The Rev. Billy Graham, a North Carolina farmer’s son who preached to millions in stadium events he called crusades, becoming a pastor to presidents and the nation’s best-known Christian evangelist for more than 60 years, died on Wednesday at his home in Montreat, N.C. He was 99.
Raised in the fundamentalist faith of his native North Carolina, Graham dedicated his life to Christ when he was 16 and was ordained a baptist minister in 1939.
He created his own brand of populist evangelism. His “crusades,” as he called them, were soon attracting millions in person and later through television.
Reverend Billy Graham transformed American religious life through his preaching and activism, becoming a counselor to presidents and the most widely heard Christian evangelist in history.
His death was confirmed by Jeremy Blume, a spokesman for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
Mr. Graham had dealt with a number of illnesses in his last years, including prostate cancer, hydrocephalus (a buildup of fluid in the brain) and symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
He said in what was termed “Final Crusade” in the summer of 2005 that:
“Deep inside we need something else. And that something else can be brought about by Jesus.
“When I touch the podium, I can feel a new strength and a new power come and it’s a thrilling thing for me to preach the gospel at this age.”
Graham once reportedly said:”We are United,and are ready to march under the banner ofAlmighty God, taking as our slogan that which we have on our coins, ‘In God We Trust”.
Someone wrote on Twitter “Billy Graham was a rebuke to those whosay don’t mix evangelical religion and politics. This brilliant preacher was instrumental to fighting racial segregation: in the 60s he bailed MLK out of jail.”
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