Billy Graham

It was 1957.  The Billy Graham Crusade was happening at Madison Square Garden.  Our church arranged bus transportation for those of us who wanted to go.  I cannot remember what Billy Graham said.  I do remember George Beverly Shea singing “How Great Thou Art.” I also remember Cliff Burrows leading the massive crowd in the singing of various hymns and the powerful effect that singing had on my spirit.  I do not remember what hymns were sung.  I do remember the invitational hymn, “Just As I Am” being sung as Billy Graham called us to come down front and make the decision to put our faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.  I remember gripping the railing in front of my seat—gripping it so tightly that it made my hands hurt.  I remember my heart racing and something within my being urging me to move, to go forward, to do this thing.  My sister was sitting near me.  I believe she was going through the same emotional and psychic turmoil.  We hesitated, we held back, and when we both finally decided we had to go forward, we were too late.  We did, however, as we tried to find our way to the front, encounter Billy Graham face to face.  He looked straight into our eyes and smiled.  I shall always remember that Billy Graham!  The Billy Graham who smiled at me!

I don’t remember what date we attended the Crusade.  It went on for 100 days.  It was July 18, however, when Billy Graham told those in attendance:  “A great social revolution is going on in the United States today. Dr. King is one of its leaders, and we appreciate his taking time out of his busy schedule to come and share this service with us tonight.”  And Dr. King prayed: “O God, our Heavenly Father—out of whose mind this great cosmic universe has been created, toward whom the weary and perplexed of all generations turn for consolation and direction—we come before Thy presence this evening thanking Thee for the many blessings of life. We come recognizing our dependence on Thee. We also come, O God, with an awareness: The fact that we have not always given our lives to that which is high and noble. In the midst of all of the high and noble aspects of justice, we followed injustice. We stand amid the forces of truth, and yet we deliberately lie. We stand amid the compelling urgency of the Lord of love, as exemplified in the life of Jesus Christ, and yet we live our lives so often in the dungeons of hate. For all of these sins, O God, forgive. And in these days of emotional tension—when the problems of the world are gigantic in extent and chaotic in detail—give us penetrating vision, broad understanding, power of endurance, and abiding faith, and save us from the paralysis of crippling fear. And O God, we ask Thee to help us to work with renewed vigor for a warless world and for a brotherhood that transcends race or color. We thank Thee this evening for the marvelous things which have been done in this city, and through the dynamic preachings of this great evangelist. And we ask Thee, O God, to continue blessing him. Give him continued power and authority. And as we look into him tonight, grant that our hearts and spirit will be opened to the divine inflow.”

If Graham’s evangelism and King’s social justice had been united as one package, we might have come close to an authentic Christianity.