In 1950, Billy Graham came to Spartanburg for his first South Carolina Crusade. At least a dozen newspaper reporters from far and near followed hot on his heels.
During the previous year, his every appearance in every town brought front page coverage. A 16-week tent series planned to run ten had done it for him. Although they never met, William Randolph Hearst, America's most famous "press mogul," had become an admirer of the young preacher through the stories in his newspapers. After he sent a telegram to his papers' editors to "Puff Graham," crowds jammed under the canvas every evening.
A young and new reporter from the nearby Greenville News wanted a story. But how to get an interview? He devised a plan. A new friend had mentioned that his grandmother was a sister of Mrs. James Byrnes; it was at her and the former Secretary of State's home in Spartanburg where Graham and his wife were guests for the week.
The friend, Dick Madison, just out of Clemson, liked the reporter's suggestion to ride over from Greenville, drop by for a visit with his relatives, ask for the interview for his friend, THEN stop at Converse College to look up some of the girls.
Uncle Jimmy not pleased
Arriving at the Byrnes' beautiful home, they were greeted by "Uncle Jimmy," who rankled at their request.
"I don't know how you can expect to see him; he's studying for his sermon tonight." Lucky youth: at that moment Mrs. Byrnes and Mrs. Ruth Bell Graham came out the front entrance toward a chauffeured limousine for a drive around the city.
"Oh, please let the reporter see him; he won't mind a bit," Mrs. Graham urged.
Ten minutes later, the reporter, seated in Mr. Byrnes private study, gazed at autographs of Stalin, Churchill, Roosevelt, Bevin and Molotov. Also, at dozens original political cartoons presented to the former secretary by their creators.
Very cordial, the evangelist looked more like a college man than the celebrity he was. Dressed like a college man, too. His sharp features emphasized the impious ensemble of light blue suit, red and green checked tie, and yellow and red argyle socks. Pressing his hands together under his chin, he explained his sincere convictions.
Opposed to movies. Smoking?
"I'll take exception to that on one point," he said. "I do preach against liquor, but mainly because it's the cause of so many highway accidents and so much violence every year. Even though I disapprove of movies and cigarettes, I never mention them in my sermons.
"I preach against sin, the judgment day, and hell, but always presenting Christ as the answer."
The reporter asked about a book he held in his hands, a modern interpretation of the Bible.
"I spend two or three hours of every day studying. All the newspapers and news magazines get my thorough going over to keep up with political and national affairs.
"But I seldom read classics. They don't offer the answers to the problems of today's atomic world."
Questioned about other interests, Graham said he had none except his family and several weekly games of golf. Ruth, with whom he had two children at that time (later five), had been born and reared in China where her parents were missionaries.
"She came to Wheaton College in Illinois where I saw her walking down the road towards me and couldn't help but stare. Our eyes met and I felt she was definitely the woman I wanted to marry."
Two months after graduation they married and lived in a log cabin designed by her in Montreat, N.C.
Jane Russell, Gregory Peck
Graham also mentioned his frie-ip with a number of Hollywood stars, among them Jane Russell and Gregory Peck.
"They are fine people even though they are caught in the web of publicity-choked circumstances," he said. Another friend, the Rev. Bob Jones Jr., in Greenville, he called, "unquestionably one of the most cultured people in the United States."
The reporter had no camera and thus took no picture, but was rewarded with one of his first front page stories.
For almost 60 years, Graham's ministry has soared, preaching at 41 evangelistic crusades since 1948 to live audiences of nearly 215 million people and a live and media total of two-and-a-half billion. He appeared many times behind the Iron Curtain. At one revival in Seoul, South Korea he drew a crowd of a million people to one single service.
The recent death of Ruth, and his present, non life-threatening illness of intestinal bleeding, and admission to a hospital near his home in Asheville have drawn worldwide concern. He is 88.
Retired editor and public relations executive Thomas Langford's column is titled "Some Edisto stories." Let him know if you have stories to share: 803-534-2097.