at age 16, he became a preacher, initially working the black itinerant preaching circuit, before settling at new salem baptist church in memphis, tennessee, where he remained until may 1944. from there he moved to the pulpit of the friendship baptist church in buffalo, new york, where he served until june 1946 when he became pastor of the new bethel baptist church in detroit, michigan. throughout the late 1940s and 1950s his fame grew. he preached throughout the country while maintaining his pulpit at new bethel. known as the man with the "million dollar voice", franklin had many of his sermons recorded (which continued into the 1970s, many of them issued by joe von battle's jvb label), and to broadcast sermons via radio on sundays. he commanded high fees (for the time) for his public appearances, up to $4000 per appearance.