Set in the early 20th century, "Elmer Gantry" follows the tumultuous journey of its titular character from a college student to a charismatic but flawed preacher. Caught in a series of personal and professional struggles, Elmer's life is a whirlwind of ambition, deception, and moral conundrums. Each chapter unfolds a deeper layer of Elmer's character, as he navigates a world of religious fervor and personal ambition.

College Days and a Surprising Conversion

The story kicks off in 1902, when Elmer Gantry and his friend, Jim Lefferts, travel from their college in Kansas to Cato, Missouri, to visit their girlfriends. During an evening out, Elmer, emboldened by alcohol, engages in a brawl with a man taunting Eddie Fislinger, a fellow student preaching to an outdoor audience. Despite his previous lack of religious interest, the incident sets off a chain of events leading to rumors of Elmer's conversion. Jim advises Elmer to avoid getting swept up in the falsehood, but Elmer finds himself drawn into the fervor of the college’s Annual Prayer Week, where he is publicly lauded for his newfound faith. That night, he grapples with doubts but resolves to speak at the Y.M.C.A. Using borrowed words for his sermon, Elmer captivates the audience, earning a declaration from the college president that he is destined to preach. The allure of commanding an audience convinces Elmer of his calling to ministry.

Seminary Life and Moral Complications

Elmer enrolls at Mizpah Theological Seminary, a Baptist school in Babylon, located in the Midwest. By 1905, after two years of study, he is ordained, despite feeling restless during his final year. He is assigned to a rural church in Schoenheim, with Frank Shallard as his assistant. However, Elmer's attention soon wanders to Lulu Bains, the deacon's daughter, prompting Shallard to caution him against immoral behavior. Under Elmer's influence, Shallard eventually resigns while Elmer grows dismissive of the adoring Lulu. When Lulu's admirer, Lloyd Naylor, complains to her father about Elmer, a confrontation ensues at the Seminary, forcing Elmer to agree to marry Lulu. Elmer, however, plots an escape from the engagement by engineering a situation that results in Lulu's father's promise to marry her off to Floyd instead. Feigning indignation, Elmer resigns.

Struggles and New Opportunities

Elmer's next posting is at a church in Monarch, but a chance meeting with a traveling salesman leads to a drinking spree that costs him the appointment. Dismissed from the Seminary, he turns to selling farm equipment. After two years, he encounters Eddie Fislinger again and rekindles his interest in preaching. This leads him to a revival meeting in Nebraska led by evangelist Sharon Falconer. Captivated by Sharon, Elmer follows her to another meeting in Lincoln, where he speaks of his "conversion" from businessman to believer, impressing the crowd. His infatuation with Sharon prompts him to give up smoking and drinking, and when she replaces her assistant with Elmer, he spends two years honing his skills in advertising and fundraising at revival meetings. However, disaster strikes in Clontar, New Jersey, when a fire engulfs the pier Sharon purchased for services. Elmer escapes the blaze, but Sharon perishes.

A Turn Toward New Thought

Elmer briefly attempts to establish himself as an independent evangelist but fails. He aligns with Mrs. Evans Riddle, a teacher of New Thought, a Western adaptation of Indian spirituality, but is caught embezzling from the collection funds and dismissed. Turning to teaching Prosperity classes, he struggles to sustain himself financially.

Joining the Methodists and Rising Ambitions

Financially strained, Elmer borrows money from Shallard, now a minister with a family. In Zenith, he encounters Bishop Toomis, who brings...