Dedication of Billy Graham Library

Notes for Remarks
By President George Bush
Dedication of the Bill Graham Library
Charlotte, North Carolina
May 31, 2007

Remarks/Twelve Minutes
Open Press

Thank you for that warm welcome, and my thanks to Franklin Graham for that very kind introduction.

Acknowledgments: President Clinton; President and Mrs. Carter; Governor Easley; Mayor McCrory; Cliff Barrows and George Battle and Graeme Keith; my dear friend Ricky Skaggs and all the terrific musicians; honored guests; ladies and gentleman …

Barbara and I are thrilled to be with each of you here today we gather to celebrate the life and accomplishments of a man who, I believe, truly is “America’s pastor” – a man who has been a constant, radiant light of truth in a world too often cloaked in darkness and shrouded in deceit.

For each life, we trust, our loving God has a divine plan; so looking back, it was no coincidence that He lifted up a fresh-faced preacher, and set this son of Morrow and Frank Graham on a path to greatness, when He did.

At the time of Billy’s rise, you may recall, the clouds of fascism had gathered in Europe, and on the horizon to our East, and the storm they unleashed would threaten the existence of free and open societies. And after a great coalition of free peoples poured forth the blood of their sons to defeat this machinery of death, we faced another threat – a rising tide of tyranny in the Soviet Union.

In both conflicts, during both the furious bloodletting of a world war and the sustained treachery of the Cold War, freedom’s victory was far from foreordained. It would require vigilance in the face of laxity; courage in the face of appeasement; moral clarity in the face of relativism; and above all else, hope in the face of despair.

Now, some might listen to this and suggest that the matters of state to which I am referring should be considered separately from those affairs of the Church to which this good man, Billy Graham, has dedicated his life. I couldn’t disagree more.

I say this because the moral awakening that Billy helped to ignite starting here in America – which then spread like a wildfire across the country, and ultimately around the world – was also the same spark that ignited hope and kept its embers burning in far away places, behind an Iron Curtain.

And just as there was a coalition of free nations that stood together in the face of this geopolitical threat, so, too, was there a brotherhood of great spiritual leaders – including our honoree and Pope John Paul II – whose unaffected charisma and purity of purpose played a decisive role in resolving the moral crises of our times. No question, these men, together with other messengers who carried forth The Word, helped tip the balance in the Cold War in freedom’s favor.

As much as Billy has and continues to impact our nation and indeed the world, however, let me also briefly note that he has also had a profound impact on my family – and in a very personal way.

My dear Mother, for instance, said that one of the most glorious experiences of her lifetime was the occasion she had to sit with Billy one summer at our home in Maine and talk about the Bible.

As for Barbara and me, we have been blessed to visit with Billy on many special occasions through the years; but the night he spent with us at the White House as Desert Storm was being launched stands out above the others. Like any President, I felt the decision to commit American troops into harm’s way – which is a decision only the President can make – was also the hardest I made during my time in office.

To be sure I never, even for a second, doubted the moral clarity of our mission that January night in 1991; but as someone who had lived through war – and who had seen death up close – I was naturally concerned for the life of every man and woman wearing our uniform. And just as President Lincoln had observed, I found myself driven to my knees in prayer by the “conviction that I had no where else to turn.”

On a final personal note, as many here know, Billy guided our kids – particularly our daughter, Doro, and The President – through their own spiritual journey. [TURN TO REV. GRAHAM] Billy, as a very proud father in your own right, you can understand that great family pride that is in my heart – and in Barbara’s – as we watch our son serving this Nation with honor. It is with the same family pride that I tell you the family love we Bushes feel towards you and Ruth extends all the way into the Oval Office.

Every President is different, and as an Episcopalian – or what my friend Bill Clinton calls “a member of the frozen chosen” – I have always viewed my faith as an intensely personal matter. That’s just the way I am wired. There is nothing self-conscious, however, about my relationship with Jesus Christ; and thanks to Billy, I have come to understand this all-important relationship in deeper and more meaningful ways.

