Questions and Answers

You can find this sermon at ChurchAges.net

1 ... everybody take real good inventory of this, see, mark it down. I am only answering them the best of my knowledge by the Word of God, see. And if it isn't answered correctly to your ... another question, why I'd just love for you to put it back on the platform or something ... talk to us about it or anything that we could do. And maybe Brother Neville and I here, we might see things that we don't just agree upon. And Mr. Baxter, (one of my closest associates in my meetings) Mr. Baxter, we've been together for years, and a real Bible expositor he is, but he doesn't believe in the Millennium.
And I [unclear words] use your own mind when you're studying the Bible. If you try to use your own knowledge or your own mind, you'll certainly [unclear words].

2 Now, I feel these Scriptures... Some of them here are just little comments, and so forth, and I will try to answer them first, which I tried to segregate them. And I may have to use the concordance for a little while to get some of this out. And then, in here if I misquote or anything, you just perfectly call my attention, see, and write me a note, and tell me.
Now, before we try to open this...

3 Now, the reason I'm doing this friends, I tell you it's for a purpose, all of you know that. This meeting was for a purpose. I believe God turned me around in that snow storm yonder and sent me back for this very purpose right here, see.
And there's just been a little something wrong around the Tabernacle here for a long time. I want to find it. When I find that, then I'm going to see if I can do something about it. That's right.
And I want the church to move along in harmony. And there's just a little something wrong because you're not progressing. You're getting people saved (that's true; that's wonderful), but you're not progressing the way you should. We ought to be turning out preachers and everything. The message should be going right along.

4 I've had our brother, pastor, out, and we've went through the mill together, Brother Neville and I have. And I want to see ... as one of your pastors, it's my duty. And last evening... Just, when I see anything, it's just in the church now; that's the reason I never advertised this meeting; I just give it out. Just ... why everybody's welcome, sure we want you to come. [Break in tape]. But it's just in the church.
And I thought, If I teach on the first night, what the church today, in the age, geographically, in the Bible, where we're positionally sitting, then the church surely will wake up on that. And then speak on The Mark Of The Beast, and let them see what that is. And then The Seal Of God, that's the pro and con now, that's the dark and light now, that's either in or out now, and that's the most essential thing to be taught on now.

5 And I tell you, friends, I say this with my heart before God, humbly, I have never felt the anointing of the Holy Spirit to speak the words that I have in the last three nights. That's right. But it's just carried me away. And I'd go home, couldn't even sleep after I got home, just such anointing!
Now, I throwed these out here in hopes that I would find something somewhere, see. Get the feeling of the people all on a piece of paper here. If I don't find this this way, and the Lord don't reveal it to me, I'll keep on till I do find it. God will grant it to me. That's right. And so then when we find it, it may be just a little, old wedge buried over somewhere, but Achan had one, too. You know, we got to get rid of that thing, then we will come right on and move along in the kingdom of God.

6 Now, the Lord bless you. And now before we open up the Word... And now, each one of you has a Sunday school in the morning. Of course, I wouldn't ask you to miss your Sunday school; that's your post of duty to your church. That's right. But, now, if you don't go to Sunday school, come up and see us in the morning. And if your church isn't having services tomorrow night, on Sunday, you're welcome. We'd be glad to have you at anytime. And so the Lord bless you. And greet all the Christians for me. I don't get here very much.
I was just looking in the room there, a little paper I've got wrote in there is still sitting here as a memorial to this church. And I said, "The Lord is calling me away," and we all cried and wept. I remember the first night I went. You all remember my first call, anybody here? You all took up the money to send me over to St. Louis, where little Betty Daugherty was healed. I stayed...

7 Remember, I borrowed somebody's overcoat here to wear; I didn't have any coat to wear. And I went over and sat in an old chair car to go to St. Louis. Remember the time? And I borrowed one of the brothers' coats; it was too big for me; I carried it on my arm; 'cause it was cool and I didn't have a coat.
And then we went over, and I went to St. Louis and I met Brother Daugherty there. His little girl, all the doctors around there, specialists and hospitals had give her up. She was like a raging maniac. Ministers throughout the city had been ... everywhere, in there praying for her. And I went in and prayed for her and the poor people just looked so gray. And the little girl in there, screaming and crying, fighting.
And she couldn't make a noise like a human anymore, sounded like an animal; she was so hoarse from ... oh, around three or four months. It was spinal meningitis ... or no, St. Vitus' dance, in the spine. And her little lips was all eaten, bleeding, her little fingers just bleeding all over where she was biting her fingers, and things like that, and just screaming and going on.

8 And I prayed, went down to the church. Waited hours after hours. Sat out in the old car and waited. I wasn't going to leave that case till I heard from Heaven. And sitting there in the car, a vision broke before me, said, "Go tell the father..." Said, "Tell the woman that the other day, downtown, she bought a little, white kettle. It's never had water in it before."
And said, "Tell her to look in the third drawer and she'll find a handkerchief that's in a piece of paper, that's never been used before, Tell her to fill it with water. Stand the father on your right hand, and the grandfather on your left hand, and repeat, 'Our Father, who art in Heaven...' And as you start, let her wipe the rag across its face. Then in the middle of the prayer have her touch its hands, then its feet. Then stand and say, 'Thus saith the Lord!'"

9 You know what happened, don't you? She was healed right there. And we put our hands together and walked down the street and drank a soda pop together. That's right. That's right. It stirred St. Louis. In my meeting there, fourteen thousand the first night. That's right.
It's just too bad that I got away from that; to go and just start them coming through a line, just one right after the other one, after the other one. Just go to a house and stay there till it's over, and return home. I believe that would've been better than all the meetings.

10 All right, let's bow our heads while we speak to the Author of this Word, now:
In the kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, we approach Thee, our Father. And in His name we ask for divine mercy that Thou will forgive our sins and trespasses against You. And if there's any sin in this little church tonight, we pray, Lord, as a servant standing here, as a shepherd over the sheep (as the Bible said, "Take heed to the flock of which the Holy Ghost has made you overseer over, that you feed them"), and now, Father, I intercede for them, that You will bless them and remit all their sins. Heal the sickness that's in the midst of the people. And, Heavenly Father, I pray that Your mercies will be upon us now.
Here, laying before me, written on paper, from many homes and many people, lays requests, real deep Bible questions that goes beyond the ordinary schooling. And we need Your help, Lord Jesus. And just picking these up now, walking into the room, having prayer, walking out, separating them here, and laying the ones that should be answered now to one side, and the others that has to go into Scripture, to the other. That's as far as I know at this time, Lord.
And I pray that from right now You'll take up from here on, and anoint Your people here tonight, the lips of the speaker, the ears of the hearer. And may the Holy Spirit come and take a hold of the Word now and move it right into every heart, and may it be received in a spirit of kindness, and may it be given likewise. And may, when the service is over tonight, may we go home, saying, "Did not our hearts burn within us because of His presence and His blessings?" Lord, not knowing what to say, I commit myself to You with these questions, in Jesus Christ's name, for the answer. Amen.

11 Thank you, friends, for your reverence. I count that ... just to show you what many ... the most of these questions was:
"Brother Bill, please carry on through next week."
"Please stay another week."
"Please stay a little longer."
"Brother Bill, please stay next week, a little longer, our souls are hungry for this kind of food."
"Does this church teach that the..." That just fell in there; that's in the wrong place.
"I have two boys, age of two..." I got them mixed up, I guess, on it, see. Here, I better get that over here, too, that's concerning a personal affair.
"Brother Bill, would you like one more week... We would like one more week of this Gospel teaching."
"My request is that you stay another week. I would like very much for you to stay a little while longer. You know we are always ... we can always learn more."
"Now, will you stay just another week longer, please?"
"Brother Bill, please preach one more week for us. We really miss it."
"Brother Bill, my prayer is that God will change your mind and make you stay another week."
"My question is: What are the flying saucers, and they are something from God sending out for a sign? And I am asking you to stay another week."
"Please stay another week."

12 [Brother Branham speaks with Brother Neville.] " Now, here was another one just said... I appreciate this asking. And Almighty God who is my Judge, standing here now in this sacred spot, before I left home, the Spirit of the Lord told me, said this question will be laying on here. And I knowed nothing about it, but I knew it would be here:
"Is Jehovah Witness a false sect?"
See, somebody... And the Holy Spirit, at the place, standing in my bathroom, before coming down here; God, who is my solemn Judge, told me that will be laying on the platform, and said I wouldn't say nothing about it; just go on, see. So, you know what I said last night, don't you? All right, that's what it was.

13 All right, now we'll start over here on some of these.
I just don't like to call right out any certain thing, and say some person or some individual like that. I just like to teach it in a way of just throw the whole thing together. And you understand, don't you? If I'd stand here and say, "Now, Brother Neville is so-and-so and certain-certain thing..." If I had that to say about him, I'd go up to his house and call him out and talk to him about it. See, I'd tell Brother Neville.

14 But, now, here is some questions. Now, I don't know where to start with; it's just a group of them laying here. It says:
"What connection did you mean about the Protestant church having with the Catholic church?

15 What does 'the image of the beast' mean?"
Now, that was one of the questions from last ... probably was on the people's... Now, I'll try my best, by God's help, to answer them the best of my knowledge. Now if He will give me knowledge, 'cause God knows that I just picked them up, here on the platform.
QUESTION: "Now, what connection did you mean about the Protestant church having with the Catholic church?"
Now, I'll answer that one first, God helping. I said that the Catholic church was the... We find out that the mark of the beast, night before last, had to come out of Rome. Is that right? It can't come out of no other country but Rome. There's where it's seated, that's where it's placed. And I said I have nothing against Catholic people, nothing against anyone; we're all mortals trying to get to Heaven.

16 The pope is one fellow who teaches, the archbishop of Canterbury is another, and another, and another, and another; and I'm just one of the teachers, that's all. They'd teach and say, perhaps, I was a fanatic and I was wrong and so forth. And I have a right ... if I can prove it by the Scripture ... or, if they can prove it by the Scripture that I'm a fanatic, then I am a fanatic. But if I can prove by the Scripture that they are wrong in their setup, then it's wrong, the Scripture's right. And it's just not one place now, it has to come all the way through the Bible, everywhere.
Now, I said, "The Catholic church was the mother church," and that's exactly right. The Catholic church is the mother church, when it comes to church organizations. The Catholic church was the first church that was ever formed, around about ... the best history you have, about AD 606, somewhere along in there when the early fathers, the second or third around, of the apostles. They had died out and begin to scatter out in little isms.
And the Romans, being converted, the Roman Empire ruled the state, and then church and state united together and started a religion called "the Universal Religion." And the word catholic means "universal." They organized the church, which was the first time that religion (Christian religion) was ever organized in all the world's history.

17 The Jewish religion never was an organization; it was a free people. They had churches but they didn't have an organization. God dealt with a nation, not an organization. It was a nation.
And now, and then the Catholic church was the first organization. Then we picked that up in the Bible to find out what that organization was. And according to the Word of God, it was supposed to be controlled by a single man, one man. And that man was to be in a church that was set on seven hills in Rome, according to the Bible. And he was supposed to have ruling power in every nation in the world---religious ruling power. There's not another in the world.

18 And Communism, we found out, was not no antichrist that Jesus spoke of. Communism is not a nation like Russia, Communism is a spirit. America is eat up with it. It's in the churches, it's in the people, it's in business, it's in everywhere (Communism, the spirit of it), it's in schools, it's in homes, everywhere.
And then when they organized this church which was contrary... And now we've taken the seven church ages, and prophecy, exactly the way God brought them on through the Bible here to us. And we found out by history and the Bible, that each age come in just according, the Bible, according to history; each one come in just at the time, through the dark ages. And then the Catholic church formed in the Dark Age.

19 Then the reformation come on, which is Martin Luther. And Martin Luther had a light, the light that "The just shall live by faith"---justification by faith---in the reformation. A German priest which denied and said that the taking the communion when he held it... And they was supposed to say "This is the body of Christ," and he threw it on the floor and said, "It is not the body of Christ; it's a wafer!" And so he renounced the Catholic church in doing so, and come out in the early reformation. Martin Luther did that, and that was a wonderful move.
Now, where Luther made his mistake, Luther organized another group just like the Catholic church did, organized the people.

20 Then, directly, a new light come on. And when the new light come on, God moved out with His people. The people that was organized in Lutheran church, they had to stay with their church in order to be with the... That's just the same as the Catholics had to be, but many of the Catholics come out and was Lutherans. Well, then when Wesley come along with the message of sanctification, then many of the Lutherans couldn't leave their church; but many of them did, and made up the Wesley church.
Then after justification and sanctification, along come Pentecost. And then Pentecost... Many come out of Methodist, and so forth, and become Pentecost because it was a greater light. Now Pentecost is organized just exactly like every one of them!

21 Now, the Bible says that... These are flat words, but I'll read them from the Bible. And you listen to your doctor, or so forth, say this, and I'm your brother teaching from the Scripture. The Bible called the Catholic church "a prostitute, a whore, w-h-o-r-e." And He called the Protestant churches that followed it, mothers ... or, they were harlots of this mother. And what connection it was, that the Catholic church organized the thing and made all people believe in the light they had then ... or, what they had then. The Lutherans did the same thing. And the Bible said that she was a great woman of that type.
Now, what is that type of woman? Is a woman that lives and commits adultery. And the churches are committing spiritual fornications with the people, see. They are... Here's the Bible that teaches this, and they make up a bunch of creeds and so forth that has nothing to do with the Bible.

22 And this is nearly twenty something years I've stood right here and ask any minister, at anytime, to come and take not your textbook, your creed, but come take the Bible (in the light of the Bible) and prove it wrong, see. That's right.
And about contradictions: They say "Contradictions!" I've offered as much as two-months' wages if someone will show me one contradiction in the Bible. It's not there. You think it's there, but it isn't. If the Bible contradicts itself, it's no good at all, you can't believe it. Every word's inspired and there's no contradiction in the Bible.

23 Now, the Protestant church, in its organization, is (according to God's Word) connected the same thing with the Catholic church.
Now, I have nothing against Catholic people. Some of my dearest friends, sitting right here now, is gross of Catholic people. Here, the night before last, when I gave a harsh message through the Holy Spirit, on Protestant and Catholic, the Catholic walked right here at the altar and shook my hand. They're human beings just the same as we are.
You can't discuss with Catholic priests, because they don't believe this Bible to be all the Word. They say it's the "church"; we say it's the "Bible!"
The Catholic says, "We Catholics go to church and worship, you Protestants stay home and read the Bible."
I said, "Yeah, you go to church and worship, but what?" That's the next thing, see.

24 Now, but God said He was in His Word. This is God's Word and I believe it. I'm a Bible worshipper. That's the reason I disagree with Protestantism and the way of this church organization, because they teach things that isn't the Word of God. So I can't help from disagreeing. I don't fall out with them; no, sir, they're my brethren. I don't fall out with them, but I disagree with them because I have to take what God says and let everything else be a lie, see.

25 And now that's the connection that... And now the Bible said that this woman, the Catholic church, which was supposed to be called, in the Bible (Revelations the 17th chapter), " A whore," and she was the mother of harlots. And we see that the Bible said that a woman represented a church. So then if she had daughters that's harlots, it couldn't have been boys; it've had to be daughters, so it had to be churches. And Protestantism was born out of Catholicism.

26 And now the next beast... The next thing is this here:
QUESTION: "What does 'the image of the beast' mean?"
It's a joint question to that, and the person who asked it has a good question. What now, if... The Bible clearly teaches that the Catholic church is the beast. The Bible said that a beast means "a power." Is that right? A beast... The Bible says that the beast meant "a power." And the beast was the Vatican City, the Catholic hierarchy. All right. And now, that was the power of the church that was the beast.
Then the Protestant church come out of the Catholic church, and organized themselves a little power. That is an image.

27 If anything... If something was made in my image, it'd have to look like me. If something made in the image of this church, it'd have to look like the church.
Something was made ... a beast ... made a image unto this beast, which was Lutherism, Methodistism, Baptistism, Pentecostalism, Holinessism, all them isms formed up into an organization and made an image just like the beast. There it is!
Now, "Do you say then, Brother Branham, that all Catholics, all Methodists, and all Baptists are going...?" I didn't say that.
There's thousands and thousands and tens of thousands of born-again Christians in those churches. But, in their organization, they're trying to drive them to a creed, and they won't stand for it. A church, when it organizes, it comes under a creed.

28 And I have no creed but the Bible. This is God's creed, and the Holy Spirit is the interpreter of that, and He brings it on from one light to another. The Gospel I'm preaching today, if I shall live to see another hundred years, if we would, there'll be more light. Just constantly, it's always come.
You used to ride an ox cart---your great-grandfather, when he went to see grandmother. Dad went to see mother in a T-Model. But now we almost go in a jet plane. See, we're moving on; science, moving on; education is moving on; the Gospel, moving on. And the Bible said they would, said, "They'll run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase." So that's the joint. That's the reason there's...

29 The Protestant denominational churches is the image of the beast, because it's denominated just exactly like Catholicism is. And God never did order His church to be organized in any age, but has always bitterly condemned it! Now do you get it? Not the people; the church!
When they try to bring people under a light of... Here! What if people tried to get you to go back and start running around in an ox cart? You wouldn't stand for it; we are living in a better age. That's the way it is back there. If somebody tried to tell me, "Oh, the only thing you have to do is this, that." I'm living in another age! That's the trouble with ministers: They're always looking back.

30 Here! A French scientist said, less than three hundred years ago, "If a man would ever make the terrific speed of thirty miles an hour, gravitation would take him from the earth." Thirty miles an hour! Well, do you think that science would refer back to that today? Far be it! No, sir. They got him going about nine or ten hundred miles an hour, yet if sometimes, in a rocket, sixteen hundred miles an hour, and still taking him forward!
Science has taken man more forward, greater things with his mind than what ... (and that's the only thing he has, is the tree of knowledge), farther than the ministers has taken him with his spirit, which is unlimited. But here's what it is. The science ain't looking back to what science said a few years ago; science is taking what they got now and moving forward for something else.

31 But you ask the preacher; "Well, we'll see what Moody said about it; we'll see what Wesley said about it." I don't care what they said about it; I know what God said about it now! This is it and I'm still looking for greater! That's it. That's the reason...
The Bible said, "Three unclean spirits come out of the mouth of the beast." Do you know what? Unclean spirits ... they're like frogs. Did you ever notice how a frog looks? A frog is always looking backwards. He never looks forward; looking back, always back, look back.
But the four beasts that had the four different heads, in Ezekiel, was looking forward and they couldn't go backward. They were moving forward all the time. Everywhere they went, they was going straight forward. See the difference?
Now, that's the connection that Protestantism has with Catholicism.

32 So you're always throwing off on the Catholics, but "pot can't call kettle 'black.'" That's right.
I say, "Are you a Christian?"
"I'll give you to understand I belong to the Baptist church." That has no more to do with it than to say that you belonged out here to a farm somewhere.
"Well, I belong to the Catholic church." That still don't make you a Christian. Belonging to the Baptist or Methodist church don't make you a Christian.
There's only one way to be a Christian. The word Christian means "Christ-like." And you can't do it, you can't work it in yourself, there's no way at all you can do it. You have to forget yourself, die out to yourself, and let Christ come in and live the life of Christ in you.

33 "Except a man..." Here's what Jesus said, "Except a man be born of Spirit and of water he will in nowise enter the kingdom." Whether he's Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, or whatever, you'll have to be baptized in water for the remission of your sins and receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost, or you're lost. That's Jesus' own Word. So now if you're Methodist, and have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and been baptized in water, Jesus said you'll enter Heaven. If you're Catholic and have done the same thing, you'll enter Heaven.
But if you're just holding onto that creed of the Catholic church, or the Methodist, or the Baptist church, you're still lost. And that's the reason we got the condition in the world, we got today, 'cause people are just exactly... They say, "That's against my faith."
"Do you believe in divine healing?"
"That's against my faith." That's against your church; your church's creed has got that made up, see, you have to do what the church says. And then you holler at the Catholic; that's the same thing they do. And that's the beast and the image of the beast! And the Bible says, "Whosoever took it could not enter the kingdom of Heaven, but would be cast out where dogs and sorcerers, and so forth, and would be tormented with fire and brimstone (in the presence of the holy angels, and the Lamb) forever and forever.
Come out of it, friend! Get right with God! Yes, sir.

34 And now, let me get this... We'll get them while we're... Now, someone asked me today, two or three times I've been asked it:
QUESTION: "Brother Branham, speaking on 'the mark of the beast,' don't you believe they'll tattoo a number in your head, or tattoo something on your hand?" No, sir! Don't never look for that.
It'll be a boycott! Certainly! No man could buy or sell 'less he belongs to the confederation of churches. That's true. Now, it'll come like a union, unionizing the thing, bringing it down in unionized religion. Mark my words, it ain't far off! You'll see it; she's just around the corner.
The reason you don't know these things, you're here at home all the time. Follow me over in these countries where Catholicism has the upper hand, one time, and you see what takes place. Brother, they tell them all what to do and what not to.

35 And here the Bible speaks that the United States (we picked it up in prophecy) come up like a lamb---freedom of religion---and directly they united those things together, and he spake like a dragon and exercised the same power the dragon had before him. That's the USA! That's right.
A minister said to me not long ago, a friend of mine, said, "Brother Branham, God will never let the United States fall, because of the basis of its forefathers, founded on religion."
I said, "He let the Jews sure carried away, and they had a lot better standing than we had." That's right. God ain't no respect of some generation that's passed; you either walk the line or you're out of the kingdom, that's all. Truly! That's pretty rough, but that's good for you. That's the Scripture. And we got...

36 The trouble of it is today (Some of you old-timers know this.): We got too much Hollywood evangelism. That's right. Too much of that with a whole lot of racket and carrying on, a lot of glamour, and everything like that, and tooting horns, and so forth: "Who will stand up and accept Christ as personal Saviour? God bless you, brother; you go to Heaven right now." That's a lie! That's a lie!
"Except a man be born again!" And if he's born again, the same blessing that come to him there will come to him here. And we've been through that over and over, through the Scriptures in the last week.
And find out that in the eastern people, when the Holy Spirit fell upon the Jews, which were an oriental, eastern people, the Holy Spirit fell with great signs and manifestations. The Bible said there'd be almost a time where you couldn't even tell if it's like dark or day. It was kind of a cloudy day, plumb on until the last part of the evening. And then the sun would come out a few minutes in the last evening. "It'll be light in the evening." Is that right? Well, that's the western people, the Gentiles, receiving the same Holy Spirit that the Jews received back there, with the same signs and manifestations. That's it.

37 And 'course, people, the world's going to call you a fanatic, "cracked at the head." The Bible... Jesus said they would do it. You're a peculiar people, and you are odd because it's so much different.
I notice it in my own neighborhood at home; the people there... Even my little children; we try to keep them clean and live decent as can be, but you can watch the neighbors make a difference in the children, see. They make a difference.
And I know, I have a way of knowing things (and you know that; you've seen it in the meetings), know that the pastors of the city say, "Well, now, Billy's a good boy, we have nothing against him. But, you see, that's just a little different class of people than what we are." Thank God! That's right. Thank God! That's the mark. There's the mark we're talking about.

38 Look, last night, when the Holy Spirit predicted, nine hundred years before the Jews received the Holy Ghost, and told them what it would be, "The inkhorn---man with the inkhorn writer went through the midst of Jerusalem and set a mark in their forehead." Is that right? Spoke of it before the church was condemned by God. And Titus besieged the walls of Jerusalem, in AD 96, and burnt the city. And there wasn't one stone left upon another one, according to the prophecy. And, today, the only thing they got left of the temple is an old wall laying there where they heaped up the stones, and it's rubbed slick where the Jews weep and wail there at the wailing wall, the only thing left of the temple. And the Mosque of Omar stands at the same place.
And Jesus said, as spoken by the prophet Daniel, "When you see the abomination that maketh desolation standing in the Holy place," then He's underlined ... in parenthesis: "Let him that readeth understand," see. That's right. There it was. And He told how many times it'd be until the Gentiles would be ... dispensation would be cut off. They trod the walls down, then God would return to the Jews. And we're right at that time! Here's the Jews returning back by the thousands, in the last few years. And you know how we went through it last night, how the Scripture perfectly ... just like reading a newspaper, and more plainer, because you get more sense out of it.
Now.

39 But, however, the Mark that was put on their head was not tattooed, was it? What was it? The baptism of the Holy Spirit. And what is the mark that's going to be for this last day? The Bible said, the Seal of God was the baptism of the Holy Ghost, for the people in the last day. Now, there's no... Ephesians 4:30: "Wherefore grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby you're sealed until the day of your redemption." The Bible speaks. And Ephesians 1:13 says the same thing---many other places---that the Holy Spirit is the Seal of God.
What is a seal? A seal cannot be put on anything until it's complete. The Lutherans wasn't sealed. The dispensation of grace wasn't completed; they preached justification. Methodists wasn't sealed, (I'm getting to a question here, and we'll get to it a little later.)--- not sealed---because it wasn't completed. But the baptism of the Holy Spirit is the completion of the works of God.

40 He said, "There are three that bear record in Heaven: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and these three are one." You can't have the Father without the Son, the Son without the Holy Ghost, they are one.
He said, "There are three that bear record in earth: the water, the blood, the Spirit, and they are not one but agree in one," (There you are) ... in one complete sealing. Justification under Luther: water; sanctification by the blood.
Justification was Romans 5:1: "Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Justification by faith!
Sanctification through the blood (Hebrews 13:12 and 13): " Jesus suffered without the gate that He might sanctify the people with His own blood."

41 Luke 24:49: "Behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you, but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem till you're endued with power from on high." Acts 1:8: "After this the Holy Ghost is come upon you, then you'll be witnesses of Me in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth." A Holy Ghost baptism was to last until Jesus returns again!
"A little while and the world sees Me no more, yet ye shall see Me for I will be with you, even in you, to the end of the world; doing the things that I do, you'll do also." Through His Spirit, working through the church! He said, "You'll be made fun of." Said, "They called me, the master of the house Beelzebub, the chief of fortunetellers," said, "how much more will they call them of his household now?" Said, "Blessed are ye when men shall say all manner of things about you, rejoice and be exceedingly glad, 'cause great is your reward in Heaven; for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you."
That's scripture. There it is. So, you see, you just got to have it, friends. Now, you've got to make your choice; you're a free moral agent.

42 But that's the connection with the Protestant church and the Catholic church. Together they are both, according to the Bible ... who only holds to the church; not Jesus, now; to the church. People in the church that's holding on to Jesus Christ and praying for God to open up the way and make them ... give them light, that person's saved, I don't care what church he's in. That's right. But if he's just holding on to his denomination, he's taken the mark of apostasy, which is taking the place of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Contrary! And the Catholic and Protestant both, alike, the Bible said she was a whore; they were harlots (her daughters). Is that clear now? All right.

43 QUESTION: "So the Holy... Does the Holy Ghost still given by the laying on of hands? The disciples did this---Peter, Paul, and so on---and is it still possible? Paul received it in this manner."
Yes, dear brother, sister, whoever wrote the note. The Holy Ghost is absolutely to be received by laying on of hands.
Now, many people call me... I've been marked as a Pentecostal, saying I was pentecostal. I never belonged to a Pentecostal organization. I'm absolutely free from all organizations, and by God's help I aim to stay that way, 'cause I can stand right in the breach and say, "We're brothers! Come here, let's come reason together."

44 When I first started back there, by the grace of God... And you people here... And my secretaries and them sitting here knowing: I could be in contact with ten million people, or more, in the world today. What an organization could be started, see. That's right. But I don't want an organization; it's against the Bible. I'm trying my best to get the people to be saved that's in the organization. That's the thing. And what influence the Lord has give me with people, I'll certainly use it for His glory instead of placing it on some organization. I'll put it on Jesus Christ where it belongs. No organization can save you; it takes the blood of Jesus Christ.

45 But now, in laying on of hands... Now, I'm going to differ with my... Now, you dear Pentecostal people, now don't fall out with me. But now when you come to a place and say, "We will go tarry for the Holy Ghost." What a word's been used in Pentecost!
And I'll say this ... not hurting your feelings. The greatest support I have on the field is the Pentecostal people, because they believe the message of divine healing and the power of God. The rest of them turn their nose up at it.
But just individuals out of the church, who's predestinated to eternal life, they'll come. That's all. But those who are not, cannot come; and God said so; said, "They were predestinated to condemnation." He's not willing that any should perish, but, being God, He seen they would condemn it. So that's all, He foresaw it. And that's what the foreknowledge of God is: to see those things. And He predicted the church just where it would be standing right to this very day. And God knew it from the beginning. Before the foundation of the world, He knew the church would be just the way it is today. He knew before the foundation of the world I'd be standing in this pulpit tonight. He's God, He knows the end from the beginning.

46 Now, the Pentecostal people has taught... Now, I probably get plenty back on this, but I must be honest if I've got to come to the Word. There is no such a thing as "tarrying"! You've been in error. Tarry doesn't mean "pray," tarry means to "wait." After the ascension, after Jesus Christ ... the crucifixion, the cleansing of the sanctuary. And after the day of the atonement, the resurrection... The day of the atonement, when He was killed, and then it's forty days until the ascension, and then Pentecost. The word pentecost means "fifty." It meant fifty days after offering of the atonement.
And then after the atonement was offered, everything had to come out perfect, letterly, geographically, everything just as God said. And Pentecost: It was a jubilee time, when they brought the first fruits of the harvest in and had a jubilee.

47 Now, the first fruits of the church, the Holy Ghost church, the church that was to last these two thousand years till Jesus come, the first fruits come at Pentecost. It was ten days before Pentecostal time; it was forty days after the cleansing ... after the killing of the sacrifice, until the ascension of Jesus Christ. He said, "Go up to Jerusalem and wait until you're endued with power from on High." Acts 1...
Acts 2, "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were in one accord, in one place. And suddenly there came from Heaven a sound as a rushing mighty wind, filled all the house where they were sitting. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and begin to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."

48 And then the religious world, on the outside, the great orthodox churches, come up and seen those people staggering and acting like drunk people. And they come up and laughed at them and made fun of them, said, "Look at this bunch of Galileans! They're all drunk!" See the misunderstanding?
And to my Catholic friends, the blessed virgin Mary was with them. And if God wouldn't let her come to Heaven without receiving the Holy Ghost and being like that, do you think you'll get there anything less, sister? No. So, let's get off our high horse; let's get off.

49 Don't pay no attention to what the world's got to say. Look what God's got to say! This is the Word of God. We have to build it according to this blueprint, 'cause He said to Peter, "Upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Everything else will take place. It showed the gates of hell would be against it, but it'll not prevail. And the people thinking they can stop it? You could stop the sun quicker. That's right. You can't stop it. God has ordained it to move on.
Here, when I first got converted, even my poor mother back there thought I had gone crazy. My mother-in-law said, "He ought to be sent up to the insane institution." The preachers of the city said, "He'll burn down pretty soon." I've been burning a long time, it's still burning, and better all the time. Why? It can't burn down; it's God! Instead of burning down, it's spread around the world now.

50 Just the same thing He said when I baptized right down here on the Ohio River (many of you was standing there twenty-three years ago), right on the Ohio River. That light (Angel) come right down to where we as at, and said, "As John the Baptist was sent for a forerunner of the first coming of Jesus Christ, your message will bring the second coming of Jesus Christ." And it's done it. Well, He hasn't come yet, but look what it's done; it's swept the world around, see. And today now, just thinking, the effort that's went forth, there's been literally millions.
Even the Catholic Sunday Visitor spoke of it, of how many millions that come in around, just of the effort.
Others hear, they say, "That's the truth! I'm ready to sell out right now to these things of the world, and go preach the real Gospel."
And that's the reason they call us "full Gospel"; they make fun of full Gospel. But, brother, I don't want a half of nothing; it's got to be the whole thing to me. If part of it's good, the rest of it's good. The full Gospel!

51 Now, notice, the Holy Spirit come back there. The pentecostal people waited, "And there suddenly there came a sound from Heaven like a rushing mighty wind, filled the house where they were sitting."
Not one time did they ever have to wait after that. While Peter spake these words to the Gentiles, the Holy Ghost fell on them, even before they was baptized. Is that right? While... Acts 10:44:
But while Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on ... them which heard the word.
And they of the circumcision ... and many as come with Peter was astonished because ... on the Gentiles ... was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then said Peter,
Can a man forbid water, seeing that these has received the Holy Ghost like we did in the beginning?
And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. (That's right; no waiting, no tarrying.)

52 The apostolic way: God has no set rule; when the heart's hungry, He will give you what you're hungering for. If you want the Holy Ghost, it can fall on you right now.
Peter, when he went down to preach... Peter had the keys of the kingdom. (I've got a question to get to that in a few minutes.) He had the keys to the kingdom. He opened it up to the house of Cornelius; he opened it up down to the Samaritans; he opened it up over here; but remember that Philip had went down there and preached to them and had baptized them in the name of Jesus Christ, and Peter came down and laid hands on them.
And, now, he done something for that sorcerer down there. They had Simon the sorcerer, said, "I'll give you some money, to give me that gift that whoever I lay my hands upon receives the Holy Ghost." Is that right? Something happened! (Not some of these archbishops with their collar turned around in the back, come around and lay hands on them, said, "I give you the apostolic blessing.") Something happened when Peter laid his hands on them, and when they do yet.
I've seen them just fall like flies like that, as the Holy Spirit strikes them by laying on of hands. Yes, that is the apostolic doctrine of laying on hands. God bless you. If you're a little different from that, just write me a note tomorrow night. All right.

53 QUESTION: "If two thirds of the people of the world have not heard the Gospel yet ... the Word of the Gospel, how much..." (Beg your pardon. It's wrote with ink, and I've been perspiring here and it's run into it. Let's see.) " If two thirds of the people of the world has not yet heard the gospel, how can our Lord come now?"---since they haven't heard the gospel, two thirds of them?
Well that's exactly right. I'll tell you what I think. Here not long ago, when Dr. Reedhead, the president of the Sudan Mission, the greatest full ... the greatest apostolic ... (I beg your pardon) the greatest fundamental mission in the world: the Sudan Mission. Dr. Reedhead, with so many degrees till he didn't even know how many degrees was upon him, come to my house up there a little over a year and six months ago, and stood in my house, him and this Hyman Appleman, this Baptist minister, which has received the Holy Ghost now, and preaching down in Mexico. And he come to the house. He said, "Brother Branham," said, "do you deal with the Pentecostals?"
And I said, "Yes, sir."

54 And he said, "I'm Doctor Reedhead."
I said, "I'm glad to know you. Will you come in?"
He said, "Yes, sir." He said, "I want to ask you something." Said, "I understand that you was ordained in the Baptist church."
I said, "That's right." I said, "I come out of it," I said, "because I couldn't stand that. I believe to preach what the Bible says, not what the Baptist church says. And I have nothing against the Baptist church; they're just as good as any other church." And I said, "I come out of it so I could be free."
He said, "Well, of course, you know we're Baptist."
And I said, "Yes, sir."
And he said, "I want to ask you something. What about this baptism of the Holy Ghost?" Said, "I've been in and seen them kick over chairs and stomp and holler and carry on."
I said, "I've seen all that, too." But I said, "Brother, behind it all, there's a real genuine article of the baptism of the Holy Ghost."
And he said, "Brother Branham, can I receive it?" He said, "I've got so many honors!" He said, "I'm a doctor, I'm this, I got my PhD, I got my bachelor degree, I've got every kind of degree and honorary degrees from all over the nations and things like that," said, "and where is Jesus Christ?"
I said, "Well, brother, He's right here in the room."

55 He said, "I stood and talked to a staunch Mohammedan, just been educated in America, and I said, 'Renounce your old dead prophet and receive a resurrected Lord Jesus.'"
"He said, 'Kind sir, what can your resurrected Lord Jesus do for me any more than my Mohammed can do?' Said, 'Both of them wrote Bibles, we believe it.' Said, 'Both of them died.' And said, 'And both of them promised life after death to us, and we believe it.'"
He said, "Oh, but, you see," he said, "we Christians have joy."
"Said, 'So do we.' Said, 'I can produce just as much psychology as you can.' (And that's right.) He said, 'Well, look, our Mohammed... You claimed your Lord Jesus raised from the dead.'"
And Doctor Reedhead said, "Why, He did!"
"Said, 'Prove it!' Said, 'Prove it!' Said, 'You've had two thousand years to prove it, and only about one third of the world has ever heard about it.' Said, 'Let our Mohammed raise from the dead and the whole world will know about it in two days.' (He's right.) He said, 'Our Mohammed never promised us nothing but life after death.' He said, 'Your Lord Jesus promised you and you teachers that the very things that He did you'd do also.' And said, 'Let's see you teachers produce that now, and' said 'we'll believe He raised from the dead.'"
He said, "Brother Branham, I scooted my foot in the dirt like that and changed the subject."
With all those degrees! Why? Where is God in those degrees? God's not known by PhD's and DD's and LD's, and so forth.

