A couple of days after our recent visit to Andy Griffith’s hometown of Mt. Airy, North Carolina, we visited the home and library/museum of another famous North Carolinian – Dr. Billy Graham. I had never realized the comparisons and contrast between those two men. They both grew up in the western side of North Carolina, about eight years apart in age and 100 miles apart in distance.
Growing up, both lived simple lives but went on to become very successful and known worldwide. Griffith grew up Baptist. Graham grew up Presbyterian but became a Baptist. Both had intentions of becoming pastors. Griffith earned a degree in music and served as a music minister in a church but never as a pastor. Graham enrolled in a Baptist college but did not do well there. The president of the school once told him. “At best all you could amount to would be a poor country preacher out in the sticks somewhere, but you do have a voice that pulls people. God could use that voice.” Dr. Graham went on to finish college elsewhere. He pastored one church, but then reached the world through city crusades and the medium of television. Both he and Griffith were both awarded stars on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame.
Billy Graham began his crusade ministry in 1947 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In 1949, he began a crusade in a tent that was scheduled for three weeks but went on for eight weeks. At least 350,000 people heard him there. Since those early days of ministry, he preached around the world. He is said to have preached the gospel to more people than any one single person in the history of mankind. Estimates are that he preached to over 210 million people in person, plus untold millions over radio and television. He preached on every continent of the world except one, Antarctica, and in more than 185 countries. Even I had the privilege of hearing Dr. Graham in person three times. He became known as “Pastor to the Presidents,” as well as many other world leaders. He met and counseled 12 U.S. presidents, going all the way back to Harry Truman. He was given the Congressional Gold Medal Award. Not too bad for a farm boy!
The Billy Graham Library reminded me somewhat of the presidential libraries I have toured. Room by room, the story of his life, mission and ministry is presented. In the first room, a life-sized talking milk cow named Bessie told us about her early years with young Billy Frank on the farm. He grew up on that dairy farm on the outskirts of Charlotte. His father built a two-story farmhouse there that has since been relocated to the grounds of the library. Each room of the library/museum contains information about his life and the places he ministered. A recording of Franklin Graham introduced us to the ministries of his father. Videos from some of his crusades can be seen throughout. Pictures of Dr. Graham with world leaders and famous people are throughout the building. We ended our tour with a delicious lunch in The Dairy Bar, right there in the library. You can even have a glass of milk!
Before we left, we toured the ground floor of his boyhood home, then walked a short distance to the gravesites of Dr. Graham and his wife Ruth, as well as the original team members George Beverly Shea and Mr. and Mrs. Cliff Barrows. Thank you to Dr. Graham, his family and the entire team for their ministries. Our visit was educational, but even more, it was indeed a moving experience.
Bill King can be reached at bkpreach@yahoo.com or 334-728-5514 (office).
