EVANGELIST'S MEETINGS

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28822, 17 February 1959, Page 12

EVANGELIST'S MEETINGS

No Emotionalism, Says Graham (Nfcl Pres* Association—Couvnonti (Rec. 9 p.m.) MELBOURNE, February 16. “We don’t have'emotionalism at our meetings,” Dr. Billy Graham told nearly 1000 Protestant clergy and members of the Salvation Army at St. Kilda Town Hall today. He was speaking on how evangelism could help the churches to overcome indifferences to religion. “If you were at my meetings at the stadium yesterday you would see there is a quietness and a dignity when people are finding God,” Dr. Graham said.

Dr. Graham said that thb word evangelist in America "had been connected with over-emotion, big Collections where the evangelist grew rich, and anti-churchism.” But. “evangelism is a proclamation of the Gospel that will bring men and womep to a living God," he said.

Dr. Graham said that he wanted to work with the churches. “We will do anything in our power to hold up your hands and exalt your church," he said.' Dr. Graham said that enthusiasm was often confused with emotionalism in religion. "We must be enthusiastic,” he told his audience. "In our televisioi we can bite our fingers off at gunsmoke . . . our children can get all excited at the theatre ... but they smile or shed a tear at religion that’s called emotionalism. And that’s one of the devil’s biggest lies,” Dr. Graham said.