Check for $1.3 Million Gives Oral Roberts His ‘Victory’

Oral Roberts, facing what he calls a deadline from God to raise $8 million by March 31 or die, said he planned to fast and pray for the remaining money, but a Florida man says he will donate the final $1.3 million.

Jerry Collins, who owns two greyhound racing tracks, signed a personal check to Roberts on Saturday at his office at the Sanford-Orlando Kennel Club, publicist Phil Denis said.

“He saw a story in the Orlando Sentinel this morning out of Tulsa saying Roberts was $1.3 million short of his goal and he was going to retreat to a prayer tower and fast until he raised the money,” Denis said. “He was touched by it. He gave me one of his personal checks and said to make it out for $1.3 million.”

The track publicist said he spoke with Oral Roberts’ son, Richard, later Saturday.

“Richard said he will be flying in first thing tomorrow,” Denis said Saturday. “We’ve set up a luncheon meeting to actually hand over the check.”

Collins, a former state senator, said he cares little about Roberts or his fund-raising deadline. The donation will be made to help the medical students, he said.

“I think he needs psychiatric treatment. He needs to relax . . . and get back on the main street,” said Collins, who told the paper he is worth $75 million.

Collins has given money in the past for educational causes. Several years ago, he bought the Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros. Circus and donated it to Florida State University. Recently, he helped New College, an alternative school in Sarasota, pay for a $1-million library.

Earlier Saturday, Oral Roberts University officials prepared to close the gleaming 200-foot tower to the public and promised to keep the media away from the 69-year-old Roberts during what is expected to be a weeklong series of visits to the tower.

The pioneer television evangelist has been at the center of controversy since he said on his national television program Jan. 4 that God told him his life would end at the close of March if the money for medical missionary scholarships was not raised by then. At that time, he said he was $4.5 million from the goal.

“So with God’s leading, on March 22 I am going to make the most important trip I have ever made up into the prayer tower,” Roberts wrote followers in February. “I’m going to be in and out of the prayer tower praying and fasting until victory comes, or God calls me home.”