"My time is drawing to a conclusion on this earth," Graham said, adding that his faith has given him confidence to face life after death.

This afternoon, Graham will speak again to the University, delivering a speech to the Institute of Politics at the Kennedy School of Government entitled "Is God Relevant for the 21st Century?"

In his sermon, Graham condemned those who strip Christianity of its meaning, saying that some Christians wear crosses around their necks as "costume jewelry."

He argued that the cross symbolizes the most important principles of Christianity--particularly the burden borne by Jesus.

"His real sorrow was when God placed on him the sins and evils of all of us," Graham said. "He became guilty of all that you and I have done wrong...all of the racial prejudices, all of the lies."

At the service, University Marshal Richard M. Hunt delivered an official greeting, calling Graham "chaplain to this nation."

Between performances of two major American choral works, former Undergraduate Council presidential candidate T. Christopher King '01 read the morning's New Testament reading. The bulging crowd included former Illinois Governor James R. Edgar who sat next to Lowell House co-Masters Diana L. Eck and Dorothy A. Austin.