Billy Sunday Quotes

Powerful Billy Sunday for Daily Growth

About Billy Sunday

Billy Sunday (1862-1935), an American evangelist and public speaker, was renowned for his dynamic preaching style during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born on a farm in Amherst, Indiana, on November 19, 1862, he grew up with a strong religious influence from his Methodist parents. At age 14, Billy left school to work as a newspaper delivery boy, later becoming a professional baseball player, playing for teams such as the Chicago White Stockings and the Washington Nationals. In 1886, a near-fatal accident during a game sparked an existential crisis, leading him to reevaluate his life choices. In 1887, Billy experienced a religious conversion at a camp meeting in Newton, Kansas, which marked the beginning of his ministry. He became an itinerant evangelist and, in 1896, met Helen Amelia Barr, whom he married the following year. Together, they founded the Billy Sunday Evangelistic Association. Sunday's preaching was characterized by its emotional intensity, humor, and dramatic flair. He used modern examples and vivid imagery to make his messages relatable and impactful. His most famous sermon, titled "What Will You Do with Jesus?" was delivered to a crowd of over 100,000 people in Los Angeles in 1924. Sunday's influence extended beyond the pulpit. He was a vocal prohibitionist and a significant figure in the movement that led to the ratification of the 18th Amendment, which established Prohibition in the United States. Billy Sunday died on November 6, 1935, leaving behind a legacy as one of America's most influential evangelists. His quotations, such as "The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it," continue to resonate today.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"The soul that goes a-sinning can find no peace at any time."

This quote suggests that individuals who engage in immoral or sinful behavior will not experience inner tranquility or serenity, as their conscience is burdened by guilt. The soul in such a state cannot achieve true peace until it confronts its transgressions, seeks forgiveness, and strives for moral redemption. This perspective underscores the importance of personal responsibility and the need to live according to one's moral compass.


"The greatest thing a human being ever does is to choose his attitude."

Billy Sunday's quote emphasizes the power individuals have in shaping their own attitudes, which significantly influences how they perceive and respond to life's circumstances. In other words, our choices about how we approach situations can define our experiences more than the situations themselves. This notion highlights the importance of cultivating a positive attitude as a means of overcoming adversity and achieving personal growth.


"Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you are willing to pay."

The quote emphasizes that sin can lead to unintended and undesirable consequences in life. It suggests that if left unchecked, the act of sinning will take one farther from their desired goals or destinations than they ever intended to go; it will extend their stay in difficult or unpleasant situations beyond what they wish; and ultimately, the cost (emotional, relational, financial, etc.) will be greater than what they are willing or able to pay. In essence, the quote serves as a stark reminder of the destructive power of sin and the importance of living a virtuous life.


"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"

Billy Sunday's quote, "Sinners in the hands of an Angry God," is a stark reminder of his Evangelical Christian beliefs that emphasized divine judgment and human accountability for sin. The phrase suggests that unrepentant sinners are precariously balanced above the wrath of God, who is portrayed as being angry at humanity's transgressions against His divine will. The message encourages people to reflect on their lives, repent, and seek forgiveness from God in fear of His impending judgment, thereby prompting them to follow a righteous path. It also highlights the urgency of evangelism, as Sunday was an ardent advocate for sharing the Gospel with others before it's too late.


"I have never known but one sinner who did genuinely repent and leave the drinking saloon, and that was myself."

This quote by Billy Sunday underscores his personal experience with overcoming addiction to alcohol. He emphasizes that only one sincere sinner, in this case referring to himself, managed to quit drinking and abandon the tavern life. The quote serves as a testament of his own transformation from being a sinner to a devout religious leader, highlighting the possibility of change and redemption, even for those deeply entrenched in vices like alcoholism.


Live so that when the final summons comes you will leave something more behind you than an epitaph on a tombstone or an obituary in a newspaper.

- Billy Sunday

Newspaper, Behind, Will, Tombstone

Temptation is the devil looking through the keyhole. Yielding is opening the door and inviting him in.

- Billy Sunday

Door, Through, Keyhole, Temptation

When may a revival be expected? When the wickedness of the wicked grieves and distresses the Christian.

