"We can never use mere crowds as the sole criterion for the meeting, but crowds certainly are the yardstick the public uses."Letter from Jerry Beaven to Billy Graham about plans for the final meeting of the New York Crusade, July 24, 1957. From Collection 17, Box 1, Folder 4.
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Although always acknowledged as a very poor measure of spiritual activities, statistics were very much a part of the New York and other crusades. Certainly they were often requested by the media, supporters, critics and the general public. Here a few that were made available during the campaign:
During the first six weeks, the Impact television program received 710 phone calls
Decisions from May 15 through August 31: 50,976 (62% women, 38% men)
Final total (up to and including the October 27 Polo ground meetings): 2,145,900
Inquirers: 60,577
Bible study #1 returned by inquirers as of August 29: 16,299
Bible study #2 returned by inquirers as of August 29: 3,588
Minister reply cards received as of August 29: 14,454
Total number of inquirers dealt with in counseling room as of August 29: 61,148
People around the world who committed themselves to a local group to pray for the crusade as of December 1956: 150,000
Churches supporting the crusade as of May 15: 1,510
Usher volunteers: 2,000 (600 any given night)
Counselor volunteers: 4,500
Estimated weekly audience for the nation wide television broadcasts: 10,000,000
Number of letters each week resulting from the broadcast: 75,000
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