Moslems v. Billy

"The man with his skin peeled off," as some astonished back-country Nigerians called White Man Billy Graham, pressed on with his African crusade last week. Everywhere, he drew huge crowds and impressive numbers of "decisions for Christ." In Lagos, the Nigerian capital, Graham spoke to crowds as big as 100,000, with nearly 2,000 coming forward to make their decisions in dead silence--an awesome phenomenon in chatty, emotional Nigeria. Even Moslems turned out to hear a preacher so different from what Africa has been accustomed to. "He's an ordinary man like ourselves," said one Moslem. "He doesn't claim extraordinary powers or hold out an easy way to follow Jesus."

But many of the Moslems--nearly half the 35 million population--were far from pleased with Graham. Before Billy reached Nigeria, their leaders had proposed a meeting with him. The request was turned down by Graham's advance man on the ground that Billy's schedule was too tight. The reply went out: "You could learn Dr. Graham's beliefs by attending public meetings . . ."

To Nigerian Moslems, heady with a December election victory that kept their Moslem Prime Minister in power, this rebuff was evidence that the Graham crusade (actually planned long before) had been staged to help put the Christians in political control. Moslem pamphlets circulated during Graham meetings, presenting "Five Points to Remember: Jesus was not the Son of God, did not die on the Cross, was not resurrected, did not go to heaven, will not return."

Billy did not reply, but for a time tempers boiled in statements and counterstatements between Nigerian Christian and Nigerian Moslem. This week things quieted down as Evangelist Graham took some time off for rest and a trip to visit Dr. Albert Schweitzer in Lambarene.

An unusual new volunteer offered her services to Graham's crusade last week. The volunteer: comely Divorcee Eleanor Searle Whitney, ex-wife of Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney, onetime choir soloist in Dover, Ohio, who became one of Billy's most faithful followers during his New York City Crusade in 1957, when she rounded up a Bible class of her Long Island friends for Evangelist Graham to address in private sessions. After a quick tiger-shoot in Nepal and a swing through Iran, Eleanor Whitney let it be known last week that she intends to join Graham, possibly to help by her musical know-how during the remaining weeks of the trip.

In Nigeria, a puzzled Billy said he knew nothing about Mrs. Whitney's joining his team, but added gallantly: "There is nothing to prevent her following the crusade as a private individual."

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