56 God's known by simple faith, by the baptism of the Holy Ghost---the only way. God in you brings you a son of God, changes your nature. And the very same thing, God the Creator who made all things and spoke the world into existence by His Word, that same Spirit in you, you believe everything God says and there's nothing impossible, if you can believe it!
You won't stand back to one little creed and say, "I don't believe, accept that. I can't believe God will do this. I can't believe." You limit God by your unbelief! That's it.

57 So Dr. Reedhead stood there, said, "Brother Branham, could a man receive, really, the Holy Ghost?"
I said, "Yes, sir, Doctor Reed, you can."
He said, "If God knows my heart, and I believe you, knowing and under inspiration right now, I want you... Do you believe I'm telling the truth?"
I said, "I know you are!"
He said, "How must I receive it?"
I said, "Kneel."
And he knelt there by the old coffee table. (I just picked up from up here, the man is sitting back there who fixed it just a while ago up here.) Sitting there, broke the glass on top of it as he kneeled down. He said, "God, have mercy on my sinful soul." And I laid hands on him, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost come upon him right there. That's right.
And he's just set that Baptist church afire everywhere now! They're all around there. There it is. Yes, sir.
The Gospel cannot ... Jesus cannot come until the...

58 Listen! We pass tracts all around over the world. You can't go in any little corner 'less there's been tracts passed, somebody coming through there with theology. You go overseas today and call yourself a missionary, and watch them laugh at you. Walk into India and say, "I'm a missionary."
"Well, what are you going to teach us?" They know more about the Bible... Some of their kids over there know more about it than some of the teachers here in America knows about it. After all, it's an eastern book. And, remember, they had the Gospel hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of years before America ever come into existence. Saint Thomas: The great church that he preached in, is still standing today in India. They don't need any of your teaching; they know all about it. They said, "What are you going to teach us?"
"Well, we're American missionaries."

59 "What are you going to teach us? how to drink whiskey? That's what you all do over there in your churches! Smoke cigarettes? Going to teach us how to divorce our wives, and so forth?" Said, "If you're going to do that, we don't want it." And said, "You're coming over here with some new theology or something another, you're going to try to teach us some of the Word, we know more about it than you do." And that's right. He said, "But if you're coming to demonstrate what the Word says, we'll receive it." Amen! There you are. That's the thing they're hungering for.
Mark my word, write it in the pages of your Bible, for it's "Thus saith the Lord." Remember, when we land in India, you're going to hear of tens of thousands times thousands being saved. The Holy Spirit... I've wrote it here in my Bible, it's wrote in tens of thousands of Bibles right here (like the resurrection of the little boy) by a vision that He said, "There's three hundred thousand of them in there." And you see if that isn't right! There's how the Gospel's going to be preached just overnight. She'll just sweep like that from place to place.

60 In Africa, when those thirty thousand in only one altar call received God, I said, "Raise your hands and receive the Holy Ghost." I said, "Don't wait for some American missionary to come over, teach and learn languages in the churches." And mothers washing over boards to send a missionary over there; and ride around in a nice big car, living on the fat of the land; sure, pass out a few tracts and come back. They don't want that; proved it.
I said, right here at the Jewish Hospital a few nights ago in a meeting with the ministers and doctors, on the subject of divine healing, I said, "You called me a holy roller, and you said I had had a nightmare when I told you of the Angel of the Lord." And I said, "And our own church has sent thousands and spent millions of dollars, of sending missionaries to Africa; and when I got there, they was packing little mud idols, trying to get help from the mud idol, and call themselves 'Christians.'" I said, "And what you called 'fanaticism' won more souls to Christ in five minutes' time than our millions of dollars and thousands of missionaries has done in the last hundred and fifty years."
They shut up, that was it! There it laid. I said to them men, I said, "Don't you try to get educated; just take this Gospel and go on out yonder in the native lands where white man can't even go, for the diseases."

61 And I've got records, right by the Durban paper, it said, "Even if one old man couldn't even know which was right and left hand, receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost, and was baptizing on the average of a thousand a week." That's how the Gospel's going, just in a little bit. It only needs about six months to cover the world. All right.

62 QUESTION: "Will you explain about Christian Science?"
All right. I won't speak about your religion, my brother or sister, whoever put the question. Christian Science is psychology. And divine healing is the power of God! Christian Science has mind over matter; Christian Science denies the blood of Jesus Christ. Christian Science... No, I got Mrs. Eddy's books up there, and read them all, see. That's right, Christian Science denies the Deity of Jesus Christ, and puts Him a "prophet." Jesus Christ was not a man; He was God! He was divine! And they think it's mind over matter.

63 If I've got a cramp in my arm or in my stomach, or a pain in my head, I got sense enough to know it's hurting, and it ain't whether I'm thinking it's hurting. But I know that God's power can take it away, not me thinking about it, see. So Christian Science (I'd say this along with the other that was asked me) is one of the modern-day isms, and a deep, dark error. That's right. Not hurting your feelings, friend, ever who wrote it, but I must be sincere. Because you who wrote it, and I, together, will stand one day in the presence of Jesus Christ to give an account, and I'll have to answer for what I say. Now, I wouldn't answer unless I knew. All right.

64 QUESTION: "Now, when we're... When we live far from here to... We live too far from here to attend the Tabernacle, where do you recommend we attend, assemble ourselves together, seeing that the churches are after the mother church, or Catholicism?"
My dear brother or sister, whoever wrote it, I wouldn't tell you what church to attend. But what I would do, this, my brother, sister; if you haven't got the baptism of the Holy Spirit, see, well, you get the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and then you go to some congregation where there's other people who's got the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Congregate yourself with them kind of people.

65 I seen a man, here not long ago, that was born ten years since he ... or, not born, I beg your pardon, it was ten years since he had seen any sight. He belonged to a great church, and he lived at Kennett, Missouri. And he was a shoe cobbler years ago, and went blind. And the man come on the platform, and the Holy Spirit told him who he was and what was wrong with him, told him how long he had been blind, and told him of some little, dirty deed that he had done. He said, "If God will let me live to get there, I'll make that right." And, when he said that, his eyes come open; and this very same Bible, he read chapter after chapter out of it.
He returned to his church and was giving praise. And the pastor told him, "It would have happened anyhow. Why, you just merely got worked up, there was nothing to it. There's nothing to that stuff. It's of the devil!"
I challenge anyone to show me one Scripture where the devil can heal. If you will show me where the devil can heal, I'll prove the devil's your father (that's right), if you'll do that. It's not in the words of God. It cannot be proven. And you might want to try it, you're welcome. But that's been met by bigots and everything else, brother, so don't say that.
Look! And that same man got to (in his heart) believing it. And three months later he was in my services, just as blind as he was in the first place. There you are.

66 So keep out of them isms. Congregate yourself with somebody who believes, associate yourselves. The Bible said, "Yoke yourself not up among unbelievers." "Be ye separated," saith God. Come out! The Bible said, "Come out from among them, and touch not the unclean things, and I will receive you. I'm the Lord who stands in the midst of the church." That's right. Come out! Don't associate with such!
But get yourself among some church, some good church, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Campbellite, whoever it may be, it don't make... Where real true believers are in there, they don't care what the church creed says; they go there to meet with their brothers and sisters and worship God, together. All right.

67 QUESTION: "Last night you spoke of the great multitude that no man could number, from every tribe, nation, that are mentioned in the 7th chapter of Revelation. Did I understand you correctly to say that they are the bride of Christ?" Yes, you understood me, they are the bride.
Now if you'll notice, just exactly in Revelation 7, he saw the hundred and forty-four thousand. Now, I'm not accusing you of this, my brother, but the hundred... Usually a Jehovah Witness is the one that believes that hundred and forty-four thousand will be the bride. And that's an error! John knowed every one of them, and called them by name. They were every one Jews. He said, "Twelve thousand, is Gad; twelve thousand, is Zebulon; twelve thousand, is Benjamin; twelve thousand, is Judah." Is that right? And there's twelve tribes of Israel, and twelve times twelve is a hundred and forty-four thousand. Is that right? He said, "All the children of Israel." John recognized them.

68 Then he looked this way, and he said, "Why, here stood a great multitude that no man could number, of all kindreds, tongues, and nations; stood with white robes, in their hands ... and palms, and waving, and shouting, and singing hosannas to the King." He said, "Who are they?"
He said, "That's the ones that's come out of great tribulation and washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb. They are before God, and they'll serve the Lamb in His temple with Him. Day and night, they'll not leave Him." There's the bride (see), the wife, the Gentile bride.
Remember, the bride is a Gentile. He said, "He will come and take a people out of the Gentiles for His (what sake?) name's sake."
Now, there's a-many young lady in the world. But I've taken one woman, that was Meda Broy, and she's Mrs. William Branham now. She ain't a Broy no more; she's a Branham now, see.
And that's how it is: You take on Jesus Christ and become a bride, members of the bride.

69 QUESTION: "What are the Latin words over the Vatican City? We want to know how they add up to six hundred and sixty-six, and what they mean."
Well, it isn't over ... the Latin ... the Latin words isn't over the Vatican City; it's over the throne of the pope where he sits on his throne. It's wrote up there, "VICARIUS FILII DEI." If you wish to, in the morning, I will bring it wrote out, everything, put it on a piece of paper, and if you want it, why, I will bring it to you in the morning. Where you can spell it out in Roman letters, VICARIUS FILII DEI; the word means "Instead of the Son of God"; he is the successor to the Son of God.
The Catholic church believes that Peter was the first pope, he was the successor of Jesus Christ. Which that's an error! All right. Then they claim that every pope following him is a successor; and the pope now (it is now), is a successor of Jesus Christ. And there it's wrote up over there, "A successor of Jesus Christ, 'VICARIUS FILII DEI,'" wrote on there. Take the Roman letters and just write it (X for ten, V for five, and so forth like that), as you spell "VICARIUS FILII DEI," and draw a line, and you got six hundred and sixty-six. Write it out and find out.

70 Now, I got The Facts Of Our Faith, it's called, the Catholic church, 'cause my people were Irish Catholic. So I know what I'm speaking of, see.
And it absolutely is the truth, that's right, that there... And the Bible said that "He will be sitting in a church, or a place, or a church that sets on seven hills in Rome, and his power will go to all the world. And he's called the antichrist."
And out of that church come forth little churches that was born after that, and said, "She was a whore, and they were harlots that followed her." That's right. There you are. 'Cause they organized in the same thing, and had their creeds and doctrines. Just a little less... Not as powerful as she is, but they still have power. And beast means "power." There you are. So they got... The Catholic's got the biggest power. The Methodists, and then the Presbyterians, and then the Lutherans, and then the Baptists, and then so forth, and on down. Them was little, organized powers, "My church! My church! My church! My church!"
But the true believer says nothing about it; it's, "My Christ! My Christ! My Christ!" That's the difference, you see. How do you know? The Holy Ghost bears witness with signs and wonders.

71 Here's a little one, kind of a little throwback. I hate to read this, but somebody put it up here:
QUESTION: "You asked the reason why this Tabernacle didn't go on. The reason why, is grounds that some of the deacons deny the gift of tongues and healing. We all know that to be truth."
Let me know who he is, while I'm here on this campaign, and that will be quickly removed.

72 QUESTION: "Please explain if a Christian should observe feet-washing, and baptism in the name of Jesus Christ (name) instead of the name of the "Father, Son, and Holy Ghost." Please.
All right. I had about three of those in here that asked that same thing.
Feet-washing, well, I might as well start on that. All right, now you may differ, that's all right. Let me just read a few, just a moment. Or if you want to read it, get St. John, the 13th chapter, just a moment. I want to ask you something here. And listen to what Jesus Christ said, Himself, and then I will take you on over in the Testament and show you it's still observed on. Begin at the 2nd verse:
Now supper being ended, the devil have ... put in the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;
Jesus knowing ... the Father had given all things into his hands, ... He came from God, and He went to God; (He came out of the Spirit, into the flesh, and returned back in the Spirit, see.)
And He riseth from the supper, and laid aside his garments; ... took a towel, ... girded himself.
After that he poureth water into a basin, and begin to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.
Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter said unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?
Jesus ... said unto him, What I do now thou knowest not ... but thou shall know hereafter.
Peter said unto him, Thou shall never wash my feet. Jesus answered and said unto him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. (Oh, could you imagine that! All right.)
Simon ... said to him ... not my feet only, but ... my hands and my head.
And Jesus said unto him, He that is washed ... save ... needs to wash his feet, you're clean every whit: ... but not all.
For he knew who should betray him; therefore he said, You're not all clean.
So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and had set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done unto you?
You call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye ... ought to wash one another's feet.
For I have given you an example, that you should do to one another as I have done unto you.
... happy are ye if ye know these things and do them.

73 Over in II Timothy, Paul said, writing to the church, "Don't let a widow be brought into the church until she has washed the saints' feet." That's right. A feet-washing was observed all through the Bible days. And by God's help, if I keep my right mind, and God helps me, I'll observe it till I die. That's right. It is exactly a commission of Jesus Christ.

74 Now, here's going to be a stinging question:
QUESTION: "Why would a person be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ instead of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?"

75 I got two or three, here's one right here:
QUESTION: "Brother Bill, what is the false baptism that you were speaking of last night, if it is water or Spirit? If it is water, and you said Jesus Christ's name, why did Matthew 28:19 ... it say 'Father, Son, and Holy Ghost'? Please explain."
Now, these are kind of stinging, but I believe I got another one here somewhere, the same thing, oh, it's about three places. I'll try to get to it. Let's see. Will you bear with me for a few minutes? All right. Now, let's just start now and answer these questions. Maybe we can skim through them, and get them maybe (the rest of them) tomorrow, if nothing else at Sunday school, or sometime. But these people perhaps, are asking this, and tomorrow is baptism. Now, whichever way you're baptized, that doesn't matter to me. But I want to tell you the apostolic doctrine of the Bible, see.

76 Now, we found out, last night, that when the Catholic church was organized, that it come out with false communion, saying that when you receive the holy Eucharist, meaning holy communion there, you receive the Holy Ghost. That is not the Holy Ghost, that's a wafer.
The Protestant church shakes hands, puts their names on the book; that's what they call receiving it.
Now, but the real way to receive it was the baptism of the Spirit.

77 And, now, the Catholic church brought out catechism. Luther had it, the Methodist church has it, Episcopalians have it, many of the other ones have it: catechism. Many of the traditions of the Catholic church still hangs on to the Protestant church; which forms her right in with it, according to the Bible.
But there never was a person, ever, in all the pages of the Bible, ever baptized in "the name of the Father, Son, Holy Ghost." There never was a person baptized in "the name of Father, Son, Holy Ghost" until the early Catholic church. It's not in the Bible, nowhere! And if anybody can find a piece in there, and tell me and show me where one person was baptized using "the name of the Father, Son, Holy Ghost," please show me, for I've went through and through and through and through and through it, for twenty-some-odd years now. And it's an error. It's a Catholic creed and not a Bible command.

78 Now, we'll find out why. We're going to your question, dear brother. St. John... I mean, Matthew 28:19. All right, let's go back over. You turn with your Bible with me, so you can read with me. This is the place where it's spoke of. One place in the Bible of...
Didn't Jesus say, "In the mouth of two or three witnesses let every word be established"?
I can take you in the Bible where it said, "Judas Iscariot went and hung himself"; and "You go do likewise."
I can take you to where Jesus said, "When the Son of man (which Himself was) which now is in Heaven shall come again," and standing right here on earth. And said, "The Son of man which now is in Heaven," and standing right here on earth.
You have to know God to know His Word. You can't... No wonder you say, "It contradicts itself. It's confusing." Because God said He wrote it that way to hide it from these scholars and so forth. And let people get humble at the altar, and God will reveal it to you.

79 Now, here's the Scripture, Matthew 28:19, only place in the Bible it ever mentioned these titles:
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Now, the way you're baptized is "In the name of the Father, in the name of the Son, and in the name of the Holy Ghost." That's not even in the Scripture. But it is here, "Teach all nations, baptizing them in the name." Now look right at your Bible and see if that says "in the names" or "in the name."
Now, you say... Now, here not long ago in a meeting, a fellow said, "There's a contradiction in the Bible." Said, "I wish you'd explain it to me. Why did Jesus tell the people to baptize in the name of the Father, Son, Holy Ghost, and Peter turned around and baptized them 'in the name of Jesus Christ,' in Acts 2:38?" Said, "If that don't contradict itself, I don't see a contradiction."
I said, "Just because you haven't sought God right."
He said, "Brother Branham, does it make any difference if I'm baptized this way or that way?" It certainly does, and I'll prove it by the Bible.
What if ... what if Moses... God told Moses, coming up to the bush, said, "Moses, take off your shoes; you're on holy ground."
He said, "Now, Lord, I'm a reverent man. My shoes are a little hard to take off, so I'll just take off my hat." He never said "hat"; He said, "shoes." And what the Bible says is truth. Now, if...

80 Here, this is ten days; this was the ascension. And when Jesus was taken up, He commissioned His disciples to go into all the world and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And ten days later... They went up to Jerusalem, and waited in the upper room until the Holy Ghost come; then when they began to preach and go on... They said, "What can we do to be saved?"
Peter said, "Repent, every one of you, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ." Then he went to the house of Cornelius, he said, "Repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ." He went over and found some people was already baptized, said, "You got to be baptized over again in the name of Jesus Christ." And went down to Samaria and said, "Baptize them in the name of Jesus Christ..."
And not one time was them titles ever called over a person. Never! "Now, there's a contradiction then," you say. No, it's not. Just ask the Holy Spirit now, and watch Him reveal it to you. Open your heart.
Now, don't hold prejudice; if you do, God can't talk to you. But if you won't hold prejudice, say "I'm looking for really truth, Brother Branham."

81 If Jesus told the disciples, "go do this," and they went and done something over here different, and yet God blessed it, and all through the Bible. Now, did they do what Jesus told them not to do? If they did, they disobeyed, and God will never honor disobedience. If He would, He would have honored Eve and stopped the whole thing in the beginning. When God says anything, He's got to keep His Word, He's sovereign. So then either Peter made a mistake...
"Oh," said, "that's what the apostles said." One fellow said, "That's what the apostles said; I'm going to do what Jesus said."
Well, if the apostles did what Jesus told them not to do, then what? And if the apostles which wrote this Bible ... Paul wrote all these, and Paul was the one made them be rebaptized again, and if Paul wrote this, biggest part of this New Testament, then what kind of a Bible have you got written that you're trying to read?

82 Let's just make it just this... Ask real sensible and see what the Word says. Now, this is for education, for you to know the Word of God.
Now, if Peter baptized "in the name of Jesus Christ" after Jesus telling him to baptize "in the name of Father, Son, Holy Ghost," he done contrary to what Jesus said. Is that true? Now, there's got to be something there. Now, let's just find out, and ask the Holy Ghost to show us. Now, the first place: now let's take ... let's take the first Scripture, Matthew 28:19:
Go ye therefore ... teach all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father ... Son ... the Holy Ghost:

83 Look down on your Bible and see if that says "in the names of the Father, and of the Son, and the Holy Ghost." Does it? No, sir. Did it say, "in the name of the Father, in the name of the Son, in the name of the Holy Ghost"? It said, "in the name." Is that right? Well, the "name" was singular. Is that right? Well, which name did He want them to baptize, the name of the Father, or the name of the Son, or the name of the Holy Ghost? He said, "in the name." Well, frankly, there isn't either one of them a name.
How many fathers is in here? Let's see your hand. All right. Which one of you is named Father? Father is not a name; father is a title. How many sons are in here? Sure, every man, every male, they're sons. Well, which one of you is named Son? It's not a name; it's a title. Is that right? It's not a name; it's a title. Well, which one of you is named Human? How many humans is here? All of you. Well, which one of you is named Human? There is no such a thing; that's what you are. The Holy Ghost is not a name; that's what it is. I'm a human. So neither Father, Son, nor Holy Ghost is name"; they're just three titles that goes to one name.

84 Now listen closely. Look here. I'll take this on just like a baby basis. If you said, well, like you was reading a storybook, and it said, "John and Mary lived happy ever after." And you wonder then, "Who is John and Mary?" Well, the only way you'll ever know who John and Mary is, is go back and read the beginning of the story and go through it. Is that right?
Well, if Jesus said here, "Baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost," and Father's no name, and Son's no name, and the Holy Ghost is no name, what ... who is this Fellow? We want to know who He is. Now, the best thing to do... That's the last chapter of Matthew, the last verse. Let's turn back to the first chapter of Matthew and the first verses, and start off, find out who this Father, Son, and Holy Ghost is. Now, I just want to do this for the children, there, so they'll get it also.

85 First thing, is to straighten out you on your trinity: Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Now, in the first place, not one place in the Bible is trinity ever mentioned. You find it and show it to me. There's no such a thing. It's Catholic error, and you Protestants bow to it. Notice, now, what is this? Now, I said this is who? Father. This is who? Son. And this is who? [Congregation says, "Holy Ghost!"] Now, the Father is the father of who? The Son. Is that right? Now, this is Jesus' Father. Don't get them mixed up, now. This here is the Father; this is the Son; and this is the Holy Ghost. Is that right? Now, the people put it, "Three different people, three different Gods, three different personalities." No wonder the Jews can't understand it. All right.

86 Matthew, the first chapter, starts off with genealogies of Jesus Christ, "Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob," so on, down like that till it comes down to the 18th verse:
Now the birth of Jesus Christ...
Here it is, the 18th verse:
Now the birth of Jesus Christ (follow me with your Bible) ... the birth of this man Jesus Christ was on this wise: When ... his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph ... she was found with a child of God, the Father.
Did I read that right? What does it say? [Congregation says, "The Holy Ghost."] Found with a child of who? I thought somebody said this Man was His Father? The Bible said this Man was His Father.
... she was found with a child of the Holy Ghost.
Now what kind of a child you got? As Jesus plainly said God was His Father. Is that right? God is His Father. Well, what's the Holy Ghost got to do with it then? If the Bible said the Holy Ghost was His Father, and Jesus said God was His Father (and you said God was His Father, and now the Bible says it here), if there's two different people, God had nothing to do with it; the Holy Ghost is His Father.

87 Now let's read a little farther:
Joseph her husband, being a just man, was not willingly to make her a public example, but was minded to put her away privily.
But, behold, while he thought on these things, ... the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. (Not God, the Father; God, the Holy Ghost.)
See where your tritheist idea would go to? It would put Jesus a illegitimate child. Certainly. That's an error. No Scripture for that. Now, you'll have to admit that God the Father, God the Holy Ghost, is the same person, or Jesus had two different daddies. Is that right? Of course, it's right. The Bible said, "The Holy Ghost was His father," and the Bible said, "God was His father." Now, which is His father? The Holy Ghost and God is the same Spirit; it's the same thing.
... all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, by the Lord, saying,
... a virgin shall conceive ... and bring forth a child, and they ... (this One)
... and they shall call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
And ... this was all done, that it might be fulfilled...
... and his name shall be called Emmanuel, which is by interpretation, God with us.

88 Now, who is Father, Son, and Holy Ghost? Did Peter do wrong? He done what Jesus told him. That's three titles.
I'm a minister, and I'm a father, and I'm a "Reverend," (they call it---a title), but none of that's my name. My name's William Branham.
He was the Father, He was Son, He was Holy Ghost. You try to make three Gods, friend; it's wrong; it's error.
There's three dispensations that the tritheist got mixed up with. God the Father was the Spirit that hung over the children of Israel in the pillar of fire. Is that right? God was there. Then God was made flesh and dwelt among us (is that right?) in His Son. Now He's condescending down till He's come into the heart of man, by the Holy Spirit.

89 God is like a three-foot rule ... or, a three-foot rule, yes. The first twelve-inches was God the Father; the second twelve-inches, God the Son: the same God; third twelve-inches was God the Holy Ghost: the same God. Jesus said...
You say, "We got the Holy Ghost in us." That's right.
But Jesus said, "A little while, and the world seeth Me no more. Yet you'll see Me, for I..." ("I" is a personal pronoun) I will be with you, even in you, to the end of the world." Where's the Holy Ghost at then? "I will not leave you comfortless; I will come again and be with you." That's it.

90 You see, you misunderstand it then. It's one God in three dispensations. The dispensation of the Fatherhood, Sonship, and Holy Spirit, it's the same God. And when He said, "Go baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit," it was Jesus Christ. And that's why we baptize in Jesus' name.
Now look, let's get the baptisms here. The first time baptism was ever mentioned in the New Testament, was John the Baptist. Is that right? (I'll place this up here.) You see, you have to get your Godhead straightened out before you can get baptism straightened out. That's John the Baptist, first baptism.
Second time baptism was spoke of, was Acts 2:38, where they were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, at the new church. The second place was Cornelius's house ... or, I beg your pardon, Samaritans (Acts 7:48 and 49.) And Acts 10:49 was where he baptized them at the house of Cornelius. And the next time baptism was spoke of, and calling any names or titles, was over in Acts 19:5.

91 Now, when they were baptized at the day of Pentecost, they were baptized (Acts 2:38) in the name of Jesus Christ. Is that right? Write it down, look it up.
The next, Philip went down, two days later, and begin to preach to the Samaritans; and preach to them, and heal the sick, and had a great meeting down there, and baptized them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Peter went down and laid hands on them, they received the Holy Ghost.
Peter went up on the housetop a few days later, was hungry; he saw a vision. God sent him over to the house of Cornelius. And while Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on them, and they begin speaking in tongues and carrying on like they did the first place. Peter said, "They haven't even been baptized yet." So he commanded them, every one, to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

92 Every person in the Bible was baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Paul ... I mean, John's disciples wasn't baptized in the name of Jesus Christ; they were baptized unto repentance. Let's turn over to I Corinthians... I mean, let's turn over to Acts, the 19th chapter, just a moment. And read this just a minute so you'll see, my friends, that it's not ... the Scriptures doesn't contradict itself. Well, look here:
And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul ... passed through the upper coasts of ... Ephesus: he finds certain disciples,
He said unto them, Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed? ... they said ... We know not whether there be any Holy Ghost.
... he said ... then what was you baptized?
"Oh," they said, "we've been baptized."
Said, "How?"
... said, Unto John...
... He said, John only baptized unto repentance, saying ... that you should believe on him who's come ... that is, on the Lord Jesus Christ.
And when they heard this, they were rebaptized in the name of ... Jesus Christ.
... Paul laid his hands upon them, and the Holy Ghost come on them; and they spoke in tongues, and prophesied.
The great Saint Paul...

93 Listen! What if you had been baptized by John the Baptist, the same man that baptized Jesus Christ? A holy man, where Jesus said, "There never was a man born of woman, as great as John the Baptist." He's the chief of all the prophets. He led Jesus out in the water and baptized Him right in Jordan. Brother, if I was baptized by him, I'd feel pretty good about it. Is that right?
But Paul turns around and says, "That won't work now." Said, "You've got to be rebaptized again."
"Oh, we've been immersed, though, Paul! We was immersed by John, right out in the River of Jordan."
He said, "That won't work now. You've got to be baptized again."
"How?"
Said, "John baptized unto repentance. This is for the remission of sins, and no other name under Heaven is given among men, only the name of Jesus Christ." And they had to be rebaptized again in the name of Jesus Christ.
And not one place in the Bible, or all the history for the first six hundred years after the death of the last apostle, did they ever baptize any other way but in the name of Jesus Christ.

94 And go ask any Catholic priest that you want to, ask them who changed that, and see what they tell you. Get the catechism and read it; say, "Sure, some of the Protestants will be saved because they bow to our baptism." They changed it. They said they have the power and authority to do it, and you believe it. That's what they say, that's what they claim, that's what the Protestant church bows to. But, Scripturally, it's absolutely not one ounce of Scripture about it. They had to be baptized over in the name of Jesus Christ.

95 Now listen, quickly now, so we get right... I don't want to hold you too long on these questions. Look, in the day when Jesus come down off the Mount Transfiguration with His disciples, He said, "Who does men say that I am, and what do they say?"
"Some says Thou art John the Baptist, some say You're Elias, some say You're a prophet."
He said, "But who do you say I am?"
And Peter said, "Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God."
He said, "Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona," said, "for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you. You never learned this in some church; you never learned this in some seminary. But My Father has revealed this to you, and upon this rock I will build My church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

96 Now, the Catholic church says, "It was Peter. They had a rock there, and it still lays under the Vatican City" (and that was in Jerusalem ... or, in Palestine). And they said that that was the rock.
The Protestant church says, "It was Peter who they built the church upon." If that's so, it backslid a few days later. That wasn't it.
The church was built upon the divine revelation of God. "Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, Peter, but My Father which is in Heaven has revealed it to you. And upon this rock (spiritual revelation of the Word of God) I will build My church, and the gates of hell will never prevail against it."
That's where I say---Luther, Methodist, and whatever they are, whatever, Pentecostals, and whatever they are, doesn't make a bit of difference---when the church of God moves on, in the power of the inspiration, she will move right on and on and on and on. And no denomination can stop it; nothing in the world will stop it. "Upon this rock I will build My church, and the gates of hell cannot prevail against it." Spiritual, revealed truth!

97 Now watch. Now the next, He says, "And thou art Simon, and I will give unto thee..." because he had the spiritual, revealed truth. That's the reason he knowed the difference between "Father, Son, and Holy Ghost," and "the name of the Lord Jesus Christ." He had a spiritual revelation. That's what you're understanding tonight, where the Holy Spirit is opening it up to us.
He said, "Thou art Simon, and I will give you the keys of the kingdom of Heaven. And whatever you bind on this earth, I will bind it in Heaven. Whatever you loose on this earth, I will loose it in Heaven." Did He say it? St. Matthew, the 16th chapter: "Whatever you bind on earth, I will bind in Heaven. Whatever you loose on earth, I will loose in Heaven. And I will give you the keys to" what? "The kingdom of Heaven." What is the kingdom of Heaven? The Holy Spirit. The Bible said, "The kingdom of Heaven is within you..." I mean, "the kingdom of God," excuse me. "Kingdom is within you."

98 Now He said, "Some standing here won't see death until they see the kingdom of God coming in power." Just a few days later was Pentecost, see. "Some stands here," right in that same thing He was saying, "Some of you stands here... You've been transfigured; You won't see death until you see the kingdom of God coming in power."
The Bible said, "The kingdom is within you." When Jesus rose from the dead, remember, he had on His side the keys of death and hell. Not the keys of the kingdom; that was given to the church. Now, Peter had the keys. Do you believe Jesus would keep His Word? If He doesn't, brother, He wasn't God. That's all. Now, He said, "Peter, I will give you the keys to the kingdom," in other words, "to the Holy Spirit. Whatever you bind on earth, I will bind in Heaven."

99 Now look what an error they made: go out and forgive sins and so forth like that. What an error! Let's see. They put the keys on him. Now, He set his face right straight to Pente... or, right straight to Jerusalem.
He was crucified, died, rose the third day, was on earth forty days among men, ascended up into Heaven. Told them to wait till they seen the kingdom of God come upon them; at this time the Father will restore the kingdom in a spiritual form to them. They went up to the city of Jerusalem and waited there for ten days and nights, and, all of a sudden, the baptism of the Holy Spirit (the kingdom of God) come with power upon them. Is that right?

100 Now watch! Peter, uneducated, couldn't even sign his own name (A pope? Yeah, a pope!) stood up on a little soapbox or something and begin to preach. He said, "You men of Judea and you that dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and hearken unto my words. These are not drunk as you suppose, seeing it's the third hour of the day, but this is that which was spoken of by the prophet Joel. 'It'll come to pass in the last days,' saith God, 'I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh. Your sons and daughters shall prophesy, and on My handmaids and maidservants will I pour out of My Spirit and they shall prophesy. I will show wonders in the heavens above; and the earth below, fire, pillars of fire, and vapors of smoke.'" On he went, speaking of David and so forth.

101 And when these critics stood there, said then, "Men and brethren, what can we do to be saved?"
"Oh, be careful, Peter. You got the keys hanging on now." Is that right? The first Gospel message!
Jesus, a few days before that, before He was crucified, said, "Peter, I give you the keys. Whatever you bind, I'll bind it; whatever you loose, I'll loose it. Now whatever you do, I'll recognize it in Heaven." If He's a Man of His Word, He'll keep His Word.
And here he is sitting here, the Holy Ghost has fell for its first time, and Peter was asked, "What can we do to be saved?"
"Watch out, you're sticking the key into the kingdom for the first time. Jesus told you, a few days ago---it was ten days ago---said, 'Go baptize people in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.' What are you going to do? But He give you the keys because you had a spiritual revelation. 'For My church will be built, and the gates of hell can't prevail against it.'"

102 And take your creeds and dogmas, and whatever you wish to, but it'll fail miserably (it has been), but the power of the Living God shall move on and on into eternity. Like a streak of radium, she moves on (notice) without end.
"Peter, you got the keys. Whatever you do here, God's got to recognize it in Heaven." Is that right? "What do you say, Peter? What can we do to be saved?"
Peter said... Don't go say, "Hail Mary," there's no such a thing, do a novena. Don't come and shake hands and put your name on the church book and have them sprinkle a little water on you; no such a thing. That's Catholic dogma that the Protestant church is bowing to.

103 He didn't say "All of you go... Now, Jesus told me, a few days ago, for all of you to go and be baptized in the name of 'Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.'" Not a man that had spiritual revelation, wouldn't say that.
He said, "Repent, every one of you, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to them that's far off, even as many as the Lord our God shall ever call." That's it. Then the key stuck in and it locked, it locked in Heaven.
That's the reason Paul said to John's disciples, "You've got to be baptized over again in the name of Jesus Christ, to receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost."

104 You didn't know it before, you know it now. Huh! It's all right. That's up to you. That's true. But a tritheist, triune baptism was never recognized in the church, the New Testament; only in the Catholic church. And the Protestant church bows to it. Watch! Many people would fall out with you for that. But, brother, you've got to make your choice.
Now you say, "Brother Branham, I was baptized in the name of the "Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. I got the baptism of the Holy Ghost."
I don't doubt your word. I have no reason at all to doubt your word. I believe it. I believe God give them the Holy Ghost up there before they was baptized at all; but when Peter told them what to do, they went and done it. That's right. Now you know what to do. That's right. And if you refuse to walk in light when light's brought forth, you turn to darkness. Right. Amen. All right. Excuse me. I don't want you to excuse me for hollering "so be it" to God's Word. No, sir. I'll holler "Amen" again. That's right. Yes, sir.
QUESTION: "Why baptize in the name of Jesus Christ, Brother Branham? Why do you do that instead of the "Father, Son, Holy Ghost?" Because the Bible teaches that. That clear?
QUESTION: "Why do you wash feet, Brother Branham?" Because, the Bible teaches that, I believe in the full Gospel.
All right, now: "What is the false baptism that you spoke of?" That's it. That's exactly it. Nowhere... Read back in the Testament and find where one person...

105 Now to you dear people: I'm not hurting your feelings; I don't want to. I ask you to be humble and look at this thing in the face, and see what it looks like. Look at it in the face of the Bible, not in your church or some foolish, silly thing somebody's got puffed up in their head, but look at God's Word. Sure.
Do you think that God Almighty would give me the ministry He's got around like this, with supernatural signs and things which has never been seen since the New Testament, and let me walk in error like that? Certainly not. And, brother, when I come back from overseas, I'm putting the biggest part of my time not on divine healings and miracles but preaching the Word of God. That's exactly right. Truly.

106 QUESTION: Now, let's see: "Does this church teach that you have to speak in tongues to receive the Holy Ghost?"
No, sir. No, we don't. Speaking in tongues is a gift of the Holy Ghost, see, not the Holy Ghost. It's a gift. This tree bears nine manners of fruit. Is that right?
If you look on an apple tree, got apples, you say it's a apple tree. Look on a tree, it's got pears, you say it's a pear tree. No matter if it's got sycamore bark on it, and got pears on it, the life of it is what? The life of it is pear tree life. Is that right?

107 Now, this tree of God bears nine spiritual fruits. Is that right? All right. There's all different... Said, "One is given teach, knowledge, wisdom, understanding, and speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues," nine different spiritual gifts grow on this tree of God. Is that right? Well, now, just speaking in tongues isn't the only one; there's others in there too.
Now, you can speak with tongues and still not have the Holy Ghost. Now, just remember that. I've been right... I've seen witches and wizards come up speaking in tongues, and they ain't got the Holy Ghost. You know, I've seen them come up shouting and jumping, and they ain't got the Holy Ghost. I stood in a corn-dance here not long ago, out in a little piece from Douglas, Arizona, up there. Seen that corn-dance when they have it up there, and that wizard come out there and carried on terribly, and everything, carried on and throwed dirt over him there. That didn't mean he was saved. The man was a witch doctor.

