Native Charlottean Jack Boyte shares his experiences with evangelical revivals in Charlotte, North Carolina. From his days of Boy Scout volunteerism, he discusses his exposure to and participation in the revivals of evangelist Mordecai Ham. He offers vivid descriptions of the scene, including the physical setup of the tent revival, fundraising techniques, and the tenor of the meetings. Mr. Boyte describes choosing to attend revivals with friends more for entertainment than for religious experience, as he considered himself a mainstream Presbyterian, not an evangelical. He also discusses evangelist Billy Graham, who was close in age to Mr. Boyte and also grew up in Charlotte, including his memories of the prayer meeting in which Dr. Graham experienced a religious conversion as a teenager.
