Regardless of your religious color, unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve heard of Billy Graham. This man moved his country and his life more than any other. Mr. Graham believes in his message that God sent his Son, Jesus Christ< /a >, to die for our sins to save us from hell, and he gave this message of expanding and promoting his life. As a child, he was friends with some of the greatest people in our nation’s history, and collected many memorabilia from his travels and friends. All of these records can be found at the Billy Graham Library, located in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Perhaps the word “library” is a slight misnomer, as the facility is more of a museum – a tribute to the life of Billy Graham. On my first visit, I must admit that I was very bored, looking at the collection of books that either used to belong to him, or were probably written by him. But immediately upon my arrival I was intrigued by the field library. The house that Billy grew up in is now located on the site of the library and is open to visitors to tour. brick home has been moved from its original location, a few miles away. The thing itself earned eyebrows from me. Who moves the house brick by side?
After leaving the house, the visitor chooses to walk through the prayer gardens, or to enter the library, which has a large storeroom that appears outside. The prayer gardens offer a peaceful path, complete with benches, that lead to Ruth Graham’s final grave. Music is played in this matter, very moving and to calm the atmosphere for thinking.
Once you walk into the library/library, a friendly and useful library employee waits to greet you. She directs you to the right, where you will find Bessia Uacca. Bessie, you see, is a talking cow, and she loves to tell the story of Billy Graham. The boys love listening to it (oh, what I love – I loved listening to it too). Bessie stands next to the cat, who does not speak sadly.
Make sure you grab the tickets to enter the “museum” area of the library. The tickets are free, but they are very stubborn about having them in your hand. Tickets can be requested at the information center, or online at the Billy Graham Library website. After a short video introducing the power Billy has had through the ages, another library employee scans your ticket, and you begin your walk through Billy’s life. Even those who disagree with Mr. Graham should be impressed by some of the facts he has collected.
On display, among many other things, is a check made payable to Billy Graham for $5 from Richard Nixon. The check is accompanied by a letter written by Richard Nixon, explaining that he sat in church with Billy and borrowed $5 to put on the offering plate. Well done on “loan” by mailing check–which obviously was never cashed, as it is now in the library! You will also find a Louisville Slugger baseball bat, given to Billy by Babe Ruth.
I was most intrigued with the display of letters from children and others around the world to Billy. What surprised me was how some of the letters were addressed… some simply as “Bill Graham, World”, some written “Bill Graham, Heaven”, rather than a typical street address. I don’t know how the postal service could properly deliver these letters to the evangelist! Kudos are due here to our mail delivery system.
Military awards, letters from Presidents and world leaders, fragments of the Berlin Wall and many other memorabilia can be found within these walls. The Billy Graham Library is much more than just a man with a message; pieces of our nation’s history are involved here. As with everything related to Billy Graham, a visit to the library comes with a message. Evangelical songs are performed all the way through these rooms and biblical verses are prominently displayed. At the conclusion of your tour, you will come across a picture of a “sermon” from the crusader Billy Graham.
I have “talk” in sentences, as Billy’s letters never fit the definition of talk. With this word, most of them ordered their thoughts to be caught in the church pew, listening to the pastor drone on and on, while checking their watches every five minutes to see how much time had passed. Not unlike Mr. Graham. His letters are incredibly simple. It’s so simple that I have to do a mental double check to make sure I don’t overlook anything important. The whole message lasted no more than five minutes. The truth Nothing more, nothing less. Jesus died for you. Never are these words so powerful as when you are a pilgrim looking at the curious thousands who have drawn out, seeking to hear.
Whether you’re looking for something that’s missing in your life, curious about the greatest evangelists, including Paul himself in biblical times, or simply in the Charlotte area and looking for your way south, make a trip to the library. . Admission is free, and facilities are open Monday through Saturday, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The library is located at Westmont Drive, Charlotte, NC 28217.
