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As in Life, Billy Graham Draws a Huge Crowd as Thousands Pay Their Final Respects As in Life, Billy Graham Draws a Huge Crowd as Thousands Pay Their Final Respects
(about 3 hours later)
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Standing at the simple wooden pulpit that the Rev. Billy Graham once used to preach his global crusades, his five children and evangelists from around the world gave tribute on Friday to a man who for half a century was the world’s best known living apostle of evangelical Christianity.CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Standing at the simple wooden pulpit that the Rev. Billy Graham once used to preach his global crusades, his five children and evangelists from around the world gave tribute on Friday to a man who for half a century was the world’s best known living apostle of evangelical Christianity.
Mr. Graham, who died last week at 99, was eulogized in front of the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte under an enormous white tent reminiscent of the “canvas cathedral” where Mr. Graham conducted his breakout crusade in Los Angeles in 1949. Mr. Graham’s funeral served to give a podium to his disciples — including evangelists from India and South Korea — and his children, who offered tributes that were sometimes very personal. Mr. Graham, who died last week at 99, was eulogized in front of the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte under an enormous white tent reminiscent of the “canvas cathedral” where Mr. Graham conducted his breakout crusade in Los Angeles in 1949.
Ruth Graham, one of his daughters, spoke of how her father welcomed her home after her second marriage ended. President Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and their wives attended the funeral, but were given no speaking role. The funeral gave the platform instead to the disciples who carry on Billy Graham’s ministry — including evangelists from India, Lebanon and South Korea — and his children, who offered testimony that was sometimes very personal.
Ruth Graham, one of his daughters, spoke of how she returned home to her father fearing harsh judgment after her second marriage ended.
“He wrapped his arms around me and said welcome home,” she recalled through tears. “There was no shame. There was no blame. Just unconditional love. My father was not God. But he showed me what God was like that day.”“He wrapped his arms around me and said welcome home,” she recalled through tears. “There was no shame. There was no blame. Just unconditional love. My father was not God. But he showed me what God was like that day.”
President Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and their wives attended the funeral, the details of which had been meticulously planned by Mr. Graham himself 10 years ago, befitting a man known to choreograph his mass crusades to the last altar call. The coffin was built of pine plywood by inmates at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola. The pulpit was the same one Mr. Graham used in his crusades in the 1990s. The details of the funeral had been meticulously planned by Mr. Graham himself 10 years ago, befitting a man known to choreograph his mass crusades to the last altar call. The coffin was built of pine plywood by inmates at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola. The pulpit was the same one Mr. Graham used in his crusades in the 1990s.
When the funeral was planned, the expectation was that it would draw all or most of the living presidents who were healthy enough to attend. Three spoke at the opening of the Billy Graham Library in 2007 and former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton came to Charlotte earlier this week to pay their respects to the Graham family. The expectation was that the funeral would draw all or most of the living presidents who were healthy enough to attend. Three spoke at the opening of the Billy Graham Library in 2007 and former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton came to Charlotte earlier this week to pay their respects to the Graham family.
But in the end, the only president who attended the funeral was Mr. Trump. He did not speak on Friday, but in remarks on Wednesday when Mr. Graham’s coffin was laid in honor at the Capitol Rotunda, the president called him an “ambassador for Christ who reminded the world of the power of prayer and the gift of God’s grace.” But in the end, the only president who attended the funeral was Mr. Trump. In remarks on Wednesday when Mr. Graham’s coffin was laid in honor at the Capitol Rotunda, the president did what so many have done in the days since Mr. Graham died: he shared his own Billy Graham story, about seeing him in 1957.
Mr. Graham died at his mountain home in Montreat, N.C., on Feb. 21. His body was carried in a motorcade down the mountain and 130 miles east to Charlotte, as thousands waved farewell from gathering spots along the country roads and the interstate. “My father said to me, ‘Come on son,’ ” the president said, “ ‘Let’s go see Billy Graham at Yankee Stadium.’ And it was something very special.”
The funeral on Friday, under the 28,000-square-foot tent, drew other political dignitaries besides the president and vice president, including Ben Carson, the housing secretary, and the former New York City mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani. Mr. Graham died at his mountain home in Montreat, N.C., on Feb. 21. His body was carried in a motorcade down the mountain and 130 miles east to Charlotte, as thousands waved farewell from overpasses along the interstate.
Some attendees remarked that it was an unprecedented gathering of some of the evangelical world’s leading names. They included the megachurch leaders Joel Osteen, Rick Warren and A.R. Bernard, the best-selling author and speaker Beth Moore, the radio and television host David Jeremiah, and the Rev. Jim Bakker, who has returned to television ministry after a corruption scandal that sent him to prison. The funeral on Friday, under a 28,000-square-foot tent that shuddered in a stiff wind, drew other political dignitaries besides the president and vice president, including Ben Carson, the housing secretary, the former New York City mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina and his predecessor, Pat McCrory.
Franklin Graham, Mr. Graham’s eldest son and designated heir of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, delivered a sermon that included the kind of direct appeals to Christian conversion that were his father’s trademark: Some attendees remarked that it was an unprecedented gathering of evangelical luminaries. They included the megachurch leaders Joel Osteen, Rick Warren and A.R. Bernard, the best-selling author and speaker Beth Moore, the radio and television host David Jeremiah, and the Rev. Jim Bakker, who has returned to television ministry after a corruption scandal that sent him to prison.