108 I stood in India ... in Africa and seen witch doctors come up and challenge me like that, with their enchantments, and even drunk blood out of a human skull. That's right. You better know what you're talking about when you face that. But I've seen the power of Almighty God bind that man till he couldn't move; so then his eyes blast you like that, and they pack him away. Yes, sir.
Brother, God is real! That's right. But God is a Spirit, not confined only to speaking in tongues or this, that or the other. I say that any man that... That's the trouble in the church here. See, Pentecost went wild on that one thing. They got down to the people, instead of laying hands on them, and them receiving the Holy Ghost, they got them down at the altar and begin to beat them on the back and holler, "Say it! Say it! Say it!" and say a word over and over, till they got confusion and not tongues.

109 If a genuine Holy Ghost person is born of the Spirit of God, he will live a godly life. Some of them men was living horrible lives, and you know that, and their fruits proved that there wasn't. Jesus said, "By their fruits you shall know them." And the fruit of the Spirit is not speaking in tongues; that's a gift of the Spirit.
Peter never said, "Repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, and you shall receive the Holy Ghost"; he said, "Ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost," when they heard these tongues and people speaking. It's one of the Holy Ghost gifts that they received. Amen. All right. Got to hurry.

110 QUESTION: "I have two boys, one's two; and one's five, and they have been sprinkled. Should they be baptized by immersing?"
Well, now, sister or brother, whoever you are, that's up to you. I've got a little girl... My little boy, Billy Paul, was sixteen years old, and I baptized him in the name of the Lord Jesus right here. My little girl's eight years old; she come to me and got up on my lap, and she said, "Daddy, I want to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and I want to be baptized." And I baptized the little girl at eight. When them little kiddies want to be baptized, baptize them. If they not, why, just go ahead; that's up to you, whatever the Lord said.

111 QUESTION: "Will only those who have the baptism of the Holy Ghost be in the rapture of the church, or will all believers be indicated?"
We haven't got time to justify that. But, brother, only the Holy Ghost bride will be in the rapture, see. The Bible strictly... The others won't be lost.
Look! Who's going to judge the earth? Saints. Daniel said, "I saw him come to the Ancient of time, and he came with ten thousands times ten thousands of his saints." Is that right? The rapture, the church had gone on. Then they come down, and the judgment was set.
And the books were opened. Is that right? And another book was opened which was the book of life (the sanctified believer that hadn't received the Holy Ghost).

112 Didn't Jesus teach that ten virgins went out to meet the bridegroom, and five of them...? All of them were virgins, pure, holy. And these went to sleep and didn't get the Holy Ghost; and these got the Holy Ghost and had oil in their lamp. And when the bridegroom come, the voice come, shouting, they said, "Oh, let us go. And give us some of your oil."
He said, "Go to them and buy (pray up), get it now." But they couldn't. And while they was gone, the virgins went into the wedding supper. And they were cast into outer darkness where they were weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. Didn't Revelations, last night, in the 12th chapter (night before last) teach that the red dragon spurted water out of his mouth to make war with the remnant of the woman's seed, that had faith in God and kept the commandments of Jesus Christ?

113 To you women, you lay down a pattern. It's a nice piece of goods, the same goods in it, but you take like this and lay your pattern just the way that you're going to cut it. And then you cut it. That's up to you. But you take the goods that you cut, to make your garment out of, and the rest of it is used. It's just as good a goods as the rest of it, but by election you have chose that. Is that right? The rest of it is just as holy and just as good, and just as expensive as the rest of it, but that was your choice.
And God has promised that we are going in the rapture by election! And the Bible said, "And the rest of the dead lived not for one thousand years." Is that right? So only... You'll not be lost, but the Holy Ghost filled bride will go in the rapture. The rest of them will come through judgment; while they didn't.

114 QUESTION: "If you are supposed to be baptized in Jesus' name, why would Jesus say in Matthew 28, "Be baptized in the name of the Father, Son, Holy Ghost?" That's just what I just got through explaining, that one.

115 All right, are you getting tired? I know you are. But...
QUESTION: "Doesn't God have respect for the baptism of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost? Isn't there people being baptized in the name, in these names, have received the Holy Spirit? Did Jesus come to glorify the Father? Wouldn't this baptism be recognized?"
Yes, Jesus came to glorify the Father. Look. In St. John the 14th chapter... I'm just about... I've got... If you'll just wait just about three more, we'll have it over, I believe. Look, and then we get some new ones tomorrow, then... 'Cause I'll really get some back from tonight, I believe. Notice... This is church, though; this we're going on.

116 Look, Jesus come to manifest the Father. Look, in the beginning, God made man in His own image. Is that right? Well, what is God? A Spirit. St. John the 4th chapter, Jesus speaking to the woman at the well, He said, "God is a Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth." Is that right? If God made man in His own image, what kind of man did He make then? A spirit man.
In Genesis 2, there was no man to till the soil, and God made man out of the dust of the earth; not in His image, but in the image of animal life. And he put the spirit of man in this animal man here, and he become a living soul. Now, that's the difference between a man and an animal. The animal don't build automobiles, and he doesn't do things like that to help his living and so forth like that. He's an animal, dumb brute; he hasn't got a soul. He can't read and write; he can't talk, speak; he's a dumb brute. But a man is in flesh like a brute, but he's got a soul of God in him what makes him immortal. And he can invent; look what he can do. He's almost on equal with God, because he's a son of God; even in his fallen estate, He's wonderful. Look at him, see. That's it.

117 Then when man fell in flesh... And if God sent another individual besides Himself down, He was unjust. The only way God could justly do it was take the man's place Himself.
What if I made Brother Neville die for this woman here? What if I made this woman die for this woman here, if it had been that I had the rule over you? I could not be just and do that. If I pronounced death, and want you to live, I've got to take your place to justify you.
And then God who was in the image of Spirit ... without image, rather; the Bible said God's without form. All right. Then God had to take on form, and He overshadowed a virgin and created in her a blood cell, without sexual anything to do with it, and created a blood cell that developed into the Son of God. And God came down and dwelt in His Son, Christ Jesus, making Him God on earth.
When St. John... Thomas said, "Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us."
He said, "I've been so long with you and you don't know Me?" He said, "Why sayest thou, 'Show us the Father'?" Why, He said, "When you see me you see the Father. I and my Father are one. My Father dwelleth in me."

118 A lady, here not long ago---I was talking there---jumped up, said, "O Brother Branham," said, "I know what you mean. They are one; sure, they're one." Said, "You and your wife are one, too. That's the kind of one they are."
I said, "I beg your pardon." I said, "They're not." I said, "Do you see me?"
Said, "Sure."
I said, "Do you see my wife?"
Said, "No."
And I said, "Then there's a different kind of 'one' than what me and my wife are," see. I said, "That's right."
Jesus said, "You can't see me without seeing the Father." Certainly not. It's the second part of the three-foot rule, the same rule. It's God. Jesus Christ was either God or the greatest deceiver the world ever had.

119 Listen. A woman said to me not long ago, said, "I'll prove to you..."---a Christian Science woman. Now, Christian Science friend, be reverent just a minute, see. They said, "I'll prove to you that He wasn't nothing but a man." Said, "You put too much bragging on Jesus."
I said, "If I brag day and night I could not give Him what's coming to Him." I said, "No wonder..."
Why, Isaiah tried to name Him, he said, "He's Wonderful, Counsellor, Prince of Peace, Mighty God, everlasting Father." All that. "He's Alpha, Omega, the beginning and the ending"; "the Root and Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star"; "Father, Son, and Holy Ghost." "In Him dwelt the fullness of the Godhead bodily," said the Bible. The fullness of God was in Him.

120 She said, "I'll tell you, when He went down to pray for Lazarus, to raise Lazarus up." Said, "I'll prove to you He was just a man."
I said, "Let's see you do it."
Said, "The Bible said He wept. And that proves that He was a man: He could weep,"
I said, "Sure. That was the Son that was weeping."
He was a God-man. He was a triune being just like I am, you are; we're soul, body, and spirit. He was Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, in the Deity of God; that's who He was. He was Deity Himself! How could He do anything there when His own children crying for His blood? If it had been someone else... That was His own children crying for His blood; no wonder He wept for them. How would a man ... and His own kids crying for His blood, how could He feel? Either condemn them to hell forever, or give His life; He was God giving His life for His children! Deity dwelt in Him. That's who He was.
The woman said, "Looky." Said, "Reverend Branham, I will prove to you. When He wept, it proved He was a man."

121 I said, "Lady, He was a man when He was pray... when He was weeping, that's right. He was a man when He was weeping, but when He straightened His little frail body up and said to a man that had been dead four days, 'Lazarus, come forth,' and a man that had been dead four days, and rotten, and the skin worms crawling through him... Corruption knew its Master, and the soul knew its Creator. And a man had been dead four days stood on his feet and lived again! That was more than a man."
He was a man when He come down off the mountain that night, hungry, looking around over a tree for something to eat. He was a man when He was looking there for something to eat on that fig tree. But when He took five biscuits and two pieces of fish and fed five thousand, that was more than a man! That was God in there! The one Creator who could take cooked fish and break it off and it was still cooked fish, took baked bread and broke it off, what kind of an atom did He let loose? Hallelujah! He was God, the Creator of atoms and all things! That was more than a man!

122 He was a man when He was out on that boat that night after preaching all day and healing the sick, so tired, till ten thousand devils of the sea swore they would drown Him. That little old boat out there bumping around like a bottle-stopper, the great waves a-flashing from place to place, and Him laying, so tired till the waves didn't wake Him up. The devils was a-roaring, said, "We'll get Him now while He's asleep." But, when He woke up there, He was a man. He was so tired. But, when He put His foot on the brail of the boat, and said, "Peace, be still!" and the winds and the waves obeyed Him, that was more than a man! That was God, the Creator who made the Heavens!
No wonder the apostle said, "What manner of man is this that even the winds and the waves obey him?"

123 That was more than a man. That was God. He was a man when He was tacked at the cross as a sacrifice to take away sin. He was a man with nails drove in His hand. He was a man with thorns over His head. He was a man with mockery soldiers spit on Him. He was a man was bruised, striped, and wounded. He was a man! He was a man when He cried, "My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" He was a man crying for help. But on Easter morning when the seals of death broke loose at the tomb, that was more than a man! He proved He was God!
Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
Rising, He justified freely forever:
Someday He's coming, O glorious day!
Oh, mid rendering rocks and darkening skies,
My Saviour bowed His head and died;
The opening veil revealed the way
To Heaven's joys and endless day,
No wonder Eddie Pruitt screamed out:
All hail the power of Jesus' name!
Let angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem,
And crown Him Lord of all.

124 That's that great Person, the Lord Jesus. He was Jehovah, God enveiled in flesh. The Bible said, "Whatever you do in word and deed, do it all in His name." The Bible said, "The whole family in Heaven is named 'Jesus,' and the whole family on earth is named 'Jesus.'" Let's pray in His name, live in His name, teach in His name, die in His name, be buried in His name, baptized in His name, resurrect in His name, go to Heaven in His name. That's His name, and His bride is named "Mrs. Jesus." He will take a people out of the Gentiles for His name's sake.
And I'm not a Oneness. No, sir. You trinitarian people, get that away from you. I am not a Oneness. No, sir. I'm not a Oneness, neither a trinitarian. I believe what the Bible says. That's correctly. Amen. Whew! I get too much on one. What was that? Did I get it out? Let's see, what was it? Oh, yes, that's right, about how the Father was in Christ. He was a man; He was a God-man.

125 QUESTION: "Does not the Pentecostal church baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost?"
Some of them.

126 QUESTION: "If a person dies without the baptism of the Holy Ghost, will he be lost?"
No, sir. If he's a believer, he will come in the resurrection, the second resurrection. If he's got the baptism, he will go in the first resurrection. Now, you have to almost take my word. If that ain't satisfying, then you ask me; I'll give you Scripture for it. I'm trying to get this two or three more here, then we're finished.

127 QUESTION: "Brother Bill, does the Bible say anything about gambling?"
Yes, it does, but I can't call it right now. I know the soldiers gambled for His garments, and so forth like that, but I can't say.

128 QUESTION: "Will you explain I Corinthians 15:29?"
Get it for me in there, if you will, Brother Neville: I Corinthians 15:29. We'll get it.
Now, maybe tomorrow I can get that for you again. Like that letter, how it's spelled out, "VICARIUS FILII DEI." If you desire it, let me know.

129 QUESTION: "Will the prophecy of Ezekiel 38 and 39 be fulfilled before the rapture?"
I think not. I think the next thing we look for is the rapture of the church. And then that, when Gog and Magog comes down is the Russian armies who comes in after...
Look! Mr. Bohannon used to be the superintendent here in the Public Service Company, a very fine Christian man. And he talked to me one day, he said, "Billy, I tried to read, and I tried to ask my pastor to explain Revelation." Said, "We got over there and we got it all mixed up." Said, "John must have been eating something that night and had a dream."
I said, "Mr. Bohannon, shame on you."
He said, "Well, no one can understand that."
I said, "Not no natural man, but the Holy Spirit can reveal it."
He said, "Well, looky here, Billy." He said, "The bride was standing on Mount Sinai. And here was the water spurted out of the mouth where the dragon was making war with the bride. And the bride was in Heaven at the same time. Figure that out."

130 I said, "Mr. Bohannon, the only thing that you got, you got three different things mixed up, calling it the bride. You're calling the hundred and forty-four thousand who stood with the Lamb on Mount Sinai, the bride. They were not. You're calling the ones... Spurted the water out of his mouth to make war with the remnant of the woman's seed which was not the bride; that was what was left. The bride was in Heaven; the hundred and forty-four thousand there; and the nominal Christian going here to the persecution. That's right."

131 Read, brother, now, if you have it.
[Brother Neville reads I Corinthians 15:29]:
Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?
Now, my brethren, there's one people that believes that. They baptize for the dead; that's the Mormons. And I've been in their temples many times, they are very fine people, you may be a Mormon. Now, I am not trying to hurt your feelings.
But, my dear friend, you can't be baptized for your father. That's a act he had to do. The way the tree leans, that's the way it falls.
Paul speaking here was talking about the dead in Jesus Christ. If the dead rise not, why are you baptizing in Jesus Christ's name then, if the dead rise not? See what I mean? Then you're... "Let us eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die." If the dead raise not.
But, he goes ahead and glorifies God for the resurrection of the dead. And we're baptized to Jesus Christ, unto His death, burial, and resurrection. That's why we're baptized unto the dead.

132 All right. I believe now, this is just about one more after this one.
QUESTION: "Brother Bill, please tell me how to obtain the baptism of the Holy Ghost? Is it by prayer, surrendered life, accepting it as we do healing? I know what it is to have faith for healing when you prayed for me here. Do you pray and lay hands on for the baptism of the Holy Ghost? I was baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Please tell me if I should be rebaptized in the name of Jesus, as you spoke recently."
Now, my dear Christian friend, I'm not telling you what to do. I'm only laying the Scripture down. And you know how the Holy Ghost can come right now while we're speaking. The Holy Ghost is a gift of God, see. That's a gift of God; it could come while we're speaking. And I tell you, if the people were taught right...
Some of you old-timers here, let me ask you something. You old-timers that's in the Tabernacle, watch when I baptize people, and you ministers take this for an example. I taught those people till they had that life cleaned up before they went to that water. And I had them believing that God was obligated to keep His promise. As soon as they were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit was right there to receive it; and when they come up out of the water, they received the Holy Ghost. That's right.
If you just... Shepherds, teach your sheep, get them in the Bible here. Get away from that old textbook of some church and get down here in the Bible where God talked, and you won't have those troubles.
Yes, laying on of hands is how we can receive the Holy Ghost, by some anointed person laying on of hands.

133 QUESTION: "Brother Bill, is it out of order for someone to get up and give messages in tongues while the preacher is giving out the Word?"

134 This person's got three questions here, and the other one is:
QUESTION: "Also, is it out of order to do likewise when the altar call is being made?"

135 Third one:
QUESTION: "Also, is it out of order for someone to stand up in church and reprove a minister for something he has said or done during service, and him behind the sacred desk? All these things has been done at the Tabernacle several times."
Now, let me get to this right quick now; this pertains to the church now. Now, to you strangers in our gates, I've got to give the church a little spanking now, so you just kind of hold off for a minute, if you will.
Listen, my children. Those gifts are wonderful. Nobody knows how I appreciate you, and I love you with godly love. But those gifts can be harm to you if you don't use them in the right place.
Look at people today, fine men out on the field, praying for the sick and charging money for it. That's wrong. If a man's got faith for healing and praying for the sick, he ought to be gentleman enough to pray for people without money. Thank God. Brother, I want to say that, not for myself, but for the glory of God, not one time have I ever taken money from people or anything like that; and turned down, literally, a million, five hundred thousand dollars, in one offering. And you know it. It was right here at the paper, see. That's right. It's not for... When you do that, you're going to lose your faith out yonder with God.

136 Now, you people that speak with tongues and has got gifts of tongues, God bless you. You're needed in this Tabernacle. I want you here. But, now, the thing is in order; don't never do it while the preacher's preaching. If you do, you're out of order, see. You mustn't do it. For the Bible said, "The spirit of the prophets is subject to the prophet." And when a man is preaching, he's got the floor, he's got the audience, the Holy Spirit's going to speak through him. When he's finished, then's the time for the message, you see. So don't get out of order; if you do, then you interrupt and you grieve the Holy Spirit with the message that's going forth.

137 Here not long ago, I was in a meeting up here somewhere in Washington; many thousand people were sitting there. And my manager, which is a real Bible expositor, he was standing there speaking on divine healing, anointed, the Holy Spirit was speaking. A lady raised up and begin to speak with tongues, and he waited just a moment, then he started on. The Holy Spirit begin ... grieved, you could see it amongst the people. He started to speak again, and she raised up; and he said, "Sister, sit down, in the name of the Lord." Said, "You're out of order." And the ministers took her over there and let her know.

138 Now, what it is: Those gifts are in the world; they're in the church now. The gifts are in the church, but the poor little children get those gifts and don't have the teaching to know how to control it. If you'd miscontrol it, you'll do more damage than you will good, see.
Just like a man going out, praying for the sick and somebody getting healed, say, "Now, you ought to give me a thousand dollars for it." Now, he's done more damage than he has good. Been better if the man went ahead and died instead of bringing such reproach upon the cause of Christ.

139 Now, when the pastor or the evangelist, or whoever it is, is preaching, hold your peace. Paul said to do that, you see. Now, and then he said, "You may all speak, one by one." That's true enough. And he said, "I would that you all speak with tongues. That's good."
But you can't speak with tongues unless you have the gift of tongues. And no doubt at all but what there's many gifts of that in this church now. There's many gifts of it over here in the Methodist church, there's many of it over here in the Baptist church, if it was only preached so the gift could go to operating.

140 If you put seed in the ground and don't cultivate it, what's going to happen to it, see? It will lay there in dry dust, and rot; it'll do no good. These gifts have been in the church all along, but just now the water's begin to fall, the Pentecostal rain, to water it and bring forth fruit. Now, use it in the right place.
Now, it says, well, I believe the next question was there, the person asked, said:
When you're giving an altar call?
No, I wouldn't think then. If you noticed, and take Corinthians and read it, there's some of you here, if you got gifts of speaking in tongues, then you watch. In the Bible, when they had ... after the service was over, the blessing of God come down upon the congregation, then they begin to speak, then they begin to magnify God. And, every time, it was a direct message to somebody. Not... You have to watch that now, see. It isn't just something in fleshly. It'll be a message to somebody, for somebody to do something, or something to edify the church. It'll be something to glorify the church.

141 There's where the Pentecostal people has brought reproach to their name. The very name "Pentecost," you can mention it and the people will just walk away and say, "Nonsense," because they seen a lot of carrying on, which the people being in sincerity but wasn't taught.
Paul said, "When I come to the Pentecostal church over there," said, "I'll set it in order." It's got to be in order, and everything must be done orderly, just as the Spirit ordered. So he said, "Now, if you come in, and all of you begin to speak in tongues; and the unlearned comes in, he will say, 'Well, aren't you all mad?' and walked out."
That's just what the Pentecostal church did. He said, "Now," and said, "if one of you prophesy and reveals the secrets of something, one of you be a prophet," in other words, he said, "then won't the people fall down and say 'God is with you'?"

142 Well, how could I deny the gift of speaking in tongues when I'd have to deny the gift of prophecy, I'd have to deny these other gifts? Now, most of the churches, the big churches, the Nazarene, Pilgrim Holiness, and so forth, they think if a man speaks in tongues he's a devil. That's blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, which there's no forgiveness. That's what the Jews done: made fun of the people with the Holy Ghost, and were condemned and lost for it. Correct. Jesus said, "If you speak one word against the Holy Ghost, it'll never be forgiven you in this world or the world to come." So, be careful. If you don't understand, sit still.

143 And you people who's got the Holy Ghost and called into offices, teachers... Now, could you imagine, here's me standing here trying to teach, and here jump a man up, side of me, and start teaching right at the same time, another man standing out here singing a jubilee song? Well, what a confusion!
Well, that's the way it is about speaking in tongues. Let it come orderly, just as the Spirit will give it, you can speak with tongues.
Now you say, "Well, Brother Branham, I can't help it."
Oh, yes, you can. Paul said you could. He said, "If there be one of you among you who speaks with tongues and there be no interpreter, let him hold his peace." No matter how much it wants to speak, hold your peace. That's a gift, brother. I pray, God let me have a revival here some of these days where we can get into them things for you, see. Where you can see it's a gift, and that gift wants to operate all the time, see. But you've got to have the wisdom of the Holy Spirit here to know when and how to operate that gift.

144 You say, "Well, glory to God, the Bible said when the Holy Ghost is come you don't need any teacher; He's the teacher Himself." Oh, brother! How can you be so little to read the Scripture? Why did the Holy Ghost set teachers in the church, then?
Say, "I don't have to have anybody teach me; the Holy Ghost teaches me." It does, through a teacher. He set teachers in the church.
He said, "Are all teachers, are all apostles, are all gifts of healing?" The Holy Ghost set these things in the church: He operates them all, and each one of them operates orderly.

145 Now, it's just like my foot; one of them say, "I'm going this way," the other one say, "I'm going back this way." Now, what are you going to do? The hand said, "I'm going to go up," and the other one's going around this way. What kind of a shape is the body going to get into, see?
But, now, if the mind here says, "Foot, Move forward, both of you. Hand, you go with them. Head, you stay straight. Arms, you do the same," everything walking in harmony. Now, when I get there, I haven't used my arms. Now, the foot's done its duty; the pastor's through preaching; now, arms, you do your duty, see. See what I mean?
Well, what if the arms was reaching out like this, "Oh, where's it at? Where's it at?" And you keep reaching for it, see, you're not there yet, see. Hold your peace, arm. It'll be time for you to be used after while; wait till you get over there. See what I mean? That's the gift, that's the gift of the Spirit in operation.

146 I love the Lord. Don't you? Amen. Listen, I know one thing I can say for you: You sure got patience; twenty minutes after ten. Now, friends, look, like this now. These is the best of my knowledge. I have to hurry through a big bunch of them like that. If you don't agree with that, don't fall out with me. You be my brother, see. I love you, and I only say these things because that is in my heart. That's what I believe, and that's the way I explain it, and that's the way I bring it, is from the Bible.
Now, if you say, "Brother Branham, I just don't believe it that way," that'll be perfectly all right, see. We'll never think any difference, we'll just go right ahead as brothers and friends.

147 And if you say, "Well, I believe if I belong to the Methodist church or Baptist church, I'll be saved anyhow." All right, brother, that's perfectly all right. I'm still calling you "my brother," because you believe Jesus Christ, see. That's right. So we're going to be brothers and friends just the same.
But I'm just laying down to this church, this few days here, the doctrine that this church stands for, see. That's what the church stands for. And if there's a deacon here that doesn't believe in the baptism in Jesus Christ's name, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit, or the gifts of the Spirit being manifest, that deacon, right here while I'm standing here, doesn't deserve to be in the church until he gets made right. That's exactly right. And the board ought to see to that. Exactly. This church is not controlled by deacons; this church is controlled by the Bible and the Holy Ghost, alone. Yes, sir. Now, so them things, we believe that's the doctrine of this church.

148 We don't have any membership at all. There's nobody a member here, but everybody comes is a member, for we believe that we're all members of one body by the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
And we constrain you, my dear Christian brother or sister, to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ and receive the Holy Ghost. If you've already received the Holy Ghost, after you have been baptized in the name of the Father, Son, Holy Ghost, God bless you. You say, "Brother Branham, what should I do about it?" The question was answered. I can only say like Paul said: You must be baptized over.
Now, look here, Acts... Let's read this: Galatians 1:9. Write it down, you that's writing it up. Paul said... This same man that said this, he taught this saying. You believe that now? Is that right? Paul told them they had to be rebaptized again in the name of Jesus Christ.
And Paul said, "If an angel from Heaven..." Galatians 1:8: "If an angel from heaven would teach you anything else besides this, let him be unto you accursed." If he's a archbishop, if he's a pope, if he's a minister, if he's a prophet, if he's a reverend, if he's an angel from heaven, or whoever it may be, he said, "If they teach anything else besides this, let him be unto you accursed." Is that right? And he repeated it again. He says, "As I have said, so say I again: If they teach anything else but this, let him be accursed." Is that right?
So the Lord bless you. I read it from the Word, and you make your decision.

149 Now, how many loves that good old song:
My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Saviour divine;
Now hear me while I pray,
Take all my guilt away,
And let me from this day
Be wholly Thine!
I want to ask you something, you in this church. As a dying man preaching to dying men, realizing that this may be the last sermon I ever preach; and I try to preach every sermon that I do, like it was my last one, as a dying man to dying men. I ask you, my brethren, and my fellow-citizens of this community and country, do you really feel that you need a closer walk with God after these services? God bless you. I, as your brother, speaking to you, my sincere prayer is to you, that you will receive this closer walk with God.

150 And may, at the day of judgment, when these nights that I've been preaching, there'll be as a great tape recording played on that day, and my voice will come out, and I'll have to stand there and give an account, for my words will either bless me or condemn me at that day. And that's been my words for the last twenty-some-odd-years, as a little boy of about twenty years old, preaching the Gospel, and I'm forty-five now. And I've never changed it a bit, because I couldn't change it as long as the Bible stays that way.
I've rooted it into bishops and everything else, and I've never seen one yet that could speak contrary to it, according to the Word. They say... Well, now, I... This priest, here a few days ago, he said, "Reverend Branham, we don't take the Bible; it's the church to us." So you can't talk to that man. But if you're going to base it on the Bible, that's different, see.

151 I pray that God will... Every one of my Catholic friends in here, and every one of my Protestant friends, and even... They're no more... If any... I just love every one of you. God knows whether that's true or not. Watch in the prayer line, when the blind and lame, it doesn't say, "Catholic."
Here sits a man right here on the plat... right here, a Catholic, dying with cancer, eat up; he come to my house, and the Holy Spirit come upon him, healed him of that cancer. He never told him whether he was Catholic or not; I never said a word to him. He come over and was baptized in the name of Jesus Christ and received the Holy Ghost. There sits the man right there, a businessman in Louisville, see.
He don't ask whether you're a Catholic or not; it's whether your heart is hungering after God. "Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled." Is that right? Amen. The Lord bless you.

152 How many knows this good old song, Blest Be The Tie That Binds? How many people here over forty years old, raise your hands with me and say, "I remember the old song, from forty years, Blest Be The Tie That Binds"?
Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love;
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above.
Don't you like them old songs? Listen, I want to say this: If we had more of those old songs instead of so much of this carrying on that we do have, I believe the church would be better off. I like those good, old songs that was penned by the Holy Spirit, them old-timers.

153 I used to remember an old colored man, used to sit out behind the house, down there in the mountains of Kentucky. When he'd get weary, he'd sit on that old log and he'd beat his hands on the log. I remember him just as well ... had a little rim of white hair around his head. He'd sing that old song, you know the song:
I will arise and go to Jesus,
He will embrace me in His arms;
In the arms of my dear Saviour,
Oh, there are ten thousand charms.
Not much melody to it. How many ever heard that old song? My. That's fine. Listen...

Questions and Answers

You can find this sermon at ChurchAges.net

1 One said in the Old Testament, "I was happy when they said unto us, 'Let's go to the house of the Lord.'"
And now, it's indeed a hot evening. And to you visitors that's with us, you can see why Indiana's hard to live down here around in this swamp. I tell you, it's only 93 at that, 93. So you see, when you get down around 120 like it is in Louisiana and Arizona, you can realize what it is then, how you really get in. If that was here, we'd just perish, that would be all. But it's good to be here to put in this time of worship.
After I went home this morning, I just felt real, real good about... I believe that many were healed this morning that don't realize it, maybe, to this time, but they'll get well; because the Word of the Lord was precious this morning to our hearts.
I was just... When I started to leave, it looked like this walls were almost breathing with the ... kind of inflating with the Holy Spirit so in here. And I was so happy for that.

2 I was hearing Brother Smith, my friend, pray just a few moments ago, the pastor of the Church of God, Anderson. And Brother Smith has a little tract, I don't guess we've give them out here at the Tabernacle. If any of you haven't got that little tract, you read it. That's astounding little tract; it's absolutely the Scriptural truth. And I taken a many of them to Chicago and different places to distribute them, because they are really a truthful, wonderful tract. And I know they were wrote from a heart that's loyal and loves God. No selfish motive behind Brother Smith, just all Christian. So we are happy to be associated tonight with people of that caliber.

3 I believe I see my good friend, Brother Borders, here from up in California. And he done a great job for me just recently---for the Lord---up in there ... beginning the San Jose meeting together. I hope you'll do as good a job on the next one coming, Brother Borders. And I like Brother Borders, because I find in him a meek, gentle spirit. And I think that's a great price. I think a man that has that type of spirit ought to be very happy.

4 There's so many others in here, that I just can't numerate who they are. I see Brother Collins back there, our brother, then other ministers, and our good friend Brother Sothmann, his family, from Northern Saskatchewan. And I know Brother Evans is here; I haven't seen him as yet, but I seen his family, from down in Georgia. And there's Brother Palmer there from down in Georgia, and Brother West, I believe, from Alabama or Georgia. Where you from, Brother West? Oh, Huntsville. And then... Oh, we're just happy to see all you in here.
And now, Brother Lyle, back there, Wood, from up in northern Indiana, and his loved ones. And I think Brother Charlie's here, my old partner---hunting partner from down in Kentucky (second the best squirrel hunter in Kentucky, second the best squirrel hunter. He will make me pay for that. All right!) and his wife and family. And to all of you, Christian greetings.
A little brother here, I can't think of his name---here, different ones. But you all know that I sure appreciate you coming out tonight to worship with us at the tabernacle.

5 And now, tonight is an unusual night at the tabernacle, because it's question-and-answer night. And that usually comes about once every year or two. And the reason I do that, is to keep in mind what's on the people's mind, so that I know just what their questions is. Have everybody just throw a question in, and then answer it from the platform.

6 Now, in this I didn't get... I thought it would be very strong, but I got just a very few questions. So it won't take us long to answer them. I was thinking I'd get a whole tray full, but just a very few and very simple. But some of them pertain to doctrine.
And in this doctrine I will have to answer the question of the people, not knowing who they were (because many didn't put their names on the questions); and therefore, I will have to answer it according to the doctrine that we stand for at the tabernacle. And by doing that... And if it happens to kind of cross up a little wire on some of our visiting brethren or sisters, we wouldn't have that done for nothing. We don't believe in anyone fussing over just little Scriptural points. We believe that Christ died to save us all, and we're all saved through His blood.

7 But as a church and as a people, a congregation, we have to have a doctrine that we stand for in order to be a church. And this doctrine that we stand for, is the best of our knowledge to the Word of God, the truth of God. Now, you have a perfect right to look at it a different way if you wish to. And therefore, if I...

8 Someone asking questions here... Couple of them are rather steep. And I'd answer now just the best that I know.
Now, here's the way I try to handle a question. A question... If... A person can take just one Scripture and could almost make it say anything you want it to say. But the Scripture, every Scripture, is the truth. And it's so perfect, until the infinite God who spoke the Scripture, it's so perfect that it never has an ending. So therefore, it will travel from Genesis to Revelation, the same thing. It'll never vary. And then, if the Bible is the inspired Word of God, it'll never cross itself up no place. It'll go all the way through the Scripture.
Now, many times... As I was rather a little rude this morning in preaching Samson and Delilah and a church in worldliness, but I don't mean to be rude, but I mean to be honest, just as honest as my convictions is.

9 Now, in the Scriptures, them being the infallible Word of God, I believe that there's only one thing that can rightly interpret the Scripture, that is the Holy Spirit. I believe that's the... And the Holy Spirit Who wrote the Scriptures, and said, "They are of no private interpretation..." Therefore, if it'll run all the way through the Scriptures, it must be the same Holy Spirit then, all the way through, to interpret it.
But now, many people in their churches and their faiths, have differences, little something that they hold on to that might be just a little contrary. If they are, just do it like I do when I'm eating cherry pie: I never eat the seed; when I hit a seed, I just throw the seed out and continue eating pie. So that's what you do.

10 I see our Sister Wooten has her little baby standing there. If he's hot, Sister, and you don't have a seat, I wonder if one of our brethren couldn't take a seat from the inside and set it back there by the fan so Sister can have a cool place to sit down. We'd be glad to do that, I'm sure, any of these brothers... The fan back there, Sister, right ... blowing this way and there's a seat. If you want to use it, you just go right ahead.
Now, any of you brethren that wish to take off your coats, just go right ahead, make yourself feel well and happy.

11 Now, I'm going to ask the body, that if they will pray for me. This next week I have to go to California, all the way over there, for one night of service. Just one night to preach at the Christian Businessmen's International Convention. But they've advertised it, and we're expecting many thousands of people to be there. And I would not want to disappoint them. And I told them I would come if I didn't be in Australia at this time, which I was scheduled to be. So pray for us.

12 And any of you dear pilgrims of this earth that's on your vacation from your daily tasks and would like to be in one of the meetings, there will be a three days' service at Cleveland, Tennessee, the Church of God. I think that's the Pentecostal Church of God, Tomlinson move. Brother Littlefield, David Littlefield, is pastor, a very fine Christian gentleman. He's a Yankee from the North, from Bangor, Maine, but a real Christian, fine brother.
And so, if you're in your journey and would like to come up, perhaps Monday night will be the dedication of the huge, big tabernacle that they've built. And then, Tuesday and Wednesday night of next week, the Lord willing---not this coming week, the following week---will be healing services, which will be 6th, 7th, and 8th.
Now, before we open the Word, I would like if we would bow our heads just a moment for prayer.

13 Lord God, precious Father of us all, who brought again the Lord Jesus from the dead and has presented Him to us in the form of the Holy Spirit. After being crucified, died, buried, rose on the third day, and ascended into glory, where now sitting at the right hand of the Majesty on high, ever living to make intercession, a High Priest that can be touched by the feeling of our infirmities and knows even the tiniest sparrow that would fall to the street; how could He ever pass by the loyalty of His children sitting tonight in this hot building just to hear the Word? I'm sure, Lord God, if we didn't even ask, that You would pour out Your blessings upon them for their gallantry of standing by their post of duty tonight.
There are visitors here, Lord; we pray for them and their churches. There are ordained ministers of the gospel---ordained of God---sitting present, who's far more sufficient to answer these questions than I. And I pray, Lord God, that You'll let the Holy Spirit come to us tonight and give us the right things to say, that would bring joy unspeakable and full of glory to our hearts as we sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, studying the Scriptures without prejudice, without any ill feelings, but only to know what is truth and to worship the truth. Grant it, Lord.

14 We would ask to bless our dear Pastor, Brother Neville, who's stood gallantly at the post of duty year after year through the hot and cold to herd and to pasture the sheep of the flock that gathers here. Pray that Your Spirit be upon him, help him. And bless all that's connected with the tabernacle. And soon, Lord, if it be Your will, we expect a lovely, big tabernacle standing here on the corner where we can have a school, that we might school young ministers and send them to the four corners of the earth to earnestly contend for the faith that was once delivered to the saints.
Lord, we're getting old, myself, and soon I must pass the Bible back into the hands of someone else. Help us, Lord, in this effort. Answer our questions tonight by the Holy Spirit, as we trust in Him, for we ask it in the name of Jesus, Thy Son. Amen.

15 I know it's awfully hot, but I never like to pass by a question until I think I have did justly before God to answer it. Now, we don't have very many; I never counted them, just a very few. But it could be that we might not get to all of them, but we want to if possible. I'm going to ask this little girl in pink sitting here... Come here, Honey. I believe that's Brother Beeler's little girl. I want you to take these questions down there and just mix them up, you know what I mean, just cross one over the other one, like this, you know, so... Then bring them back to me, see. So that I won't mix anybody's questions, you know, thinking I just answered one, and didn't get to the other one; I wouldn't want that. Just let the little girl just mix it up together, and then we will just take the ones right off the top and answer them as we come.
Now, if there would be (thank you, Sweetheart)... If there would happen to be a question in somebody's mind, I want to say that I'd be glad if after I've answered your question and it doesn't seem satisfying, then you just raise your hands and answer. For I also have here the Greek, Hebrew---both Greek and Hebrew---in the original lexicon, for information of the words (you see), because some of them are asking words---the Hebrew and the Greek also.

