christianity during his lifetime. His stance against sin was firm and uncompromising, as he declared, "I'm against sin. I'll kick it as long as I've got a foot, and I'll fight it as long as I've got a fist."
Sunday was not shy about sharing his views on alcohol, stating, "Both Alcohol and Beer have their place, and that is in Hell." He believed that driving the devil out of the world required strength and determination: "If you want to drive the devil out of the world, hit him with a cradle instead of a crutch."
The evangelist's perspective on religious teachings did not spare ecclesiastical leaders, as he commented, "I have more respect for the devil than for some preachers I have met; the devil believes the Bible is the Word of God!"
Sunday's sayings were packed with fervency, including his belief in maintaining strong character: "Your reputation is what people say about you; Your character is what God, and your wife, know about you."
In a spiritual reflection, Sunday described his journey through the Bible, likening it to walking through art galleries, music rooms, and observatories, ultimately leading him to the "Throne room of Revelation."
Reflecting on another baseball great, Ty Cobb, the Hall of Famer expressed his late realization of faith shortly before his death in 1961: "Tell the boys that I am sorry it was in the last part of the ninth inning I came to know Christ."
These reflections underscore the importance of early and earnest spiritual commitment, as suggested by Pastor Cleddie Keith, underscoring that "God Loves you, but only you alone can make the decision concerning your own soul."
