He was called “one of America’s greatest citizens and enduring heroes” at a ceremony on Thursday, May 16, at the U.S. Capitol to reveal a statue in his honor.
Congressional members from North Carolina, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D.), and Rev. Franklin Graham, son of Billy Graham and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan’s Purse, all spoke at the event. Michael W. Smith, a singer, also played.
“Truly is a historic moment,” Johnson said about the statue unveiling in words shared with Fox News Digital. According to him, there are only four people in U.S. history who have been given three honors: a Congressional Gold Medal, lying in state after death, and a statue at the U.S. Capitol.
“Two of them are presidents – Presidents Ford and Reagan – and one is Rosa Parks,” he stated. “And the other, as of today, will be Rev. Billy Graham.”
Johnson said that Graham was the “most important ambassador for the Kingdom in our lifetimes.”
“Today, North Carolina gives the nation a symbol representing one of our dearest treasures, the Rev. Billy Graham: a man of faith, a man of North Carolina,” Cooper said.
“He brought together people of different faiths, and different races,” Cooper said. He added that Graham is “a better representation of our state than the statue it replaces, which brought memories of a painful history of racism.”
The figure of Charles Aycock, who was governor of North Carolina, has been replaced by Graham’s.
Chas Fagan, an artist from Charlotte, North Carolina, made the sculpture that was revealed on Thursday. Graham was born and raised in Charlotte.
In 2015, lawmakers in North Carolina passed a law that said Aycock’s statue should be replaced with one honoring Graham. However, the process could not begin yet because Graham was still living.
There are two statues in the Capitol for each state, but the people they honor must have died.
Things really got going on the plans for the statue of Graham in the U.S. Capitol soon after he died on February 21, 2018.
“Not that Rev. Graham was perfect — he would have been the first to tell us that,” Cooper said.
Instead, he understood that he and all of us here today have “foots of clay,” which means we are flawed and have been found wanting. Many of us think that there is hope for redemption, but he believed that there was. He told Fox News Digital this in comments.
Graham spent his whole life “delivering that message” of salvation.
Cooper also said that Graham understood the important role of public workers and that “whoever was in that office, deserved the presumption of good faith, the power of prayer, the gift of his wisdom, friendship, and advice.”
“He did not seek to bludgeon or deify any political candidate or party,” Cooper said.
“Instead, he would use his magnetic, loving and persuasive gifts to counsel and lift in prayer political leaders of both parties.”
He “treated all with dignity and respect.”
Rev. Franklin Graham said that the figure was very important, but his father was very humble.
The figure was pointed out by Franklin Graham, who said, “My dad might not like this being here.” “Because he would want the focus to be on the one that he preached — he would want the focus to be on the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”
“On the base, John 3:16, John 14:6 [are] inscribed, and of course, John 3:16 gives the Gospel — that God so loved this world that He sent His Son on a rescue mission to save sinners,” he said.
“He didn’t come to condemn, he came to save,” he stated.
Franklin Graham said that this was the lesson that his father preached all his life.
“My dad thought it was true.” He saw the Bible as true in every way. Though he didn’t fully understand it, he did believe every word of it.
“Our family is honored that our earthly father will be here in this Capitol, pointing future generations to our heavenly father, and His Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ.”
