The Reverend Billy Graham was one of America's most respected and beloved Christian evangelists
for decades.
Over the course of 60 years, he preached to a stunning 210 million people around the globe,
including numerous presidents and other world leaders.
On February 21st, 2018, Graham passed away at the age of 99, but despite decades in the
spotlight, there may still be some things you don't know about the famous reverend.
Here's a look at the untold truth of Billy Graham.
The 'Billy Graham Rule'
In the late 1940s, the reverend and his team created a set of rules, known as the "Modesto
Manifesto," to safeguard against scandal and controversy while traveling the country to
preach.
One of the four rules was to never be alone with a woman who is not your wife.
That particular guideline became known as the "Billy Graham Rule," and other prominent
figures, including U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, have followed it closely.
William Graham talked about his grandfather's code of conduct with The Charlotte Observer.
"When my grandfather would check into a hotel, a man would go inside the room and look under
the bed and in the closets.
What they were afraid of was that someone had snuck into the room, like a naked lady
with a photographer, and she'd jump into his arms and he'd take a picture, and they'd frame
my granddaddy."
Worldwide crusade
Over the course of Graham's incredible career, he often held "crusades"; massive evangelistic
gatherings of people who wanted to hear him preach.
In total, he held a whopping 417 crusades around the globe.
According to The Billy Graham Library, his largest event was in in Seoul, South Korea
in 1973; some 3.2 million people reportedly attended from May 30 to June 3.
More than 1.1 million people reportedly attended the final service, and some 75,000 committed
their lives to Christ during that particular crusade.
One of Graham's last major events was held in New York City in 2005.
According to a press release, 242,000 people attended, including former U.S. President
Bill Clinton and former first lady Hillary Clinton, along with NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Anti-Semitic remarks
Graham's popularity with world leaders brought him plenty of fame and power over the decades,
but it also landed him in hot water in 2002 when decades-old audio tapes were released
that captured the reverend and disgraced President Richard Nixon making controversial remarks
about the Jewish community.
After expressing his belief that the news media was being controlled by the Jewish community,
Graham said in the 1972 recording that he hoped once Nixon was re-elected, they could,
quote, "do something" about it, saying,
''A lot of Jews are great friends of mine.
They swarm around me and are friendly to me because they know that I am friendly to Israel
and so forth.
But they don't know how I really feel about what they're doing to this country, and I
have no power and no way to handle them.''
Graham issued a public apology after the tapes were released, saying
"Although I have no memory of the occasion, I deeply regret comments I apparently made.
[...] They do not reflect my views, and I sincerely apologize for any offense caused
by the remarks […] Throughout my ministry, I have sought to build bridges between Jews
and Christians.
I will continue to strongly support all future efforts to advance understanding and mutual
respect between our communities."
A rocky succession
In 1995, Billy Graham chose his eldest son to succeed him.
But Franklin Graham's tenure has been marred by one controversy after another, as he's
overtly embraced politics, calling for a ban on Muslim immigration to the United States,
openly slamming the legalization of gay marriage, and infamously writing a letter to "Blacks,
Whites, Latinos, and everybody else," suggesting rampant police shootings could be avoided
with respect and obedience.
Franklin also has cozied up to President Trump, participating in the inauguration and even
crediting God himself for Trump's victory.
"I believe Donald Trump is a good man and I believe he is president of the United States
for a reason - I think God put him there."
That led to division within the family, as Billy Graham's granddaughter, Jerushah Armfield,
publicly denounced Franklin's comments.
"To suggest the president-elect is an ambassador to further the kingdom in the world diminishes
not only my Jesus but all he stood for and came to earth to fight against."
He had regrets
For his part, Graham later expressed regret at getting involved in politics, telling Christianity
Today in 2011,
"I'm grateful for the opportunities God gave me to minister to people in high places; people
in power have spiritual and personal needs like everyone else, and often they have no
one to talk to.
But looking back I know I sometimes crossed the line, and I wouldn't do that now."
He also revealed in his autobiography, Just As I Am, that he wishes he had done some things
differently.
"I would spend more time in prayer, not just for myself but for others.
I would spend more time studying the Bible and meditating on its truth, not only for
sermon preparation but to apply its message to my life."
Health scares
Graham withdrew from public life in recent years, after struggling with health issues
for decades.
According to People, the reverend battled Parkinson's disease for more than 20 years.
In 2004 he suffered two nasty falls–one resulted in a broken hip and the other broke
his pelvic bone.
According to CBS News, in 2007, Billy was hospitalized for internal bleeding, and in
2008, he underwent brain surgery to control fluid on the brain.
Billy addressed the aging process with Christianity Today in 2011:
"We've come to look on old age as something to be dreaded — and it's true that it isn't
easy."
Almost 100 years
The reverend celebrated his 99th birthday with family on Nov. 7, 2017, and the Billy
Graham Library announced plans for a year-long celebration leading to his 100th birthday.
However, the reverend passed away at his North Carolina home on Feb. 21st, 2018.
Following the loss, condolences poured in from political and religious leaders whose
lives Graham touched, including President Jimmy Carter, Vice President Mike Pence, and
evangelist Joel Osteen.
"It's sad but yet in the same time it's a time of celebrating his life and all the good
that he did."
Former President George H.W. Bush said in a statement,
"I think Billy touched the hearts of not only Christians, but people of all faiths, because
he was such a good man."
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