Burke emigrated to Am-er-i-ca in 1873, and after reaching Chi-cago, Il-li-nois, was led to Dwight Moo-dy’s church, where he became a member.
Burke joined the Yoke-fel-lows’ Band, and taught Sunday school. It was at this time he conceived the idea of singing the Gospel. He led the singing for the Young Men’s Christian Association, and had charge of their music for several years.
He engaged in evangelistic work for a number of years, with Dwight Moo-dy,
Dan-i-el Whit-tle, B. Fay Mills, and others. In 1890, at the request of Moo-dy and
Ira San-key, he went to Scot-land and joined Scotch evangelist John Mc-Neill (1854–1933). He stayed a year and a half, working through Bri-tain.
Burke also served as Min-is-ter of Music at the New York Gos-pel Ta-ber-na-cle for about a year around 1891