16 And now, the Lord help us as we answer. And let me clearly state it... (Can you hear me good in the back? Raise up your hands if you can. That's good.) Let me clearly state now, that in answering these questions, it's not for any prejudice, but everyone remembers that in the tabernacle, if it comes into doctrine, we have to answer it according to our convictions here, not to cross up your ideas, but to bring our convictions. And sometimes we nail it down pretty tight. So remember, it's only to make it sure to the worshippers.

17 QUESTION: Now, the first one on top. Oh, yes, this is a little question. It's not a question, it's a... Well, it is a question. It's someone who would like a private interview with me the first of the week.
Now, that interview, I will tell you how we do that. It used to be that we just at random caught, catch can, who first, this, that, but we got a system to that. And therefore, there's many people who come into the prayer lines, that maybe pass through a fast line, or have a proposition that don't know what to do about it, and then they want to hear from the Lord. Now, they have a perfect right to that; that's what this prophetic gift was given for, is for that, that purpose alone.

18 In the Bible if they wanted to know anything, they went down to the prophets, and they prayed and sang hymns until God answered. Why, He's not a God that would feed one group and starve another group to death. He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. And therefore, that's what it's for.
On these private interviews, when we take a case, I never leave it until I hear from God one way or the other. They come slow. If it takes six months or a year, we stay right with it till we have "Thus saith the Lord," see. And therefore, they come slow, and there's thousands calling.
The other day I had a man in there for the... I believe it would been months after months this man had sought for the baptism of the Holy Spirit, a Baptist. But we didn't turn him loose, just let him come, and finally by the grace of God on a private interview... Just walked in---he'd always wanted to see a vision what was the matter---and the vision struck, and he received the Holy Ghost sitting right in his chair.

19 Then a Catholic, recently converted, come down from Chicago the other day which has been on private interviews---trying to get in for at least two years; but on his first interview, fifteen minutes in the room, the Lord showed a vision, the reason and all, revealed the whole thing, what he had to do before he received the Holy Ghost. See, that's what it's for.
Now, if anyone at anytime... When calls come in and they want to see or have those interviews, if they'll call, butler 2-1519, the office can post you just exactly when the interview can be. And then, state what your interview is for, so they'll know how much time to allot it. Then that makes it just, and every person... Then if that amount of time doesn't suffice, then we come back to that case again. It's put right on record, and we keep it until we hear from God by a vision or some way that God speaks. So that's how our interviews are kept.

20 Therefore, see, when I'm out, the people think sometimes, "Brother Branham, you don't see the people enough." You can't see the people and be with God at the same time, see. I got somebody in view, and I'm in the cave or somewhere else praying, and...
I want to see what this says. [Brother Branham reads the note--Ed.] Oh, yes. Yes, yes, this was a man (Gene just put it up here) that... A man came down from Chicago the other day, that the doctor wanted to cut his heart out, and cut it open to see what was the matter on the inside. And the Holy Spirit revealed just exactly what it was, and he didn't need to be cut open; he was healed. So you see, that means lots. And to show you how slow it come, I waited myself for an answer from God, for a vision, for fifteen years. God... And then another come and won't have to wait three minutes, see. It just... God answers in His own time. We don't control it; it controls us.

21 QUESTION: Now, the second question laying on top is... Brother Bill, can the Lord do effective work through me in a congregation where they do not believe in the spiritual gifts?
No name on it, but the person wants to know if the Lord can work with them as they are officiated in a congregation that does not believe in spiritual gifts. I doubt it very much.
I'm very much in doubt, dear friend, that the Lord could efficiently work through you, because you are linked up among unbelievers, and the Bible said, "Yoke yourself not up with unbelievers, but come out from among them, and be ye separated, saith the Lord, then I will receive you." I believe if you live in a city, where there is a church that does believe in signs and spiritual gifts, and you have them things working on you, I would go to that church where they believed it.
And then I might say another thing, as I usually give ... want to give a Scripture. You probably, dear friend, tried your very best to try to get these people to believe, tried to make them believe, and they simply won't do it, perhaps. Then I'm going to give you a Scripture that I believe that the Lord Jesus would be pleased with us giving.

22 If you've tried, if you've talked to the pastor, if you've talked to different ones and they completely ignore it and do not believe it, here's what Jesus said in Matthew 7:6 about such.
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ... your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn ... and rend you.
So I do not believe that I would be affiliated with a congregation who did not believe in the full gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, to believe that He was the same yesterday, today, and ever. When I sit in a congregation and see Him working and doing just as He said He would do, I believe I'd feel exactly justified in telling people to come out from among such and find you a good church who preaches all the Scriptures and believes them.

23 QUESTION: Now, the next question is: Is it true that you are not saved unless you have received the Holy Ghost?
There could take about a good five hour discussion on that. When you accept Christ as your Saviour and are then ready for baptism in water, you have not yet been converted; you're only believing unto repentance. Conversion means "to be changed."

24 Now, to make this efficient, Jesus said to Peter who had also followed Him for three-and-a-half years... And in the book of Matthew the 10th chapter Jesus gave Peter power against unclean spirits, to go out and cast them out, to heal the sick, and to preach the gospel. He had power to do this. And in St. John 17:17 Jesus sanctified Peter through the truth, said the Word was the truth, and He was the Word. And then before Pentecost He said, "After you are converted, then strengthen your brethren." You are only taking steps to conversion as you believe and are acting.

25 Now, I know many of you, my Baptist and Presbyterian friends, disagree with that, because you go back to this Scripture... Now, here's where I say I have to nail it down, see. You go back to the Scripture: Abraham (Romans 4) believed God, and it was imputed unto him ... or, imparted unto him for righteousness. Abraham believed God, and God imputed it to him for righteousness upon the basis of his faith to believe. But to prove to Abraham, He gave him (the impution, that he was imputed from his sins, then He had ... imparted him from his sins, because he had believed), He gave him a sign. And there's where you, my dear Presbyterian and Baptist friends, fail to see it, see. He gave him the seal of circumcision as a witness, as a proof, that He had received his faith in Him. And that's why Paul in Acts 19 said to those Baptist brethren, who had Apollos as their pastor, believing the gospel as John had preached it, "Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed?" You see, they had believed but had not yet been converted.

26 Now, we take the wrong ... the word of conversion today. We say that a man that's converted is a man that's stopped drinking and everything and goes to church, or joins the church. He might join the church, but that's no sign he's converted. He isn't converted until his old life is dead, and he is buried in Christ, and is risen with Him in the resurrection of newness of life, when the Holy Spirit has created in him a living hope of eternal life which only comes through the Holy Ghost.

27 Now, now, I knowed that great Scripture, I use it myself---I've got it written here---St. John the 5th chapter, 24th verse. It's a pet Scripture to me. For Jesus said this: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, 'He that believeth on me has eternal life.'" Let me read it, so that I will get it just perfectly right. St. John 5, and I want you to listen close now as we go into this Scripture, 5 and the 24th verse.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my words, and believeth on him that sent me, has everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
"He that believeth on me." Now, the Scripture says that no man can say Jesus is the Christ only by the Holy Ghost. So you cannot believe that Jesus is the Christ until you have received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. You're only testifying or saying what the Scripture says, saying what the pastor says, saying what mother says, or some good preacher says. But you don't know it yourself until He has witnessed His resurrection to you. No man can call Jesus the Christ until by the Holy Ghost.

28 Therefore, the question is that... A man is saved, I believe, if he's looking towards Calvary, and dies in that estate. Certainly, I believe he will be saved; I believe he'd go through if he had not the opportunity before. But depends on... You go back to the dying thief at the cross. But remember, that was his first and last chance. You got one tonight. Don't wait till that time, because it might not be that way with you. You might not have a deathbed confession. I tell you, they're all right, but they're too much of a chance to take a chance on. Don't you wait for deathbed; you let this be your deathbed right now, that you die out now and be borned again of the Holy Spirit.

29 Now, on this next question... Now, if there's a question on that just raise your hand. I'd be glad to do the best I can.
QUESTION: Can you find anywhere the apostles took communion after Pentecost? Did Paul mean people do not discern the Word? Holy Ghost was the only way to worship God?
QUESTION: If you take wine and crackers, sickness and sleep fall on you?
Now, here is maybe a place that I believe the dear person that asked this is no doubt deeply and sincerely in this, what they're asking, or they wouldn't ask it. And my Brother or Sister, whoever it was, I answer it just as deeply and sincerely as you answered it ... or, asked it.

30 I want you now to turn with me unto the book of Acts the 2nd chapter, and we begin with the 42nd verse. The 2nd chapter of the Acts, and we will begin, as I said, with the 42nd verse.
Now remember, I do not believe that I could say just exactly where the Scripture says that Paul took the communion, and Peter then reached over and taken it; but when they're talking of the congregation, that was in whole, everybody. And I do not believe that Paul would preach something and tell others to do that he would not do. So in the Acts we find this:
And they continually steadfast in the apostles' doctrine ... fellowship. Watch! They continued, the whole church, the body. continually steadfast in the apostles' doctrine and in fellowship, (and, conjunction there, see.) and in breaking of bread, (That's the communion.) and in prayers.

31 The apostles, who was the preachers... They continuedly steadfast in their doctrine of breaking of bread (communion), and in fellowship, and in prayer. Then, if that cuts out communion from the apostles, it also cuts out prayer from the apostles, see. Now, just read on, see.
And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
And all the believers were together, and had all things common;
And they sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to every man, as every man had need.
And they, continuing daily in one accord in the temple, (That's apostles and all.) ... breaking bread (Communion every time they met)...

32 That was a doctrine of the apostles and of the early church, that every time they came together they taken communion. Every time! Now, I know you Christian people who go to the Christian church (the Campbellite Church, as we know it, because there's two of them; one's the Church of Christ, and the other one the Campbellite Church.), you say, "We take it every Sunday morning. We got the Scriptures on it." You have a better Scripture on it than the Branham Tabernacle does. The Branham Tabernacle takes it once a month. But the Scripture is, "As oft as you come together." That's right. That's every time.
And they, continued daily in one accord in the temple, ... breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart.
See, each time the apostles, holding these prayer groups, meetings in the temple, house to house; every time they met, they broke bread, taken the communion.

33 Now, Paul, in 1st Corinthians we could also read the 11th chapter, where we use here for a communion... I might read it so it might be able to help you, 1st Corinthians the 11th chapter. Listen at Paul speaking now, 23rd verse.
For I have received of the Lord that which I also delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus, the same night ... he was betrayed, took bread:
And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, and eat; this is my body, which is broken for you: do this in remembrance of me.
After the same manner also he took the cup, and when he had supped, saying, (the cup now) This is the cup of the new testament in my blood: this do ... as oft as you drink it, in remembrance of me.
For as oft as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew forth the Lord's death till he comes.
See, it's a communion. I do realize and do agree that the body of the Lord, the living Word, is Christ Himself. But these are symbols just like baptism, and footwash, and other ordinances of the church. But communion is absolutely essential for the bread ... bread and wine.

34 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily,...
Now, the question was asked here: "You taking wine and crackers, sickness and sleep on you." See, I believe that the question is that, "The only worship there is, is in the Holy Spirit, worshipping in the Holy Spirit." That is exactly the truth. You have to worship... All worship's in the Holy Spirit, and Paul's trying to say here that you must be in the Holy Spirit before you do this or you eat and drink damnation to yourself (see)--- before you do this, before the order's carried out.

35 Now, to back that up, I got a writing here of Josephus, where he claimed that the early Christians after the death of Jesus, that they were considered cannibals, because they took the body of the Lord and ate it. And they thought they had dug it up, and had took it out, and was cutting it up by pieces, and eating it. Which they were taking the communion, see.
Now, watch, why this Scripture ... how Paul says here.
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread,...
Eat of the bread. Now, I know Jesus is the bread of life; that's true. But this is a symbol just like baptism. Baptism doesn't save you; baptism is only a sign that you're witnessing to the congregation that you believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It doesn't save you. Water will not save. It's your faith that saves you. But baptism is an order, and it must be carried out, 'cause God can't say, "Be baptized," and then turn around and say it doesn't need to be done. He cannot issue taking communion, and turn around and say there no need of taking it. You've got to do it. It's an order forever with God.

36 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
Now, you see there? Comes right back to the Christian that's trying to take communion, that's not in Christ, not fellowshipping in the Spirit; he isn't worthy of taking it. And when he does take this communion, he's eating and drinking damnation to himself, if he's going out smoking, lying, stealing, committing adultery, or something like that, or not living a Christian life. And people see the kind of life he's living, and then coming in, taking this order of the death and body of Christ, taking into him a symbol that he has received Christ the Word in his heart, and taking this symbol in there behind it. He said he eats and drinks damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

37 Now, just in a few minutes I'm going to get to that same question, if we get to it, because it's the same order of the blasphemy of the Holy Ghost; because you are professing something, and playing the part of hypocrite with it, when you should not be doing it. All right! Let me finish this then, see, and then we will stop.
For this cause many are sick and weakly among you, and many sleep.
For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
Wherefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, tarry one for the other. (Now, watch.)
And if any man eat ... any man hunger...

38 Don't come in ... because in another Scripture here, they were bringing in meat, and so much drink, and stuff like that, till they were making the Lord's house just a place of a feast, and getting drunk at the Lord's table. You remember that in the book of Corinthians here. They got drunk at the Lord's table. But Paul said here:
...if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that you come not together unto condemnation. And the rest I will set in order when I come. (See.)

39 Now therefore, I believe that the eating of the cracker... Now, I do not believe that kosher bread should be substituted for a cracker. I believe that it should be a holy unleavened bread, the type of the unleavened bread that was made in Egypt. And I believe that the blood should not be grape juice, but it should be wine. Grape juice sours, and spoils as it gets old. But wine gets better and stronger as it gets old; it never loses its strength. And the blood of Christ doesn't sour and spoil; as it gets older, it gets stronger and better as the days goes by to the believer. And it is a literal wine and bread. Communion bread should be made by people who's dedicated themselves and consecrated themselves to God.
I went to a church once where they taken this old loaf bread, where sinners cursing and carrying on, and filth, and cut up that old bread and stuck it out there with some kind of a juice to drink. To me that was ridiculous. I believe it should be just exactly the way the Scripture said it should be and not vary one speck from the Scriptures; stay right with it.

40 QUESTION: Question. Now! Brother Branham, is it true that Satan was once in heaven and was cast out, he and his angels come down to earth, or is it a vision like John saw on the Isle of Patmos? Why I ask this, is, I was told that it was a vision.
John saw it as a vision, but it was a literal happening. If you'll turn to Isaiah 14:12. Now, these go slow, but to me, they are lessons. And it's something that... Maybe you think, "Well, I don't have no need of that now." You just don't know how that Holy Spirit feeds on the Word of God. It's got to have the Word to feed on, because the Holy Spirit feeds only, and only on the Word of God. You believe that? The Bible said so. "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." All right! The 12th chapter of Isaiah, and I believe here now we're going to begin at the 12th verse. Let's read now about Lucifer.
How art thou falling from heaven, O Lucifer, [Fallen from heaven] son of the morning! ... [An angelic being from the heaven.]
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
For thou did say in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, and I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the side of the north:
I will ascend above the highest of the clouds; I will be like the Most High.
So you see it wasn't a vision. Absolutely, Lucifer was cast out of heaven.

41 Now, let's turn to the New Testament to Luke 10:18, just a minute, and see what Jesus said. In the book of Luke, you have your Bibles now, that's trying to get on these questions, Luke 10:18:
And he said unto them, (Jesus speaking.) I beheld Satan as lightning falling from heaven.
See, Satan was the original archangel of God. He once dwelt in the heavens. He once was the greatest person in the heavens outside of God. He was God's right-hand man to fellowship, and he got puffed up in his heart.

42 And isn't that just the way that people get today? Let God just bless a fellow and put a little confidence in him, and he gets to be a know-it-all. He gets to be... He's got to start an organization, or he's got to do something that's different. "Why art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer!"
God has a hard time trying to get somebody that He can deal with, that'll stay humble, and meek, and stay in the place until God calls him to do something (You believe that? See.), a man that God can bless and he will still keep himself a man, not be an angel or a god. As soon as man gets blessed and has a little something given to him, he wants to become a god; he wants to become a angel. He wants to become some great person. "What I do, what... Me and me and mine..." all that. That's the wrong attitude. God's hunting for somebody who He could bless and pour out the blessings, and more He bless, the littler the man will become.
And you'll never get more of God until you become nothing. You've got to belittle yourself. He that will exalt himself, God will bring abase. He that will humble himself, God will exalt. You've got to get little before you can get big. And you'll never be big in your own self; you'll only be as big as God will be big in you, see.

43 So Lucifer is on earth today trying to work in the church to accomplish the same purpose that he started before the foundation of the world. Lucifer was kicked out of heaven. All right.
I believe there's another thing on here: Ezekiel the 28th chapter, the 12th verse. Let's see what that says in Ezekiel 28:12. And I'm sure that by studying this, and looking into it, seeing what "Thus saith the Lord," then we know whether he really fell from heaven or whether he was just a vision---28 and 12. All right. I believe that's what I got wrote down, 28:12. All right. Here we start.
Now, this is a great thing here; I wish we just had time to preach on just a little (see), for it's really something.

44 Now, as I just got to basing up to this, that Lucifer in heaven tried to exalt himself and even be just a little higher than his Boss. And he betrayed Michael, and made himself a great kingdom in the north, and come down. Now, and he and his angels was cast out.
The person asked of Revelation... That's on Revelation 12, on the Isle of Patmos.
But now notice this here, at the 12th verse, and watch how he sits in the kingdom of man.
How many people here understand that the devil controls every nation under heaven? The devil controls the United States. The devil is government of the United States. The devil is the government of Germany. He's the government of every nation under heavens. The devil controls every nation; the Bible says he does. Read Matthew the 4th chapter. When Satan took Jesus up to the top of the mountain, and showed Him the kingdoms of the world, and claimed them to be his, and said, "I will give them to you if you'll worship me," Jesus never said, "You lied, Satan." He knowed they belonged to him. But over in the book of Revelation, said, "Rejoice, you heavens and you earth, for the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ. And He shall reign on earth."
Jesus knowed that in the Millennium that all the governments and kingdoms will be broke down, and He will be God and ruler over all of them. He knowed He fell heir to all of it, so therefore, He told Satan, "Get thee behind me, Satan!" for He knew what He had to do.

45 Now, listen to this, the Spirit of the Lord on this prophet Ezekiel, speaking, not to this king, but to the spirit in the king. Watch this now.
You remember this morning when I showed you how in the Scriptures that the church got off the wrong track by taking man's organizations. Same thing, Israel got off the track by denouncing God as their King and wanted Saul for a king. And when their real King come, Jesus, they didn't know Him, because His preaching and His teaching was so much different from the earthly kings, till they didn't know Him. And today, when the King of the church, the Holy Spirit, when He's here, and He comes into the church to make the people to be regenerated, to give them new birth, it's so different from these organizations and denominations till they say, "Aw, that looks like holy rollers to me," see.

46 It ain't what it looks to you; it's what God's Word says about it. Look on the day of Pentecost; what'd that look like? Look at other times when they received the Holy Ghost; what'd it look like? Women and men, the virgin Mary, and all of them, staggering like drunk men, just reeling, screaming, stammering lips, and other tongues, carrying on like a bunch of idiots. But they were dying to themselves, and the Holy Ghost was coming into them. And they set the known world afire. What we need today is men who'll die out to themselves, and rot out to themselves, and burn every bridge behind, and surrender everything to Christ.

47 Watch the Holy Spirit speaking now to the devil in this king. Look who this fellow was that's governing this king,
You remember what I said this morning, my wife said about the woman up there, all them bunch of women with them dirty-looking, vulgar clothes on? See, said, "They must not have their right mind. A woman that's got her right mind wouldn't expose herself like that."
I said, "Honey, she's just an American; that's all. That's custom here. They'll do it, because it's a custom." See, they go by their intellectuals. But your intellectuals, if you go by your head, you're controlled by the devil. The devil took a man's head; God takes a man's heart. The devil makes you look at something you can see. You say, "Well, that's right, that's right, reason, reason it out." But the Bible lets us cast down reasonings, and by faith we believe things that we do not see. That's what God does when He comes upon the human heart.

48 In the garden of Eden the devil took the man's head; God took his heart. That's the throne of God, where God dwells, in the human heart. And now, if it's intellectually... Sure, then a man or a woman that's borned of God will act like the kingdom they're from. Hallelujah! That would make me shout. Why? Because when you know that you've passed from death unto life, because you hate sin, and you love God; and you'll stand regardless if you die or don't die. You'll stand that it's wrong, and call wrong wrong, and walk upright before God. It shows that your Spirit, the life that's in you is from another place, where it's holy, and pure, and virgin, and undefiled.

49 And you say, "Divine healing?" Sure! My Spirit come from a place where the divine healer is. We're from a land of divine healing. Amen!
Say, "You believe that God is." Sure, it's from the land where God is. And we're pilgrims and strangers like Abraham and Isaac. When just the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit hit them, they went through the land and confessed that they were pilgrims and strangers. They were seeking a city whose builder and maker was God. And now, after we've got the evidence of it living in us, how much more should we be pilgrims and strangers, walking through the world, turning our head from the evil things, because we are of another nation, another people. Certainly!

50 Now watch the evil controls of this world now, as we read from Ezekiel 28:12.
Son of man, take up a lamentation unto the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; (Now watch; He's speaking to the spirit in the king. See?) Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, ... perfect in beauty. (Satan, see there how Satan was the most beautiful of the archangels?)
Thou hast been in Eden...
Now you know the King of Tyrus at that time could not have been in Eden, for it was four thousand years before that, see. "Thou has been in Eden." Who's He talking to? He's talking to Satan in that king. Hallelujah! Brother, I feel religious. When...

51 And then, what's these people going to do that blasphemes and makes fun of people under the demonstration of the Holy Ghost? When they make fun of those people, they are blaspheming the Holy Ghost which is absolutely unpardonable. You're not talking of that man; you're talking to the Spirit that's moving in that man. We ought to honor one another, and love one another, and exhort one another, talk good of each other. That's what we should do.
Now listen to this. All right.
...Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, ... perfect in beauty.
Thou was ... in Eden the garden of God; even precious stones was thy covering, ... sardius, topaz, ... diamond, ... beryl, ... onyx, ... jasper, ... sapphire, ... emerald, ... carbuncle, ... gold: ... workmanship of the tabrets ... of the pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.

52 There's Lucifer. He once dwelt in Eden. Now, we're going to come back to that question in a minute, Lucifer in Eden, because we've got the seed of the serpent down here somewhere which is a very ticklish thing. I thought I'd just hope that's about last.
But he was, and the devil was kicked out of heaven. And the very purpose that he tried to purpose in heaven, he came right down here on the earth and is trying his best to fulfill that what he purposed. He goes to the kings and to the rulers, and when he can get them, then he comes right down to the church and gets the people ... or, gets the preacher. Then from the preacher, he goes right into the congregation and get in the congregation under the same influence, the same devil doing the same things. "You know, you're a Presbyterian; you'll never be a holy roller. You are this, that, or the other; you couldn't afford to disgrace yourself to be amongst them. Why, you know better than to sit in one of them little old tabernacles or missions on the street. Why, them people's off at their head." No, they're not. No, they're not; they're just on at their heart; that's all. They're not off at their head; they're just controlled by their heart. God lives in their heart, and they are peculiar people, a royal priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifice; that's the fruits of their lips giving praise to God, whether they feel like it or not. "At times I do not see Him," said the song writer, "I trust and give Him praise."

53 Say, "Well, I'd go the church, and I'd praise the Lord if I felt like it." Well now, a priest is to make a sacrifice. And you, the congregation, are high priests of God, to make a spiritual sacrifice; that's the fruits of your lips giving praise to God.
You go down and say, "Well, if I felt like it, I'd go over and testify to somebody." Well, do it anyhow! If you're a high priest, brother, it's burning in your heart, whether you feel like doing it or not. Go do it anyhow, because you've got to make a sacrifice, something that's hard to do. Go do it anyhow; you're a spiritual priesthood, a royal people, giving praise to God, because God lives in this heart.

54 Now, if you are of Satan, you feel that you're just a little better than that class of people. Now, how you going to know which one's right? Take it by the Scriptures. If a man's borned of God, he believes every word God wrote, and says He's just as great today as He ever was, and He never changes, and He's just the same yesterday, today, and forever. If he's filled with the Holy Ghost, he got the same Holy Ghost He give on the day of Pentecost, and makes him act the same way and do the same things. If he's borned of the Spirit of God, Mark 16, Jesus said, "These signs shall follow them that believe." True! So he says, "I'm a believer," and them signs don't follow, then he's a make-believer, not a believer.

55 There's three classes of people, a believer, a make-believer, and a unbeliever. And that's the only three classes there is. A lot of make-believers; there's a lot of real believers; and there's a lot of unbelievers. But if you're a real believer, Jesus said, "These signs shall follow them that believe. In my name they shall cast out devils, speak with new tongues. If they should step on a snake (Brother Evans) it would not harm them. If they lay their hands on the sick, they shall recover!" Oh, that's just as true as God's Word's true. We've got no business taking anything away from that. The Bible said he that'll take away or add to this Word, the same will be taken out of the book of life, for him. God is so perfect, that every word must be perfect and must run from Genesis to Revelation the same, every word, every commandment of God. Now, you can make it say something here and twist it up over here.

56 I was sitting one day under a tree with Brother Charlie up there and Brother Wood here; we were hunting down in Kentucky. We were hunting with a rifle. And Brother Charlie and Brother Wood had shot their sights in that morning. At about 50 yards they was hitting a spot about that big around, big as a squirrel. They said, "That's all right."
And I went out there... I'd been driving tacks at 50 yards. And I missed the squirrel's eye and hit him down on the cheek. I said, "That's not right; my rifle's out." And then I worried all day long. The next evening I went in early. I shot boxes of shells. It'd hit a little bit, half inch to the right. Why, it hit the squirrel in the head anyhow.

57 So Charlie and them, the next morning was up there, and the rifles just buzzing, just hitting squirrels, and me sitting behind a tree scrubbing my hands, saying, "Oh, what's the matter with my rifle?" I got so ashamed of myself, till I got down on my knees, I said, "Lord God, I don't know what's the matter with me. Why did You make me, a little, nervous worrywart? Why would I be this? There is them fellows up there shooting squirrels, just as hard as they can shoot. They got a mess of squirrels already; and here I am, sitting behind a tree, rubbing my hands, and wondering, 'My gun is not driving a tack, at fifty yards.'" I cried, sitting there by the side of a log.
And then the Holy Spirit came, not in a voice, but in a revelation, said, "I made you that way for a purpose."

58 Why? I can't take the Bible saying something here, like the church says, "The Holy Ghost was for just that group back there," the church says so; and the Scripture says, "Whosoever will." I can't make that hit the target.
I can't make Calvinism---just believe on the Lord and you got eternal security---and Arminianism, "That if I just touch not, handle not, taste not, I'd like to do it, but I can't do it!"... Arminianism is too far away from Calvinism, and they both are wrong. I've got to see where... They both got scriptures, but it's got to hit the target. Now, if God said one thing in this Bible, it's got to hit the target; it's got to make every ring in that Bible come right straight down to that bull's-eye. It's got to do it, because it's God's Word; and He's infinite, and He can't change. Amen! I love that, because then you can rest perfectly satisfied that it's God's eternal Word. And therefore, I try to study it from different Scriptures to make it ... see what it would say. All right.

59 Satan was literally cast out of heaven by Michael the Archangel and God. And he was cast to the earth, come to the earth, got into the serpent, deceived Eve, and then has got into men, women, all down through the age on the same thing he started at the beginning ---a great big kingdom, prettier than the other fellow's, be governor over all, know-it-all. "Our denomination is the biggest; it's predominant over the others."
You've heard them say, "Why, we have so many hundred preachers in our organization. We got the biggest churches there is in the city." The only one thing that spells is S-a-t-a-n to me. That's right. That means the devil to me. When you get men that'll break up and organize, and break up brotherhood, and say they'll have nothing to do with the little church...

60 I've never seen a person too low yet, or I've never seen a person too far in sin yet; I've never seen a woman too stooped or a man too stooped, but what I would go to him, and put my arms around him, and bring him out of that if I can. I've never seen a bunch of holy rollers, or whatever you want to call them, rooting, and jumping, and hollering, or what ever they might do, but what I'd get right in there and root, and jump, and holler with them to glorify God (that's exactly right!) whether he's black, yellow, brown, white, or whatever he might be. Yes, sir!
The Holy Ghost comes on one level; that's you meet God's requirements. If you ever get it, you'll come on God's level and not your own thoughts about it. Satan tries to make it classical, some great something, some big something, intellectual. You have to cast down that reasoning and believe what the Word says about it. Amen!

61 QUESTION: Now, here is another one; let's see what it is. All right. Please explain the parable of the five virgins. Does a Christian sin?
Now, the parable of the five virgins ... or, the ten virgins, it is, please excuse me. The ten virgins is found in Matthew 25:1. Ten virgins went out to meet the bridegroom (now notice!), and five of them were wise and had oil in their lamps, five were unwise and did not have oil in their lamps. While they slumbered, the cry come, "Go meet the bridegroom." And the ones that had oil in their lamps, trimmed their lamps, the fire was burning, and they went out to meet the bridegroom. The others come to buy oil, and they told them to go and get oil from those who sold it. While they were going, the bride ... come and the wise virgin went in, and the sleeping virgin was cast out.

62 This is going to hurt, really hurt, but I've just got to say it. I never asked the question; I'm just responsible for answering it. Now, this comes so close to home, brother, so close, till I hope that it helps instead of hurts. Usually you have to hurt... As mama used to say when she give me a whipping, she said, "It has to hurt before it does you good." Well, that is right, see. I couldn't see it then, but I see it now.

63 Look, all ten of them that went out were virgins. Now, there were ten virgins went to meet the Lord. Now, the word virgin means "sanctified (does anybody know that?), holy, pure, sanctified." There were ten of them that went out to meet the Lord.
Now remember, they had been falling asleep in one watch, two watch, three watch, on till the seventh watch. But these really went to meet the Lord. And remember, as they went, the Lord came. That was the coming of the Lord's time. Not who was in the watch...
Jesus spoke where some fell in the first watch, and some in the second watch, and some in... But at the coming of the Lord they all wakened down. But on this case, it was the last watch, because they went out, ten of them, to meet the Lord. And five smoked out their lamps, and took no oil; five had oil.

64 Now remember, oil in the Bible is a symbol of what? Can anybody say? [Congregation replies, "Holy Ghost."] Holy Ghost! Then you could be clean, and pure, and sanctified without having the Holy Ghost. Cleansing is what you are...
Now watch, I'm going to take like this bottle. And it's laying out here in the chicken yard, and it's all full of filth. I pick it up; that's justification: "I'm going to use this sinner." And the next thing I do if I'm going to use it, I will have to cleanse it. And then, if I cleanse it, what do I do to it? Sanctify it. The word sanctify means "clean," same thing as holy. Holy is a Hebrew word, sanctify is a Greek word. The word sanctify means "clean and set aside for service." But then, "Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be filled." Then they're put in service.

65 The vessels... The tabernacle of the Old Testament, the altar sanctified the vessels, and they were set aside for service. When they were filled, they were in service.
Now, there's where you dear, precious Nazarenes and so forth, left the mark, see. We all... Why are you failing? Why did Pentecost run off and leave you. Because you refused to walk in the light. That's exactly right, see. That's exactly. The first altar I ever knelt at was a precious, old Nazarene altar down here. God bless them, good, holy, clean church, but you're so legalistic that you go, "You must do this, and you must do that. You must do this," and don't realize it's the grace of God and you're called by election. "It's not he that willeth or him that runneth, but it's God that showeth mercy," see. God predestinated the church before the foundation of the world (We got a question on that in a few moments, see.), predestinated the church before the foundation of the world.

66 You cannot, taking thought, add one cubit to your statue. "No man can come to me except my Father draws him first," see. See, it was God that did the calling, God that did the pulling, God that set the church. Now, now, you say, "Brother Branham, that's pure Calvinism." No, it isn't. Now, wait! I don't believe that God takes a man up and just says, "Here, I'm going to pick you up and..."
All these Baptists and Presbyterians say, "Well, I believe on the Lord, I don't have ... don't condemn my conscience!" No wonder, you haven't got nothing to condemn. They say, "Well, dancing don't hurt me. Drinking a little sociable drink wouldn't hurt me." Because there's nothing in there to hurt. "Telling dirty jokes wouldn't bother me." Because why? There's nothing in there to hurt.

67 But I don't serve the Lord because I think He'd send me to hell if I didn't; I serve Him because I love Him. I serve Him because there's something in me. If you go out and say, "Well, I have to quit doing this because my church don't believe in it," you're just playing the part of a hypocrite. That's right. But if you do it because that you love it, and it's a contribution to God, and something in your heart making the love of God so greater to you than these things, now you're on the right line. But if I didn't drink, smoke, chew, cuss, do nothing else, I'd still go to hell. Sure! I joined all the churches, was baptized, and had my name on all the books, and played a good part, and lived a good life, "Except a man be borned again, he can't even see the kingdom of God." That's right!

68 Now these virgins, ten of them slowed up. What stumped the Nazarene people was this: Because the Pentecostals took the initial evidence of the Holy Ghost is speaking in tongues. They got them down at the altar and made them say something or another over and over till they spoke in tongues. A real, true Pentecostal wouldn't go for that. The devil had a lot of things in your Nazarene church too, see. And he's got a whole lot of things in the Pentecostal church, but as far as the baptism of the Holy Ghost, that's the truth. That's exactly the truth.

69 There's a lot of them, I know. I've heard people speak with tongues. I can't judge; I wasn't sent to judge. I've heard a whole lot of it; sounded like sounding brass and tinkling cymbals. But I know there's a real Holy Ghost that speaks with tongues. And I know that's right. Yes, sir!
But they seen the people come in and say, "Glory to God, I got it." Well then, that's the same thing... Now, don't call them Pentecostal because they jumped up-and-down, and spoke in tongues, and you seen them out there with somebody else's wife or somebody else's husband.
You say, "Is that the Holy Ghost?" You Nazarenes shouted all over the floor and done the same thing. You said you had it when you shouted, see. There's no way at all that you can prove it but by your life you live. "By their fruits you shall know them." That's the way it is. The godly life and Christ working with you confirming the Word, signs and wonders following with a godly life, that's the real thing. Now, you can have a lot of signs and not the life. You can impersonate the life without the signs, but when you see them both together, then that's it. That's the one.
Now! And then, remember, the bride... Now I might finish this if you've got just a few minutes time to go on it.

70 Look, a woman is going to cut off a dress. She's got a large piece of goods. (Let's call it what? calico, gingham, or something another, some kind of a name that you got. Let's say it's silk.) And she's got a pattern. And she looks over this big piece of goods. Now, it's up to her where she lays this pattern. Is that right? She can choose it from any part of this goods, and the whole goods is sanctified, clean. See, it's election. God's election. So what does He do? God takes by election and places this pattern of Christ anywhere He wants to on the goods. Then it's cut out. The rest of the goods is just as holy as this part was holy, but by choice God made His choice before the foundation of the world. Didn't Paul say in Corinthians 8---I mean, Romans 8, "Can the Potter ... can the clay say to the Potter, why makest me thus?" Can God, Who is just, when He could say to Esau or Jacob before either boy was born or done right or wrong, "I hate Esau and love Jacob"? It's because that by foreknowledge He'd knowed what Esau was and what Jacob was. He knows what's in man. Before the foundation of the world He knowed.

71 If you could explain the word of infinite... By the word infinite... I say there's been a hundred billion tons of gnats in the world (that wouldn't start it), a hundred billion tons of gnats in the world, and each one of them has batted their eyes a hundred trillion billion times. And not one of them ever batted their eye but what God knew it before the foundation of the world. That's infinite. That's something on the order of infinite, see.
He is infinite. So before the foundation of the world He knowed just exactly what you'd do. And He sent Christ, not just to be... If somebody, "Well if I just quit my meanness and follow Him," or something like that, that isn't it. He knowed who would be saved, so He sent Christ to save that what He foresaw would be saved. That's exactly right.

72 Now, the church itself has eternal security. If you're in the church, you're secured with the church. But when you go out of the church, you're not secured, see. Now, you stay in the church.
How do you get in the church? Joining hands, writing your name on a book? By one Spirit we're all baptized into one body; that's the church. How? Through Holy Ghost baptism we are sealed in the body of Christ. How long? Until the day of your redemption. Ephesians 4:30, "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby you are sealed until the day of your redemption." Sealed away until the day of your redemption. Now. Certainly, certainly, that's the Holy Spirit.

