ers, assembled from all parts of the • British Isles. From the continent of Europe came representative evangel icals from Denmark, Holland, Bel gium, France, and Germany. Dr. Torrey Johnson flew over from the United States, bringing with him such warmhearted supporters of Youth for Christ as Dr. V. Raymond Edman, president of Wheaton Col lege, Dr. Joseph Evans of Boston, Mr. William C. Bond of Washington, D.C., Mr. -Harold E. Stockburger, vice-president and treasurer of the Moody Bible Institute, and, by no means least, Rev. David Morken, pro fessor of missions of the Bible Insti tute of Los Angeles, and the Cali fornian representative of Youth for Christ. All these friends contributed much of real value to the discussions. The Conference devoted much atten tion to the needs of Britain’s youth. British representatives, of course, took a leading part, and their grave statements revealing the drift of young people from the churches, were, I think, a revelation even to Billy Graham himself, of the dire need for an all-out offensive to snatch multi tudes of young lives from the power of the enemy. Torrey Johnson and Billy Graham showed themselves to be admirable guides and counselors, ever ready to give the company the benefit of their own experience, and patient in replying to a multitude of questions. They won the confidence of the delegates to such an extent that when it came to voting on mat ters of business, the decisions were not only unanimous, but were en thusiastically agreed to by all. A committee has been formed over here to form a permanent link with Youth for Christ in the United States, and to extend the movement in this coun try. Recently, I came across a tribute to Moody and Sankey by the famous hymn-writer, Dr. Horatius Bonar, which applies to these leaders to day: “This is the day of earnest men and earnest things. We ask for soundness in the faith, and we do well; these men are sound. We ask for a consistent and humble walk, and we do well; these men are con sistent and humble. We ask for self- denial, and we do well; these are self-denying, hard-toiling men, who are spending and being spent in a service which they believe to be not human, but divine. We ask for def inite aims and an ultimate aim in which self shall have no place, and we do well; these men have the most definite of all definite aims—winning souls to everlasting joy,—and they look for no fame and for no reward, save the Master’s approval and the recompense in reserve for those who turn many to righteousness. Let us work with them.” T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
passed into the vestries, to be dealt with sympathetically by experienced Christian workers. I had previously heard criticisms of “American high-pressure methods” in regard to appeals for decision, but I found nothing in the Youth for Christ ministry to justify such a dis paraging description. Billy Gra ham’s procedure differed little, if at all, from that of many an older evangelist in this country. Indeed, I have frequently seen more pressure exercised by British preachers in an evangelistic meeting than was ap parent at these services. It would not be right to say that these young American friends have encountered no objectors or oppo nents on this side of the Atlantic. On the contrary, they have had their full measure of difficulties. Sensa tional tales about Youth for Christ rallies in the United States, which found their way into the less respon sible' papers in your country, were copied into a few of ours. Naturally, this lying propaganda, (as we now know that it is), most surely was inspired by Communists, and other enemies of the gospel, influenced a number of respectable church folk, and made them exceedingly suspi cious of the movement. But every where the transparent sincerity of Billy Graham and Cliff Barrows, their manifest prayerfulness, and their passion for souls, have con founded the enemy, and dispelled the fears of those Christian ministers who, at the outset, were inclined to hold aloof. I cannot help noting how similar has been the experience of Billy Graham and Torrey Johnson to that of Moody and Sankey, seventy years ago. The popular press at that time described their meetings as a mere efflorescence of hymn-singing and anecdotes, or as formulating mainly a novel religious entertainment for the unthinking and weakly suscepti ble. But within a very short time, Moody and Sankey had routed the critics and had won the wholehearted sympathy and respect of leaders of all denominations, so much so, in fact, that members of the royal fam ily attended their meetings. Moody and Sankey ministered be fore my time, but I well remember Dr. R. A. Torrey who, likewise, had to face a barrage of criticism, espe cially from those who hated his un compromising presentation of the gospel. There was one notorious mod ernist minister who threatened to fol low Dr. Torrey around the country and conduct countermissions. The climax of Billy Graham’s visit was a conference of Christian lead ers, held for several days in Birming ham. More than 250 clergymen, min isters, evangelists and mission work
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