Evening star., 1952-03-17
Billy Graham ! Opens
Before 10000 Brifon.
And Has 3OC Converts
By William McGoffin
Foreign Correspondent Of ihs Ssar end
The Chicago Daily News

L - = ~ n y = =
LONDON, Mar. i7.-Billy Graz
ham has hit Britain.
The 33-year-old American
Evangelist who stood them on their
1ears in sinful" Washington made
his British debut before an audi
ence Of 1O,0OO--on Of the biggest
Evangelist meetings London has
seen for many years at Albert
Hall last night. There were only
80 converts among the reserved
Britons.
"You are our Allies politically.
economically and militarily," said
Mr.. Graham. "but we also pray
that we shall be able to join hands
spiritually as we'll"
Speaking rapidly-"witil the
speed Of the .280 rifle as one
British observer put it-and wav-
ling his red leather-bound Bible
lMr. Graham carried on for 30
minutes until his neatly tied blue
and white polka dot tie was aWry
and his fair hair was falling
tdamply on his brow.
Calls America Sinful.
No nation has ever committed
the sins that America is commits
ting today" he roared, 'and II I
We're . Britisher ! might include
Britain. S
How many Of you had tea to-
day? Don't raise your hands. You
all did. I know. How many bf you
stopped to wonder IL your wife
had poisoned it? None OF Won
That's faith"
Waving his arms and pointing
. stern forefinger at his listeners
he continued:
i am absolutely convinced ne.
are living in q time just before
the Judgment Of God strikes. Com
munism and Christianity are
graphing with the souls and
minds OF men. Unless we have 4
spiritual awakening in Britain
and America we cannot be spared
the Judgment Of God.
"A million years from tonight
! shall still be living. When The
stars have fallen and the moon
has turned to blood I shall stiIll
be living"
Crowd Mostly Young.
Throughout it all Mr.. Graham,s
5I-year-old wife Ruth sat silent
on the platform. q fur coat over
lnersnlack dress, . four-tier pearl
Ichoker necklace around her neck
and . Bible in her hands.
Suddenly Mr.. Graham stopped
speaking and sat down. combed
his hair and pulled q glass Of
water from under his seat.
Then Tom Rees. well-known
British evangelist who had organ.
lied this "get right with God,
rally. got to his feet and appealed
for converts.
Things were at an emotional
peak now with 10000 listeners
mostly young men and women and
teen-agers who had crowded the
vast hall. They had sung hymns
and prayed and heard the 1900
strong youth choir broadcast from
the hall. And then there had
been MIR. Graham's Baptist mes
sage so different from the calm
|Episcopalian worship in the
church of England
Only 50 Converts.
But Britons are q reserved peo-
|ple inclined to regard their per-
|sonal beliefs as q private matter.
There were only 80 converts. i
But the size OF the turnout was
encouraging enough to Mr.. Gra-
ham although it didn't surprise
him any.
He said that in America there
was an awakening Of religious
interest unparalleled in American
history. But II church attend
Iance is any guide he thinks there
lis an even greater need for re-
Ivival here. He said that about
I54 per cent Of the Americans at
tend church regularly today
more than ever before. More
than In pioneer days even.
In Britain, he said. reproach-
fully. the figure Is only about Z
fper cent.