The end of an era.
When I was eight, we moved to a house on Park Road, maybe a quarter mile across the street and up from Billy Graham's family home. He was already in his thirties and was becoming well known. His parents used to eat at the S&W where we used to go and get the special plate for supper a couple of times a week when Daddy was out of town. Once I saw Billy there standing in line with his mother. During my teen years, he did a crusade in Charlotte and my memory seems to recall singing in the big choir. I probably did, as I always took advantage of any opportunity to sing. Later when he and his team came to Columbia for a crusade, we were there for two of the nights. It was terrific. His book Just as I Am came out after I moved to Greenville, and I read it while working night shift. I felt like I was reading parts of my own life since I had been to some of the same places and knew a few of the same people. I knew him better after that book. And when the Billy Graham Organization was one of the conservative targets of the IRS a few years ago, the only finding was impeccable stewardship. Billy was the hero of the Christian faith, but knowing the breach between God and man, he would not agree. There must have been a big celebration in Heaven when he crossed the finish line.
No comments:
Post a Comment