Postcard of the Billy Sunday Tabernacle,
ca. 1952. The Tabernacle, which was built after Sunday's death, was the
site of many Christian conferences and Christian services.
Homer Rodeheaver on Billy Sunday
In 1953, an evening at the Billy Sunday Tabernacle in Winona Lake, Indiana was dedicated to remembering the ministry of evangelist Billy Sunday (1863-1935) The service was led by Sunday's longtime song leader and c0-worker, Homer Rodeheaver. On this page are links to the audio recording of that evening. |
Postcard of the Billy Sunday Tabernacle,
ca. 1952. The Tabernacle, which was built after Sunday's death, was the
site of many Christian conferences and Christian services. |
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The most complete recording the BGC Archives has of the service at the Billy Sunday Tabernacle on August 8, 1953. This copy (Collection 108, Tapes T5 and T6) is on two different audio cassettes. This recording is a combination of the two. There is some material lost between the end of T5 (as 63minutes 39 seconds on this online audio recording) and the beginning of T6. There are also a few other blank spots in the recordings where for some reason some of the service was not recorded. But this recording is an exact copy of the recordings in the Archives, except that in some cases the blank spots have been reduced somewhat. (87 minutes, 36 seconds) |
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Stories of people who attended Billy Sunday meetings (1:07) |
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Singing one of Sunday’s favorite hymns, I Walk with the King, while accompanied on the piano by B. D. Ackley, who wrote the hymn and was pianist for many years with Billy Sunday. (2:30) |
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Rodeheaver leading the audience in singing the temperance hymn, The Brewers' Big Horses Can’t Run Over Me (5:52) |
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Rodeheaver collecting an offering for the continuing work of the Billy Sunday Tabernacle (1:47) |
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Rodeheaver playing the hymn, The Holy City, followed by the people in the Tabernacle singing a song closely associated with Billy Sunday meetings, Brighten the Corner Where You Are (4:46) |
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Rodeheaver describing Sunday’s boyhood and introduction to professional baseball (5:03) |
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Rodeheaver describing Sunday’s baseball career, his conversion, his first steps in witnessing to his faith (8:20) |
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Rodeheaver describing the development of Sunday’s evangelistic ministry, from its humble beginnings to his greatest meetings (7:23) |
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Rodeheaver describing the secret of Sunday’s success as an evangelist (2:57) |
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Rodeheaver describing Sunday’s way of talking with the Lord (1:15) |
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Sunday’s stories and epigrams (8:10) |
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Rodeheaver telling the story of one conversion for a Billy Sunday meeting (2:00) |
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Rodeheaver describing the impact of Billy Sunday’s meetings on communities (1:12) |
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Rodeheaver describing the finances of a Billy Sunday meeting (1:23) |
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Rodeheaver describing Billy Sunday’s last sermon and his funeral (5:35) |
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Rodeheaver's prayer at the end of the service and an invitation to Christian life and service (4:13) |
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| A photo of Billy Sunday and his co-workers labeled "Climbing a mountain out west." Ca. 1915. From left to right: Unknown, William Asher, Rodeheaver, Sunday (with hat), unknown, Virginia Asher (with glasses), unknown, Helen Sunday | |
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| On the left, Rodeheaver in 1912, when he was song leader for Billy Sunday; on the right, Rodeheaver ca. 1940s. | |
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| Rodeheaver with B.D. Ackley, pianist for Billy Sunday 1908-1915 | |