73 And now, that church was taken up, and the remnant of the woman's seed who keep the commandments of God and have faith in Jesus Christ (see---not the bride---the remnant of the woman's seed. Then the dragon spurted water out of his mouth to make war with the remnant of the seed. That's when the Protestant church under the Federation of Churches, which is the image to the beast, which is now being formed... And there'll be a boycott upon all churches like this.
Like we're the great tax gathering right here now, a dispute, trying to say that we're not a church, and we got Constitutional rights to say that we are a church. As long as the Constitution stands there, no amendment to that, then we absolutely have the rights, just as much right as anybody. Our forefathers stood for that. But what have we done? We've broke every Constitutional law that they can break, and soon the Federation of Churches, which all the churches and denominations are invited into, and the devil's got in and making worldliness and everything in local church members and so forth like that, and great congregations, and class, and society, when the little old church is still down yonder being borned again in a mess like any birth is, still paying the price, still getting down and dying out, acting the same way they did when they first got born at the day of Pentecost, same kind of a church down there... They'll be closed and shut out under the Federation of Churches. It'll be a boycott like a union or something. You'll either come in or you'll go out.

74 The mark of the beast is on today, and the seal of God is the Holy Spirit. To reject it is the mark of the beast. Ever who sees the Holy Ghost, that you're supposed to receive it, and don't do it, automatically you take the mark of the beast, because there's only two classes to exist: all that didn't have the seal of God had the mark of the beast. So to receive the seal of God is to receive the Holy Ghost. To reject it is to have the mark of the beast. There's the whole thing. That's exactly right.

75 Now, the bride went up, the remnant left here. And she is the one who come in the second resurrection. "Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection, on which the second death has no power." That's right. The second resurrection will be the White Throne Judgment, then the church... "Don't you know," said Paul, "go amongst the unbelievers and the lawyers and so forth when the saints shall judge the earth." These matters should be judged before the church---not before the unjust magistrates and so forth---but before the church our matters should. There you take one another to the law. And God pity a man that'll take a Christian to law. That's right. Paul even dared them to do it.
Now, that's the bride, and there goes the sleeping virgin, left on earth. The wise virgin goes into heaven with oil in her lamp.
I know we could spend a lot of time on that, but I'm going to hurry to get through this.

76 "Do Christians sin?" Absolutely no! There is no Scripture where a Christian sins. He cannot sin. I know there's a resentment to that. Well, we will just go to I John 3 and see what the Scripture says. A Christian does not sin.
Did you ever see a black, white bird or a white, black bird? Did you ever see a drunk, sober man? No! You never did see a sinner, saint either. There's no such a thing.
Now, if this gets just a little touchy, you just put a lot of balm in, you know, and it'll cure up just in a little bit now.

77 Now, the Scriptures is our absolutely, infallible proofs of what we are speaking of. 1st John, 3rd chapter, and the 9thth verse. All right, listen to this!
He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was made manifest, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
Listen, are you ready? Got your jackets on, the armor all buckled up? Listen close, 'cause this is shocking.
Whosoever is borned of God does not commit sin; [How's that?] for his seed [His seed, God's.] remaineth in him [The man!]: and he cannot sin, because he is borned of God.
In this the children of God are made manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever does not righteousness is not of God, neither ... that loveth not his brother.
How can you have denominations and draw barriers and things like that, and say you're born of God? No such a thing. It's a mock of the Satan. That's right. But a man that's borned of God cannot sin; it's impossible for him to sin.

78 Watch! Just let me take this crucifix just a minute if it'll come off of there. Who was the sin offering? Jesus Christ. How do we get in Christ? Who died for us? Christ. What did He die for? Our sins. He took my punishment. Is that right? And then how do I get into Him? By one Spirit we are all baptized into one body. And when in this body, we're covered by the blood, and free from the judgments. He cannot sin, because there's a blood sacrifice laying for him day and night. Hallelujah! He can't sin. He has no desire to sin. If he does it ... if he does do something wrong, he don't mean to do it. The Bible said in Hebrews the 10th chapter, "For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth (and He is the truth), there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin. He that despised Moses' law died under two or three witnesses, how much more sorer punishment suppose, though worthy, who's trod the blood of Jesus Christ under his feet and counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified with an unholy thing, and done despite to the works of grace."

79 For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body and are free from sin, and we cannot sin. There is an atonement waiting for us. And if there's still desire in your heart to sin, you have never been baptized into that body, because you are dead and your life is hid in Christ through God and sealed by the Holy Ghost. Christians don't sin. They make mistakes, but they don't sin. Amen! That's the reason they don't, for he cannot sin.
How can I have a... If I go down through the city here, and the mayor of the city says, "Mr. Branham, I know that you make sick calls. There's speed limits. The highest speed limit in the city is about thirty miles an hour. But I'm giving you permission to run ninety if you want to, 'cause I have faith in you that you wouldn't do it unless you had emergency call somebody dying yonder in a wreck. And I will give you permission, as the mayor of this city, that you can run any red light, do whatever you want to, just go right on." How could a little two-bit officer ever arrest me out here making forty miles an hour in a thirty mile zone? He can't. I cannot break any speed laws in this city, because why? I'm above the speed laws. Amen! I hope you see it.

80 And when we are dead, and God has recognized our repentance, He's recognized our baptism, He's recognized the blood of His own Son, which by faith has been applied, He recognizes His fore-ordination, and knowed that I'd do it, and has recognized me in Christ, dead... And Christ died in my place when He was slain before the foundation of the world. My name was put on His book as a Christian. Hallelujah! Christ died my death. Christ is my Sacrifice. God could not impute to me sin anymore. He's give me the seal of the Holy Ghost as a witness that I've passed from death unto life. Whew! That does it.

81 Then they that are borned of God does not commit sin, for he cannot sin. In the Old Testament each year there was a remembrance of sin. But Christ, by one sacrifice He has perfected forever the worshipper. "The worshipper once purged (Hebrews 10)... The worshipper once purged has no more conscience of sin." So you take these people that run in the church and jump up-and-down, and shout, and speak with tongues, and act just exactly like a Christian, and run out, and the next year they got to come back again, next week. They've never come anywhere to begin with. They're only impersonating, for the Bible said that the Holy Spirit seals us into Christ until the day of our redemption. Hallelujah! That's what makes me rest assured, 'cause God promised it.

82 No more sin. The sin question's settled. That's the reason sin looks so dirty to a Christian. That's why women out here with these shorts on look so dirty to a Christian. That's why vulgarity, that's why dirty things, that's why smoking, drinking, gambling, all these uncensored programs on television, all that stuff seems filth. Why? You're of a different kingdom. You're borned into the kingdom of God and sealed by the Holy Ghost until the day of your redemption.
He that's borned of God commits no sin, for he can't sin. The seed of God is in him, and he cannot sin. As long as that Holy Ghost is in there it takes every desire of sin away from you. Amen! You can't sin; there's no more desire.
We could take a long time on that, but let's hurry. We ain't going to get through them, I'm afraid.

83 QUESTION: Why do churches who baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost and admit women preachers to preach, why do they have so much power and authority?
Now, that's a ticklish thing. Now, I know that I'm speaking to people that'll differ with this, but as a Christian I must say it. There is no Scriptural authority in the Bible for water baptism in the name of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. There never was one person ever baptized in the Bible in the name of Father, Son, Holy Ghost. That is a Catholic tradition taught in the sixth century.
Sprinkling never was in the Bible, for people to be sprinkled or poured, but immersed. If you want to know that, I've got both Greek and Hebrew here on it.

84 And on the day of Pentecost, Peter required that men must repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of their sin. And Father, Son, and Holy Ghost is no name. Father, Son, and Holy Ghost... Matthew 28:19 said "Go ye therefore, teach all nations, baptizing them into the name," not into the names, in the name, singular of... Not in the name of the Father, name of the Son, name of the Holy Ghost, but in the name of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Father's not a name; Son's not a name; Holy Ghost is not a name. They're titles that belong to a name.

85 Now, ten days later Peter said, "Repent, every one of you and be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ." Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, see how the extreme trinitarian idea... See, they try to make three gods out of that. There's no three gods. I'd like to read that to you out of the original Greek here. The only way they were baptized in Jesus' name was, the Bible said in the original Greek, was to make them recognize that He was God.
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost is offices of one God. He was the Father; He was the Son; He is the Holy Ghost. It's three offices or three dispensations: the Fatherhood, the Sonship, and the Holy Ghost dispensation. But Father, Son, and Holy Ghost has one name, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Every person from that day on was baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, and they found some that was baptized in no name at all, and the original Greek says right here and both the Hebrew, that the baptism in the name of Jesus is for the forgiveness of sins, both Greek and Hebrew. Remit means, "to forgive," of course. If I remit anything, is to take it away. To remit it: "take it away."

86 But there is no Scripture in the Bible... And Paul the apostle passed through and found some Baptist brethren, Acts 19. They were having a great time; they were shouting; they were having great joy and great things; and they were preaching, had joy in the camp.
Aquila and Priscilla in the 18th chapter had visited these people, Apollos; they were Baptists. And Paul went to them, and he said, "Have ye received the Holy Ghost since you have believed?"
And they said, "We know not whether there be any Holy Ghost."
He said, "How was you baptized?" I know in the King James it says "unto what"; in the original it said "unto how." "What or how was you baptized?"
They said, "We've been baptized by the same man that baptized Jesus, John." Paul said, "That won't work no more. You got to be baptized over again." And when they heard this, they come back into the water and was rebaptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Paul laid his hands upon them, and the Holy Ghost came on them. Now, if Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, says here, and the Lord Jesus Christ, says here, I can't hit both targets. It's got to be right.

87 Now, in Matthew 28:19, that's the last chapter and the last verse in Matthew. If you read a love story, and it said, "John and Mary lived happy ever after," who is John and Mary? Go back to the first of the book; find out who they are. See who John and Mary was that lived happy ever after. If Jesus said, "Go baptize in the name of the Father, Son, Holy Ghost," and Father's no name, Son's no name, and Holy Ghost is no name, then what was He talking about? Who is Father, Son, and Holy Ghost? Go back to the first of it and read. I will quote after the genealogies of Jesus Christ, 1st chapter, 18th verse:
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise:
Now watch real close. That post, we're going to call it Father; this pulpit, Son; this, the Holy Ghost. Now, who is the Father of Jesus Christ? God is. Do you all admit that? God's the Father of Jesus Christ. That's God the Father. This is God the Son. That's God the Holy Ghost.
Now the birth of Jesus Christ ... on this wise: (Matthew 1:18) When ... his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with a child of the ... [Congregation says "Holy Ghost!"]
I thought God was His Father; I thought He said God was His Father. Then how can God and the Holy Ghost both be His Father, if they're two different people, two different persons, personalities, anyway you want to place it? They've got to be the same-self person, or He had two spiritual daddies.
...birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When ... his mother Mary ... espoused to Joseph, before she came together, she was found with a child (not of God the Father, but]) of the Holy Ghost.
And this was all done, that it might be fulfilled as spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a child, (See). and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which is by interpretation, God with us.

88 And His name was called what? Jesus. All right. Father, Son, Holy Ghost. Now, Father and the Holy Ghost is the self-same Spirit. What is Ghost? It's the Spirit of God. And when it was, He came on the baptism of Jesus and dwelt in Him, "This is My beloved Son in whom I'm well pleased to dwell in." He came down and dwelt in Jesus, and that made Him Emmanuel on earth. So what was the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost? [Congregation answers, "Jesus Christ!"] Certainly it was.
So Peter had the same revelation. Now, we got our sights trained in. We're hitting the bull's-eye. Let's see if the disciples used that kind of a shooting. Every time they come together, every time a baptism was mentioned, they had to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, for He said, "There's not another name given under heaven among men whereby you must be saved." It's a false conception of the devil and is no Scripture at all for such. That's right.

89 And now, I hope that didn't hurt, but it's truth, see. It's truth, brother. You can't make that... You can't hit Father, Son, Holy Ghost one place and Jesus in the other, when nobody was ever baptized in the name of Father, Son, Holy Ghost. Every person in the Bible was baptized in the name of Jesus, and those that wasn't baptized that way had to come and be baptized over again before they could even get the Holy Ghost. They might act like they got a lot of power. You've got to follow God's infinite plan. That's exactly right. All right.
"Father, Son, and Holy Ghost is wrong". Now, for women preachers, anyone knows that's wrong. If you don't know no more than that! I wished I had time to read that from the Greek here, what it said. Said, "If your women want to know anything, let them ask their husbands, because it's shameful and disgraceful for a woman to even speak in the church. The Greek says that ... I mean, the Hebrew. "As also saith the law let them be in silent with all subjections to the pastor (see), for it's sinful and disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church." My, anyone ought to know that. And now... Which all the way through the Scriptures, and Timothy, and different Scriptures, I have it wrote down here, it's truth. All right.

90 Now, then why do they have power? You say, "Why does that do?" Look, brother, let me ask you ... or, sister, ever who it is that's asking this question, look. I have seen some of the most powerful meetings amongst the Mohammedans, screaming, jumping, take a knife and run it right straight through the heart like this, and pour water through it in the back, walk through fire with their bare feet, everything else like that, lay on beds of spikes, and take a sword and stick it right in their mouth and run it right smack down like that---you can take it yourself and draw it back out, and blood on it and everything else. Don't talk about them things, see. That isn't truth; that isn't vindicating anything, see. Jesus said... Let me read the Scriptures I got wrote out here to you, Matthew 7:21-23: "Many will come to me in that day... Not all that saith, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter into the kingdom, but they that do the will of my Father which is in heaven shall enter in. For many shall come to me in that day and say, 'Lord, have not I preached in your name? Have not I cast out devils, and prophesied, and done all these other things?' He will say, 'Depart from me, you workers of iniquity, I didn't even know you,'" see.

91 So don't... See, truth can only come one way, brother. Now, I'm not saying that the people who baptize people in the name of Jesus Christ is all going to hell. I don't say that. God is the Judge; let Him do whatever He wishes to, but there is no legal Scriptures in the Bible for anybody to be baptized in the name of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Paul commanded everyone that was baptized any other way than the name of Jesus to come and be baptized over again in the name of Jesus, and said, "If a angel from heaven come and preached any other doctrine (Galatians 1:8), let him be accursed." And Paul said, "As I have said before, so say I again, if an angel from heaven would preach anything else to you, let him be accursed."

92 Now, that cannot... You cannot make a target hit here and a target hit there. "Father, Son, and Holy Ghost," say, "Let them go, they're all right!" And "Jesus name," let that go and say, "They're all right." There's got to be something that's got to hit right. God's not a author of confusion.
And you run that through the Bible anywhere you want to, and you'll find out that it's a false baptism. Then go back to history, and down in the sixth century when great Agtobus, I believe it was, that baptized or one of the... I wouldn't say it was Agtobus; I forget what his name was that baptized... If you want to get it in the Ante Nicene Fathers before the Ante-Nicene meeting, 325 A.D. they were still baptizing in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when the Catholic church come into power they picked up the name of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Never one time from that back, was anybody ever baptized in the name of Father, Son, Holy Ghost. It's a Catholic tradition.

93 Luther brought a lot of it out with him. Wesley brought the rest of it, and we still go to it. And the Catholic catechism, what's called Faith of Our Fathers, I believe it is, on page 144, I think it is, they said, "Will any Protestants be saved?" Said, "Perhaps some of them. They claim to live by the Bible, but they still take the Catholic teaching." Said, "The Bible, the early Catholics, baptized in the name of Father ... in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, but we taking the solemnity from that and place it upon the Father, Son, Holy Ghost, and the Protestants recognize it." Said, "Maybe some of them will be saved." Not by that they won't! All right.

94 QUESTION: Is there more than one world?
Yes, there's worlds of worlds, Hebrews the 1st chapter the 2nd verse, Hebrews the 11th chapter and the 3rd verse. There's worlds of worlds. God created the worlds, w-o-r-l-d-s, worlds.

95 QUESTION: Is there more than one heaven?
Yes. In II Corinthians 12:3 Paul said he knew a man that was caught up into the third heaven. And over in Revelation and so forth, there's more than that. I'm just going to have to hurry, because it's right now past time for me to close. Would it be all right if I'd just read the rest of these off and just (all right!) comment?

96 QUESTION: Will a babe in Christ go up in the rapture?
Absolutely, if he's a babe he's born again. No matter how young he is, he will go up anyhow, you see.

97 QUESTION: Why should Christ appear to me as I was about to take the Sacraments?
Well, no doubt your heart was just in tune and you was coming sacredly up to God to do it; and that's why He appeared to you. See, that'd be the only reason I know. I couldn't say no more than what that would be.

98 QUESTION: If we were saved before the foun... (Oh, oh. We don't want to stop here do we?) If we were saved before the foundation of the world---were we?
Yes, sir! Revelation 13:8 said that you were saved and your name was put in the Lamb's book of life before the world was ever created. And Ephesians 1:4 and 5... Let me just read that; it won't take but just a minute and just so you see that I'm not just quoting it, I'm... All right, here we are; let's read this.
Blessed be the God and Father ... (Ephesians the 1st chapter the third verse.)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
According Listen! According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him... [As Christ died for us, of course.]
Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to His own good will.
Now, in the book of Revelation... I got that here; let me get it right quick, so you see that I just never just quoted it. I want to quote it. Revelation the 13:8, listen at this just quickly.
And all that dwelt upon the earth whose names ... upon the earth shall worship him, whose names were not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world. That's when it was. All right.

99 QUESTION: Were we spirits then?
No, we were not even nothing then, but in God's mind we were. And He spoke it and it materialized. Jesus was slain before... How many knows that the Bible teaches that Jesus Christ was the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world. Why? God spoke it, and when He spoke it, it was as good as finished. And when He saw me, He saw you before the foundation of the world; we were only figurative in His mind. Then when we come to the world, we were both man and woman, male and female. He separated the feminish spirit from the man and made a woman out of it and left the masculine spirit in a man.
When you see a woman acting like a man, there's something wrong. You see a man acting sissy like a woman, there's something wrong.
And then He took from the man's side a rib and made a helpmate out of him, and they two are one.

100 But before the foundation of the world our names... When the Lamb was slain, our names were put on the book, when in God's own mind He foresaw us and predestinated us by His foreknowledge before the foundation of the world. Oh, brother, if that wouldn't make the church get up and run through the aisles? Think of it. You who are born again, before the foundation of the world, God put your name on the Lamb's book of life. Christ died and sent the Holy Ghost here to call you to eternal life. You have received it; He sealed you. You're there till the day of your redemption. Hallelujah!
Talk about holding on. It isn't, do I hold on; it's, did He hold on. It isn't what I done; it's what He done. It isn't, "I quit smoking; I quit lying; I quit stealing;" it's He died for me. And He took my spirit out of me and converted me into a new creature. Now the next question right below that is... Quickly now so we get it.

101 QUESTION: What difference is it between body, soul, and spirit?
The body is the flesh that you look at that must rot. It was born by sexual desire of father and mother. It must rot. It's no good. Therefore in the new birth, in the resurrection when you're brought forth again in a new body, it'll be God's creative power that'll speak like He did to Adam and you'll come forth.

102 QUESTION: Would you please explain your theory that Eve conceived Cain of the devil?
I never said that; I said Eve conceived Cain of the serpent. In Genesis 4, once ... 1st verse, clearly states that Adam knew his wife Eve; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, "I have gotten a man from God." Absolutely! All life has to come from God. John Dillinger come from God. Adolf Hitler come from God. Every... George Whitfield come from God, and so did Bob Ingersol. Every person come from God.
But what I said is this... And I want someone to just tear it down, see. The Bible said that He would put (in Genesis 3:8)... When the question was asked when Eve had been ... something had happened to her, she met the serpent... Now the serpent was not a snake; he was a beast, the most subtle of everything in the field. There was nothing...

103 Today science is looking for a bone of some animal that connects man and monkey together. The closest they got is a chimpanzee. They can't find a bone. They'll never, because it's a serpent. It's a revelation of God.
Watch! The serpent was like a prehistoric man, something next to God ... or, next to man. And that's the only thing. If any other animal would've happened to ... Satan would've got on them, the seed would not have mixed with the woman. You can't mix a human seed with any kind of an animal seed. It won't work. But this animal that will mix the seed is complete ... it's extinct. God turned him to a snake. But remember when...
Said, "Why did you hide? Why did you cover yourself with fig leaves?"
Then they begin to pass the buck, as the army is. "Well," Adam said, "the woman that You give me enticed me to take of the fruit."
And the woman said, "The serpent beguiled me." Now, what does beguile mean? "He beguiled me."
And God said, "I will put enmity between your seed and the serpent's seed." Seed! The serpent had a literal seed, and it come through Cain.

104 Through Cain come all the smart, educated people down to the antediluvian flood. And behind that come Abel who was killed, and Seth was raised up in his place to represent the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. And from him come the humble people, sheepherders and so forth, but the God-fearing people. And Jesus said the children of this world are wiser, smarter, than the children of the kingdom. That's right!
We can't compare with them. Don't try to put yourself up to be like them. Humble yourself before God. Don't desire to be smart and wise. Just desire to know Jesus and let it alone, for there lays the seed of the serpent today. And people are glorying because scientists, and smart men, and educated, and great scholars belong to their churches. I'd rather have a man that really knowed God if he didn't know his ABC's to belong to my church (right!) as long as he's the seed of Christ.

105 The woman's seed, the woman's seed which was Christ. Mary brought forth the Christ. And the serpent's seed which was Cain come down to Judas Iscariot. There was both Jesus and Judas incarnate right there, God and the devil. On the cross of Calvary there was four people dying. There was a thief on each side of Jesus, and Judas hung himself on a sycamore tree, which is a cross: "Cursed is he that hangeth on a tree."
There was one thief said, "If Thou be the Son of God, take us down."
The other one said, "Lord, we do justly, we getting punished; You've done nothing. Remember me when You come into Your kingdom."
Jesus said, "Today shalt thou be with me in paradise."
There was Jesus, the gospel preacher, preaching on the cross. There was Satan going back to hell, taking with him the seed of the serpent, the unbeliever. There was God going back to heaven taking with Him a repented sinner, the seed of the woman. Certainly!
It was not the seed of the devil; it was the seed of the serpent. And the serpent had a seed; the Bible said it had a seed. And it still exists today, the seed of the serpent, so much...
Now, you can ask me another question on that. If we just had time, I got all the words for you, and...

106 QUESTION: Will you please explain what it means by, "Sinneth not" in I John 5:18?
My, we're right at it, I believe here. Maybe... Turned right straight to it. Maybe the Lord wanted me to read it. All right, I John,
We know that whosoever is borned of God sinneth not;...
Certainly not! I just went through that. He can't sin; he's born of God. "Sinneth not," he can't sin, the seed remains in him. Another Scripture you might refer to here would be Romans 4:8, 4 and 5-8 where God... David spoke years ago and said, "Blessed is the man who God will not impute sin to (see), because he does not sin."

107 Now, we've got one more and then that's all. Let's see!
QUESTION: Brother Bill, what is the difference between fornications and adultery, Matthew 19:9?
Jesus said in Matthew 19:9, "Whosoever putteth away his wife and marries another, except it be for the cause of fornication, commits adultery." The difference between fornications and adultery, the word could be applied either way. But to make it clear what he was talking of there, that ... a woman that's unmarried cannot commit adultery, because she has no husband to commit adultery against. It's uncleanliness for her. She has to confess that to her husband before they are married if she's did that. If not and her husband finds it out later, he has a right to put her away, because she took a false vow. For the Bible said, "Be it well..." or, ritual says, "Be it well known to you (I have it in mine) if any couples are joined otherwise than God's Word does allow, their marriage is not lawful. I will require and will charge you both as you'll surely answer in the day of judgment when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed, if either of you know any impediment why you should not be lawful joined together, do you now confess it." There you are, see.
So fornication is what a girl, when she lives unclean, that's fornication, because she has no husband. But when she's married, and then when she lives like that, she commits adultery against her husband.

108 A woman come not long ago, and she said, "Oh, I've confessed all that." She was nervous, and had a breakdown, and said, "I've confessed all that to God."
I said, "You have to confess it to your husband. It wasn't God that you committed adultery against; it was your husband." That's right.
And if a man marries a woman and she has lived unclean before she marries him, and then she comes to him, if they've been married ever so long, and then she comes to him and says, "Honey, I want to tell you something. I did run out with another man; I never told you," Jesus said he has a right to put her away and marry another, because they're not married in the beginning, because she falsely told a lie against him.

109 Now, there's another thing here... Thank you.
QUESTION: Please explain I John 5:16.
I John 5, we got it right here.
If any man see a brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for that sin.
All right. Let's just take it right back and get it right quick, this is the last one. Let's turn right over to Mark, and this'll just explain it exactly what that sin unto death is. There is a sin unto death, and you don't even pray for that sin. How many knows that there's a sin unto death? You don't even pray for it. Take Mark, the 3rd chapter of Mark. And after we find the 3rd chapter of Mark, then quickly we shall have this one Scripture before closing. Let's go to 3 and 22.
And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, ... (They seen Him discerning the thoughts of the people.) and they said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils cast he out devils.
And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan? (Now, if the devil can heal, how can he do it?) How can Satan cast out Satan?
...if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand,
And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end.
No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind him---the strong man; and then he will spoil his goods. (How can he go out into there, into them hearts and find what ... (see) ' less it be of God?)
Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme:
But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation (That's separation!):
Because (Why did He say it?) Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.

110 Calling the Spirit of God that was doing these miracles in Christ, they said it was the Spirit of the devil doing that; Jesus said it is the unforgivable sin. And if you see a man... Pray... Don't pray for him if he's making fun of the Holy Ghost and talking against the Holy Ghost; you are forbidden to even pray for such a person. You understand it? For there is a sin unto death. There's only one sin. Jesus said all manner of sin shall be forgiven the sons of man, but to blaspheme the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven.
Now people say, "Well, blaspheming the Holy Ghost..." What is blaspheme? Means "to talk about, ridicule, make fun of, blaspheme." All right!
What did they blaspheme Him? Telling that Holy Spirit that was within Him, making Him act and do the things that He was doing, they said, "He's possessed with Beelzebub, the devil. And that's the devil, a fortune-teller, in Him making Him do those things. Seeing the secrets in the people's heart, and telling Philip He knowed where he was at before he come to the meeting, and casting out devils, and doing those things there, He does it by Beelzebub, and He is a devil." And Jesus said that sin shall never be forgiven, so that is the unpardonable sin never to be prayed for. It can never be forgiven. A man and a woman that does that has eternally sealed themselves from the presence of God forever and forever, no forgiveness.

111 Do you love Him?
I love Him, I love Him,
Because He first loved me,
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary's tree.
Listen, you've been so nice, and these has been rugged, and they've been a long time. Now you've been sitting in this church since 7:30, 8:30, 9:30, two and a half hours, sitting in this hot church. You didn't do that just to be sitting there. And I guess ninety-eight or ninety-nine percent of the congregation has stuck right in their seat since that time. I want to say this: Jeffersonville, I feel this; that it's sinned away its day of grace. I believe that. I believe the whole United States has, but I've got some of the most loyalist friends that there is in the world right here in Jeffersonville. I've got people here that would die by me.

112 Now, a hot night like this, the strangers that's in our gates, tell me where a person would sit just to be sitting to hear a person, perhaps, speaking on Scriptures that they don't even believe the way I'd explained it, but they're reverent and godly enough to sit and listen at it. Long may you live. When the stars is turned to dust, may you live on in Christ Jesus. May God supply everything that you have need of. May He give to you the desire of your heart. If you believe me to be His servant and believe that my prayers would help you, let the God of heaven Who raised up His Son, Jesus Christ, to be the propitiation of our sins, to die in our stead, may He Who is omnipotent, He Who is omnipresent here at this building now, may He give unto you the desire of your heart is my sincere prayer for each and every one of you. And in a land where the sun will never light on you again to scorch you, where the hot winds will never blow, I hope to have years times millions of years to sit with each one of you in the kingdom of God and talk over the eternal things of this night and things how we sit together. I mean that with all that's in me, all my heart. I pray that God will give that to you, each one.

113 May His grace be with you. May He heal you of your sickness. May He give to you the baptism of the Holy Ghost. And I say this now without any slightness, without... If I brought any offense by anything that I said about the seed of the serpent, the baptism in Jesus' name, which those things...
Now somebody says, "Brother Branham is a oneness." No, sir, I am not a oneness. I do not believe that Jesus could be His own father. I believe that Jesus had a Father, and that was God. But God dwelt and tabernacled in this body called Jesus, and He was Immanuel, God with us. And there's no other God besides this God. He is Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. And the name of the Father, Son, Holy Ghost... Father: the Lord; Son: Jesus; Holy Ghost: Logos, Spirit of God. Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, Lord Jesus Christ; that's Him. And in Him dwelled the fullness of the Godhead bodily.

114 And I do believe without one shadow of doubt, loving you, and no matter if you remain baptized in the name of the Father, Son, Holy Ghost, sprinkled, poured, whatever you will, I pray God with my whole soul and body that you and I will meet in the kingdom of God, and God will, if I'm wrong, will overlook mine; if you're wrong, overlook yours. But by my own convictions of the Scripture to try to make the target hit to be from Genesis to Revelation, I command you to be baptized over again in the name of Jesus Christ if you haven't done it.

115 And if you have not received the Holy Ghost, and your life does not feel sweet, no matter if you've spoke in tongues, if you've shouted, if you've jumped up-and-down, if you've laid hands on the sick and they recovered, if you have done all kinds of miracles and signs, if you haven't got the fruits of the Spirit of love, joy, peace, long-suffering, goodness, meekness, gentleness, patience, faith and all these things in you, then I command you and constrain you in the name of Jesus Christ to not cease praying until the Holy Ghost comes on you! No matter how much you've spoke in tongues, how much you've shouted, how long you've been a church member, if you've been here, what all you've done will have nothing to do with it until Christ, the Holy Spirit, takes His place in your heart and you're dead to the things of the world and live anew to Christ.

116 God bless you is my prayer. Let us stand now to our feet. Oh, this is a nice congregation. You've been so good; I just hate to leave you standing like this.
Little Edith back there has got a birthday. Edith, can I count your... I'm going to make Brother Neville put these in for you. We will find out how old this young lady is. Thirty-eight years old. God bless you. David, give us a ... I mean, Teddy, give us a little chord, "Happy Birthday To You," all right, if you will.
Happy birthday to you;
Happy birthday to you;
Happy birthday, Sister Edith;
Happy birthday to you.
Now, all this congregation join in together, "Never Grow Old." Come on, all together now.
Never grow old, never grow old,
In the land where we'll never grow old;
Never grow old, never grow old,
In the land where we will never grow old.
In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore;
In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore.

Questions and Answers

You can find this sermon at ChurchAges.net

1 Brother Beeler, do you have a message for tonight? I'm just a little hoarse. I had some questions yet. If they didn't... If one of these brothers would take and preach, I'd be glad. Now don't get excited. This is not a... This is just some prayer cloths going to Africa. This is all to be cut off in prayer cloths, and they wanted me to pray over it out here tonight, plus some envelopes full. And I thought we'd just dedicate all this to the Lord. This is all to be cut up to go before me to Africa. Now, you know how many prayer cloths that's going to make when it gets about that big apiece, thousands of them. Brother Fred brought seven hundred the other day in a little envelope about like that. And you can imagine how many this will go to make. So we're... Just in a little bit, why, we will pray over it.

2 Now I'm just a little hoarse, but I said that I would be back to answer some of these questions the best that I could. And now always when these revivals comes along, it starts a little stirring. And I thought maybe this would kind of even it off tonight with the church, you know, because sometimes something might have been said that the church didn't understand it. And they give you a chance to write your own question now. I will give you the ones that I got; and then, if you've got anything like it, you won't have to write it.
And then one of them is: Please explain Romans 7:25.
Next one: You said a person could live so close to God that he did not sin.
What likeness will we be in the resurrection?
Brother Branham, what must a person do when they have followed all the instructions that you have taught; and then how do you receive the Holy Ghost?
Please explain Hebrews 6:4 and compare it with Hebrews 10:26.
And: What is meant by predestination before the foundation of the world; and where in the Bible would you find such as that?

3 And Sister Mc... No, that's a prayer request.
Now, that's our questions that we have for tonight. If you have another while we're just having a little preliminary here, well, you bring it up, and we will just try... Now, if there's any question in the church's mind concerning anything that we have, why we'd just like to be able to help you the best that we know how, see.
And I want you to always remember that what I say here, I don't say that's emphatically the truth and everything. It's the best that I know to be the emphatic truth of it. I could be wrong just like any other mortal, but I just, Brother Jackson, just try to explain it the way that I think is right (you see), the way I see it, Brother Mike, in the Bible, just... And studying these things, I just don't take it from one place. I go back and bring it out at Genesis, and bring it through to Revelations, right straight through the Bible.

4 And then, you could bring even the subject through. But, if it didn't coincide with the rest of it in there, the rest of the Scripture, then it would be wrong anyhow. If you brought it anywhere, it's got to fit with all the rest of the Scriptures, you see. And all Scripture will fit together if it's rightly put together. It's just like a big jigsaw puzzle. And I don't mean... If I'm saying wrong, then God forgive me. The Scripture is something likened unto a jigsaw puzzle, see. It's all broke up and just mixed up in a box, and it takes the Holy Spirit to place that together, see. And we cannot do it. Now, there's no 969 different interpretations to it, because the Bible said the Scripture is of no private interpretation. It's just the way it's written. We just believe it to... (Thank you, Brother Pat.) It's just the way it's written in the Bible; that's the way that we have to take it, like that. So if we try to make it say something here, well, it won't say the same thing over here then. See, if we put... You've got to make the Scripture answer itself here, answer itself here, answer itself here, just each one go right into its place to make it all fit together.

5 And now, I thought maybe... I was going to speak and said I would tonight, "We Have Seen His Star In the East, and Have Come to Worship Him;" but I just don't have enough voice to do that. I'd gotten hot here one night and went out. And I was so hot when I got in the car, I just smoked it right up. I run the window down and went home. Well, I think that was a Thursday or Friday night. The very next night, I started getting ... day I started getting a little hoarse, kind of a... Oh, it's... I don't... Not sick, no fever, no sickness, no cold; but it's just like a laryngitis in your throat just from speaking and injuring by preaching hard, and then it got cold. But it'll be all right in another day or two. Maybe by Sunday, I might come down to help Brother again. After he gets through with his preaching, I will search around and see what else is left.

6 And then I want all the church to receive the Holy Ghost. Now, my daughter-in-law is sitting here. Not because she's my daughter-in-law, not because she's here, she's one of the finest girls that I know of; she's a dandy girl, Loyce. And she's come up out of great things from her background, where she had to come out of a family who didn't worship God and so forth. I feel sorry for the child, have to come up like that. And now, she's seeking the Holy Ghost, and has fasted till she can't hardly stand up, fasting and praying for the Holy Ghost.
My sister, Deloris, she said, "Bill, I just... When the church was ... power was in the church," she said, "I just felt like I could fly away. And then, when everybody ... the Holy Ghost begin to fall on people," said, "I just sat there and looked around," see. Well, see, and that question's in here tonight, on that. So I thought maybe that might help the church to receive. And now, I don't want to take a Wednesday night prayer meeting and break it up into something like that, but I want to be sure that the church thoroughly understands these things (you see), before...

7 And I was just talking to a doctor here Sunday, came back in the back of the church here ... back here in the back of the church. He was a medical doctor. He had drove all the way from (Where is the Assembly of God headquarters at now?) Springfield, Missouri, to attend the meeting. He said, "Brother Branham..." (Now that's from the Assemblies headquarters.) And he said, "All my life I've wondered about that." Said, "This is the first time I was ever settled on it in my life." Met me back there in the room, sitting, a medical doctor.

8 And so, Brother Mercier and Brother Gene Goad back there with the recorders... Just now, Brother Mercier said he got the best out of the meeting where we explained that when that Holy Spirit came into the meeting and broke itself up: God dividing Himself amongst His people. Well, that's just what it does. And then, when God's people begins to gather back together, there's unity, there's power, see. And whenever God's people gets together completely, I believe the resurrection will take place then. There'll be a rapturing time when the Holy Spirit begins to gather it up. It'll be in the minority, of course, but there will be a great gathering.

9 Now, these prayer cloths that's sent, the Voice of Healing... I'm right immediately, the first of the year, if the Lord willing, I'm going into Kingston, Jamaica, into Haiti, and from there... The president of Haiti sent me an invitation, with all their militia for protection. They're having an uprise there. And what it is, he wants us to come with this type of ministry, which he'd heard had been over in San Juan last year when we was there. He said he thought that was the only thing that would save his country, see.
Now, if I have a Catholic friend sitting here, I don't say this to insult you or anything; I don't mean it in that way. But the Catholic church is trying to take over Haiti (see); and the only thing that will save it, will be a Protestant, shaking revival right now, see. And it was real nice, and I appreciate it. And so I told him during Christmas week and the next few days now, after tomorrow, we will go kind of fasting and praying, and see which way the Lord will lead us.