- Billy Sunday

Christian, May, Wickedness, Wicked

The Democratic party of Florida has put a temperance plank in its platform and the Republican party of every state would nail that plank in their platform if they thought it would carry the election.

- Billy Sunday

Thought, Election, Florida, Plank

They tell me a revival is only temporary; so is a bath, but it does you good.

- Billy Sunday

Temporary, Tell, Does, Bath

The saloon is a liar. It promises good cheer and sends sorrow.

- Billy Sunday

Liar, Sorrow, Saloon, Good Cheer

I challenge you to show me where the saloon has ever helped business, education, church, morals or anything we hold dear.

- Billy Sunday

Education, Business, Church, Saloon

I tell you that the curse of God Almighty is on the saloon.

- Billy Sunday

Tell, God Almighty, Almighty, Saloon

There is no law, divine or human, that the saloon respects.

- Billy Sunday

Law, Divine, No Law, Saloon

Some persons think that they have to look like a hedgehog to be pious.

- Billy Sunday

Think, Some, Persons, Pious

When is a revival needed? When carelessness and unconcern keep the people asleep.

- Billy Sunday

Needed, Keep, Carelessness, Revival

A revival does two things. First, it returns the Church from her backsliding and second, it causes the conversion of men and women; and it always includes the conviction of sin on the part of the Church. What a spell the devil seems to cast over the Church today!

- Billy Sunday

Church, Devil, Part, Revival

I believe there is no doctrine more dangerous to the Church today than to convey the impression that a revival is something peculiar in itself and cannot be judged by the same rules of causes and effect as other things.

- Billy Sunday

Church, More, Other, Revival

After all is said that can be said upon the liquor traffic, its influence is degrading upon the individual, the family, politics and business, and upon everything that you touch in this old world.

- Billy Sunday

Politics, Old, Individual, Old World

If there is no hell, a good many preachers are obtaining money under false pretenses.

- Billy Sunday

Money, False, Preachers, Pretenses

There are individuals who have never done anything for Jesus Christ, and I have no doubt there are preachers as well, who have never done anything for the God Almighty.

- Billy Sunday

Doubt, Jesus Christ, Christ, Preachers

I am the sworn, eternal and uncompromising enemy of the liquor traffic.

- Billy Sunday

Eternal, Uncompromising, Liquor

Christianity means a lot more than church membership.

- Billy Sunday

More, Lot, Means, Membership

Unless you have made a complete surrender and are doing his will it will avail you nothing if you've reformed a thousand times and have your name on fifty church records.

- Billy Sunday

Doing, Will, Avail, Reformed

Conversion is a complete surrender to Jesus. It's a willingness to do what he wants you to do.

- Billy Sunday

Jesus, Willingness, Wants, Surrender

At Kansas City, Kansas, before the saloons were closed, they were getting ready to build an addition to the jail. Now the doors swing idly on the hinges and there is nobody to lock in the jails.

- Billy Sunday

City, Before, Kansas City, Jails

Personal liberty is not personal license.

- Billy Sunday

Liberty, Personal, License, Personal Liberty

I dare not exercise personal liberty if it infringes on the liberty of others.

- Billy Sunday

Exercise, Liberty, Personal, Personal Liberty

You can't raise the standard of women's morals by raising their pay envelope. It lies deeper than that.

- Billy Sunday

Women, Standard, Raising, Envelope

And if you think that anybody is going to frighten me, you don't know me yet.

- Billy Sunday

Think, Going, Anybody, Frighten

Try praising your wife, even if it does frighten her at first.

- Billy Sunday

Her, Praising, Even, Frighten

Some persons have lived manly or womanly lives, and they lack but one thing - open confession of the Lord Jesus Christ. Some men think that they must come to him in a certain way - that they must be stirred by emotion or something like that.

- Billy Sunday

Some, Certain Way, Lord, Womanly

Religion needs a baptism of horse sense.

- Billy Sunday

Horse, Sense, Needs, Baptism

The world is wrong side up. It needs to be turned upside down in order to be right side up.

- Billy Sunday

Needs, Side, Turned, Order

I have been, and will go on, fighting that damnable, dirty, rotten business with all the power at my command.

- Billy Sunday

Business, Dirty, Been, Command

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