Graham, Billy (b. 1918)

Formative Influences

Billy Graham was born 7 November 1918 as William Franklin Graham, Jr., or “Billy Frank” to distinguish him from his father. Frank and Morrow Graham were conservative Presbyterians who practiced a private faith; however, during Billy's childhood they experienced changes in their faith and the Graham home became one in which the Bible was central and it was applied to all aspects of life. Though the parental home was not stifling, Billy's childhood was a disciplined one and his parents did not shrink from punishing social or personal infractions. Though they adopted a more pietistic faith, the elder Grahams didn't forsake their Presbyterian roots. Billy and his three younger siblings were encouraged to memorize Scripture and to participate in family devotions. By age ten, the children memorized all 107 questions and answers in the Westminster Shorter Catechism.

Throughout his childhood, Graham passed through expected religious milestones like church membership, but he didn't allow this to keep him from his own amusements. This eventually led his father to become concerned about Billy's soul. When fundamentalist evangelist Mordecai Ham began a revival in Charlotte, North Carolina, Billy was urged to attend and was brought to Ham's attention as one needing his preaching. After many weeks of attendance and, at times, avoidance, Billy responded to the evangelist's call and recommitted his life to Jesus.

Presbyterians, like the Grahams, believe in an educated clergy. Billy's parents had hopes of his entering the ministry, but Billy worked hard on the family dairy farm, rising early to milk cows before school and returning to that task afterwards, and his grades did not reflect his intellect or aptitude. It didn't help that Billy didn't see the purpose in “science or algebra or all that” (Frady 1979, 61). As a boy, Graham enjoyed reading the Tarzan series for the excitement and adventure; as he grew older the lure of a larger world entered his mind and he began to devour history books and biographies, absorbing tales of the human experience and condition. Before he completed high school he had read Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, which influenced his view of humanity and culture.

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