10 Then South America... And then, I do feel definitely led to go to Norway. I'm just definitely led to go to Norway this year, and then, Africa also. And this is going to be cut into small ribbons and sent into Africa ahead of the meeting. That's how many people... You can get a general idea how many people is calling for prayer cloths now when you hear you are coming over (see?), just getting contact again. So these are little cloths that's cut up also and ready to be sent out to different people.
So together with this great church of the living God, let's bow our heads just a moment now. And each of you in your own way, pray for God to anoint these cloths. Now, first I quote the Scripture that, "From the body of Paul they taken handkerchiefs or aprons, and placed them upon the sick, and evil spirits went out of the people, and afflictions; and they were healed."

11 Lord, upon this little desk that's been sitting here for all these years, and how that You have blessed us so much, and the Gospel has constantly went across this, and... If this little desk could only have eyes or could talk, it could tell of hundreds of great miracles that's been performed right before it: crippled, lame, blind, cancer ridden. And the powers of the living God has been made known into this little building. And Father God, we just thank Thee for all these things.
And now, the church has assembled together tonight to worship You. We've come to answer questions that's been asked. It's the sincerity and the hearts of the people that these things puzzle them in their mind. And Lord we do realize that if anything is puzzling us, we can never have faith as long as there is a question. So we do not want any questions.
Lord, we see the need of the baptism of the Holy Ghost among our people and among this church. And we don't want any questions in their mind. We want it all cleared up, so that they'll know what it is when it comes and know that it's for them.

12 And then across the sea, way yonder into those dark jungles where the drums are beating, and lepers are laying all around under the trees, and the flies blowing, and their legs off and their ears eat off and their faces eat up, leprosy. Stench, Lord, till you can hardly come within a city block of them. And poor little children without food, without clothes... And they love me, Lord. And they have believed the ministry, after the power of the Living God did heal so many of them. And I haven't had rest in my spirit since the day I left Africa, knowing that them poor dejected people are in that terrible condition there, and living in superstitious conditions. And the witch doctor, with human bones beating them in his fingers and calling on the evil spirits, and oh, what a place, and then to think, here in America lovely churches and big places. And, God, and to know that those poor people are so needy. See them come to the meeting, lay one on top of the other, and many of them die laying there, just trying to hear a few words from someone that they have said that knows You. Their hearts has begin rising, Lord, since the message and the letters are sweeping across Africa now. Fires, look like, are beginning to be kindled again.

13 And Your great church there which was a mighty church, broke into pieces, oh God, and separated, one in more of the faculty of the formal, and the others still trying to hold to the truth and the Spirit. And now, thousands are sending in now; they want prayer cloths quickly, that I've prayed over. In these little envelopes here are our prayer requests, of little parcels that's going to the needy. Oh, God of heaven who made the heavens and earth, I pray thee, Lord, in Jesus' name that You'll sanctify every stitch of this goods. And may Your Holy Spirit go with every stitch of it, Lord. And when it's laid upon the sick and the afflicted, may the evil spirits leave them.
Thinking back in those jungles where these things will go (many of them), where they even worship the devil. I pray, God, that he will not have one place to stand; that he will leave the camps; and the people will be brought to a knowledge of the Lord Jesus. Grant it, Lord. May their sicknesses be healed, their troubles mended, and their souls saved, and the power of God have pre-eminence. Grant it, Father. We send every stitch of this goods as one unit. Many little licks of fire is in here tonight, Lord, and together we send our prayers to You in behalf of this, that every person will be healed that it's laid upon. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

14 Now can you hear me in the back, pretty well back there now tonight? That's fine. I think we will be so happy when we get another church here, because these little things holding down, chop up your voice and you can't hear it hardly at all.
Now I realize again tonight, I'm approaching grounds... Brother Wood, before I forget it, I've got that handkerchief. Didn't you give me a handkerchief for someone? Or was it you? Somebody give me a handkerchief to put in my pocket and wear, and I've had it ever since during the meeting. I don't know who it was. I thought it was you said, "Wear this in your pocket for somebody." [Brother Neville explains the handkerchief to Brother Branham.] Was that it? Brother Jackson, did you have a handkerchief for someone? This is it. All right. Well, this will be right here, Brother Jackson, if you wish it. And now, I know somebody give it to me, said, "Wear it in your pocket." And then, I put it in my coat and forgotten about it.

15 Now if the Lord willing and my voice is all right, either Sunday morning or Sunday night, one, the Lord willing, I want to speak on the Christmas message that I have for you: "The Infallible Sign," You see. I've struck it Sunday morning and something hit fire in my heart. And I just was too far along with the message to pick it up again. So I want to pick it up Sunday morning, the Lord willing, or Sunday night one. So Brother Neville and I will get together on that time.
Now as Brother Neville has said, and so do I, want to thank each one of you for the remembrance of Christmas ... your cards. Brother and Sister Spencer, I got yours. And all the different ones here that sent me your cards, around, I do appreciate them and the gifts and things that you sent. We certainly do appreciate it. From my wife, and I, and the children, we thank you. We would like to be able to send a Christmas present to everyone, but that would sure be a hard thing for a preacher to do, wouldn't it? Well maybe around as many as there is to go to, I just wouldn't be able to do it, you see. I just... But I wish I could even get the kiddies, every one, something. I'd sure like to do it, but it's not just... Ministers can't do that. There's just too many to go buy. But we're all I'm sure, myself and others too, that we appreciate our congregations. One of the greatest things that I think that you've done, is your love and your undying faith that you have placed in me as one of your pastors here in this year.
Brother Neville, that's to you too, my dear brother. And the fine spirit that Brother Neville has always showed, like, "Come right ahead, Brother Branham; here's the pulpit, take it right over. Bless God, I like to sit down and listen." And I like that. I just like that humble, unselfish way that Brother Neville has.
And your all's faith, and just...

16 One thing you can do me a favor by, is pray for me. Now I'm going to have a bunch of spotted meetings just before the big itinerary starts. Now they'll be placed around, I think down around Glasgow, Kentucky, I will have a night. Maybe Campbellsville, Kentucky, I'll have a night. And over at some other place there in Kentucky ... Willow Shade, I believe it is, I have a night. For just along like, I will let you know just as soon as we get them straightened out, of the meetings that's coming up, which will be just little spotted meetings now, until I go back into the field again.
But I dedicated myself freshly and newly the other night to God. And by God's help and by God's grace I mean to stay in the harness till I die, see. I did that around thirty years ago. And I've been in... But I get so tired sometimes I get beyond myself. I just get to a place where I just can't go any farther. See, you all just merely see it right here. You just don't realize what it is up there, and out yonder, and over here. And not even from one ... not from one city, no; one state, no; not from the United States; but the world (see), around the world, see. And that's many I guess in contact tonight, I have met or contacted, not in the thousands but millions of people, see. And you'd just be surprised how many of those are sick, see. And they are calling; and it does make a great pressure.

17 So I appreciate your all's prayers. And by God's help and grace a very Merry Christmas to every one of you. Remember my saying, this is not Santa Claus; this is for Jesus, you see. Christmas means "Christ." And we were riding last night showing the kiddies all the houses decorated and everything, which is awful nice. But I thought, if I ever had anything on my house that I ever wanted to write, would be a neon sign: Trusting Christ Will Be In Your Christmas. That's right. Put Christ back into Christmas.

18 Now Father God, we are approaching the questions now. A very, very ... sincerely we come. And these precious people Lord, has laid these questions that's on their hearts and maybe many more in the building; and they're wanting to know just what to do. And Father, I am a very poor substitute for You, but I pray that You'll help me to know Your Word, that it will bring a satisfying portion to every question. This then we leave in Your hands and in Your name we ask it. Amen.

19 Now, Brother Pat's question here is a very, very good one. I just might start off on that, Brother Pat. Now if any of the rest of you have a question, you just write it and put it up here. Or Brother Pat will bring you a piece of paper if you don't have a piece of paper; or I will just be glad to do the best I could to answer it.

20 Now this is quite a question, Brother Pat. This sounds like it's a sense of humor, but it's a question.
QUESTION: Where are the spirits now that went into the swine? Where are the spirits that went into that herd of swine that day when Jesus cast them out of the maniac?
Well, Brother Pat, to the best of my knowledge... Now, we're starting off on demonology to start with. Now demonology is a great thing. (Now some of you watch the clock and don't let me go too long on one question.) But those demon powers, those spirits was in a man called Legion first. Isn't that right? And because his name was Legion, because Legion in the Hebrew means "many," see. There were many of those.
And those spirits that was in that dear man had drove him insane. And if anyone ever seen an insane person or had to deal with them, they're many times their strength, because they are so possessed of the devil. If you was ever around where a person lost their mind, oh it takes several good men to hold them. And they are twice or three times their power.

21 Now when a person is crippled and the Holy Spirit gets ahold of them, if the devil's got that much power to make a man three or four times his human strength, how much power can God put in a man? See, that's what comes upon him to make him walk in the strength of God, where he's been laying crippled for years. His bones come out straight; and his hands goes straight; he walks, and like a young new man, because the power of the Holy Spirit is on him.
Now, these was so evil until they wrapped the man in chains, and he could break them. And they said he plucked them asunder. And there was nothing could bind him. He was really a real bad case, because he had a legion of demons in him. And then, when he... Jesus crossed over and come into Gadara and started down by the tombs... And he was so evil, not the man (see); the man was all right.

22 It's not the man. When you see a person like that, don't never think that it's the man; it's the devil that's in the man. Now that maniac on the platform that night, was going to kill me up in Oregon. That man, when he come to me, instead of him spitting in my face and calling me a "snake in the grass" before nearly ten thousand people; well, it wasn't that ... it wasn't the man. He's a man that eats, drinks, sleeps, perhaps with a family, and loves, and just like I am or you are. But it was that devil in him that was doing that, see.
And you never cast a devil out by the wrong attitude. It takes love to do that. And love is the most powerful force that there is in the world. Now if you notice, a devil is always hate. Hate is of the devil. And when people hate someone, remember it is a terrible devil to despise or dislike. You mustn't do that.

23 You remember that Jesus said in His sermon that when you pray, "Our Father who art in heaven,"... And when He come down, He said, "If you don't from your heart forgive every man his trespasses, neither does your heavenly Father forgive you your trespasses," see. You mustn't do that.
But now, where the devil creates a power of hatred (see) to run out on the platform to kill me, which physically he was more than able, many times more... He could have held me up, perhaps in his two fingers right up by the belt like that, because he weighed 260 or 270. He was better than six foot and a half or seven foot tall, great big fellow. And he had just hit a preacher down the street with his fist, broke his collar bone and jaw, and injured him, and put him in a hospital. He just hated preachers. And then he just run right up there to kill me, see.

24 Now in that man was some of these spirits that was cast out of the swine in Gadara. Some of those poor people are out here in the insane institution, beating their heads against padded bars, cells. Remember, devils never die. Devils always live, but there will be a time where devils will have to die. They will become totally annihilated. But now they are alive, and they work from generation to generation upon human beings. Some of them is in the form of cancer; some is in the form of epilepsy; some is in the form of tuberculosis. They get into the flesh, but seemingly they are powerless until they can get into a person. They have to operate through a person, which brings to another thought: that the Holy Spirit covers the earth but it is almost helpless until it gets into you and to me.
God is depending on you and I, see. The Holy Spirit... The earth is full of the Spirit of God; it's poured out. But it cannot operate until it comes into us, we human beings, to operate.

25 And the devil wants to take us over to operate under him. So when he gets the mild form, he starts in sin. If he can hold them just in a righteous man, a good man, just let him go ahead and try to be good like that; if he can hold him like that until he's dead, that's just what he wants to do. He's got him, because no matter how righteous you are, how good you are, how moral you are, how clean you are, how honest you are, you'll never get to heaven until you're born again. Jesus said so. So there's no... You've got to be born, you've got to be regenerated, or there's not a way in the world for you to ever enter heaven, or ever come to Christ.
Now I said a few moments ago, which may rise into your thinking another question, that I've taught, and that is on... That I do not believe that there is an eternal... I don't believe the Bible teaches an eternal, burning hell. It doesn't. Because if hell is eternal and people that go there will be punished eternally, the only way they could be eternally punished, they'd have to have eternal life. And there is only one form of eternal life, and that's in God, see. So they have to come to annihilation (see); that is, their physical part becomes annihilated, and then their spiritual part becomes annihilated. That's completely consumed; there is no more to it. "Neither root nor branch," the Bible calls it. They are completely done away.

26 Then I can prove that there is degrees in heaven, that they'll not all be on the same equal, but you'll have equal eternal life. But the Bible said that the kings of the earth bring their honor and glory (Revelations 22) ... bring their honor and glory into the city. That proves that there will be kings in the new earth, kings and rulers. Jesus told His disciples... They said, "What will we have after we have left father and mother and all to follow You?"
He said, "Verily, I say unto you, you'll sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel in that day." See, it's another... It's a earthly system that's coming up that'll be far supreme to anything. In that there'll be no sin, but yet they'll have rulers and so forth in the cities, when everything will be carried on in the way of eternal life.

27 But the wicked shall be punished for their sins according to the deeds that's done in the body, and then will become completely and totally annihilated. Now just remember that. You that's taking down notes, remember that.
And put me on record of that, that there's only one form of eternal life, and we are seeking for that; and God alone has eternal life. There's no two types of eternal life; one eternal life, and that's all that lives. And remember, put this on your note too: Everything that has been made, that had a beginning, has an end. Everything that had a beginning has an end, and only that that had no beginning has no end. And there's only one thing that never had a beginning, and that was God. And that's the only way you can rise in the resurrection, is to have that eternal life within you, see. That's the only way that you ever come back, is something that had no beginning. And when you have received the Holy Spirit, in you dwells a life that never did start and never can end; and you possess that life in you, then you've got eternal life and are sons and daughters of God, see. And you can no more die than God can die, because you are a part of God.

28 We got the question here awhile ago ... in here somewhere of predestination. Brings it right to that same thing. You come a part of God; and if God divided Himself in that great Pillar of Fire, and those little licks went out over each one of those persons. And it does yet the same thing today. We can prove it by the experience that we have, by the teachings of the Bible, by scientific research, picture to show that it's that, that God divides Himself among His people. "And because I live, ye live also," Jesus said. We cannot die. There's no such a thing as death to a Christian; "For he that believeth on me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth on me shall never die," see. Die...

29 The word death means "separated." Now physically, we separate from our physical sight, because that's still sin; but our spirit is of God that can never be separated from God, because we are a part of God. We are bringing... We are brought back into that thought of God. Everything that God does is perfect and eternal. And when God's very thoughts went out for a kingdom of people who would worship Him, them very thoughts is eternal, see. They can no more perish. Every word of God is eternal. Jesus said, "Heavens and earth will pass away, both heavens and earth may pass away, but my words will never pass away." See, they're eternal with God. And "If ye abide in me and my Word in you..." See, we become a part of His Word, part of His life, for we are flesh of His flesh, and bone of His bone, and life of His life. Then we can no more perish than God Himself could perish. That's what the Holy Ghost is.

30 A little fellow that's left here from Georgia: Brother Evans. He's been everywhere across the country. And he's a great supporter of my good friend, Oral Roberts; and he supported all of his television casts down in there, and a lot of things he did. But he said to me the other day, he said, "Brother Branham, I went over to Brother Jagger's school. I went everywhere; I stayed out there for three months. I was hunting; I went to the places, each one of them, and bring it back to the same thing. I could never get a place where I had any assurance (you see), if I do this, or if I do that, and what might I do here, or am I, or am I not," said, "till I heard your teachings." Said, "Then that settled it once for all." "For the worshipper once purged from his sins has no more conscience of sin." He's passed from death unto life, and he's got eternal life inside of him dwelling there and can no more die than God can die. Exactly the Bible, see. He's eternally taken care of, because he's got eternal life.

31 Now that don't mean that you can sin and get by with it; for when you sin, you are punished for your sins. Exactly right. But as long as eternal life is in there, you live forever. Jesus said, "He that heareth my word (St. John 5:24)... He that heareth my words, believeth on Him that sent me, has everlasting life, and shall never come to the judgment, but has passed from death unto life," see. "No man can come to me except my Father draws him first; and all that comes to me, I... And all that my Father has given Me will come to me." That's right. "All that He has given will come, and none of them will be lost. I will give them eternal life and will raise him up at the last day." (St. John 6) Oh, what a blessed assurance. See? Then you don't have to go about scared to death and wondering.

32 God has give us the perfect assurance that we are His children. And as His children, He corrects us just like I correct my children; you correct your children. When in the wrong, we correct them. If my children does wrong, then it's my duty as a father to correct them. And then if God's children does wrong, it's His duty as a Father, and He will correct you. Just remember that: You'll be corrected. But as long as you're His child, the world better keep their hands off of you (that's right!), for He said, "It's far better for you that a millstone was hanged at your neck and you were drowned in the depths of the sea than even to bring an offense upon one of these little ones that believe in me." That's right. What is that judgment going to be!

33 Now, Brother Pat, back to your question. The spirits that went out of that man that drove him like a maniac (see), does the same thing today in people, see. It's them spirits, thousands times thousands. And the devil comes in with just like a little opium. It's just like they take a little school girl; the first thing they will do is get her to smoke a cigarette, see. That gets her started. And the next thing they do, they'll get a little stronger. And then the first thing it ends up into marijuana; and then from that on into the real dope habit. What does it do? It drives them insane. They just go crazy and the devil's got them, see.

34 So the devil is in smoking cigarettes. That's his little mild form. Now, if he sees you're pretty smart and going to catch that, he will never let it go any farther than cigarettes, see. As long as he can just hold you there long enough, he can get your life snapped out, because he knows that you can't go until God has said so. But you'll hear sermon after sermon, message after message, and punch after punch on it, and warning after warning on it. And if he can just keep you warded off and keep your mind on something else, as being a popular person, or you've got to have it, or something like that, then he just holds you there until he gets you out. Or if he can just let you join church and say, "I'm going to be a good fellow. I'm going to turn a new page. I'm going to get... I'm going up the church and join church." If he can just keep you under that, that's all he has to do. He's got you yet, because you... Jesus said, "Verily, verily (that's absolutely, absolutely), I say unto you, except a man be born of the water and of the Spirit, he will in no wise enter the kingdom."

35 Let me just show you something. I was talking to a brother this afternoon---Brother Wood---when we were on a journey, just out, try to relax my mind, keep from talking to get enough voice to talk tonight. Now, notice! We're going down here and get a nice big grain of corn. It's the most perfect grain of corn there is in the country. And I'm going to ... well, call it corn or ear, whatever you want to call it. I will take it over here to the Clark County Fair, and I will win a blue ribbon on it. It's the best grain of corn, the most perfect corn there is, ever seen. I will get a blue ribbon on it. I will take it down to the Floyd County; I will take it on to the Harrison County. I will take it to the state, and I will take it to the nation. And it wins every blue ribbon. It's the most perfect grain of corn. And the scientists with their great glasses, they look through it and they examine it, see. It's a perfect amount of potash and a perfect amount of calcium, and a perfect moisture. Everything that goes in that grain of corn is just exactly perfect. Now, you say "I'm going to plant that and get me another perfect grain out of it." And you plant that in the ground. Unless that corn---that perfect grain---has the germ of life in it, it'll lay there and rot and that's the end of it. It'll never rise again no matter how perfect it is. It'll never rise until it's germitized with a new life in it.

36 And you can take a man... Now, I don't mean this to hurt feelings; this is church. This is my tabernacle and I'm as free as a bird, see. Now I want you to remember that in this, that a man can be good; he can pay his tithes; he can be honest; he can help the widow; he can help the orphan; he can be a church member. You can't find one flaw about that man. Every time something is to come up, right down in his pocket, get the last penny he had and give to the poor. He will stand by you through thick and thin. He will be your buddy when even a lot of the so-called others will turn you down and everything like that; and that man is still outside the kingdom of God unless he's been filled with the Holy Ghost, eternal life. That's right! That's how important it is.
That's the reason I'm trying to get my church to see this. And I pray that you don't think I'm just trying to act smart about it. I'm trying to tell you that the devil is so deceiving, that he's so deceiving till he will make you act like a Christian. He will do something and impersonate Christ right down to the very elect. The Bible said they'd be so close together. You'll be a good man. You'll have...

37 Now looky here, let me show you examples to be sure now. We want to keep it in the Scriptures while we're on these spirits. Esau was a far better man in every way you wanted to take it than Jacob was. Now, Esau (God forgive me for this remark), he was just a little sneaker. That's all. Now if you notice him, what was he? A little tattletale and a big liar. Now if I'm saying wrong, God forgive me, but he did lie. And a cheat: There never was one like him hardly. When he took them speckled sticks even and put them in the water to cause those pregnated cattle and sheep over there to bring forth speckled sheep and speckled cattle, to get them on his own hands. What did he do? He put Esau's coat on him and a piece of sheep skin and everything else, and went up there and impersonated Esau before his blind father which was a prophet. That right? Why, he was a little shyster; he really was. And Esau was a... I oughtn't ... maybe I oughtn't to have said it that way, see. I don't mean it that way. I will take that back. He was a ... he was a... I don't know; you know what he was, see. You just think in your mind; I will... He was a great man of God, and I don't want to say nothing bad about him (you see), but I'm just trying to point out little things that he did. Just look how sneaking he was. Liar? Sure, he was just ... he was terrible. But what was he trying to do?

38 Look at Esau. Esau was a good man, moral, a good church member today. What did he do? He was a hunter. He went out... Course then, that's how they made their living. He'd taken care of the herds for his father. His daddy was blind. A prophet, a prophet of the Lord was blind and deceived by his own son. A prophet! Isaac: Through him come Christ. You can call him prophet; Bible said he was. And was blind? Why didn't he heal himself? And why didn't he know that that was Esau ... that that was Jacob instead of Esau? See, God don't tell his prophets everything. He just tells them what he wants them to know, see.
God was working out a plan then, and he had to work in it. God will... If you'll submit yourself to God, God will make you work right into His plan.

39 Now, notice what he did, what this fellow did. Esau went out and tried to take care of his poor, old, blind daddy; and Jacob, seemingly, he didn't care what happened to him. But there's one thing Jacob wanted: that was the birthright. Regardless of what come, how he had to get it, what level he had to come on, that birthright was all he cared for. And Esau, the Bible said, despised his birthright; the Bible said that. And the Bible said, "Except there come some vain fornicator among you, like that evil person Esau who despised his birthright and sold it for a mess of pottage..."
Now, what is a birthright? It's the right. That's what I'm trying to tell you now. This Holy Spirit is your birthright; that's your birthright. That's your God given right. Now, people would say today, "I will go to church. I'm just as good as the next fellow. But me, act like one of them holy rollers? Not me." Well, you Esau! See. It's just the same thing, despising the birthright. Why, he swapped it for a mess of pottage. And you sell it... I don't say you, but the world sells it for a lot less than that.

40 Esau was hungry. But, you see, if goodness would be counted... If somebody... If we walked up there and stayed around the tent for a few days, we'd find out that Esau was... We'd have picked Esau, see. But in his heart he wanted that birthright. He didn't care about anything else; he wanted that birthright. That's all he wanted.
And Esau wanted to be a nice fellow, and take care of everything, and do everything just right, and make everything just as... He was a real good legalist; Esau was. He wanted everything just right. And Jacob wanted one thing, and that was the birthright, and that's all he cared about. And Esau... You see what happened to both boys, see. And even out of Jacob come the twelve patriarchs which brought forth, well, the twelve tribes of Israel, out of Jacob. And God called Jacob His own son. Do you see what I mean?

41 That Holy Ghost ought to be more important to you than everything else there is in the world---your prestige, your life, your job, your ... anything that there is. You should not cease until you have it. You must receive it. It must be the most... You say, "Well, I'm afraid they ... they ... at my work. I'm afraid that my husband, my..." Don't be afraid; let that be first place. Let everything else go. Let that be first. "Well, I expect to get it one of these days, Brother Branham." Not one of these days, now! This is the time. "Let it be first before I do anything else. Let me have it now!" Desperate! That would help answer our question. When you get desperate for it, really got to have it or die (see), then is when you're going to get it.

42 A little Jew used to be here in town. I don't know whether you knew him or not. He'd been healed of cancer. They'd turned him out. And when he was baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, then they really turned him out, put him out in the yard. And then he went and joined the Methodist church. And they found out that he was baptized in the name of Jesus, and they set him out in zero weather, about ten below, in Ohio; put him a bed out there (Brother Freeman, you ought to remember Brother Vance, oughtn't you?) ... put him out there, and a pump of water out there, and said, "There's enough water for you to be rebaptized in Jesus' name, I guess."

43 However, he was telling me a little story once. He said that when this certain peoples, his wife ... they were staying with... And he had gathered all of his old stuff up in an old broke up truck and started out of town. And his wife said, "Do you know what? I ought to have got a drink of water before I left that place." Said, "I'm thirsty." Well, he said, "Honey, there's a hydrant." Said, "Well, go on till you hit a better place," you see. And he went a little farther, and he said, "There's another hydrant." Said, "Well, just go ahead," see.
But said, "Then, when she got out into the country, there was no pump." Said, "She was just fighting for a drink of water." And said, "After while, way over in the field was an old country pump, way out in the field, plumb across through a bunch of cattle; and she was afraid of the cattle." But she said, "Levi, I just got to have a drink!" So he stopped the car. And said, before he could even get the car hardly stopped, she was out and had that cutting across the fence. She had to have water. And when God becomes that real to you, when you thirst like that, that it's either God or you'll die, you can't stand it any longer, then something's going to happen. You get to business then with God. That's when it takes place.

44 Now, these evil spirits deceive people. And them spirits, many times, are very religious. Now you say, "You mean, religious?" Yes, sir! Even teach the Scriptures, the Bible. They sure do.
Now notice! Jesus came to a bunch of men that was holy priests; and they kept the laws to the letter; and they were very, very religious. And Jesus ... John called them, said, "You generation of vipers (that's snakes), who's warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" When Jesus saw them, He said, "You are of your father, the devil." That was God saying that. Just as religious as they could be.
Remember, when... The devil takes his man, but never his spirit. God takes His man but never His Spirit, see. The Holy Spirit comes into your life and sanctifies your spirit, lives through you, and gives you power to live. But when your spirit goes on, your spirit is kept with God; but the Holy Spirit was on you comes on somebody else, and somebody else, and somebody...

45 The Spirit that was upon Elijah come upon Elisha, a double portion of it; seven hundred years later ... or, eight hundred years later come upon John the Baptist, made him act... Look how Elijah was: big old hairy man, whiskers all over him; sheepskin; looked like a fuzzy worm, his face out like that; stomping down through there with a bit piece of leather around his girdles like ... girdles around his loins, like this. If you would have... If he'd have walked up to your house, you'd say, "Ooh, my! Call the police right quick. Such a fellow standing in front of my door." But that was a prophet of the Lord. Sure was! And then when he died, a double portion of his Spirit come upon Elisha; and then eight hundred years later come upon John the Baptist and made John act just exactly like they did, because it was the spirit of Elijah.

46 Now if the spirit of Elijah upon John would make John act like Elijah, the Spirit of God upon you will make you act like Jesus. Now there's where you find the Holy Spirit, see. That's what the Holy Spirit does. It makes you meek, makes you humble, makes you forgiving.
Could they pull whiskers from your face, if you had them there, jerk them out and spit in your face, when you had the power to call legions of angels? Could you do that for the love of the people that was spitting in your face? Could you do it? If somebody just walked up to you and said, "Hey, you hypocrite!" and smacked you on one side of the face, could you pray for their forgiveness? Now, that's where trust ... the test whether you got the Holy Spirit or not, see. When somebody says something evil against someone, sometimes that claims to have the Holy Spirit: "I will get even with her if it takes me my last day." See, now, there's where you check about your Holy Spirit, see. "Blessed are you when men shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my name's sake." But you go get even with them? No! "Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you." See?

47 When someone says evil about you, say something good. If you can't say something good about them, then don't say nothing. Just let it go, see. And then when you get to yourself, pray for them.
If there's one thing in my life that's helped me to understand that the Holy Spirit came into me down there that day, has been that. I was hotheaded, fiery, Irish on both sides. And I always could never eat hardly at all, my mouth was always mashed where somebody mashed it, jumping up where I shouldn't jump up. I've got some of my teeth broke out now and filled where I spoke when I oughtn't to have spoke (you see) and said things... Always in trouble. And I said... Somebody said to me, my teacher at school, she said... I said, "Lady, I ... I ... I can't help it." See, I'd get in trouble all the time. And I said, "I can't help it." Poor old Mother Temple, she just went to Glory the other day. And she said, "Well, look, Honey." She got me up on her lap, and she pulled me up in her arms and started crying. First time I had ever had love like that from someone, an old woman. She just cried over the top of me. She said, "Billy, I am going to do something for you, Honey; I'm going to give you a little piece of string." And said, "If any of the boys jumps on you..."

48 Called me "corn-cracker," because I was from Kentucky, you know, and... I really was terribly dressed. And they'd make fun of my hair, hanging pretty near as long as it is now, and all down over my face. And I was just having an awful time, you know. And they would beat me around and slap me. Anytime anybody gets their temper up, they'd walk around and just get ahold of me, and slap me down. Here I'd come, see. And so then ... and a fight, and I even had knife fights and everything else.
And took a Winchester rifle and tried to shoot it, pump it right into four or five boys, from beating me till l couldn't hardly stand up. Would've killed every one of them if it hadn't been for God. Picked up the shells off of the ground, put them back in the gun; they was just shoot as good as they ever did, see. I'd been a murderer of five men, probably ... or, five boys.

49 Was only about twelve years old, high tempered! And teacher said, "You take this little string, Billy, and whenever you get mad, you just stop and tie nine knots in that string." Said, "When you do that, then you bring the string to me. I bet your temper will be over."
I said, "Mrs. Whalen, I sure think you're so nice." I said, "I'm going to try it." (Or, Mrs. Temple; I'm saying Mrs. Whalen. I said Mrs... Mr. Whalen was a teacher up here once.) So I put the string in my pocket. And I hadn't been out in the yard five minutes till somebody popped me one. Well, I went ... started on them, you know. I reached down and grabbed my string; and I started to tie one knot. I throwed the string down, and away I went, see. I just couldn't do it, see.
And I said, "I could never be a Christian." But let me tell you, that night down yonder on Ohio Avenue when the Holy Spirit came into me, that settled the temper. That was over. I said, "I could never do it. I could never be a Christian, because I'd never get over that," I said, "something that's born in me." I said, "Boy, my daddy was hotheaded; and my mother, half Indian, enough temper to fight a buzz saw." I said, "Me? Boy, anybody that jumps on me is going to get it; that's all." I said, "If I have to climb up on a step ladder to hit them," I said, "I'll sure do it," see.

50 But now you could drag me out there and wollow me and... See. Why? Not me! What am I trying to make a point here? Something happened. That old power, that old William Branham died, and someone else come in. And it makes me feel sorry for my enemy. When anyone does anything wrong to me, I never pray against them; I pray for them. And that's where the Holy Spirit give that test the other night in New England, before this happened down here. When He gave power, said, "Just speak what you will to them people." The way they had done... And I looked down there, and I said, "I forgive you." That's exactly what He wanted, see. Forgive your enemies, see. These are the spirits that make you evil. Watch them spirits.

51 Here come somebody by. He was up there in a tomb. Somebody come by; he'd run out and overcome them, the Bible said. He was so dangerous till nobody could pass that way. But one day there was a stronger power passed. He was possessed with hatred, malice, devil, legion of them walking around, big fellow. They'd go out there, and take an army, put him in chains; and he'd break the chains loose. And the devil was in him. There he was. He'd've been a real idol for the Jeffersonville High School. Sure would! There he was, all this big... Or, some of these teen-agers, you know, "Oh, he's real man." I've seen man that weighed two hundred pounds didn't have a ounce of man in them. That's not man; that's brute, see.

52 But there was a little bitty, stoop-shouldered fellow come down the road one day, kind of bent down (the Bible said there was no beauty we should desire Him, thirty years old and pass for fifty), walking down the road one day, and he run out to meet Him. Said, "I will just take that little fellow and wind him around." But, oh my! when he met that One, he fell at His feet. Them devils so possessed him... Now look. That day... He was so possessed with the devil...
Now this, I want to put this in for you. He was... That man was so completely yielded to the devil, till the devil used his tongue to talk. Now you can be so completely yielded to God till God can use your tongue to talk. That's right! That's what I claim. Any sermon that I ever preached that had any meaning to it, is when I got yielded, got William Branham out of the way, and Christ could take in and start talking, see. And He can speak in language.

53 Now notice. He was so possessed of that evil spirit, and that spirit had him so close till... Them demons knowed their time had come, because they had met love, see. And they said, "We will try him." Now, notice what taken place. He said, "Why, we know who you are. Why you in that little bitty body like this, little frail-looking fellow?" Said, "Why are you coming like that?" Said, "We know who you are. You're the holy one of Israel, and why do you...? [Now watch! If you don't believe that there's a future torment for devils, listen to these confess it.] Why comest thou to torment us before the time comes?" They know there's a future torment. "Why comest thou to torment us before the time comes," see. And Jesus said, "What's your name?" He knowed; He wanted them to confess it. Said, "We're Legion, for there's many of us." He said, "If you're going to cast us out of this man..."

54 Look, a little frail fellow like Jesus standing there (see), and a man that could whip almost an army; chains couldn't even hold him. See, it isn't physical strength. That isn't what counts. It's the power of the Holy Spirit that's in your life that counts, see.
He said, "Don't torment us before the time comes; but if you'll cast us out... [Look at the meanness of them, the wickedness.] If you are going to cast us out, don't let us just go free out into the world, because hard tell whether we will get into somebody else. If you'll cast us out... We want to be in somebody; we want to do something; we want to do some more meanness." That's the devil. "I will get back with him, Mmmm!" See, that's the devil. "I will get even with him." See, just remember, it's your brother standing there, but the devil got on him. "Let us do something mean. We can make these Gadarenes over here suffer for this," might have said, the head of one of them. Said, "Let us go over there in that herd of swine."

55 Jesus said, "Take your leave. But come out of him!" Oh, my! Little bitty guy like that speaking to that big legion of devils. "Come out of him! You have your leave." And they got into those hogs, and they had fits, run them hogs into fits. And down the way they went to the river, and drowned in the river, choked themselves in the river. Isn't that right?
Now, when they did... Of course the devils went out of them, because it killed the hogs. It just run them into a fit. They had a fit just like anyone. Did you ever see a person have a temper fit? Well, that's just what it is. That's just them devils. That's what happened to them. You ever see one of them having a temper fit, you say, "Uh huh, I know what happened in Gadara now." See? That's just exactly. Just a few more come in there, run him completely insane; because the medical doctor will tell you that temper is the first stage of insanity. That's what Mayo says, the first stage of insanity.
Brother Pat, that might have been rude. That's the best I know, just unexpected. All right.

56 QUESTION: Romans the seventh chapter, the twenty-fifth verse.
I've got to... I forgot, I looked that up the other day when I got it, but I forget just what it is. Let's answer this dear person's question if we can. Romans 7:22, all right. Twenty-five, I beg your pardon. Romans 7... I turned two pages at once then.
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. [Now, wait a minute. I didn't get that read just right.] I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind [Yeah, that's right.] I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

57 All right. That's exactly what Paul said many times over. "When I would do good, evil is present." See, that's exactly what you do too. "With your mind...": That's your heart, see. Now remember, you do not think with your mind; neither do you see with your eyes. Neither do you... You see with your heart. Did you know that? Did you know your heart has another person in it besides yourself? Science just found that out about four years ago, you know. Little compartment in the heart, they say, the soul lives.

58 Did you ever hear of subconscious? You start to do anything, and you think, "Oh, I'm just winding over the top of it," but your subconscious tells you different.
They can take a lie detector... I see my good friend, Attorney Robinson, sitting in the back. And I don't know whether you ever seen it done or not, but I happen to have it ... try ... it put on me one time, about this Angel of the Lord here. And they put a lie detector on you, and you try in ... to confess to the best of your knowledge, the best that you can make it, just so nice and smoothed over, that you didn't do such-and-such a thing---a criminal. That lie detector will turn right back and say you are lying, see. Why? It's the vibration of your nerves that they pick up on that lie detector, see. It'll tell you. Because why? Man was not made to lie in his original beginning. It's sin and the devil that's on you that makes you lie, see.
Your make-up is not to lie. That's the reason you have to live again, because you was made (created) to live forever, live always. But see, sin came in and brought death to the body. And then, when sin comes in and brings death to the body, then course, the body has to die. But in there can dwell eternal life; when this spirit is changed in you, and you've got eternal life. God will raise that body up again at the last day. He said He would do it.

