Hundreds see library dedicated to Billy Graham

A tribute more than a review
To the right is a cow shed, where a display that has drawn the most curiosity stands. An animatronic black-and-white cow named Bessie says in a Southern drawl that Graham has been “preaching the pure milk of God’s word for 60 years.” Bessie tells kids to “get moo-ving” to learn more about the preacher.

Critics have dubbed the display the “Golden Calf” and say it cheapens Billy Graham’s legacy. But Franklin Graham said it is meant as an appeal to children.

The museum is more heartfelt tribute than scholarly review.

Graham’s personal papers will be stored at the museum and will be managed by Wheaton College, the evangelical school in Illinois that has an archive of documents from his crusades. Billy and Ruth Graham met there as students.

There are photos of Graham with U.S. presidents and displays of gifts they gave him, including a golf club and a check that President Nixon passed along to the preacher as an offering. However, there is no mention of how Graham’s close ties with Nixon had cast a shadow on the minister.

Old television clips shown
Old TV sets broadcast clips of the troubled times in America when Graham preached, including the Civil Rights era. Graham has been praised for integrating his crusades starting in 1953, but also criticized for his restrained support for the movement.

Designers have recreated the scene of Graham’s 1949 Los Angeles tent revival, dubbed the “Canvas Cathedral,” that lasted for weeks, drawing national attention to his ministry for the first time. A replica of the Berlin Wall is meant to underscore how remarkable it was that Graham won permission from communist governments to evangelize behind the Iron Curtain.

Billy Graham’s children have been divided over where their parents should be buried — at the library or at The Cove, a Bible training center near the Grahams’ home. Franklin Graham believes his parents have decided the location, but “haven’t made that public yet.”

“I’ll do whatever he tells me to,” Franklin Graham said. “I don’t care. He’s going to be in heaven.”

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