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From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Q: It is true that our nation is in a free-fall that seemed to escalate with the 9/11 attack. Many church leaders are calling for a revival, but many believe it’s too late and that we don’t have a majority of people concerned enough to make a difference for good. I was born in 1930 and I can recall during the Great Depression hearing my grandfather talk about the history of a religious decline in the 1800s, followed by an awakening. Should this give us cause for hope? – R.D.

A: The 1850s in America brought a marked decline in religion in the United States. The discovery of gold in California, as well as a number of other developments, had turned people’s minds and hearts away from religion and toward material things. The political turmoil threatened the disintegration of the nation and also preoccupied public attention. A severe financial panic led to even greater concern.

In September of 1857, a quiet businessman named Jeremiah Lanphier decided to invite other businessmen to join him in a noonday prayer meeting once a week, seeking for the renewing work of the Holy Spirit. He distributed hundreds of handbills advertising the meeting, but the first day only a half dozen showed up, meeting in the back of a church. Two weeks later there were 40, and within six months some 10,000 were gathered daily for prayer in New York City alone. Awakening swept the country, and within two years an estimated 1 million people had professed faith in Christ.

The effects of the awakening were profound, both in individual lives and in society. Untold good came from that movement, including that of social betterment and most important, evangelism. Spiritual awakening in the Name of Jesus Christ is the only hope for the survival of the human race.

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(This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)

©2024 Billy Graham Literary Trust. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

(c)2024 BILLY GRAHAM DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.