59 So with my mind... He said in another place, "I think I have the mind of Christ." Now, in that mind you serve... With the mind of Christ you serve God. See, the inward part (see), the inward part, you serve God. That subconscious, there's where faith lies.
I want to ask you. Was there many times that you people in here, many of you have seen times where you would ... you just knowed something was going to happen. It looked like it was impossible for it to, but you just knowed it was going to happen. Did you ever have that? That's that faith, that subconscious working. [Now, if it's getting a little warm in here, you can turn that gadget down down there, if it's getting a little bit too warm for you.]

60 Now, in there---that subconscious (see)--- that's where your mind... Now Jesus said, "Except a man be born again... [Now, that's not what I wanted.] Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." Now, you couldn't see the kingdom of God, because the kingdom of God is the Holy Spirit. "Some standing here will not taste of death till they see the kingdom coming in power," He said. Then, "The kingdom of God," the Bible said, "is within you." It's within you, the Holy Spirit, and you can't see that with your eyes. So see means "to understand."
Have you ever looked at anything, looking right at it, say, "Well, I just don't see it," see. "I just don't see it." You mean you don't understand it, see, see. You don't understand it. To see is "to understand." But with your eyes, you look at anything. But with what's inside of you, you understand; you see with that, see. With the eyes of God you look...

61 And now, hold your point now. Here's a good one if you're ready for it: The Christian looks at things that he doesn't see with his eyes (see), for we look at the unseen, see. How do you look at it? With your inside eyes. You see it by faith. And to prove that: the whole Christian armor is made up of unseen qualities. What is a Christian armor? Somebody says, "Seeing is believing." That person would never be a Christian, because the armor of the Christian is made up of this: love. Did you ever see it? You see it in action, but you never seen love. You can't. Pull your part of love out and let me see what it looks like, see. Love, love, joy, peace, long suffering, goodness, meekness, faith, gentleness (see); the whole Christian armor is unseen with the natural eye, but it is understood by the heart! There you are. There you are.

62 Paul said then, "With my mind... ('And I have the mind of Christ,' you see, he said.) I serve God with my mind, but my flesh [how did he word that there at the last?] but with the flesh, the law of sin." What is it? My flesh says tonight, "You are too tired. Your throat is too sore. You've been out in the wind today. You shall not go to church tonight." That's the law of the flesh. "You just might as well call them up and tell Brother Neville that... Send the questions down and tell him to answer them." But you see, I promised to do it, see.
Now, my mind, on the inside, the Holy Spirit said, "You keep your promise." But the flesh said, "You're too tired," see.
Now, the flesh say, "Now, there's no need, you pretty little thing; you're the prettiest little thing in school. Now, don't you pay any attention to that holy roller mother of yours or that fanatic father, see. You're the best looking girl in school." "You're the prettiest boy, the best looking boy, the best built. You are the most popular there is in the city." You see, and you yield your members to that, and where do you come out at? The little end of the horn every time, see.

63 Paul said, "My flesh wants always to yield to that." Your flesh does too, see. But the law of the Spirit of God in the heart overcomes the flesh and makes the body obey what the heart says do. Hallelujah!
Look, then if it will do that for a sinner, then won't that work for sickness too? The law of the Spirit of God in the heart that knows that "By His stripes we were healed," they stand with their power to make that sickness in that body obey them, because it's the devil. There you are. Whew! That's got cream on it that deep. I tell you. That's it, see.

64 Now, the law of sin and death works in your flesh, but the law of the Spirit of life works in your heart. So your heart, your spirit in your heart will make your body obey what it says do. That's exactly right. Now, that's what Paul said. Always the flesh, "I'm too tired; I'm unable; I'm not sufficient; I cannot do it." I said to Loyce here, or Deloris, or somebody that's been talking to me about the Holy Ghost, about something or other like that, I said... Deloris said, "What made me feel that way just at the time that I should have felt good?"
I said, "The devil. He seen you just ready to receive it. He said, 'I will put a little damper on her "Wheww," fan her a little bit, you know, kind of cool down a little,' see. But oh, my, that's when you rise! Claim your God-given rights." That's what Paul was meaning, see. "Always when," he said, "when I would do good, evil is present."

65 Tell you what you do. I've noticed this, my wife and I... And I will just hurry back, because I've just got a few minutes longer, and I got some big questions here. I don't want to keep you too late, but I want to get your questions the best I can.
Notice! I can start in the morning, and say I'm going... Now, the Lord leading me to go to a certain place for a meeting, well, brother, you just watch everything take place. Or you let me get at my home, and some long distance call comes in. I got to pray for the sick. Little Joseph will climb right up on top of my neck. Sarah will want to ask me a question. Becky will start on the piano. I say, "Sh, sh, sh!" Put my hand over, "Hey, sh, sh, sh, I'm going to ... Daddy's going to pray for the sick." "Well, Daddy, look; Joe done this..." See, just let it start. And as soon as the prayer is over, they got their toys and just as sweet and clean. It's the devil. Certainly it is.

66 Then I will come around and say, "Joseph, you shouldn't do a certain thing." And you know, the first thing you know, he's got in a habit. And you'll find in your children, they'll lie to you. Well, that's a lying spirit on that baby. There's only one remedy for it. The gun stick ain't my idea, you know, the ramrod we used to get the beating with, Brother Jess. When we got into trouble we used to get the ramrod out of the old guns, the hickory stick, you know, old muzzle loaders. That isn't the idea. But prayer cast that evil devil away from that child. That's right. Prayer does it.
If little Martha just starts stomping her little foot, and running out, and turning up her little nose, you could beat her till she didn't have any clothes on her; she'd do it anyhow. But you just lay before God and claim that child's soul for God. Just stay right there with it. I believe it's the best thing that I know of. Yes, sir! That's the best remedy I know of, is prayer.

67 QUESTION: Now, let's see. Now the next one here says: What is meant by predestination before the world began; where is it in the Bible? Predestination before the world begin?
All right, my precious friend, let us turn to Ephesians the 1st chapter just for one place. We won't take too long on this one I don't think, unless it doesn't answer right. And let's just start reading here at Ephesians the 1st chapter.
Now, the first thing, I want to say this, that predestination is a bad word for a minister to use before an untrained congregation, see. It is. I don't use it. Sometimes here at the church... But out in the audiences, out in the big... Where everything is piled in from everything, I watch that word. I always use the word "foreknowledge," because predestination is only the foreknowledge of God. God being infinite, by foreknowledge He knew everything, or He isn't infinite, see, see. He knew what would happen. So by foreknowledge He could predestinate. That's the reason I believe that God just doesn't...

68 Just like the air you are breathing; I disagree with the Jehovah Witness on that idea that your breath is your spirit. It can't be, see. Your spirit is in your heart, see. And you got your spirit before you ever come to the world. God told Jeremiah that He knew him, and sanctified him, and made him a prophet over the nations before he was ever conceived in his mother's womb, see. (Jeremiah 1:4.)
Now notice. So we see that all these things are foreknowledge. Seven hundred and twelve years before Jesus was born ... before John was born, Isaiah saw him in a vision, said he was the voice of one crying in the wilderness---712 years. From the garden of Eden, Jesus Christ, before the foundation of the world...

69 Let's read this. Ephesians 1, let's just start at the first chapter, the first verse.
Paul, an apostle... [Now watch how he addresses this. I like this way of Paul. I like Paul, don't you? Oh, he was a wonderful servant of Christ. Now watch this.]
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and ... the faithful in Christ Jesus.
Notice, this is not addressed to the world; this is not addressed to the outsider. This is to the church that's in Jesus Christ (oh, isn't that lovely?), the church in Jesus Christ. How do you get in Jesus Christ now? By one Spirit we're all baptized into one body. And he's directing this to Holy Ghost filled people (see), not to the outside world.
Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Blessed be the God our Father ... the God and ... our Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in all heavenly places ... and spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

70 Oh, my! Wouldn't you like to sit in on some of that? Well, we are. Sure! Same Holy Spirit. He said now, as you're sitting together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, God has blessed us with all spiritual blessings, Sister Rose. I believe that's... I couldn't think of your name the other day. I believe you were in a prayer line or something. And I remember trying to think of it later, but your name is Rose Austin; isn't that right? You used to come here at the tabernacle all the time. That's it. All right. Now:
Blessed be the God of our Father of ... Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places... [Let's see if I'm reading that---quoting that right.] Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: [Assembled together now in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.]
According as he [Now listen! Are you all ready?] According as he has chosen us in him before [I preached to you.] before the foundation of the world,...

71 Now, see, he can talk to the church. He wouldn't say that to babies, but he's talking to a church that's already in Christ. Now he couldn't go out here to just some church and say, "Well now..." ...that. It's those elected ones that's in Christ.
Now you say, "Well, I believe that I'm in Christ." If you are, you've received the Holy Ghost, because that's the only way that you can get into Christ. I Corinthians 12:13 (see) ... I Corinthians the twelfth chapter. All right. "For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body (which is the body of Christ)." Now! Then we sit together in heavenly places in one accord, Holy Spirit moving among us, teaching us, showing us great things, bringing things to pass. Oh, what a place!
He said, "Now, you that's been called like that, I want to speak to you, you, the chosen ones, that God chose us in Him before the foundation of the world. Think of that! God chose us in Him before the foundation of the world. God knew before the foundation of the world that I'd speak this same subject tonight. He's infinite. And before there was a world... Oh! Whew! Get the Holy Ghost now. The Word will bring it, see. That's how it come: "While Peter spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on them."

72 Before there was a world, you were in God's thoughts to give you the Holy Ghost, because He knew that you'd be wanting it; and He chose you Himself because you desired... He chose you in Christ before you or Jesus, any of you, was on the earth. And He sent Jesus to die, to prepare the way to send the Holy Ghost, to bring you to Himself. Oh, that's just... I know I may... This is the church, so I'm at home now, you see. Oh, that is so rich to me. To think it's not what I wanted; it wasn't my desires; it wasn't my will; it wasn't my choosing; I had not one thing to do with it. But before the world ever started, God saw us and put our name on the Lamb's book of life, before there even was a world! Talk about God! Whew!

73 I stood out yonder where that big glass... You can see a hundred and twenty million years of light space. When I looked and seen that (I didn't get to see through the glass; I seen the picture where they took it) and I just had to raise up my hands in there, in that place, and I said, "How great Thou art, how great Thou art!" And before one of those planets ever turned (Hallelujah!), God chose us in Jesus Christ. Now, how great Thou art. Yes, sir!
Before there was a world, before there was a planet, before there was a sun, before there was a moon, before there was light, before there was anything, when it was still God, God in His thoughts, the eternal thoughts of God chose you by predestination, by foreknowledge, to know that you would be on the earth, to know there would be sin.

74 Someone said, "Then, why was there sin?" If there had never been sin, His attributes would have never have been a Saviour. There had to be a sinner so He could be a Saviour. There had to be a sick man so He could be a healer. Amen! There you are. It had to be that way. It was God who saw it and foreordained it. The devil ain't even in the race. Oh, he's just a stuff on the side of the road that God used to bring children to Him, crying, "Abba, Father." No wonder on that day how the angels will sing! When we're singing the redemption story, the angels will bow their heads; don't know what we're talking about. Sure! They never was lost; they don't know what it is. They don't know how good we feel, to know that we which were once sinners and alienated from God, without hope, without mercy, without God in a world of corruption, dying, going to a devil's hell; and God stooped down, and picked us up, and redeemed us; and now we're above the angels. Right now!

75 A angel is a servant. We're sons and daughters. Which is the most thought of, your servant or your son or daughter? Oh, my! Prayer from a saint will go a million times higher than an angel (yes, sir!), because he's a son. Oh, that's right, my brother, sister.
You don't ... the church... I don't believe this side of eternity how we will ever realize that what you are, the position that you are, that God has placed you, you Spirit-filled people. You are sons of God. Why, angel is a servant. You're a son! An angel can only bring you a message, but you have to act. Amen! You're the actor on the scene. You're the son. The angels are servants to bring you the message. Said here, "I brought you this message for you to do so-and-so. This is from Father. I bring it to you, Yes!" That's all he is. Amen! You're sons and daughters of God. Predestinated us! Now, watch just a minute.
According as he hath ... he has chosen us... [Now, we didn't choose... How could I choose Him? Four hundred billion, million, billion, trillion years ago, how could I have chose Him? But He chose me. Amen! Oh, Brother Wood, that's it.] chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy [Now, don't try to make it yourself, because you can't.] and without blame before him in love:
Oh, brother, that will answer a question I seen in here just a few minutes ago. Somewhere I seen it just... Oh, yes. You said, "How could a man live above ... live so close to God he would be without sin." Listen to this:
... holy ... from the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

76 His love did it. His love paid for my sins. His love taken it away. Love is the most powerful force there is. Take a husband that really loves his wife, he'd die for her freely. And brotherly love...
There was a man, a certain man, comes to this church once in a while, out in the country. Was sitting at his brother's house the other day. He said "What if something would happen to Brother Bill?" He said, "Gladly would I stick out my chest to catch a bullet for him." Die for you. That's love. Greater love has no man than them that will lay down his life for his brother, see.

77 Love, chosen us in love before the foundation of the world. Now watch:
Having predestinated us ... [Now, there's the word predestinated.] Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.
What about that, Brother Mike? Isn't that wonderful? He loved you. He loved you before there was a world. He knowed your nature; He knowed your weaknesses; He knowed your habits. He knowed all about you, what you was going to be. And then, when He looked all over the great universe, as it was, He said, "I choose you." And when He did that, before there ever was a speck of life, then you're eternal with God. When you receive the Holy Ghost, then you become eternal, because you're with God, you're part of God. Can you see what I mean? You are as eternal as God is because you are...

78 I'm as much Branham as my father was a Branham, because I'm a blood of a Branham. I'm a Branham with my father, because I was born of my father. I'm a Branham with him. You are a Wood, because of your father's named Wood. You're as much Wood as Jim Wood is; you're just Banks Wood. Amen! Oh, my! You're a Neville because that your father was a Neville. You're just as much Neville as he was Neville. Glory! We're just as eternal as God is, because we are a part of God, sons and daughters of God by eternal life, and can never perish. "I will raise him up in the last days."

79 No wonder when they was fixing to cut Paul's head off out there... He had to walk that death route. He wrote that last letter to Timothy, said, "I've fought a good fight; I've finished my course; I've kept the faith! Henceforth there's laid up for me the crown the righteous Judge will give me at that day, not only to me, but all that love His appearing." Then death said, "I'm coming after you." He said, "Where is your sting?" The grave said, "I will get you."
Said, "Where is your victory?" But he had an example. He looked back to Calvary and said, "But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." There you are. Oh, it has to stir emotions; it's just got to.

80 Life is... The Word is going out. Life, the Word-life catches life, and within a human being something has to scream out. You know, someone said, "Billy, what makes the people raise up and throw up their hands or say, 'Praise the Lord!' or 'Amen!'?" Watch what the Bible says.
Paul said, "If we spoke in unknown tongues, how does the unlearned... When he's blessed ... if he'd be blessed, how could he say, 'Amen'?" See, you've got to know what you're talking about. Unknown tongues, unless it's by an interpretation or revelation... Then you can say, "Amen!" if you can understand it. He knows what he's saying. See?

81 Now! Oh, my! Look over there that day when the enemy was coming in on David. And he give them all a flagon of wine and a good piece of meat and bread; and when the enemy was coming, they didn't know what to do; and they gathered out there; and all of Israel gathered together under the circumcision. (Now, this is under the old Jewish circumcision.) And they lifted up their hands and said, "God, You are our God. You have protected us. You brought Moses the prophet, and You brought the children of Israel out of Egypt. You brought them up through the desert. When they were laying there, no one feared to ... everyone feared to touch them; no one come near Your heritage. They was scared to." Yet they were in the minority, but everybody left hands off of them. For everything that got onto them, they got stung back. He said, "Oh, what a great God You are. Now, Lord, if we've sinned... Here's our wives; here's our little children; and we're in distress at this hour." Said, "Oh, what can we do? The enemy's coming." He said, "What can we do?"
And while they were praying, the Spirit fell upon one out there in the audience, and he prophesied, "Thus saith the Lord, you'll not fight; stand still! (Amen!) Go down by a certain way and meet them there." And He caused confusion among them, and they killed one another. There you are. Predestinated to be chosen in Christ Jesus before the foundation of the world. Now.

82 QUESTION: You said that a person could live so close to God that he could not sin while here on this earth. Then explain I John 1:8 to 10.
Let's see I John 1:8 to 10. If I had a little more time to look these... I had it but I just didn't take it, friends. I was trying to get out... Well, I'll find John after while. It'll be on the other side of Hebrews, of course. All right. I John 1:8 to 10---I John 1:8 to 10.
If we say ... we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive ... our sins, and ... cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and the word is not in us.

83 Well now, wait my dear brother. Just turn right over to the third chapter here and the ninth verse. You're right on the same page in my Bible. Eighth verse to begin with:
He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinned from the beginning. For the purpose the Son of God was made manifest, that he might destroy the works of the devil. [Just what I been talking about, see, God's predestinating, knowing you.]
Whosoever is born of God does not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
That's just what the Word says. Now, if you'll watch here.
If we say ... we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and the word is not in us.
Now, some people say, "Well now, here is just a good little girl or good little boy. They never sinned to begin with." You're born in sin, shaped in iniquity, come to the world speaking lies. When you're born in this world, you are a liar, you're a thief, you're everything there is, all the sin ... not a thief, because you haven't stole. But you're not a liar, because you've not lied. But that spirit is in you when you are born, because you are of the world. That's the reason that you can't have reformation, to reform; you've got to die and be born. And you cannot have birth without crucifixion. You can't have resurrection; you must be crucified to the things of the world in order to be resurrected in Christ.

84 If you're going to depend upon your intellectual conceptions and so forth, you'll never be born of the Spirit of God. You've got to forget, like Paul did, all that he ever knowed, and know nothing among you except Christ Jesus, born anew, afresh. Oh, if I could get it to you. See, it's a birth that makes a new genera... or, a new creation. The very Greek word here, as I was looking it up in the Greek lexicon the other day, the word birth means "creation." When it says, "You are new creatures in Christ Jesus," there's a word there, creature is the word "creation." You are a new creation, not in the world, but in Christ Jesus. You've been a new...

85 Now, you was in the world and said, oh, you know, the fancy things, the fine clothes or some pretty something. And religion is on the side. See, "Oh, I go to church, sure. I don't want to go to hell, but you know..." And a pretty brown eyes to the girl, or the little wavy hair for the boy. "He's a very..." You know, something or other, just something to attract attention, or lustful or drinking or something or other there. That's the world; you're in the world. And the Bible said, "If you love the world and the things of the world, the love of God is not even in you." So in order to get that out of you, you have to die, have to die, be crucified, and buried, and resurrected a new creation in Christ Jesus.

86 Now, before you've received the Holy Ghost, you are believing unto eternal life. But you do not have eternal life until you receive the Holy Ghost, because it is eternal life. The Holy Ghost is God; it's God's life in you. Then you've got eternal life. Do you understand that now? See, look! See you are believing unto.
Wait, here's a good thing. You women excuse me for this if it sounds too flat (see) ... make a point. A mother: there's life, but still that baby isn't born. But if you treat that baby right and follow the rules of nature, that baby will be born normally. But if you don't apply everything to the rules of nature, you let a hard bruise, or a hit, or something take place, it's going to ruin it (see); it'd kill the baby before it's born.

87 Well that's what's the matter. The bruises comes from Satan. Satan takes the poison darts of hell and tries to bruise the church that's in travail with a baby. And before it's ever born, they kill it. But if you just take the Bible and nurture it, give it baby food, the mother taking vitamins... Well this is the best vitamin I know of: spiritual vitamins, see. It builds you up.
Now the church ought to be taking spiritual vitamins; and the vitamins is right here, a whole Book full of them. And you must be taking spiritual vitamins, learning, and that brings forth the baby to a birth. See what I mean?

88 Now the little fellow, when he's got life ... he's got life, because the little cells are moving and kicking after about three months or four. And then, he's kicking and moving, but he isn't born yet. But as soon as he is brought into the world, the doctor, mother, or someone, holds him up and [Brother Branham claps his hands together.] gives him a little spanking, and "Wha-a-a!" There he goes (see), and then he starts breathing. And just as soon as he breathes the breath of life, then he becomes a living soul.
And that's what sometimes... You're ready to receive the Holy Ghost? You're in travail; you're wanting to be delivered. How many in here is in that shape right now, wanting the baptism of the Holy Ghost, really want to know what it is, want to get into it? Who wants the baptism of the Holy Ghost? Raise up your hands. See, you're in travail, you're wanting ... you're wanting to be delivered. What you need is a little Gospel spank, a little something that's [Brother Branham claps his hands together.], and you scream out, "Glory!" And when it happens... I know you think I'm crazy, but we have the mind of Christ which is craziness to the world anyhow. Something screams in, and that Spirit surges you. Then it just keeps coming.

89 Like I said to a person: It's like an old stopped up pipe. And you run a little wire through it, and you get ahold of this wire and you zig, zig, zig. And there's a great flow of water trying to get through it. Zig, zig, you can't get it, but you know there's something up there. You can feel it; it's up on that end. Then after while give her a great big pull, and "Wheww!" goes the water through the pipe. That's the way it is. Then the water just keeps on coming. That's the way the Holy Spirit is. Sin stopped up the pipes. You sit back and say, "I'm timid ... you know I couldn't say that. I'm afraid the people think I was a holy roller."
Now, when you feel that little tugging of the Spirit... You want it more than life ... you want more than your own life. It means more to you: "I got to have it or die." The first thing you know you get ahold of something. You think, "That's it, Lord." You pull the cork out. Whew! Here she comes! Gone! Oh, my! Free! Oh! My!" I don't care if President Eisenhower is sitting there, you say, "Glory to God [unclear words]."

90 Peter and them was back in behind there at Pentecost hiding, saying, "Look out the door real easy, see if any of them Jews out there are coming." "No. I don't see a one of them." "All right, be real still, fellows. I tell you, if they ever come up here, they'd pull us out. That's just all there is to it. Stay calm."
They was all sitting there, and all of a sudden there come a sound from the heaven like a rushing mighty wind. It begin to fill all the house where they were sitting. Something begin to take place. Out of that building they went; throwed open the doors, down the steps they went into there; staggering like a bunch of drunk men what they'd act in the Spirit, just screaming and carrying on.
They said, "These men are drunk. Listen at them. Look at that coward looking out the door, the one that denied Jesus down yonder at the crucifixion. Said, 'I didn't even know Him.' A little woman said, 'Well your speech betrays you. You're one of them.'" Said, "He cursed, said, 'I don't know Him.'"

91 But when that cork was pulled out, when the Spirit begin to flow through him, he said, "You men of Judea, and you that dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known unto you and hearken to me. (Amen!) I'm boss now. Let this be known unto you; these are not drunk. (Taking up for his church.) These are not drunk as you suppose, seeing it is the third hour of the day, but this is that which was spoken of by the prophet Joel: 'It will come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh...'" Um-m-m, what a difference! Whew! My, I know you might think this is a terrible thing, but I must let you see what's truth. Stay with it.
Now, certainly, you have eternal life.
Now, to explain this. "If we say we have sinned not ('All have sinned and come short of the glory of God') we make God a liar." He said you had sinned. If you say you haven't sinned...

92 "I was born in the Baptist church, Methodist church, Pentecostal church, Presbyterian church; I was born in that." That don't make a bit of difference, you got to be born out of it again. That's right. If we say we've sinned not, you make Him a liar. And the Word, which is the truth... How many knows the Word's the truth? "In the beginning was the Word... and the Word was made flesh, and Word..." "Sanctify them, Father, through the truth. Thy Word is the truth." And He was the Word, see. And the Word, ... or, Christ is not in you... He was the Word. How many knows ... we know that, see. All right.
We'd read it like this then: "If ye say you have sinned not, you make Him a liar and Christ is not in us, see, see. Now, that's... See, when you say that you've sinned ... that you haven't sinned, you're wrong. You've got to be born again.

93 Now, we will turn over here at this other verse. "Whosoever is born of God does not commit sin, does not commit sin, for..."
Now, what is sin? Who said that, somebody? Unbelief. That's what the Bible said. There's only one sin, and that's unbelief. That's right. "He that believeth not is condemned already," see. So one sin...
Now, if you say, "Well now, wait a minute. I believe that they might have got the Holy Ghost like that in them days, but I don't believe it's so."
"But, brother, the Bible said, 'The promise is to you and your children.'" "I know, but..." You're sinning. You're sinning right there. You're disbelieving what God said.

94 "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever."
"Well, we're taught that..." I don't care what you're taught. The Bible said ... He said, "Let every man's word be a lie and mine true." All right. You say, "Well, principally He's the same, but I don't... You mean He's the same?" "Yeah, in the church doing the same things He did when He was here."
"Oh, I can't believe that." You're sinning. You're sinning. And he that's born of God, of the Holy Ghost, don't say those things. And if he says he's got the Holy Ghost and says those things, that's the evidence he hasn't got it. I don't care what he done. If he don't believe in divine healing, don't believe in the power of the resurrection, don't believe in the Holy Ghost being poured out upon us just exactly like it did in the first age, just the same God yesterday, today, and forever, the same things the apostles done happening right now, speaking in tongues, and rejoicing, and all these other things; if they don't believe that, he's not born of God. For whosoever is born of God does not commit those kind of things. That's how to tell whether they are born of God.

95 You walk up to a fellow and say, "Dr. Ph. So-and-so-and-so, Reverend, Doctor, or So-and-so (which is fine, wish I had it, the degrees), but is it so that divine healing should be carried on in the church just like the apostles did?" "Oh no, no!" He's sinning. He's an unbeliever. That's right.
You say, "Do you believe we receive the Holy Ghost like they did here? I was reading over here in the Bible at Acts 2 where it said ... poured out the Holy Ghost, and they staggered like they were drunk, and they went out there and talked in the languages of those people, and things like that; acted like people that's drunk, and the church thought they were drunk. When we receive the Holy Ghost today in the Baptist church, our Baptist, our Methodist, our Presbyterian, whatever it might be, I don't see us doing that." "Well, I tell you, child, that was just for them twelve." He's sinning. He is not born of the Spirit of God, because the Bible said, "He that is born of the Spirit of God does not disbelieve. He's a believer, and he cannot..." Why? Why? Oh, here it is. The Dove is in him, leading him. For the Spirit of God is in him, and he cannot deny it; he cannot. If it's the Spirit of God, God won't deny His own Word. If I deny my own word, then I become a liar. And if you say you got the Spirit of God and deny the Word of God, it's either God a liar or you're a liar, one or the other. And the Bible said, "Let every man's word be a lie and Mine be the truth." And a man that's born of the Spirit of God cannot disagree with God's Word; he's got to say it's right. He cannot do nothing else. Listen, this is the truth.

96 Listen, let me read this again.
Whosoever is born of God does not commit sin; for the seed...
What is the seed of God? The promise... Abraham had the seed to the... What is the seed now? Christ. Is Christ the seed of God? Whose seed is He if He isn't? All right, all right. He's the seed of God.
The seed of God remaineth in him. The Holy Ghost comes to abide, not from meeting to meeting, but for eternal. Now, if you want to put down, your Scripture of this, Ephesians 4:30: "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby you are sealed until the day of your redemption." The seed of God remains in him, and he cannot sin, because he's born of God. He can't disbelieve God's Word.

97 Now, when you see a man disagreeing with God's Word and saying, "Oh, that was for another age," when the promise is to "whosoever will, let him come," just remember, he is a unbeliever and he's not of God. We'd better stop here, hadn't we? What time is it? Oh, my! I just... I don't want to get back here Sunday. Let me get these just real, real fast. Can I? It's just so good. Don't you think it's good? Oh, the Word of God. All right.

98 QUESTION: Brother Branham, what must a person do...? Let me hold that for the last, get this here.
QUESTION: What likeness will we be in the resurrection?
As we were when we went down. Exactly, resurrection... Just think of this. This book falls to the floor [Brother Branham drops a book.], and I take this book, a different book, and replace it. That isn't resurrection. Resurrection is "bring up the same one that went down." Was Jesus resurrected? Did they know Him? Was He standing with them, the same Jesus? "And this same Jesus that was taken up, will come again in like manner as you seen Him go." The resurrection is just like when you die; that's how you rise up. You die as a human in flesh; you rise as a human in flesh. That's just exactly. So the resurrection is just the same. We could spend another two hours on it, but we'd better not get started.

99 QUESTION: Explain Hebrews 4 and 6 (Right quick now, we get this just real quick.) and compare it to Hebrews 10:26. (Hebrews 6 and 4 ... I beg your pardon.) 6:4, and 10:26. Let's see, 10:26; all right, I got them right here, see.)
For it is impossible for those that were once enlightened, and have tasted ... the heavenly gifts, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
And having tasted the good word of God, and the power of the world to come,
If they shall fall ... to renew themselves again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
That goes right ahead and tell what it... Now look. I had that the other night. How many was here when I explained that? All right, you know what it is then. See, it's them borderline believers.

100 How many read back in Deuteronomy 1 there, where the spies went right in there and tasted of the things from Canaan, which Canaan is not a type of the Millennium. How many knows that? You mean, just one hand? Junie. That's right. Canaan is not the type of the Millennium, because they had wars, fightings, killings, and everything else in Canaan. Typed the Holy... Canaan is a type of the Holy Ghost. Egypt is the world that they come out of. The wilderness is where they were sanctified, called out church. Canaan is where they settled down with the Holy Spirit (see, see.), because they still had wars. And if you don't believe you have wars, just get the Holy Spirit once.

101 What are you doing? What do you do in Canaan? They were possessing their rights. Glory! They were possessing their rights. And they could not possess their rights till they got into Canaan. They didn't own nothing in the wilderness. Then, when they come into Canaan, then they had rights. And we've got rights. When you receive the Holy Ghost, you're in Canaan. You have to fight for it; every inch of ground you have to fight for it. Yes, sir! That's the reason people say, "Brother Branham, you pray for me today." Get over in Canaan once, brother, and you realize where you belong. Watch prayer start being turned around. Yes, sir! He said, "Looky here, Satan. This is mine! I'm possessor of this! God said so! Move out! (That's right!) Move off my ground!" "Your ground?", Satan says. "I've got an abstract deed to it. Move out! If you don't I'll serve notice on you by the Holy Spirit's guidance." He moves out. Sure, he has to.

102 Now, now, they that's tasted the heavenly gift... Now, watch over here ... if we sin willfully ... (tenth, this is twenty-sixth of the tenth chapter.)
...if we sin wilfully after ... we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.
Now, one of them is where you just tasted of it, and the next is where you have received and got the knowledge of it. Then if you sin---what? Disbelieve. Now, watch how they both read, see. "If you disbelieve willfully after you receive the knowledge of the truth..." Now just a minute, let me get it here.
If we shall fall away, to renew ourselves...
...it is impossible for those which were once enlightened, and have tasted of the good heavenly gifts, [Tasted of it, see.] and were made partakers [see] of the Holy Spirit.
And have tasted of the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come.
And he goes on down here and says that if you set right in like the briers, as the rain cometh oft upon the earth; if you set in like the briers, the Holy Spirit fell, and oh my, you enjoyed it as much as the rest of them; but as far as putting your hand to it and going down there, working for the Lord, and doing something about it, no, no, you can't do that, see. Then that shows the Spirit of God's not in you, see. Then you just finally wind yourself out. "Whose end is to be burned."

103 But over here, if we disbelieve... Now, what is sin? Unbelief. If the thing has been made known to you, and you turn away from it willfully and say, "I don't want nothing to do with it." after you've done seen it, it'll never call to your heart again. You're finished; that's right. You have sinned away your day of grace, see.
For if we disbelieve wilfully [Now, in my Bible I've got it marked here where it's... There's a "m" the margin reading here, says: sin ---unbelief willfully, see, see.] wilfully after ... we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin, [if you walk away and turn God down willfully after it's all been made good to you, and God's offered it to you... See.]
But a certain fearful looking for the judgment the fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversary.
He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witness:
...how much more sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall ... be though worthy, who has trod under foot the Son of God, and has counted the ... covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and ... done despite to the works of grace? [Oh, my!]

104 What would it be? A preacher, a minister let's just take... Cause I'm a preacher, let's say it's a preacher. Walks up here, comes up and confesses Christ, gets his life cleaned up to where he don't live adulteries and things anymore, living a good clean life, walks up here; the grace of God's been good to him, then he walks right up into the knowledge of the Holy Ghost (see), walks up, God leads him right up to the knowledge of the Holy Ghost, and there he sees it, but he says, "Now, wait a minute. My church wouldn't stand for that. Unh-uh, I couldn't do that. They'd turn me out. The council would turn me out. The next ministerial meeting, I'd be excommunicated." There remaineth no more sacrifice for sin, because he's took the very blood that sanctified him and brought him this far, to the knowledge of the truth, and counted it as though it was an unworthy thing and trodded it under his feet, after God has led him step by step up here to the Holy Ghost.

105 You say, "Oh, now wait a minute, Brother Branham." Just a minute! The spirit of antichrist will do that. Did you notice the two heads of them? Who was Judas Iscariot? The devil! The Bible said he was the son of perdition. What is perdition? Hell. He's the son of hell, come from hell and went to hell. Jesus Christ was the Son of God, came from heaven, returned to heaven. When they both died on the crosses... Did you know Judas died on a cross? How many knows that? He died on a tree. Jesus died on a tree too. It's just cut, that's all. "Cursed is he that dieth on a tree." And he come from hell. And watch what... As far as he could sneak his way into the church... That's as high as he can come now. See how deceiving he can be? Now Judas come... What was he? A treasurer, a brother, working in the church, the treasurer in the church, walked right on up, believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, and was justified.

Questions and Answers

You can find this sermon at ChurchAges.net

1 ... many I'd have to get, but I brought my concordance around. I might hand that over to Leo here, or somebody sitting close that might help me if you wish to, if we get to it.
Now, if this lady that's up there, if she'd... Who's her husband? Yeah. Well, if you want your wife to come sit with you, there's nothing said amongst brethren but what could be said to a sister, too. We just... you know. Is it all right? Now, you're more than welcome to have... Is she warm out there, Doc? Well, that's all right, but it's a little lonesome for her.
And there's nothing in here... sometimes the reason I mentioned "men," because there's sometimes men can ask a question amongst men that couldn't be answered where there's women at. But there's nothing in there but what could be answered just locally in the regular church, because it's mostly pertaining to ministers, and so forth, and what their commission is and what they're to do.

2 Now, I believe this goes on a tape recording. I'm not sure. Brother Goad, where is that? Is that on tape recording now? All right. The reason we do this is to find out, brethren, what is the principal, what is the part, what's on the man's mind, what's our things...
We all must speak the same thing. Now, for instance, somebody come in and say... Maybe they go over to brother's church here (What is your first name, brother? Willard. Brother... Now, there's two Willards here, I'll have to give you something else. What is your last name, now? Brother Crase's church, and Brother Crase would say a certain thing. Then they come from Sellersburg over to Brother Ruddell's. Brother Ruddell's would be different from that. They go over to Brother Junie's, be different altogether. Come down to the tabernacle, and still different. See? It confuses the people.

3 Now, like somebody'd say, "Oh, I don't believe you really have to receive the Holy Ghost. I don't think it's necessary." Say, for instance, Brother Crase would say that. And then you come over to Brother Ruddell's, and he'd say, "Yes, it's essential." And you go down to Junie's, and say, "Well, it doesn't make much difference," see. If we could get together, even... I wish we could have all the ministers of Jeffersonville (in this community) to get together so we'd say the same thing.

4 And therefore... A lot of times deacons and trustees, they have to find out what's their duty. And I see we got the church treasurer and a janitor here tonight, so we'll find what their duty is. But in this all, it's mostly here, is just questions that would be asked anywhere and could be answered anywhere. It's just simple questions, and being like the duties of trustees, the duties of... Now, if it's just actual duties, I think that's took on the board right here now, the duties of trustee and what they're supposed to do. But I thought maybe...

5 And one did come on there, and I think it's fine. I'll answer it after a while, the Lord willing for us to get to it, is: In a certain crisis, what should a deacon do? What's his duty to do when a certain crisis arise? How is he to act? See? Or what's a trustee to do? What's a pastor to do, something like that, when a crisis? We know the regular routine, but what if something happens that's out of the routine, see, then what must they do?
And we just know just where to fall to. It's just like training an army, and we each know our places. Now, as a group like this, we could stay here half the night. We know that. But I don't think it's necessary. We'll answer it. Now I want each one...

6 Now, there's no names. Some of them got names on, but I wouldn't call names of the people, because... Just whatever the question is, I'll just read the question. There's just about two of them in there that's got names on them. Wait, I might have found another one. I know. It's old Dr. Ingleman. I was to make a call on him over at the south wing, at 426 south wing. That's when... The old doctor down here where we was at today, down at Georgetown, was healed, or had come to after being unconscious so long, and so forth. Now, I think this has got them. Now we'll get into our first questions that I studied first.
Now let's just stand up just a minute, please.

