Billy in Manila

Just before Billy Graham arrived for his big rally in the predominantly (80%) Roman Catholic Philippines last week, he got some valuable free publicity: Manila's Archbishop Rufino J. Santos warned his flock not to attend. The warning spurred more interest in Billy than the well-organized advance promotion aimed at the Philippines' 700,000 Protestants. Billy, on his way to Hong Kong, Formosa and Japan after his successful Indian campaign, did not seem happy, was diplomatic as usual. "The Catholic Church has been extremely friendly to me anywhere I have gone," he said. "However, I respect the archbishop's convictions."

An hour before the evening rally in Manila's Rizal Memorial Football Stadium, the stands were filled, and the audience overflowed onto the football field. Many had traveled from the nearby provinces. Billy's followers had hoped for a turnout of 30,000; they got more than 40,000. Campaign workers claimed the largest single number of "decisions for Christ" (4,470) in the current campaign. The pledge cards showed that about 30% of the "decisions" were made by Catholics.

Although most Manila newspapers did not look kindly on Billy ("As elaborately planned as bullfights," said the Daily Mirror of his rallies), one of the papers linked him with no less a preacher than Savonarola. Billy's sermon, said the Manila Times, "could well serve as a yeast to enliven the dormant spirituality of our nation . . . It is high time that our religious leaders turn to the task of making us better men and women. We need stirring sermons challenging us to good works as well as faith. We need a Catholic evangelist who will arouse us from our sloth of evil living. We need another Savonarola."

Billy got a pat on the back from a U.S. Catholic publication last week. Said the Jesuit weekly America: "We recognize that there are many profound differences between the faith of Billy Graham and the faith professed by members of the Roman Catholic Church. Nevertheless . . . we rather like Mr. Graham . . . On many fundamental points of Christian doctrine, he is in error. Catholics may not attend his revival services. However, when he is put in the balance with some of his critics, he looks a lot more like a Christian than they do."

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.