A Tribute To

Harry Graham

I received word Friday afternoon that my dear friend, faithful instructor, and eminent example, Pastor Harry Graham, was called home to glory yesterday morning after many years of suffering. Shelby and I hurt for his dear widow, Nola, and their children; but we immediately expressed to one another how thankful we are that our friend is now at rest. In honor of one to whom honor is due, let me tell you about this faithful servant of our God. When I think of Harry, three words come to mind.

Faithful

I met Harry when I was just 19 years old, just a few weeks after Shelby and I were married. He was pastor of the Sonlight Baptist Church in Ashboro, North Carolina. The church was organized under his ministry in the 1950s and was faithfully served by him until he suffered a series of disabling strokes in 1992.

Shelby and I spent many hours in the Graham home while I was in college. We never passed up an opportunity to be in the company of this devoted couple. They were the age of our parents; but they were our best friends. Their devotion to one another and to Christ was exemplary. We were never in their company without being influenced for good. I never sat under Harry’s ministry without being led to Calvary and to the throne to worship our great God and Savior. I never sat at his hearth without learning the good things of God.

Bold

Harry Graham taught me by example that the gospel of Christ is to be preached with boldness. I never knew him to compromise the truth of God. I recall the very first message I heard him preach in June or July of 1969. His text was Romans 8:28-30. The title of his message was The Golden Chain of Grace. He said, “The grace of God is as a chain, a very long chain, reaching from eternity to eternity, beginning in the everlasting purpose of God and ending in the everlasting glory of heaven. Yet, this golden chain of grace has but five links: (1) Divine Foreknowledge, (2) Eternal Predestination, (3) Effectual Calling, (4) Free Justification, and (5) Everlasting Glorification.”

Resting

Today, my friend has ceased from all his labors and all his trials. Harry was 82 years old when he entered into his rest. His body will be laid in the grave this afternoon; but he entered into glory Friday morning. There he shall never again know sorrow, or pain, or weeping, or dying. He will never again struggle with sin, or any of the evil consequences of sin. He has entered into that rest the Lord Jesus Christ obtained for his people when he entered heaven as our all-glorious, successful Redeemer more than 2000 years ago. Harry Graham has taken his place, as I often heard him say he anticipated, “seated with the white robed throng around the throne of God and of the Lamb, looking on the face of the Son of God, singing with the ransomed multitude, ‘Worthy is the Lamb!’”