The evangelical movement is now far more divided than it was under Mr. Graham, mostly because of politics. One wing makes no apology for having linked the evangelical church so closely with the Republican Party and President Trump. Another wing sees it as undermining the Gospel message.
The Rev. Ed Stetzer, executive director of the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College, said before the service started: “My hope is that this funeral will remind us to put the evangelism back in evangelical.”
Franklin Graham, Mr. Graham’s eldest son and designated heir of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, did not veer into politics, though he has served as a frequent champion of Mr. Trump in the media. But he did include the kind of explicit, exclusivist claim of Christian faith that he has consistently used in his public appearances, including presidential inaugurations, when he insisted on giving his prayer “in the name of Jesus.”
“The world with all its political correctness would want you to believe that there are many roads to God. It’s just not true,” Mr. Graham said. “My father would want me to share this with you today.”
He delivered a sermon that included the kind of direct appeals to Christian conversion that were his father’s trademark:
“Are you saved? Are you forgiven? Are you trusting in your Lord as your savior? If you’re not sure, there is no better time than at Billy Graham’s funeral.”“Are you saved? Are you forgiven? Are you trusting in your Lord as your savior? If you’re not sure, there is no better time than at Billy Graham’s funeral.”
Franklin Graham did not veer into politics, though he has served as a frequent champion of Mr. Trump on Fox News and in other media. But he did include the kind of explicit, exclusivist claim of Christian faith that he has consistently used in his public appearances, including presidential inaugurations, when he insisted on always giving his prayer “in the name of Jesus.” He even wrote a book about the controversy it had caused.
“The world with all its political correctness would want you to believe that there are many roads to God. It’s just not true,” Franklin Graham said. “My father would want me to share this with you today.”
In his later years, Billy Graham forged relationships with leaders of other Christian denominations, and his funeral reflected those efforts, with Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox and Greek Orthodox leaders among those in attendance.In his later years, Billy Graham forged relationships with leaders of other Christian denominations, and his funeral reflected those efforts, with Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox and Greek Orthodox leaders among those in attendance.
Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Roman Catholic archbishop of New York, said he had been planning to lead an ecumenical prayer service to honor Mr. Graham on Friday at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, but changed his plans when he received an invitation to the funeral in Charlotte.Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Roman Catholic archbishop of New York, said he had been planning to lead an ecumenical prayer service to honor Mr. Graham on Friday at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, but changed his plans when he received an invitation to the funeral in Charlotte.
“It means a lot to me personally because Billy Graham had a big impact on me growing up in the 50s and 60s,” the cardinal said, adding that hearing Mr. Graham’s preaching on TV affected his decision to join the priesthood.“It means a lot to me personally because Billy Graham had a big impact on me growing up in the 50s and 60s,” the cardinal said, adding that hearing Mr. Graham’s preaching on TV affected his decision to join the priesthood.
For about half a century, as tastes changed and celebrities peaked and faded away, Mr. Graham remained a household name with consistently high public approval ratings. As late as 2007 — two years after his last crusade in New York City — three-quarters of the Americans surveyed who knew of Mr. Graham had a favorable impression of him, according to a poll by the Pew Research Center.For about half a century, as tastes changed and celebrities peaked and faded away, Mr. Graham remained a household name with consistently high public approval ratings. As late as 2007 — two years after his last crusade in New York City — three-quarters of the Americans surveyed who knew of Mr. Graham had a favorable impression of him, according to a poll by the Pew Research Center.
On Wednesday and Thursday, when Mr. Graham’s body lay in honor in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington, thousands lined up outside waiting to say goodbye. He was only the fourth American who was not an elected official or a military member to be given the honor. (The others were the civil rights icon Rosa Parks and two Capitol Police officers who gave their lives in the line of duty). On Wednesday and Thursday, when Mr. Graham’s body lay in honor in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington, thousands lined up outside waiting to say goodbye. He was only the fourth American who was not an elected official or a military member to be given the honor.
Some objected to giving Mr. Graham such an honor, citing the country’s guiding principle of separation of church and state, as well as Mr. Graham’s record of remarks that were offensive to Jews and to gay people. But at the Capitol, members of Congress from both parties gathered under the dome, with the coffin in the center. Some objected to giving Mr. Graham such a distinction, citing the country’s guiding principle of separation of church and state, as well as Mr. Graham’s record of remarks that were offensive to Jews and to gay people — remarks he later said he regretted.
Mr. Graham will be buried in the prayer garden at his library next to his wife, Ruth Bell Graham, who died in 2007. They had met as students at Wheaton College and were married for 64 years. His wife’s grave marker is inscribed, at her instruction, with words she once saw on a road sign: “End of Construction. Thank you for your patience.” Ned Graham, the youngest of the five Graham children, said that his father was “faithful, available and teachable.”
“I want all of you to be that way,” he said.
Mr. Graham was buried in the prayer garden at his library next to his wife, Ruth Bell Graham, who died in 2007. They had met as students at Wheaton College and were married for 64 years. His wife’s grave marker is inscribed, at her instruction, with words she once saw on a road sign: “End of Construction. Thank you for your patience.”
The inscription on Mr. Graham’s grave describes him as “Preacher of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.”The inscription on Mr. Graham’s grave describes him as “Preacher of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.”