Sam Wellman - Billy Graham: The Greatest Evangelist

1996 by Sam Wellman

Print ISBN 978-1-61626-907-4

eBook Editions:
Adobe Digital Edition (.epub) 978-1-62029-646-2
Kindle and MobiPocket Edition (.prc) 978-1-62029-645-5

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All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the H OLY B IBLE , N EW I NTERNATIONAL V ERSION . NIV . Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Cover illustration: Greg Copeland;
Cover design: Kirk DouPonce

Published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 719, Uhrichsville, Ohio 44683, www.barbourbooks.com

Our mission is to publish and distribute inspirational products offering exceptional value and biblical encouragement to the masses.

Printed in the United States of America.

Billy Frank, stop your squirming. For heavens sakes, thats why youre here.

I dont want to see the doctor, whined Billy. He looked up into his mothers soft-blue eyes. They were clouded with worry. Oh, I like the doctor all right, he added kindly. But Im not sick or anything.

Listen to your mother, Billy Frank. The deep voice had been silent all morning. It wasnt unusual for Billys father to say nothing for hours. But it was very unusual for him not to be in the fields in May planting beans or corn or some other crop. But Billy knew when to shut upmost of the time. His father could yank him out of the chair in the doctors waiting room, haul him outside, and whop him on the bottom with his beltin no time. It seemed his dad had six hands to get all that done so fast. And his father didnt get mad or anything. He just grabbed Billy like he grabbed a squawking hen for Sunday dinner and did what he had to do and never blinked an eye. Did you hear me, Billy Frank? asked his father, not blinking an eye.

Yes, sir. Billy felt like he could jump out of his skin. Sitting still was so hard. But his fathers callused planks of hands separated and balled into fists. That was a sure sign he was about to explode into action.

A nurse called, Mr. and Mrs. Graham? The doctor can see you now.

Thank goodness, sighed Billys mother.

After a few pleasantries with the doctor, in which Billy happily participated, his parents discussed an upcoming church meeting with the doctor. Billy liked the doctor. He liked just about everybody. In fact, now that he thought about it, he did like everybody. And it was a fact that just about everybody liked Billy. Was there anybody who didnt? Well, baby brother Melvin fussed at him. Melvin was the only person he could think of who didnt just about melt when Billy grinned ear to ear. But what did Melvin know? Besides sucking his thumb and spitting out his pabulum, Melvin knew nothing.

JUST ABOUT EVERYBODY LIKED BILLY. WAS THERE ANYBODY WHO DIDNT?

Well, Doctor, he doesnt seem to ever wear down. His fathers deep voice carried fatigue.

That boy been eating sweets? asked the doctor.

No, Doctor, said Billys mother quickly. Nothing more than an apple or a pear.

Billys skin was crawling. He ate sweets a lot. Suzie the cook kept a jar of sweets on the back porch. Billy and Catherine both ate lots of sweets. Oh God, please dont let Suzie get in trouble, prayed Billy. Billy liked her so much. And she liked Billy.

You working that boy enough? asked the doctor.

Hes up at four oclock, said Billys mother quickly. He goes right out with the men to do the milking.

And we got more than twenty cows to milk, said Billys father. Praise the good Lord for that blessing, he added quickly, so it didnt sound like he was bragging about his dairy. Billy Frank can milk a cow faster than any six-year-old in North Carolina. The plain truth is he can already milk a cow pertnear as fast as a man.

To get it over with, thought Billy. Oh, it was pleasant enough in the barn. Smelled real fine. Hay and milk and furry cats and that cow smell. He got along fine with the cows. He liked them. And they liked him. One stepped on his foot once. But that was a pure accident. But Billy milked fast to get it over with. Then he got to go outside and feed the chickens and the goats. The chickens were just chickens. He liked goats. He liked dogs and cats, too. But, oh, those wonderful goats. He liked them so much. And they liked him. Goats were just about the warmest, smartest, funniest critters on earth. And so friendly. They even nuzzled Melvin.

Take off your shirt, Billy Frank, said the doctor.

Yes, sir.

Hes going to be tall and lean like you, Frank, said the doctor. But hes got your blond hair, Morrow, the doctor said to Billys mother. And by dogs, if he doesnt have his granddaddy Crook Grahams eyes! They could stare right through a plate of lead.

The doctor plugged a stethoscope into his ears. Not that thing, thought Billy. Normally, Billy liked folks touching him. He liked it when Grandma Coffey gave him a big hug. Not that that was anything special. Most kids didnt mind their grannies. But Billy didnt even mind if Aunt Lil grabbed him and kissed him. But he didnt like the doctor sticking that stethoscope thing against his chest and back. And he didnt like that popsicle stick the doctor used to clamp his tongue down.

Say aaaah. The doctor squinted into his throat.

Aaaah!

Put your shirt on, Billy Frank, said the doctor.

Billy listened intently. It was something he had taught himself lately. Instead of just daydreaming about goats and dogs and cats and stuff, he listened real hard because every once in a while something real important was said by a grown-up and Billy realized he had daydreamed right through it; when he blurted, Pardon me, would you repeat that, please? suddenly the grown-up noticed him and said, It doesnt concern you, bub. So this was no time to grin and carry on. He quietly put his shirt back on and softly stepped back into the corner, almost bumping the doctors clothes tree, and just disappeared into the corner as quietly as Tarzan into the jungle.

What is it, Doctor? asked Billys father.

I cant find anything wrong with him, answered the doctor.

But Billy Frank pushed a dresser out of an upstairs bedroom into the hall and plumb down the stairs, said Billys father. Morrow saw him at the top of the stairs. He just grinned at her like a puppy dog.

That is a mite peculiar, all right, said the doctor.

He knocks dishes off the center of the table, volunteered Billys mother.

And he overturns baskets of eggs, added Billys father.

He throws rocks at cars on Park Road, added Billys mother.

I didnt know that! snapped Billys father.