Billy Graham Center Archives Annual Report - 2000 Annual Report - Kudos
Kudos: Comments from Patrons
1/00"My 17 year old son had to do a dramatic portrayal of the life of Billy Sunday for a Youth night at our church. We were very thankful to find this web site since the library in our town had nothing on the great evangelist and former athlete. We were very impressed with this exhibit. May Christ richly bless your efforts!". E-mail message referring to the Archives online exhibit, "Hitting the Sawdust Trail with Billy Sunday."
1/00 "I've used the online guide to the papers of Fanny Crosby for my research in preparing a master's thesis on Crosby and her writing. I attend George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, and hope to use the inter-library loan feature of the archives. The website has aided my search for material. Thank you." E-mail message
2/00 "Paul is giving two talks and one workshop during this trip. The talk on oral history went excellently and he got quite a few questions from the attendees, many of them students of Baptist University. We also have more than 150 people who want to come to the workshop. This shows that there is a major need for archival management information and knowledge here in Hong Kong. Paul's work and your support are much appreciated. I hope Paul will write a report on his trip here when he gets back to the BGC Archives." E-mail message from Shirley Leung, University Librarian, Hong Kong Baptist University
2/00 "I am a British scholar and journalist currently pursuing research into missionary life in China at the turn of the last century. I have found your archive material on Sarah Troyer extremely useful: it supplements material in British libraries as well as giving a vivid and affecting picture of the young missionary herself." E-mail message from East Asia correspondent of The Guardian
2/00 "I want to thank you for your help re: AMF/Christian Reformed materials and for taking the time to look through the AMF [American Messianic Fellowship] records. I've always appreciated the help I've received from the BGC Archives staff." E-mail message from staff member of Jews for Jesus
3/00 "I want to send you from the bottom of my heart a great big Thank You for replying to me about the Billy Graham Crusades in Nashville Tennessee. The Lord must want me to find the information on my Grandfather because I have more information because of your help than I did before I sent you the original message asking about Mr Graham's Crusades in 1954. I cannot thank you enough. Thank you so much for replying to me in such a speedy manner too! I am so happy that I have more information to continue my search for this man. God Bless you for your kindness and patience in this matter." E-mail message from a researcher who was trying to find out more about her grandfather, who was saved at the 1954 meetings.
3/00 "Have just come across your site. Excellent. I am an Evangelist based in Cardiff, Wales and have been preaching now for 43 years. I have been inspired by Dr Graham and the work of the BGEA for most of that time. God bless you in this tremendous work you are doing for the sake of the lost. I will be visiting you again." E-mail message.
3/00 " I am very pleased to find such detailed information on this great man of GOD. I have been interested in him since my mother told me that he was a relative of ours .Whether this is true or not, through studying his works I have been truly blessed with his principles and works. Thanks again for your work in setting up this site. Yours in Christ" E-mail message regarding the Archives' Billy Sunday materials.
3/00 " Sincere thanks for the book references and for the copy of your instructions. I searched a while and this is the first help I have received for our project. Blessings on your work!" E-mail message from a seminary professor who had asked for advice on how to transcribe lectures.
4/00 "Thank you so much for the reply. I appreciate you taking your time and it is much appreciated. I looked at the sites listed and hope to visit the archives someday for more research. Have a great day. Thanks again." E-mail from a patron who contacted the Archives about material on missionary William Bordon.
4/00 "It was so much fun reading about him [John Book Pinney] on your web site." E-mail message .
4/00 "Dear Mr. Weber: Many thanks for replying to my request in regards to Reverend Graham. The information you sent has enabled me to find exactly what I was looking for. Once again, thank you for your kindness." E-mail message from a patron who had asked for information on the sermons of Billy Graham.
5/00 "I went to take a look at your website because it was mentioned on the Archives listserv as having an excellent annual report that other archivists might want to examine. The annual report is very nicely done. However, while just poking around I saw your "So what is the archives anyway?" page and I was so impressed I just had to write and congratulate you on such a wonderful page. I think y'all did a fantastic job presenting the myriad of things that can be researched in archives and in conveying the excitement of examining primary documents--an important but difficult to accomplish feat. Anyway, I just wanted to say your page has definitely become my new model for excellence in presentation for archives." E-mail from an archivist.
5/00 "I wanted to be sure to thank you again for having given us your time today, and for the tremendous presentation that you made. The whole crowd has been abuzz with conversation and interest." E-mail from a Billy Graham Evangelistic Association staff member about the presentation to the Minneapolis staff about the BGC web sites.
5/00 "Many thanks. I belong to a Titanic Discussion Group and we discussion a different Titanic passenger each week. It has been very difficult to find any articles about the above named person. Your site(archives) has been very helpful. Thank you." E-mail message referring to the portion of the Archives web site that contains information about Rev John Harper and his daughter Nina, who were passengers on the Titanic.
5/00 "It was great to see the info on Dr. Crawford. My experiences with "Percy" go way back to summer camp at Shadowbrook in 1944 and 45. I remember one summer, he had to dive into the pond to save a camper from drowning. Little did I know then that just a few years later I would be attending The King's College in Delaware and attending Dr. Crawford's class on the Gospel of John. This has certainly brought back a lot of fond memories" E-mail from a visitor to the Archive's exhibit on evangelists Percy and Ruth Crawford.
5/00 "I cannot thank you enough for your prompt and courteous reply. You have given us a new lead that we did not have before, and I am very excited.... At least we have some idea of where to look, and this will greatly enhance our own efforts. Thank you again and God bless you and everyone associated with the Rev. Graham and all the good work he does." E-mail from a patron who was trying to find out more about an ancestor who was a missionary to Armenia at the beginning of the twentieth century.
