Billy Graham was a prominent evangelist from 1947 until his retirement in 2005. What follows is taken from a firsthand account in the August 8, 1957, Review, after F. D. Nichol attended one of the largest campaigns ever planned by Graham. It was to run for six weeks, but because of the interest was extended to 16 weeks.—Editors.
From time to time in recent weeks the question has come to the Review: “What about Billy Graham?” It is understandable that here, there, and elsewhere our people would ask this question because the name of Billy Graham has been appearing frequently in the newspapers and on TV screens since he began his large evangelistic series in New York on May 15. . . . By general agreement of his critics as well as his friends, he is the best-known minister today and certainly the one who can draw the largest crowds night after night.
It seems therefore proper that we as a religious body should view with some measure of interest the activities of Billy Graham. New York is not far from Washington, D.C., so I went up to see firsthand what was taking place. . . .
Now to Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden . . . is only a short walk from Times Square, the crossroads of New York City. The meeting was to begin at 7:30 p.m. Before seven o’clock I turned my steps toward the Garden. . . .
The great auditorium seats, by actual count, 18,500 people. By seven-thirty, all but a small portion of the highest galleries was filled. . . . Never in the history of Madison Square Garden has anyone, whether minister, entertainer, or theatrical company, drawn so many people for so many nights. Some evenings thousands must be turned away, but not before Graham gives them a short talk from an improvised stand on the curb. . . .
Promptly at eight o’clock Billy Graham took the stand. . . . Seated as I was in the press section, I had an excellent opportunity to see all that took place. I confess again to having had some critical reservations. . . . I have listened to certain popular evangelists and some so-called faith healers. I was ready to discover parallels to their preaching—dramatic stories, wild gesticulations, cheap appeals to the gallery, and the like. As a reporter seeking to give an honest story of what I saw and heard, I must state that no such parallels were found. The thought occurred that perhaps that night was an exception. But after listening to a number of meetings I was sure that he was different. The only way to describe Billy Graham is to say that he is a straightforward preacher, who, with Bible in hand, addresses himself earnestly to a great congregation. . . .
The Call for Decisions
He spoke for about forty minutes and then made his regular nightly call for men and women to come forward and make a decision for Christ. He told them that it would require changes in their lives—greater honesty, higher morality, clear witnessing for God among associates. The open area in front soon filled with people, as it did each night I was there.
Those who came forward were then invited to go to a large room below. I went down to see what happened. Waiting for this throng that ranged nightly from five hundred to nearly one thousand was a volunteer company from New York’s Protestant churches. For each one who came down a counselor was ready, a man to talk individually with each man, and a woman to talk with each woman. . . . Each counselor filled out a blank for the one with whom he talked. The purpose of the blank was to provide the name and address and a few other salient facts as to church affiliation, or desire for affiliation, so that these cards could be sent to the respective churches in the area where the person lived. A copy of the Gospel of John was also given to each inquirer, along with other helpful literature. . . .
I tried to analyze what manner of man this Billy Graham might be. I had tried to secure a personal interview with him that first night, but there were too many others making demands upon his time. The next night fortune favored me. After the evening meeting I was taken to a private conference room, to meet Billy Graham. . . .
What I heard that Sunday night sounded strangely like a Seventh-day Adventist sermon.
An Interview With Graham
I’m sorry I don’t possess what some reporters think they possess—the ability to evaluate a man, with infallible accuracy, from a brief contact with him. I can only say that my twenty-minute interview with him led me to feel that he is sincere and genuine. How do you keep going night after night and week after week before so vast an audience? I asked. His answer was direct and in the words of Scripture: “As thy days, so shall thy strength be.”
Did he think there was a real religious revival taking place in the world? Graham replied that unquestionably there is, today, a very real measure of interest in religion such as had not been for some time past. But he did not believe that the world was on the edge of conversion and that all it needed was a little improving here and there. He did not confuse curious interest in religion with genuine revival. He referred to the latter as possible only in terms of individual men and women who respond to direct appeals to give their lives to God.
And what did he think of the contradictory fact that in the face of a steadily increasing church membership in the United States there is a steadily increasing total of crimes, particularly among juveniles?
“Too often,” he replied, “people have only a form of godliness. There has to be something more than church membership. There has to be dedication of life to Christ. There must be a realization that there is indeed a God to whom we shall have to give an account for our deeds.”
And what did he wish to say about the criticism made by various modernist churchmen that he dealt only with the matter of personal salvation—with religion as it affects the individual in relation to his God—instead of dealing with the great social problems of the day, such as inequitable working conditions and segregation? . . . He replied:
“The gospel is both vertical and horizontal. The vertical comes first. Man must be brought into direct relation to God above, for he must love God before he can love his fellow man.” Then he cited the case of Wilberforce, the notable English leader of the nineteenth century who was in the forefront of the battle to abolish slavery in the British Empire: “Wilberforce first took his stand for Christ, and then took the shackles off the slaves. Most of the great social reformers had a conversion experience first.”
And what did he think should be the next step for those people who at his meetings were making decisions for Christ? He pointed to the well-organized plan of having the names of these people referred to the particular church they wished to join. But he went on to add immediately that the few months following decision are most important and critical months for such people: “I don’t tell my newborn babe to come back next week for a little food. Even so with the new converts. They need a great deal of care. We are going to have follow-up classes for the inquirers. These will continue for several months.”
He made clear that he felt that all who made decisions for Christ must be brought into a program of daily prayer, daily Bible study, and witnessing for Christ. These he placed as primary to religious experience and growth.
Upon being asked what he considered to be the essence of the gospel, he answered briefly, and in the words of Scripture: “That Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3, 4).
His Views on the Advent
He knew of course my Adventist connection, and, in fact, that he was talking to an Adventist minister. Would he tell me what he thought about the doctrine of the end of the world and the personal second coming of Christ? He responded: “Can you stay over until Sunday night? I am going to speak on that subject then.”
What I heard that Sunday night sounded strangely like a Seventh-day Adventist sermon. He took his text from the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew. I do not know, of course, all that he believes concerning the end of the world. Undoubtedly he differs with us on more than one feature of the Advent doctrine. But his presentation that Sunday night was one with which Adventists could agree. He focused on the prime fact that there is coming, soon, an end to the world, when all men must meet their Lord and answer for their deeds, with bliss for the righteous and damnation for the wicked.
Mass Meeting, Yankee Stadium
This news story of the Billy Graham Crusade is in terms of the meetings on two weekends—a total of seven nights, plus a Sunday afternoon meeting in Central Park. The last one I attended was held at Yankee Stadium. This meeting drew over 100,000 people, not all of whom could find even standing room inside the stadium. Authorities stated that this was the largest crowd they had ever seen there. To this place, with its vast galleries, where sports is usually the drawing card, came multitudes of men and women to hear a sermon on the love of God and the need of making a decision for
Him. . . . This may rightly be described as one of the largest religious services in the history of America, if not the largest. It is rare, even in this age of great happenings, to see and hear about 100,000 singing together a Christian hymn of praise.