A Pastor to Presidents
On July 14, 1950, Billy made his first visit to the White House – one that would prove far from the best. Through the influence of some supporters in Congress, Billy went to meet President Harry Truman, though Truman seemed reluctant to meet with him. War had broken out with North Korea on June 25, just a few days after the appointment had been set.
Grady Wilson, Cliff Barrows, and Jerry Beavan accompanied him. Truman was cordial, though he appeared unsure whether he should receive these men as ministers or as the entertainers they looked like in their cream-colored suits. Billy told him about his recent successes with revivals in Los Angeles and Boston, and reminded him that he had called upon the president to proclaim a national day of repentance and prayer for peace in April, hoping to avoid war as news was released that the Soviets were stockpiling nuclear weapons. Truman nodded in recognition. Graham then asked him about his religious background. “Well, I try to live by the Sermon on the Mount and the Golden Rule,” the President answered.
“It takes more than that, Mr President. It’s faith in Christ and His death on the Cross that you need,” Billy replied.
Truman stood as if to dismiss them in response, so Billy asked if they could pray with him before they left. “It can’t do any harm,” Truman responded. So, Billy put his arm around the president’s shoulder and they all prayed.
Once outside, Billy and his team were immediately swarmed by the press. Unprepared for the onslaught, Billy made the mistake of telling the reporters everything that happened in the Oval Office, an indiscretion that would ban him from the White House for the rest of Truman’s presidency. Later on, Billy learned that Truman saw him as nothing more than a publicity hound, Truman would issue a statement about the campaign planned for Washington in 1951. “As Key West the President said very decisively that he did not visit to endorse Billy Graham’s Washington revival meeting and particularly he said he did not want to receive him at the White House. You remember wat a show of himself Billy Graham made last time he was there. The President does not want it repeated.”
Billy learned his lesson and proved he would never again abuse the confidence of a president. He became a confidant of every president for the next five and a half decades. He met with each of them. Eisenhower through George W. Bush – eleven presidents in all- and because of this, George H.W. Bush called him “America’s pastor.”
Excerpts from “God’s Generals: The Revivalists” by Robert Liardon