American Decades
Sunday, William "Billy" 1862-1935
EVANGELIST
The Best-Known Evangelist in America.
Billy Sunday entered the 1920s as the best-known revivalist in America. His great campaign in New York City in 1917 coincided with America's entry into the Great War, and in his sermons Sunday managed to fuse Christianity and American patriotism to the delight of millions. His success was even greater when he was able to celebrate the death of his longtime enemy, "John Barleycorn," with the adoption of Prohibition. He even attained some wealth, In 1920 Dun and Bradstreet estimated his worth at $1.4 million.
Decline.
However, the 1920s were not pleasant for Sunday and his wife. While he continued to attract large audiences and led thousands to hit the "sawdust trail" that led to the altars of the tabernacles he had put up for his revivals, these special buildings no longer went up in the largest cities of the North, and he found himself working medium-sized...
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1920's Religion