6/00 "A big thank you from Atlanta. I passed along the information you gave me regarding London and Billy Graham's influence over the last 50 years. No one came back and said they needed more so I guess that means you got it all!!! Thank you, Robert, for your quick response to my requests and for being so thorough!" E-mail from staff member of the DeMoss Group, which was working on various projects for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
6/00 "Had a wonderful time this afternoon sharing Fanny with the extended care patients! Seems I had enough music and information to last four hours.... I never got started on all I had found out about this marvelous lady. We only had time to sing about 25 of her hymns. I was prepared with at least 50 and that was after I eliminated the ones I hadn't practiced enough or thought the trio would have trouble singing. It was a super good time. The people were smiling and keeping time with the music! Some were familiar with some of the music, and some knew none of it! They were awakened to this wonderful era of sound! The lady I take with me from a senior home knew almost all the songs! She made our trio as she sang the songs with us. They all enjoyed it. I even went so far as to dress in the 1880 type dress. I hope to share more with them later. Thanks again." E-mail from a woman who used the Archives web site to help her prepare for a presentation of Fanny Crosby music which her volunteer trio was doing at a local retirement home.
8/00 "I just wanted to tell you that I love your website and it brought fond memories of the Nigeria that I remember." E-mail message.
10/00 "Thank you very much for your help on the phone and for your follow-up email. I explored the site more after our conversation and found much of the other information you mentioned. Your email helped me to locate even more interesting possibilities. I was very impressed with your thorough and prompt assistance." E-mail from a staff member of the Project on Lived Theology, Department of Religious Studies, University of Virginia who was gathering information about racially integrated seating at Billy Graham's 1952 Jackson, Mississippi Crusade.
10/00 "Dear Mr. Weber: Thank you so much for taking the time to suggest resources! Your information was helpful and appreciated. .Enjoy Autumn and the coming year." E-mail from a patron who was doing a study of Mother Theresa's speech at the 1994 National Prayer Breakfast.
10/00 "If ever I have had an experience of great travel in time and space, this conversation between Shuster and Votaw is it. I feel like I just went to Aleppo and came back though the past 50 some years just while reading this interview and details of Mr. Votaw's past work with the Presbyterian mission in Aleppo and at the Aleppo College. I am Aleppoan, born and raised till the age of 17, which is, like my older two brothers before me, the age when I came to the States to continue my higher education. All three of us are alumni of Aleppo College, and we are the sons of highly devoted Christian Presbyterians.... I cannot express enough about my exuberance that somebody is keeping the old stories alive and passing on these experiences that some of our former missionaries have had.... Keep up the wonderful work." E-mail from about the online transcript of the interview with Paul Votaw, Collection 105.
10/00 " Visited your site tonight at age 62. Sort of getting along in life. At the age of 11, 12, and 13, I remember watching Percy Crawford on my aunt's TV every Sunday nite - probably in 1949,50 and 51. In 1952 at the age of 14, I attended Pinebrook Bible Camp in the Poconos. I remember attending chapel service every morning before breakfast. Some days or all days the early morning chapel service was broadcast on radio. As clear as day I can still see the men's quartet singing at the camp services and on the TV programs. One guy whose name was Al Semoure was really great with his reacting with the young people. Whenever I think of the TV broadcast, I remember at the end of the show there was always a picture of Jesus knocking at the door while the quartet sang "It was for you the Saviour died - for you, yes for you ".... Most of all I remember that Pinebrook and Percy's TV broadcasts were an experience in knowing and walking with Jesus Christ. Percy was a real man of God. I will always be thankful for my fellowship with Jesus Christ through the ministry of Percy and Ruth Crawford and their family ministry. Thank you and may God continue to bless and use this site for His honor and glory." E-mail message from about the Crawford online exhibit
11/00 "Thank you for all your help as we searched through the archives for Moody Church. You have done a great job making it easy to do so and it was a pleasure!" Handwritten note from a researcher.
11/00 "Thank you for making this available. How wonderful to be able to hear the actual voice of one who labored for Our Lord and has gone on...now to join "the great crowd of witnesses in the sky." God Bless all of you there at the archives and all of the work you do. I know He will reward your efforts both now and in eternity!" E-mail message commenting about the audio clip of evangelist Paul Rader's ca. 1930 message on "The Stone Age."
11/00 "Thank you very much for the excellent and informative field trip.... [It was] enjoyable for the students as well as educational. I was impressed with several of the exhibits that were available, even the quaint program for the Moody Sunday School picnic in 1901. We appreciate the time your staff took to work with our group and make the experience a pleasant one for our students." Note from one of a group of home school parents who brought their children to the Archives for the Archives Treasure Hunt, when the children learn about and use documents from Christian history
11/00 "I once saw a quote by a man named Roger Hull. It has become one of my favorite quotes. I only remembered Hull's name because I have a friend named Hull. I recently became curious about who and where this man named Roger Hull is. A friend suggested I search his name on the internet and lo and behold I finally found out who he was. Nice going . I will pass on his quote - the one about whether you are "part of the problem or part of the solution" and at least now I know a bit about who he was. thanks." E-mail message
11/00 "I thought I would let you know how I was going as you were so kind to respond to my plea. In fact the best site you led me to apart from the Wheaton archives was http://episcopalarchives.org/additional.html. This gave me very specific assistance on retention of materials times which converted to Australian jargon was great.... Many thanks." Message from the Parish Support Manager of the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne, Australia. She had contacted the BGC Archives for help in setting up an archives for the diocese.
12/00 "You have been unbelievably helpful. I will check out all those web pages and see what I can find. Thank you so much." Message from a Yale student, who contacted the archives about source material for his senior thesis on televangelism
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