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Alice Offline OP
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Graham's Last Crusade Begins in New York
By RACHEL ZOLL, AP

NEW YORK (June 25) - Despite illnesses that have diminished his once powerful voice and left him frail, the Rev. Billy Graham vowed to preach each night of his final American crusade. He kept that promise Friday night, the start of a three-day event at a city park that marks the completion of his six decades of mass meetings.

Before a crowd of about 60,000, Graham took the stage using a walker and leaning on his son and successor, the Rev. Franklin Graham, who stayed nearby in case his father was unable to go on.

But the ailing Graham, 86, was able to stand during his nearly 30-minute sermon. It was slightly shorter than expected and he appeared to tire at the end, yet he spoke clearly, mixing his message of salvation in Jesus with anecdotes and humor.

Noting the struggles of the New York Yankees and Mets playing that evening, he even asked the crowd to pray for them both.

"We are Christians maybe. We go to church. We've been baptized, we've been confirmed. But deep inside we need something else, and that something else can be brought about by Jesus,'' he told the crowd, many of whom had arrived hours early at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens for a last chance to see him. They gave Graham a standing ovation when he stood to speak.

Graham is suffering from fluid on the brain, prostate cancer and Parkinson's disease. He uses the walker due to a pelvic fracture and is largely confined to his home in Montreat, N.C.

He made only an indirect reference to the end of his revival meetings in the United States, noting the event has drawn attention from around the world. He had said previously that the rally "will be the last in America, I'm sure.''

Graham's Message Touches Many

Other speakers Friday called the evening a historic moment and thanked Graham for his years of service. The Rev. A.R. Bernard, a New York pastor and lead organizer of the crusade, said, "Tonight, one of the most respected icons of Protestant Christianity in the 20th century is saying, in essence, farewell and close to 60 years in ministry.''

The second session is scheduled to begin Saturday night.

Graham's pulpit has a movable seat hidden from view, so he can sit if he feels unsteady. He used the seat, after inviting audience members to approach the stage to accept Christ, an appeal that is the centerpiece of his crusades.

He noted Friday night that it had been months since he last preached and admitted he was anxious, comparing the moment to sermons he gave when he was just starting his career. "This is like my first night,'' he said.

The weather forecast called for temperatures in the 90s over the weekend, but the stage is shaded by a massive canopy. There also is an air-conditioned tent backstage, where Graham can wait to go on, and nurses are nearby if there is a medical emergency.

Graham is considering a request to hold a rally in November in London, but Franklin Graham said his father no longer adjusts well to time zone changes and does not like to be away from his wife, Ruth, who is also in ill health.

Graham has preached to more than 210 million people in 185 countries. He has been sought out by U.S. presidents and leaders worldwide and, more than any other religious figure, has come to represent the American evangelical movement.

Seating is available for 70,000 at the park. Graham's spokesman, A. Larry Ross, said attendance typically builds as a crusade nears its end.

"Since this is his last one, I want to be here to honor him,'' said Mary Jo Noia, a nursing supervisor from Brooklyn. "I hope that after he dies, his work will continue.''


06/25/05 05:14 EDT

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Thanks for posting this Alice. I have watched many of Graham's crusades on tv over the years and have often wished he would convert to the Catholic faith.
What an incredible voice and faith stories.

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I grew up on Billy Graham. He was to the Southern Baptist as the Pope is to the Catholics in many ways. My dad an ordained Southern Baptist minister and my uncle Director of Training Union for the Southern Baptist Convention, I experienced so many of the Crusades first hand. Though I had known Jesus all my life, each time I met Jesus in a new, very special way at a Billy Graham Crusade. Thank you Jesus for the life of this awesome man of God. May his sufferings bring many souls to the saving knowledge of Christ.

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Dear Friends,

This reminds me of a time when John Wesley preached.

He spoke about the need for fasting, regular hours of prayer etc.

At one point, a Protestant listener spoke up and said, "The man's a Papist!"

A Jesuit was among the crowd, incognito, and responded out loud, "He is not, though I wish he were."

Alex

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Thank you Alice...

Obviously, Billy Graham has lived the gospel better than most of us (me included) even hear the gospel. He was a man who lived by his conscience.

Those of us who argue which of the catholic churches - east or west - are better... might be surprised at the gate of heaven to find Billy Graham sitting on the Council of God - assisting the judgment of - us.

I myself had never every heard a word of criticism come from Billy - directed at any other major Christian church. His message was always, "Come to Christ" but he never presented his own way - as the only way or the best way - to come to Christ.

In many ways - he always seemed to me to have been an apostle sent to the gentiles so that those outside of the catholic churches - are not left without the person of Christ.

