BILLY GRAHAM AUSTRALIAN CRUSADES UNDER WAY; THOUSANDS TURNED AWAY AT OPENING
MEETING IN MELBOURNE; 600 RECORDED DECISIONS AT FIRST SERVICE; OUTDOOR MOVES
PLANNED
Melbourne, February 16 — SPECIAL - The West Melbourne Stadium yesterday
became the focal point of interest for Christians throughout Australia and in
more than 100 countries around the world where prayer groups have been organized.,
as Billy Graham opened his 16 week Australian Crusades.
Long before the start of the meeting, long lines of people, 6 and 8 deep, completely
encircled the block where the Stadium is located.. Police estimated. the line
to be half a mile long. When every one of the 7,500 seats in the main Stadium
was filled., the crowd. moved quickly to the 2,500 seat annexe specially constructed
for the Crusade. Closed circuit television equipment relayed the proceedings
inside the Stadium to huge screens erected. in the annexe.
With both buildings completely filled, thousands jammed the streets outside
to listen to the service through public address system speakers. A heavy downpour
of rain began shortly after the start of the service, and much of the outside
crowd. was dispersed, but when Billy Graham left the platform to go outside
and. address the stand.ees, police estimated that at least 5,000 were still
standing in the rain. A brief message by Dr. Graham, followed. by an appeal
for commitment to Christ brought 97 persons to an improvised counselling [sic]
area, there to record. their decision for Christ.
In the main arena, the Lieutenant Governor of Victoria, Sir Edmund. Herring,
officially welcomed Dr. Graham and his associates to Australia. Sir Edmund said
in part, “The visit of such a great evangelist as Billy Graham is an exciting
and thrilling prospect for the city of Melbourne and its citizens Widespread
interest has been aroused during the preparatory stages and on -all sides today
one meets a keen sense of anticipation.”
In his reply to the welcome, Dr. Graham said “Australia is an important
and strategic country. If a spiritual awakening, takes place here, it could
have a significant impact upon the entire world. The tremendous response to
this opening meeting is indicative, I believe, of the spiritual hunger which
is growing across Australia.”
To the 5,000 who stood in the drenching rain he said, “This is a sight
I shall never forget as long as I live. You are a wonderful people. I do not
believe that any people I have ever met anywhere in the world would stand this
long in the rain, outside a building, to hear the Gospel.”
Sunday’s meeting was preceded by a dedication service on Saturday night
when more than 5,000 crusade workers came to the Stadium to familiarize themselves
with the crusade meeting place. A transformation bad been wrought, for less
than 24 hours previous a series of boxing matches had been staged there. Now
a huge platform had been erected for the choir and speakers, and overhead was
the text used in all Graham crusades, ‘Jesus said I am the way,
the truth and the life.”
Technicians worked through the night to perfect the closed circuit television
installation, the largest ever in Australia. A 40 inch lens had to be flown
from London to Melbourne in order to make possible the operation of the television
equipment.
The opening service in Melbourne came as an answer to the prayers of multiplied
thousands of prayer partners not only in Australia but also in more than 100
countries of the world. At the invitation at the close of the service 505 persons
responded to record their commitment for Christ . . . the total for the first
meeting standing thus at 602.
Church leaders shared in every portion of the service. Acting as chairman for
the meeting was the Very Rev. I. S. Barton Babbage, Dean of St. Paul’s
Cathedral. The prayer for the service was led by the Ft. Bev N. Faichney, Moderator
of the Presbyterian Church f Victoria, and the benediction was pronounced by
the Rev. Dr. A. H. Wood, President - General of the Methodist Church of Australasia.
The opening meeting was preceded by several days of intense activity, following
Billy Graham’s arrival in Sydney on Wednesday afternoon, February 11.
Hundreds of well-wishers jammed the overseas air terminal at Sydney, while reporters,
radio, TV and newsreel interviewers conducted the largest press conference the
Sydney airport had seen. Later when Dr. Graham arrived at his hotel —
two hours later than had been expected - - 3,000 persons had filled the street,
stopping all traffic, to sing hymns of welcome.
The scenes of welcome in Sydney were repeated in Melbourne a day later. In both
cities the newspapers gave unprecedented coverage, and many programs on radio
and television were dedicated to the crusade. In all the reports of the arrival
and of the crusade, not one unfriendly note was detected, Typical was a columnist
for the Melbourne AGE who wrote, “1 cannot help thinking that Melbourne
is fortunate to be the launching—place of his crusade.”
Editorially the newspapers gave enthusiastic support. From ones “Australians
will welcome the arrival of Or. Billy Graham with the warmth and friendliness
of his own nature. The fact that he carries the stamp of approval of many of
the world 1 leading churchmen shows that he is not considered a religious stunt-merchant
out to feather his own nest but an authentic man of God.” From another
“The most significant and. arresting feature of the evangelistic crusade
that is being launched upon the Australian people is the obvious fact that,
in its preliminary and preparatory stages, it has demonstrated a passionate
desire on the part of widely differing sections of the community for a revival
of religion comparable with the great revivals of history.”
The newspaper columnists were uniformly cordial. The AGE’s Alan Nichols
said “His manner is one of quiet vehemence but with no histrionics. His
very imp1icity puts the critical faculties to sleep. Riding on from success
to success, it can now be said that there has been no such other evangelist
in this generation. There is no doubt that Billy Graham has revived religious
faith in many places where it has languished, and that he is oven now putting
the churches ‘on their toes’.”
Another popular columnist, Stuart Sayers, commented, “He is a modest man,
eager and fluent in his faith. His weapon is the New Testament.”
From a news reporter’s standpoint, the crusade was well received. The
AGE described it “A silent and orderly crowd of 15,000 people from many
parts of Victoria ignored threatening rain yesterday afternoon to take part
in the opening of the Billy Graham Crusade . . . . After a tremendous ovation
for the speaker there was a notable absence of any emotionalism. The audience
reverently joined in the Lord’s Prayer and in hymns. There was no applause.”
The SUN commented “The huge congregation was spellbound. There wasn’t
a sound among them, a movement or a wriggle. When he asked them to come forward
to declare themselves for God . . . they came.”
Melbourne church leaders were enthusiastic in their reactions to the meeting.
Dean Babbage said. “A deeply moving and deeply impressive commencement
to the crusade. Dr. Graham preached with immense vigor and power.”
President-General of the Methodist Conference, Dr. A H Wood said, “I was
very deeply impressed. I think Dr. Graham is personally sincere and moving.
He deserves the full support of all churches.”
Meetings in the crusade will continue on week nights at the Stadium, but on
weekends will move out of doors. The first move will be on Friday, Saturday
and Sunday, February 20, 21 and 22, to the new ultra—modern Myer Music
Bowl, Accommodations there will permit of crowds of 25,000 up to 50,000. A similar
move is planned for th weekend of February 27, 28 and March 1.
A highlight of the entire effort occurred on Monday morning, February i6, when
775 ministers filled the Town Hall in the suburb of St. Kilda f or the first
ministers’ meeting in the Australian schedule, Dr. Graham was introduced
by the Most Rev. Frank Woods, Archbishop of Melbourne. The meeting is a deeply
moving ones and elicited a significant response an the part of. the ministers
present. Future plans call for a series of ministers’ seminars on evangelism.
The first week’s series of lectures will be given by the Rev, Joseph Blinco,
Associate Evangelist, and. the succeeding lectures will be given by Dr. Paul
S. Rees who has carried this responsibility for the Graham Team in previous
crusades.
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