The Telephone Phenomenon

One afternoon in December, 1939, upon answering the telephone, I (Dr. Hall) was asked my number. The person at the other end of the wire said, “Sorry, I have the wrong number.” before he could hang up, I quickly answered: “No, you have the right number. I want to ask you something. Are you a Christian?”

“Oh, I suppose I am.”

“Do you suppose you are married, or do you know you are?”

“Oh, I know that,” was the ready reply.

“Do you suppose you love your wife, or do you know you love her?” I again questioned him.

“Yes, I do love her,” he answered, and then tried to end the conversation by saying “Good-bye.”

“Hold on,” I said,” I am not done with you. Do you read your Bible and pray.”

“Oh, mother had us do it.”

“Did she make you take a bath?”

“Oh, yes.”

“Did you stop when you got away from her?”

“Say, look here, who are you anyway?”

“I am a preacher. I am preaching to you right now.”

“Well, I must say you have done me good.”

This ended the first conversation. I wish I had taken his name, for he was the person responsible for what occurred later. In about ten minutes someone called my number: “ A friend of mine gave me this number and said you have a message for me.” I preached a little sermon to him which was graciously accepted. I received ten calls that day asking me the same thing. The marvel of it is that it has been going on ever since. Just the other day, 294 calls came in. It is estimated that since December, 1939, we have had 100,000 calls. The telephone company called me one day and said: “Do you know that you have the most important telephone in New York?” I believe the 'phone would ring all night if someone were there to answer it. About midnight or one o'clock in the morning, I simply hang up and leave the room.

One woman told me that over station W.E.A.F. She heard a fifteen-minute talk about this telephone phenomenon which urged everybody to call Circle 6-6483 and ask for a message.

The usual thing I say in answer to the question: “Do you have a message for me?” is: “Yes, I have, and from God Almighty. 'Seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.' This means, give Christ first place in your life, your home, your business, and every other relation. That in turn gives you everything for two worlds. But to do this you must pray, read your Bible, and surrender your life to Christ. Do you do this?” The answers vary. Then I follow them up by saying: “If you do not, how about doing it?” Many promise they will.
 

And so it goes on, some conversations more lengthy than others. In answer to my introductory talk, one man remarked, “I am not interested in that.” “Neither is Hitler or Mussolini,” I retorted. “You must be one of their followers. Or do you belong to the firth column, or both?” That brought him down to my level.

Another answered: “I am an atheist and do not believe that.” “Oh,” I said, “then the only difference between you and the pig is that you understand the multiplication table and the pig does not.”

“Say,” he stirringly replied, “do you mean to classify me with a pig?”

“NO, I do not, because the pig does what he was created to do, but you do not.”

This telephone phenomenon was begun directly by the hand of God. I had nothing to do with the matter, and we do nothing to keep it going. Neither does anyone receive remuneration. God alone opened a door where there was none, and He alone deserves all the glory and the praise.