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More & More People. Counselors leave their evening's charges a kit that includes the first two lessons of a Bible course, Bible verses to be memorized, and a Gospel of John. They also fill out a card with particulars of the inquirer's religious background, to be forwarded to an appropriate minister. Within 48 hours the counselors are supposed to follow up with a letter, a phone call or a visit. In most campaigns counselors are expected to nurture their charges until the minister takes over, but in New York this practice cannot be followed punctiliously. "Just too many people," says Counseling Director Lome Sanney. "But we'll do our best."
Opening night of the crusade netted 704 decisions for Christ—a record for the start of any Graham campaign in the U.S. The first week brought 2,613 to the Inquiry Tent. "It takes us about two weeks to get established in a city," says Billy. "Then more and more people begin to come. And the thing that brings them isn't the preaching. It's the fact that all through the city more and more people are going to be hearing from people who have found God here in the Garden. And people want God. So they'll come."