In what might prove to be the crowning achievement of > an illustrious Career in ministry, the 87-year-old > evangelist, > Billy Graham shocked The 16,300 in attendance at the > Celebration of Hope crusade in New Orleans Arena on > > Sunday Night. Touted in advance as possibly his last > Evangelistic crusade, Graham invited the packed house > of evangelical Christians and the hundreds of new > converts to join him on the one Mile walk from the > arena to New Orleans' infamous Bourbon Street. > > "While we have seen God do tremendous things here the > past couple of Evenings. Yes, it is true that a great > healing > and a great many salvations Have occurred within the > confines of this auditorium. Still yet, there lies A > great mountain in this city which needs to be > conquered." > > Then taking from the Biblical Book of Joshua Chapter > 14 he read, "I am This day, eighty-five years old. As > yet I am as > strong this day as on the Day that Moses sent me; just > as my strength was then, so now is my Strength for > war, both for going out and for coming in. Now > therefore, Give me this mountain of which the Lord > spoke in that day," his voice Suddenly sounding more > forceful than during his 22 minute sermon. > > "I last preached in the City of New Orleans in 1954 > and I felt then that There was some unfinished > business. Tonight, > in what very well might Be my last evangelistic > service, I aim to finish that business and lead As > many of you that > would follow me to the multitude of lost souls that > Fill Bourbon Street tonight. That is my mountain ! > That is where > we shall see the harvest!" said Graham as the stadium > Erupted in cheers that lasted the next several > minutes. > > Utilizing a waiting mobility scooter, the elder Graham > joined his son And heir to the ministry, Franklin > across > the Arena floor and through the Opened doors leading > towards the French Quarter. In a show of Solidarity > and > determination reminiscent of civil rights marches of > the 1960's, nearly the entire capacity crowd joined in > the 20 > minute trek While singing, "When the Saints Go > Marching In". > > As the march crossed Canal Street and headed northward > towards Bourbon Street, many onlookers stood in > stunned > silence as the massive Crowd Of people began singing > in unison the Christian hymn, Amazing Grace. Upon > entering the > west end of Bourbon Street, Billy Graham was soon > Recognized by partiers. > > Soon those joining in the march began to approach > those partying on Bourbon Street with the Gospel > message that > they had heard preached Just a half hour before. > Graham himself joined with a group of local Street > evangelist in > ministering to a man who had survived Hurricane > Katrina in the lower 9th Ward. > > Within 30 minutes the entirety of Bourbon Street was > packed with Christians and the once blaring music of > nightclubs > and strip joints Had been replaced by weeping and > worship as people poured out their Drinks and sought > prayer from > the Christians who were now reaching out To them. > "I have never seen anything like this in my life," > said 20 years New Orleans Police Department veteran, > Tom Phillips. > "This is unbelievable! We thought a riot was going to > break out, but this looks more like a Revival than a > riot!" > > Two hours later, a glowing Graham sat back down on his > scooter and smiled. "Now I know how the Apostle Paul > must > have felt at the end of his ministry. Do the work of > an evangelist; make full proof of thy ministry. For I > am Now ready to be offered, and the time of my > departure is at hand. I have Fought a good fight, I > have > finished my course, I have kept the faith." > > Hours later hundreds of Christians remained on the > street ministering to The many people eagerly waiting > to receive > prayer and ministry. New Orleans will never be the > same. And the press remained mute on This "news > item?" > > Did anyone see it on TV/hear it on radio/read it in > the paper? Why are we not surprised? Can't have THAT > just prior > to a major Election, now, can we? Well, just on a > whim, spread the news, anyway. > > It cost our elder brother, Billy Graham, more than any > of us know to make that effort. The least we can do > is publicize it. > JESUS IS LORD!! >