The saints of the � other churches.

He certainly filled a role of the �Pope� of the Protestants.

-ray


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Alice Offline OP
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Quote
Originally posted by Orthodox Catholic:
Dear Friends,

This reminds me of a time when John Wesley preached.

He spoke about the need for fasting, regular hours of prayer etc.

At one point, a Protestant listener spoke up and said, "The man's a Papist!"

A Jesuit was among the crowd, incognito, and responded out loud, "He is not, though I wish he were."

Alex
VERY cute story Alex! smile

In Christ,
Alice

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I like Graham a lot but I was a little disappointed with him letting Billary Clinton on stage... it shouldn't get involved at all with politics. He had a side comment that Bill Clinton should be a preacher while Hillary "runs the country." frown

Aside from that, I love Billy Graham, he was a friend of the late great John Paul II, which makes him a friend of mine smile

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Dear Alice,

I often think the same about you, Alice! You are not an Eastern Catholic, though I wish you were . . . smile smile

There was a Presbyterian church in Toronto that was named for one, Henry Cooke.

I found out that Henry Cooke was a Presbyterian Minister here in the 19th century who made it a personal crusade to combat . . . Arianism in his denomination that was apparently popular at that time!

To honour him, the Presbyterians named a church for him - I guess the closest they'll get to a canonization (in fact, in Ethiopia, building a church in someone's holy memory is still the ONLY form of canonization of saints they practice!).

Interestingly enough, there are saints in our calendars who were Arians, Nestorians and members of other groups, but whose martyrdom for Christ made the Church overlook the defect of their Orthodoxy.

St Artemius of Egypt is one such case. He was killed by pagans as he went about destroying their temples at Alexandria.

He is a saint in our calendars - the thing is, he was an Arian, and was also destroying Orthodox/Catholic Churches as well . . .

Believe it or not . . .

(Fr. Holweck, Dictionary of Saints, 1924).

Alex

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Billy Graham allowed Hilary Clinton at his service? The shame. I bet Billy would be thrilled to be criticized for the same reason his savior was criticized.

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Alice Offline OP
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I think that Dwight is right.

Let's also not forget that Hillary Clinton is senator of NY, and that Bill Clinton (who resides in the same county as me) is a very real resident of New York. This crusade was in NY. Even NYC's Jewish Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, was in the audience!

Everytime I meet a new person at church or work that lives in Bill Clinton's town, I always ask if they have seen or met him. The answer is that he is always doing something around town...jogging (with black suited secret service men not far behind), eating at the local deli, talking to residents, etc.

Alice

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Dwight is right.

I attended one of Billy Graham's crusades. The man has the gift of inviting people to Christ.

Next, it's our job to invite them to the sacraments.

Paul

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Originally posted by paromer:
Dwight is right.

I attended one of Billy Graham's crusades. The man has the gift of inviting people to Christ.

Next, it's our job to invite them to the sacraments.

Paul
Graham is a gifted preacher and seems to lead an exemplary life. However, he does not promote or teach apostolic Christianity, but his own brand of Christianity. The fact that he is not openly hostile to Catholicism and Orthodoxy like some evangelists, while admirable, does not protect his message from error. What I find sad is that many people in apostolic churches apparently don't find what they need at home, but seemingly have to go to Graham for instruction in religion. Now why is that?

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I went over to Evangelical Christianity for a time. Maybe I can characterize it as "the grass is greener on the other side of the fence." Also many Apostolic Christians are ignorant in the faith. I was ignorant about the Bible and easy prey for fundamentalist Christians.

There's an interesting book called "A Catholic Looks at Billy Graham." It points out Dr, Graham's faith's strengths and weaknesses in comparison to Catholic Christianity.

God bless you.

Paul

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Originally posted by dwight:
Billy Graham allowed Hilary Clinton at his service? The shame. I bet Billy would be thrilled to be criticized for the same reason his savior was criticized.
You seem to misunderstand me. My problem is not that they were invited, but that they were invited on stage, for Graham to give an endorsement of Hillary Clinton for President. He said Clinton should become a preacher and allow "his wife to run the country."

Come election time 2008, I bet you a lot of people who attended, and are unsure of whom to vote for, will think "Well, the Reverend Graham said Hillary would be a good president, so..."

I sincerely hope that the Clintons appeared because they wanted to be a part of spreading the gospel but I think they were really there to spread their political influence.

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Protocol says that a former president and a US senator should be on stage wether he/she is a shmuck or not.

Many president's have courted Billy Graham. I won't judge their intentions for doing so.

A Othodox bishop appeared on stage at the Republican National convention some time back. What should we make of that?

Just my opinion for free.

Peace to you in Christ Jesus,

Paul

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