Anyone who has attended a Billy Graham Crusade, and I have been privileged to witness a few, has seen the Christ-like way he invites persons of every faith to come together in prayer.

So we are gathered here today because Billy Graham – the man, the preacher, the humble farmer’s son who helped change the world – is a spiritual gift to all of us. He is a blessing from on High, and today we not only celebrate his life’s inspiring work in carrying the Gospel to billions around the world – we also give thanks to a loving God for the example that Ruth and he have set with their singular lives.

So thank you for inviting Barbara and me to be a part of this very special day; good luck to you all; and my God bless Billy and Ruth Graham.

By President George H.W. Bush |  May 31, 2007; 8:56 AM ET
Share: Email a Friend | Technorati | Del.icio.us | Digg | Facebook
Previous: Finding Faith in the Oval Office | Next: In the Beginning, Tinkering

Posted by: diosbucw wrqtazpge | August 30, 2007 7:45 AM
Report Offensive Comment

Posted by: diosbucw wrqtazpge | August 30, 2007 7:44 AM
Report Offensive Comment

Posted by: diosbucw wrqtazpge | August 30, 2007 7:43 AM
Report Offensive Comment

Posted by: diosbucw wrqtazpge | August 30, 2007 7:42 AM
Report Offensive Comment

Posted by: clejows yfskubdgp | August 10, 2007 6:30 AM
Report Offensive Comment

Posted by: clejows yfskubdgp | August 10, 2007 6:29 AM
Report Offensive Comment

Posted by: zgatumy nvbsaxud | August 10, 2007 6:27 AM
Report Offensive Comment

Posted by: qkzjufn tweaxf | August 10, 2007 6:26 AM
Report Offensive Comment

Posted by: qkzjufn tweaxf | August 10, 2007 6:24 AM
Report Offensive Comment

Posted by: rmqpl jrnykapt | August 10, 2007 6:23 AM
Report Offensive Comment

Posted by: adult dvd rental | August 9, 2007 2:18 PM
Report Offensive Comment

Posted by: adult dvd rental | July 30, 2007 7:01 PM
Report Offensive Comment

Posted by: Jenna | July 30, 2007 4:39 PM
Report Offensive Comment

Posted by: vs wwwboard viagra levitra | July 25, 2007 9:23 PM
Report Offensive Comment

Posted by: vs wwwboard viagra levitra | July 25, 2007 9:23 PM
Report Offensive Comment

Posted by: cbdvy rxaf | July 11, 2007 1:46 AM
Report Offensive Comment

Posted by: cbdvy rxaf | July 11, 2007 1:45 AM
Report Offensive Comment

Posted by: zpqptf | July 6, 2007 1:24 AM
Report Offensive Comment

Posted by: zpqptf | July 6, 2007 1:24 AM
Report Offensive Comment

Posted by: zpqptf | July 6, 2007 1:23 AM
Report Offensive Comment

Posted by: qqyrfr | July 2, 2007 5:36 PM
Report Offensive Comment

Posted by: qqyrfr | July 2, 2007 5:36 PM
Report Offensive Comment

Posted by: qqyrfr | July 2, 2007 5:35 PM
Report Offensive Comment

Posted by: njxytm | July 2, 2007 12:49 AM
Report Offensive Comment

Posted by: biuhle | July 1, 2007 10:12 AM
Report Offensive Comment

Posted by: biuhle | July 1, 2007 10:12 AM
Report Offensive Comment

Posted by: lzhtfj | June 30, 2007 7:20 PM
Report Offensive Comment

Posted by: lzhtfj | June 30, 2007 7:19 PM
Report Offensive Comment

Posted by: lzhtfj | June 30, 2007 7:19 PM
Report Offensive Comment

Posted by: sskzsb | June 29, 2007 6:56 PM
Report Offensive Comment

Posted by: sskzsb | June 29, 2007 6:55 PM
Report Offensive Comment

Posted by: Daniel | June 1, 2007 3:53 PM
Report Offensive Comment

Posted by: James Pease | May 31, 2007 11:24 PM
Report Offensive Comment

The comments to this entry are closed.