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Show "Gang Preacher" to Talk At High School July 28 Dave Wilkterson, the well known author of "The Cross and the Switchblade," and known around the world as the "Gang Preacher," will be speaking in Moab ati the High School Auditorium Audi-torium at 8 p.m. on July 28. The public is invited. Wilkferson is widely known for his successful work among drug addicts and gang members in New York ghettos His book, written about his work, has sold over five million copies. cop-ies. In 1958 Wilkerson became be-came famous in the New York area for interrupting the Michael Farmer murder trial. Seven young gang members were on trial for the brutal murder of polio victim, Michael Farmer. In lan attempt to help the young gang members, Wilkerson Wil-kerson interrupted the court session and was promptly dragged from the courtroom. court-room. The ensuing publicity made the young minister from Pennsylvania a hero among New York's 350 teenage gangs. The gangs were soon allowing him to visit and speak in their hideouts, from which cams the nickname, "The Gang Preacher." Dave Wilkerson is the founder of New York teen Challenge, one of Americas Ameri-cas most' successful drug addiction rehabilitation programs. pro-grams. Teen . Challenge claims an amazing 74 per cent cure rate among heroin her-oin users who have completed com-pleted its program. In addition to his duties) in New York, Kilkerson now travels around the rworld to carry his message to young people. He speaks : on an average to 3,000 to 10,000 teenagers each week. His message is simple sim-ple and relevant. His top-des top-des include drugs, sex, rebellion, re-bellion, loneliness and fear. This Crusade to Youth i sponsored by the Moab Ministerial Association and by all of the Churches of Moab. In connection with the Crusade, the Moab Ministerial Association has distributed a thousand copies cop-ies of Mr. Wilkerson's book ; "The Cross and the Switchblade." Switch-blade." The distribution was made through the Junior Jun-ior and Senior high schools. |