7 Our heavenly Father, we have assembled here as a group of men, Christian men who love You, who believe in You, and who has dedicated our lives and services to Your service. There's ministers here---young men, middle-aged men. They've got churches. They're responsible before God. There's deacons here that's responsible in their offices in these different churches. There's trustees, their responsibilities. Pastors, evangelists---whatever, Lord---we're responsible to You. And that's why we come together, that we might all speak the same thing as we were... said that we must do in the Scripture. We must all speak alike.
And Father, we think, in this kind of a group, that we might find maybe some of our brethren or some of us would have a little differences upon things; and some were just asking for really to find out what is truth about it. And we know that we're insufficient, each of us. If I should ask any of these other brothers to come here to these questions, perhaps they'd be just as sufficient, or more, than I would be to answer them.
But together we are depending on Your revelation, that You might reveal to us through the Word and by Your Spirit, that we might have an answer for every question; that our hearts might be filled with the answers, and we could go away feeling that we were better equipped for Your service and to serve our office than we are now. That's our purpose of being here, Father. Grant it now.
And answer our questions, Father, as we wait upon You. Let there be no puzzling in any of our minds, but may we stay with that question until it's fully answered and we're satisfied by the Spirit, unanimously agreed because of His presence. We ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.

8 I just want to quote a scripture, to start with. As Isaiah said, the prophet said: "O come... let us reason together, saith the LORD." And I think that's why we're here tonight, is try to reason, get things reasoned out. And now I would start... and got some of the things written down here according to numbers and so forth, that I had this Brother Wood... they got this envelope with answers in them. And now I want each of you, my dear brethren, to know that these answers are given to the very best of my knowledge, the very best that I would know how to understand.

9 And these answers are not infallible, see. The Scriptures is infallible, and as far as I know they're lined with the Scriptures. I hope that makes it plain. And the tape is to be kept now and anyone that would want it, why, they could have it. But now, I know the Scriptures are infallible, but my answers are not infallible. So I'm sure everyone understands that. And if it's not infallible, then you have a right, maybe, to ask me at any time.
If there's somebody else's question... It doesn't have to be your question. But if it's somebody else's question, maybe you'd never thought of it, but it's something we're here to help. We're here to come together because we're in the last days, and the days are evil, and we want to be trained, schooled.

10 Brother Stricker, a soldier; Brother Goad back there, a soldier; and perhaps Brother Ruddell here, he was a soldier; Brother Beeler; and the different ones that's been in military life; you sit together, you counsel, you know the battle before you get out there, and all the tactics you can of the enemy, so that you can meet him on his ground.
When I used to box, they'd find out my opponent, what he was going to be; what kind of a lick he used, whether it was an upper cut or left jab or chop with his right hand, and whether he was right or left-handed, and how strong he was, and whether he switched his feet, and how he used his eyes, and what corner he come from, and all the different tactics we could. And they'd find out what ... the trainers had seen that fellow fight before. So then they put a man in there with me to train me exactly like that man was fighting, to know what he was going to do.
And that's what we're here for tonight. We know the strike of the enemy. We know what his tactics are. And we're here tonight with Scripture to cover him over so he can't move, because the enemy's on every hand.

11 Brother Roberson, I was thinking back there of seeing him. He surely ought to know what a soldier is. He certainly had a time of it! How many soldiers is in here? Let's see, that's been soldiers in the army? Just looky here, see---a group of you, soldiers. All right. Now, you know what it is. And that's what you study (isn't it, Brother Roy, Brother Beeler, and you veterans and so forth?), is, study the enemy. What's he going to do? What's his move? And then know how to meet him. That's what we're here for, study the enemy's move and knowing how to meet him, the thing that'll overcome him.

12 And remember, let me say this, brethren. The little church has started here on a line of gifts, see. Gifts are coming into the church. But whether there be gifts or not... If there's never a gift... I'll tell you, the gift won't always defeat the enemy, but the Word will. The Word will meet him anywhere.
And Jesus, when He was on earth, proved that. He was God manifested in flesh. But He never used any of his fine gifts to beat the enemy. We find in Matthew, the... I believe it's the second or third chapter of Matthew, He said... No, the second chapter of Matthew, when He met the enemy, He met him on the grounds of the Word---"It is written."
And the enemy come back, "It is written."
And He said, "It is also written," like that, until He beat the enemy. And that's what we're here for, is to meet the enemy with the material that God gave us to meet it with.

13 Now I have about four questions here that's on the... it's on one piece of paper, and I numbered them: one, two, three, four, five, six, eight, ten on down like that. And as soon as I get through this, then I'll jump into those there. Says:
QUESTION: "Brother Branham, if these questions are out of line, then just disregard them, and I won't feel bad about it for I will know it was not the hand of the Lord." Question number one: "Brother Branham, I have heard you... that it should be back in the... I have heard you say I should be back in the ministry, and I have thought upon it myself; but have waited upon some definite word from Him about it. Up to date it hasn't come. Now, since I know the end is so near, should I still wait for the Lord Jesus to speak to me? Or, would He be pleased to tell you what to tell me, since I know you are His spokesman for this day?"
Well, now, brother, I got wrote down here my answer to it. God calling this brother... A call in life, now, there's one great thing we could just take that as a text and preach all night on it, see---that one thing, a calling. "Make your calling and election sure," see. We don't want to be just wondering if we're called. You must be called or you'll be defeated. We're fighting a battle, see. And if you are positive sure, brother, that your calling is of God, and you've been called of God to do a work...
Now, there's a great trick there that the enemy can play on you. He can make you think you're not called when you are called. Then he turn right back around make you think you're not called; or make you think you are called when you're not called; vice versa, either way. And you have to watch it.

14 Now, here's the way to do it. Find out first... This is advice. Only thing I can give on this is advice, see. But make sure that your calling comes from God, and then check your motives and objectives, see. Now, you know what I mean by that. What is your motive for preaching? Was it just...? Do you think it was a easier job than what you have? Then you better forget it. It wasn't a call.
A call of God burns so in your heart you can't rest day and night for it. You just can't get away from it. It's just constantly grinding at you.

15 And if you had to preach... You'd say, well, now, another objective, "I believe, at the job I've got, if I could be a successful evangelist or a pastor, have a good set salary, have a home that I could go into and so forth, and live, then I believe that would be a good thing. Much easier than what I'm doing now. And really I think it would be..." Now, see, your objective is wrong to begin with. It's not right, see. You're wrong there on that.
Then you'd say, "Well, maybe because that I am a... think maybe that I'd be more popular amongst the people." See, you'll find out you're just ready for a big flop. Really, see.
But, now, if your objective is that "I don't care if I have to eat soda crackers and drink branch water, I'll preach the gospel anyhow." Something just tearing into you, "I'll either preach the gospel or die!" See? Then you'll go somewhere, because it's God dealing with you. God is making Himself known to you, because it is... God just won't let you rest.
And, usually, a God-called man never wants to do it. Did you ever think of that? Any man...

16 Just recently it was asked of me by some very precious brethren, that said, "Now that we have come into the way, Brother Branham, now that we have found the Lord and received the Holy Ghost, shall we seek gifts for our ministry that we should do?"
I said, "Don't never do it," see. Don't never advise people to do something like that, because usually a guy that wants to do it is a guy that can't do it.
It's the guy that's trying to run from it is the one that God uses, see. If he's trying to get away from it, "Oh, brother, I tell you, the calling's in me but I... Whew! Man, I hate to try that." Well, there you are, you see. That's trying to run.
If he wants to do it so bad, the first thing you know he finds himself a stuffed shirt. Like you say, "God, You give me power to move mountains, I tell You, I'll do something for You, if You let me move mountains." No, he wouldn't. He can't even move himself to the right attitude, see, so he would never move mountains for God.

17 Just take, for instance, like Paul. You think Paul could have got away from his calling? Oh, brother! He couldn't do it. It was just grinding at him day and night till he left his church, he left everything and went down into... I believe it was Asia, wasn't it? And stayed three years down there, studying the Scriptures, to find out whether it was right or not, see---to find out whether God had really called him.
So if God is calling you, brother, and it keeps digging at your heart, then I'd say, "Lay aside every weight, and the sin that doth so easily beset you." You see? But if it's not digging at you, and then I wouldn't think too much about it then. Just let it come to its place.

18 Now, he said, this brother said in here:
QUESTION: "Brother Branham, should... Do you think that God would speak to me to tell him...?"
I believe God would speak right straight to him, because, you know, God... We're not too big but what He can speak to us. He'll speak to us all right. See, He just... He'll speak to us.
And I tell you, if He told me, then the brother might say, "Well, He told Brother Branham so. Praise God!"
But, you see, it ain't Brother Branham giving you the call. It's the Lord Jesus giving you the call, see. And if it's the Lord Jesus giving you the call, He'll do the speaking, see. I could speak to you to your ears, but when Christ calls you to the ministry it's in your heart, see. That's where the thing has to anchor, and you can't get away from it.
Now, I believe on the second question...
Now if there's any question on that, any question to it, see, that a man's call has to be in his heart, coming from God... And another brother... Oh, I know who this is that's wrote this. See, I know who wrote it---a precious, dear, gracious brother that I truly believe has a call of God. But I just... I wouldn't want him to do it upon mine (that's the reason I answered it the way I did, see), upon me saying, "Well, yes, Brother So-and-so ought to go into the ministry," see.

19 Now you say, "Brother Branham told me I ought to do that." See, and maybe... what if something happened to Brother Branham? I get killed, or die, or get away? Then, see, your calling is over then. But if Jesus calls you, brother, as long as there's an eternity it'll still be ringing out, see. And then you know where you're standing.
Now on the second... Or something like this, "Knowing that it is the last day." I sure appreciate that for that brother. I certainly appreciate that of that brother, realizing that we're in the last day, and the sincerity of his heart, wanting to do something for Christ.

20 The next one is:
QUESTION: "Now, if our precious Lord should let me do a little thing for Him, should I go back to the communities where I have ministered partially in error (of which I am sorry), ( he has that in parenthesis) and try to tell them the truth? They have been so upon my heart."
No, brother, I wouldn't think it was necessary for you to go back into the same community. And I believe, brother dear, when the Lord calls you He may never let you go as you once was in a community. And you perhaps taught things or had things that wasn't... that actually you see different on now, see, that you might see different from what you did then. Now, and the Lord, when He called you, He may... if He makes it real to you, He might send you anywhere, see. You wouldn't have to go to any certain community or anything.
When you were there you were sincere. I know the brother, as I say, that's wrote these questions. With the deepest of sincerity, and a real genuine Christian, you did the best that you could do and with all you knowed how to do, and that's all God requires, see. Now, if God should call you back to that community, I'd take right back again. But if He didn't, I believe I'd just go wherever He sent me to. Is there a question?

21 Number three:
QUESTION: "How does one know their rightful position in the body of Christ?
That's a good one, very good one. That'd be the kind of question amongst many of us here tonight, "How do you rightfully know?" Now, I'm presuming that this brother wants to know "What position, what in Christ, what part of Christ do I play?"
Now, for instance, I'd say like this, brother, to give you the best answer I know. Your position in Christ is revealed to you by the Holy Spirit. And then if you want to know whether it's the Holy Spirit or not, find out whether He blesses what you're doing, or not. And if He blesses it, then that's Him. If He doesn't bless...

22 Like someone said to me not long ago, said, "The Lord called me to preach."
I said, "Well, then preach," see. And so he...
I really think it's so... Satan, if he can just get somebody to act like that and then deceive them, that's just what he wants to do. Then the whole world points their finger right there. Somebody thinks they have a gift of speaking in tongues and interpretation, some has the gift of divine healing, some has these things like... Sometimes they're mistaken in those things, see. And sometimes they think they haven't got it when they have. So it's very tricky.

23 So always do this, brethren. Whenever you feel that you're supposed to do a thing, first find out if it's scriptural for you to do it---if it's in the Scriptures. Not just wrote in one place, but I mean completely scriptural through the Bible for you to do it, your position---say if you was to be an evangelist, pastor, teacher, prophet, whatever God might have called you to be, see. Or if you have a gift of tongues, gift of interpretation, gift of any kind of the nine spiritual gifts in the church, and the four spiritual offices of the church, any position, first see if God called.
Then, usually, the way I watch it for myself (this is me), I watch the nature of the person and see what kind of a gift that they're professing. See, God will work with His creature the way He's made him, see. He'll make a creature...

24 If you see him real flighty and going on, and he says, "The Lord called me for such-and-such, to be a pastor." Now, a pastor can't be a flighty person. A pastor's solid, sound, see.
"God called me to be a teacher." And watch him how he interprets the Word, see. He gets it all mixed up and everything, then you can tell, see.
But, then, the thing to do, your position is usually known whether you can do it or not.

25 Now, when God called me to be an evangelist, I wanted to be a pastor. I thought staying at home here would just be fine. And the Lord called me. And finally all the people got together. There's not a one of them left tonight in here... that they cried and went out there on 1717 Spring Street. And a lady, Mrs. Hawkins over here, met me and said (crying, during the time of depression, when one in the neighborhood would cook a mess of beans and we'd all come in and eat from that), and she said, "I'll allowance my children at the table if you'll only build a tabernacle," see.
And my calling was an evangelist. The morning... Laying right here at this cornerstone, if we could burst in there tonight, you'll see a flyleaf off of my Bible where He told me to be an evangelist, see. And I wasn't a successful pastor. Never would be, because I haven't got the patience and what it takes to be a pastor, see. So therefore if I tried to pastor, I would just be as far out as a pastor is trying to be an evangelist.
See what I mean? You can see the way the Lord calls you, what your position is in the body. Is there a question?

26 QUESTION: "Do all Holy-Ghost-filled people speak with tongues sooner or later?"
That's the first question, "Do all Holy Ghost..." Then, it's all in one question, I got it allotted here for number four question, but I'll say this first, you see.
"Do all Holy Ghost people speak with tongues sooner or later? I find where Paul said he spoke with more tongues than them all."
All right, question number four: "Do all speak with tongues when receiving the..." Or, no. It said, "Do all speak with tongues..." No. "Do all the Holy-Ghost-filled people speak with tongues sooner or later?"
Now, brethren, I... This is a deep question. Now, you probably... I'll probably have some answers back on this.
The Holy Spirit, part of the Holy Spirit is justification. That's when you first... God has to call you or you'll never be called. See, there's nothing you can do in yourself. "No man can come to me except my Father's drawed him first." Is that right? So part of justification is the Holy Ghost.

27 Have you heard me explain to that Lutheran dean that time about the cornfield? See, the corn, a man went out and planted two... planted his corn field. The next morning he went out and... nothing. After a while he found two little blades sticking up. He said, "Praise God for my cornfield!" I said, "Did he have a corn field?"
And the Lutheran dean said, "Potentially."
I said, "That is right. Potentially he did." I said, "That was you Lutherans. By and by the shoots grew up and it come to a tassel. That was Methodist. The second stage of the corn, is the tassel. (I think that's right, you brethren from the farm.) And then the tassel looks back down to the leaf and says 'Huh! I'm a tassel, you're just a leaf! See, I don't need you no more.' And then the tassel... The pollen drops from the tassel, back into the leaf again; has to have the leaf. And then from that brings forth the ear. That was Pentecost, the restoration of the gifts, like went into the first place, back to the original. Then when the ear come out, said, 'I don't need you, tassel. Or neither do I need you, leaf.'"

28 But, after all, the same life that was in the blade of corn made the tassel. And what was in the blade and the tassel made the grain. So what is the Holy Spirit speaking in tongues? Is an advanced justification, see. What is the Pentecostal church? The advanced Lutheran, see.
But now when the advancing has come, the question would be this, "Then shall I just remain?" No. No, the corn's matured, see. You start off with the grain. Start off with the Word, the grain. It'll produce justification. And stay in justification till it produces sanctification. Stay in sanctification till you receive the Holy Ghost.

29 Now when you receive the Holy Ghost, what will it do? What is... Still got a question, haven't you? All right, What is speaking with tongues?
Speaking with tongues is nothing but a baptism of the Holy Ghost that justified you and sanctified you. It's so filled. Now, I wanted this question. God knows I never knew the man was going to ask, answer... or ask it.
Now, is it too...? If it gets too hot in here, open that door, if you get sleepy or something. I want you to get this good and tight, because it's really a little warm, might make you get sleepy.

30 Now, notice this: justification, sanctification, the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
Now look here, here it is. Let me illustrate it. Now, I'm down here, I'm a sinner, I'm walking this way. Once, after a while, something speaks to me, and nothing can turn me but God. Is that right? I'm turned this way. Now, when I turn around, that's my justification. Is that right? Now, the picture is my object of going, see, the picture of Christ.
Now I want to a place where I can feel good around me. See, I'm justified. Now I come to this stage here where I can talk to Him, because... I'm still ashamed of myself. I still smoke, I still lie, done little sneaking things that I oughtn't to do, and all the time my ups and downs, ups and downs. But I want Him to cleanse me from all those things so I can really walk up to Him and talk to Him, see. All right, here it is, it's stage of sanctification. Now, what did it do? Straightened me up, see.

31 Now I'm going on to the Holy Spirit, see. And when I get into here I'm in the Holy Spirit by a baptism. Is that right? What does the Holy Spirit do? It gives me power. Power to be a preacher, power to be a singer, power to speak with tongues, power to interpret tongues. It's full of power, for the Holy Spirit is the power of God. It was the power of God that turned me around. It was the power of God that sanctified me. Now it's the power of God that's filled me.

32 Now, on a certain occasion, I'm standing here and I'm trying to say something and the power of God comes upon me in such a great way till I just can't speak no more, see. And I started stammering. Like I was going to say, "Brethren," and I sound like this.
Here it is. I'm going to illustrate it in this way. I'm going to talk to you brethren so that you'll be sure to get it. "How do you do, brethren?" See, I'm still guilty. "Huh, I'm sure glad that I'm still one of you. I'm so glad, you see." All right. Now, after a while, what? I know you're looking right at me and know I'm still doing stuff, still do things that have filth of the world on it.
After a while I get cleaned up. Now something's happened, I'm sanctified. I can look you right in the face. I'm one of you, see. "All right, brethren! Praise God! I'm glad to be in this Holy Ghost group. I'm glad to be amongst you holy brethren." Why? Can't put your finger on me. I'm cleaned up. But now God's going to put me in service. Now, yes, sir!
"Brother Branham, was you justified?"
"Yes! I remember when I just could hardly look at you. Brother, I can look you in the face now."

33 See, here we are. Now, what's this other? Now I'm going to... This is cleaned and set aside for service, and this is coming into service. Now we all know that the word "sanctify" is a Greek word, a compound Greek word that means "cleaned, and set aside for service." The vessels was cleansed by the altar, and sanctified by the altar and set aside for service. But to be in service is to be filled and put in service.
Now, I go over here and now I'm coming into service. Now, it was God that turned me, saying, "Hear me. Hear me! Hear me!"
You get what I mean? See? And here, [Brother Branham illustrates speaking in tongues.] See, here, you're just so full, you... That's it. There you are, that's speaking in tongues.

34 And I believe this now: I do not believe that speaking in tongues is any evidence of the Holy Ghost. It isn't. Because I have seen witches, wizards, snake-handlers, devils, everything else speak in tongues. And it is not an infallible act of God when you speak in tongues that you've got the Holy Ghost. But, remember, the Holy Ghost does speak in tongues and the devil can impersonate it.
The evidence that you've got the Holy Ghost is the life that you live, see, "By their fruits you shall know them." And the fruit of the Spirit is not (nowhere in the Scripture found) speaking in tongues. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, faith, long-suffering, goodness, meekness, gentleness, patience. See, now, that is the fruit. That's what you find on the tree to tell what kind of a tree it is, see. That's what...
Men are looking to you preachers, and to you deacons, and you trustees, and you evangelists. You could speak in tongues out here on this street all day long, they'd never believe you. But you live what you're talking about, you show sweetness, and all the roots of bitterness is out of you, then men will realize there's something.

35 Speaking in tongues... Now, I do believe this, that sometime another that a Spirit-filled person that lays under the altar of God will speak with tongues. But I've seen many speak with tongues that never knowed nothing about God, see. They knowed nothing about Him at all, and they still speak with tongues. Any of those gifts can be impersonated, see.
But the fruit of the Spirit proves what the Spirit is on the inside. You bear the witness of the life of Jesus Christ, because... if there's peach tree sap in the apple tree, it'll bear peaches as sure as the world. That's right, see, because it's the life that's inside of it.

36 Now, that's the same thing it is here. But now, so that I could get this to you all, so that we could all know the same thing... I believe that a Spirit-filled person that... Now he comes into Christ by a baptism, and just... that is not... Speaking with tongues is not evidence of a baptism, see.
A baptism... You could be baptized into the devil's power, and speak in tongues with the baptism of the devil's deceiving spirit. How many times have we seen it done? How many times have I seen it done? I've even known of them drinking blood out of a human skull and speaking in tongues. I seen the snake-dancers on the desert when they wrapped this big snake around them and go along speaking. The wizard come out like that, and they'd speak in tongues and interpret it.
I've been in the witch camps where they'd lay a pencil down like that, and put a book down like this, and a pencil run up and down the stovepipe, and play, "Shave and a haircut, two bits," and write in unknown tongues, and the wizard interpret it and tell exactly what happened. I know that myself, see. So I... See, you can't...

37 Paul said, "Where there's tongues, they shall cease. Where there's prophecies, it'll fail. Where all these gifts, they'll soon be done away with. (We got the question a little later.) But when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part is done away," see. So we want the perfect thing, brethren. We've seen too many things bogus and give the wrong interpretation to it.
And don't never face a person and believe that they got the Holy Ghost because they speak in tongues, see. But you believe they have the Holy Ghost because of the fruits that they bear, for Jesus said, "By their fruits you shall know them," see. That's right, by their fruit.

38 Now, but now, let me just not get away from that now, because I don't want to dishonor a great gift that God has given, see. And I believe that a Spirit-filled man or woman, or a child, that lives under the altar of God, won't live there long until they'll be speaking with tongues, see. I believe that he will do it, or she.
Now, you can receive the Holy Ghost and maybe you didn't speak with tongues when you get it, see. But if you constantly lay there before God all the time, with baptism after baptism striking you, something's going to take place, see. You'll get so full some day till you can't talk nothing else; see, you try to say something, you just can't say it no more. You just can't say it. And many times if people realized that that was the Holy Spirit they'd go ahead and just open their heart up and let God speak to them.

39 The Bible said, "With stammering lips and with other tongues will I speak to this people." Isaiah 28, see, 28:18. Now, "with stammering lips and with other tongues will I speak."
What is a stammer? Somebody who can't talk plain, going [Brother Branham demonstrates someone stammering.] You stammer, just trying---see, just so full of the Spirit. He's trying to say... Like I was going to say, "Brother Ja-Ja... Brother Jack... Brother Ja-Ja-Jackson." See, like that, you're trying... you can't say it. See, that's so filled with the Spirit.

40 I want to ask you brethren, have you ever felt the Holy Ghost shake you so bad till you just couldn't hardly say nothing, would just sit quiet sometime, just sit there and cry? Have you did that? Well, that's the Holy Ghost. The reason people don't speak with tongues many times, they don't know how to yield themselves to the Spirit and they're looking for something way off when it's right on them, see. That's the reason they don't...
And then some people just gets theirself worked up in emotion and say a bunch of words that has no meaning to it, and still ain't got the Holy Ghost, and try to say they have because they spoke in tongues. "By their fruits you shall know them," see.

41 Now, is there a question? [Brother Jackson says, "Brother Branham?"] Yes, brother. [I'm glad that question was asked, because no doubt somebody was wondering what... maybe I have believed and taught the wrong thing. But I believe it just like you taught it."] Thank you, Brother Jackson. ["Irregardless of how many times I might speak in tongues, or anything, if my life doesn't bear record of what the Bible says, then I'm no better than an ornery dog walking the street."] That's right. ["And I did not ever speak in an unknown language until six months after I had received my baptism."] That's about the way I did it, too, Brother Jackson.

42 I received the baptism of the Holy Ghost back in my shed, see. And about a year later, or something like that, I spoke in tongues. And about a year or two after that, I was preaching again in a church, and I was standing up on the platform like this, and I...
When I was young and wasn't stiff and old as I am now, I could get around a little better and I was very emotional in preaching. I was standing there preaching and I just jumped up on a desk. It was on a Baptist church, Milltown Baptist church, and went right down into the aisle, preaching just as hard as I could preach like that. And just as I stopped preaching, something just had me all carried away and said several words, four or five, or six words, in unknown tongues. And before I knew what I was doing, I heard myself calling out "The rock in a weary land, the shelter in the time of storm," see.

43 And then one day coming down a railroad track, I was walking down the railroad track, this side of Scottsburg, coming down the railroad track, patrolling. The wind's blowing hard (oh, my!), and ice all over the track. And I crossed over so I could walk down my thirty-three-thousand; sixty-six went up the other way, kind of went parallel to the track. And I was coming down the track, and all of a sudden... I was walking along there. I was singing. I always sang. I had different places where I went to pray. And I was going along there, singing, and all at once I come to find out I was speaking in tongues, see, not knowing what I was doing.
Speaking in tongues comes in such a combustion that the person hardly knows what they're doing. They don't know what they're saying. And interpretation is the same way. They know not what they're going to say. They have no more idea they're going to say it, because it's supernatural. See, as long as you get the natural in it, then you don't... you got natural, you see. But if something just grabs you and takes a hold of you, and you're doing it, see.

44 [Brother Neville says, "Brother Branham, could I say something right here?"] Sure, you can, Brother Neville. ["Now, you saying it that way, you're not intending to say, though, that tongues would have to be in order in service if a man couldn't control it? Because he is... A man that has a gift is supposed to be in control of it."] He can control himself. Yes. Just like... ["You're supposed to be conscious enough to know that he is about to speak in tongues."] Yeah, that's right. ["Or he is out of order to start with."] That's right, he feels it, see. Now, like the Bible said, "If there be one who speaks in tongues and there be no interpreter, then let him hold his peace." Now, of course.

45 Say, for instance, I'm standing here, anybody... When you're fixing to shout, same thing. Did you ever feel the power of God come on you when you start to shout? How many ever did that? Well, all of us have, see. You just sit there, you feel it coming. Now, there's times when you can quench that, see. You can hold it, see, it's not right.
What if you was standing, talking to the President of the United States, or you was standing out here talking to the mayor of the city, and you was talking about something another, right out on the street here, talking to a bunch of people, and all at once you just felt like you could jump up-and-down, and scream and holler "Glory! Hallelujah!" kick against everything and run up and down the street like that. They'd say you was crazy, see. They'd say, "That man's crazy."

46 Well, see, you know better than to do that then. You hold, although it's just digging down in you and you just can't hardly hold it. You say, "Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Uh-huh. Yes, sir. Uh-huh." Boy, she's just digging you to pieces but you know to hold your peace right then, see.
Like in a courthouse here not long ago, they had some Pentecostals up for doing something another, screaming too loud or something, which it was... They was absolutely legitimate, you see, it was right. But every time the judge would go to say something to them, they'd talk in tongues, see. The judge said, "Take them crazy people away from here." See.

47 Now, if there had been an interpretation to that tongues, and told the judge, "Thus saith the Lord" (certain-certain thing that would have been true, "Thus saith the Lord!")... " Judge, what are you standing here judging me for when last night you lived with a prostitute? Her name was Sally Jones. She lived down at 44... certain-certain place, like that. Why do you judge me? That's thus saith the Lord! Now deny that and you'll drop dead." Now, oh, brother! There's something different there.
But when you just stand and speak, and He said you're a barbarian to them. You see? Now, you know when to hold your peace and when not to do it, see. Now, that's... see. I'm... You get me straight now. You know what I mean, see. That is certainly...

48 We got that question right on down here. The reason I was holding it like this, we got the same thing, "Are they supposed to hold their peace?" That's the reason I didn't answer it out no more than what you was saying. But that's the time. Answer it now, see, right now. We'll get it also on this question down here, and I'll just refer back to it. Does everybody understand that question all right?
QUESTION: [Brother Fred asks, "Brother Branham?"] Yes, Brother Fred. ["Does a person speak in the Spirit, giving the utterance (say he's an Englishman and he could speak English) and would the Spirit give the utterance?"]
Certainly. Yes, sir. See, because the Holy Spirit speaks in every language, see. On the day of Pentecost every language under heaven was gathered together, see. Speaking in English... Now, I always know this, Brother Freddie, myself, that if I ever preach a sermon there's any anointing to it, it's the Spirit giving the utterance, you see. It's the... So that would be an unknown tongue to a man that didn't understand English. But yet...

49 And just like the unknown tongue is not an "unknown" tongue. There's somebody there... Like on the day of Pentecost, they said, all these sinners, they said, "How do we hear every man in our own language? How do we hear these Galileans speak in our own language?" There was no "unknown" about that at all. There was no such a thing as "unknown" tongues at Pentecost. Now, see, that's not Scriptural at all, see. There wasn't unknown... it was no unknown tongue; it was a language. "How hear we every man in our own language wherein we were born?" Nothing unknown about it at all, see. Any question on that now, right now before we leave it? "How hear we every man in our own language?" See?

50 [A brother says, "That's where there's a little error because of human weakness, and when people will fail to accept anything; only say, 'I won't believe it any way, only according to Acts 2:4!'"] Well, if they had it according to Acts 2:4 they certainly wouldn't speak in an unknown tongue. ["No, in a language."] They'd have to speak in the language that the people heard you, see, because "every man heard in his own language."
Now, if I receive the Holy Ghost right now, according to... I believe there's one brother here seeking the Holy Ghost, which is Brother Wood. Is that right, Brother Wood? I don't mean to call you out, but we're just brethren here, and we're wanting to say this. And he's seeking the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Now, if Brother Banks received the Holy Ghost there, the correct way, if he received it according to the Bible, he'd rise up there (he was speaking in English), and saying, "Jesus Christ, the Son of God, has raised." He was speaking it with fiery prophecy that tells it. "I know that He is, because He's just come into my heart. He's the Son of God! My sins are gone, there's something happened to me," see. There you are. That's speaking in the...
"How hear we every man in our own language?"

51 Say, what if we Indiana people spoke a different language from the Kentucky people, and Brother Banks is a Kentuckian? They spoke a different language then, and here we know that he couldn't speak Indiana language. And then he raised up there speaking in Indiana language, and know that he don't know it, see. And we hear him in Indiana language. He's thinking he's speaking Kentucky language. He's just testifying, "Praise God! Jesus has raised from the dead. Hallelujah!" But we're hearing him in Indiana language.
That's the way it was on the day of Pentecost, see. "How do we hear every man...?" "Behold, are not all these which are speaking Galileans?" Kentuckians? "And how do we Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois, and Maine, and Massachusetts, and Californians, hear him in our language wherein we were born?" Get the idea? See, it's inspiration. See, it's inspiration to them to hear. It's inspiration to them.

52 See, the thing of it is, is a testimony of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. See, that's right. Now, if God doesn't live that life in you, no matter how much you testify of it, you still didn't get it, see. That's right. How well you...
Is there another question now? [Brother Roy Roberson says, "Well, Brother Branham, I think that we saw that happen in the prayer line, that Spanish girl."] Yes. Very good, Brother Roy. It was at... right where I'm going now, at Beaumont. Was it Beaumont? Yes, sir.
Now, the prayer line was stopped. There was a little Spanish girl come up on the platform. Well, frankly, I believe I was going out, wasn't it? Howard was taking me out, and I heard somebody crying. It was a little Spanish girl there, oh, about fifteen, sixteen years old, right... just a kid. And I looked, and she would've been the next prayer card if I'd have went ahead. I had a bunch up there, she'd have been the next prayer card. I said, "Bring her on." So they brought her on up. I was going over to another meeting, and I said, "Bring her on up."
So, I come to find out, I said to her something like this, "Now, will you believe? If Jesus will help me to tell you what's wrong with you, will you believe that He will heal you?" And she just kept her head down. I thought she must be deaf and dumb, see.

53 So when I looked again, I said, "No, she just can't speak English." So they got an interpreter to come there, and I said, "Will you believe?" And she motioned back. Then she could understand through the interpreter, of course.
Well, then I said... And I looked and I saw a vision. I said, "I see you sitting by an old-fashioned fireplace and a big kettle swinging out, full of ears of yellow corn." You remember that, Brother Roy? I said, "You overeat that corn. And when you did, you fell violently ill and your mother put you on the bed and you started with epileptic fits." And I said, "You've had them ever since."
And then she turns around to the interpreter and said to him through her own language, "I thought he couldn't speak English... or, speak Spanish!"
And he turned to me and said, "You didn't speak Spanish, did you?"
I said, "No." So we looked on the recorder, stopped the recorder. It was absolutely English.

54 But then the interpreter said, "You tell me what he said then." See, he had to get the interpretation. Said, "You tell me what he said." And she said the very same words back to him, and he give it out again.
Now, she heard me in her own language wherein she was born, and I was speaking English. She heard it in Spanish. "How hear we every man in our own tongue wherein we were born?" And the child was healed. See, that's it. It's the wonderful works of God.
QUESTION: [A brother asks, "Then the vessel who is containing the Holy Spirit will not... will just be a vessel, and the One who fills it can fill it with what He desires?"]
Whatever He desires, that's right. Exactly right. And then watch what it's filled with, then you know whether you got the Holy Ghost or not, then, see. Just watch what it's filled with. If the vessel is filled with impurities, then it is not God's vessel. But if it's filled with purities, then it is God's vessel. See what I mean? [The brother says, "And the vessel, there are times when the vessel will be used and not be known at the time that it was used?"] Oh, sure. [The brother gives a testimony.] That's exactly right, sure. Oh, we all... we see that. I've seen that many times. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. We know, we're acquainted with those things.

55 QUESTION: I believe that was number four: "Do all Holy-Ghost-filled people speak with tongues sooner or later? I find where Paul said, "I speak with more tongues than them all."
Now, what I think now, to finish the brother's question:
"Paul, speaking with more tongues than all."
Paul was a smart man. He knowed many languages, himself, see. He could speak with... Remember when he'd get in trial, he could speak with this kind of a tongue or that kind of a tongue, or whatever it was. That's unknown tongues to the people, but that wasn't inspirational. That was taught languages, you see.

56 But I do believe that a Spirit-filled person that lives under the altar of God, no doubt, sooner or later, will have an experience of speaking in tongues, because that's one of the lowest and least things there is, according to Paul's description. If you'd put them in order, it's the last thing on the line of gifts, see, is speaking with tongues.
But now, first, you're baptized... Here, each one of you all are gifts. I'm on the outside. Now, by one door, one Spirit, one door enters this room. Is that right? Now, I can't come in that way, can't come in this way and back that way, see. How do I get in here? By Brother Roberson? No, sir. By, well, say, Brother Leo? That he'd be a gift of speaking in tongues, see, do I get in by Leo? No. Well, how do I get in? By one door, by one Spirit. The Spirit just ain't all tongues. Oh, no. See? See, "By one Spirit I am baptized into this body."

57 Now, this is Spirit, you all are gifts. You say, "Well, bless God!" I'll go over and, say, there's Brother Wood, he's miracles, see. "Oh, I had a miracle performed. I know I got the Holy Ghost because I performed a miracle." Not by one "miracle" are we all baptized into the body.
Go to Brother Junie, he's knowledged. "Well, well, I got the knowledge of the Bible! Boy, I tell you, I know I got the Holy Ghost because I got..." No, that still ain't the way to enter.
All right. Not by Brother Leo, not by Brother Wood, not by Brother Junie, see. No. But by one what? [Congregation says, "Spirit!"] All right. I'm baptized into this body, now I'm into it. Now where's Father going to use me? See? It happened to be Leo was sitting close to the door; no doubt this would be one of the first things would happen. But it might not be. I might be so much richer in the Spirit, that I could go plumb over here to Brother Wood, bypass all the rest of it. You can't tell me I haven't got the Holy Ghost, because I'm in this body by baptism. But God never brought me in here to say, "Well, bless God, guess I'll sit down now, take 'er easy, I'm going to heaven." See what I mean?
But I could go plumb back from this here, plumb back to there. See what I mean? I could go from one extreme to the other, or I might go in the middle, or anywhere. But something will happen, something's got to take place. And what is it? By the Spirit baptism shows me that I'm in the body. "By one Spirit." You get that, Brother... here? Okay! That it? All right.

58 QUESTION: "In what order is tongues and prophecies to be used during the service (It is not to be used at all during the service. See?), to glorify God (Not at all) and edify the church? I know the people say the spirit of the prophet... I know the... (I guess that... No, I beg your pardon, "The Bible," B-i-b-l-e. I thought p-e-p-l-e or something like that. No.) The Bible says, 'The spirit of the prophets is subject to the prophet.'" Exactly.
Spiritual speaking in tongues and prophesying is to edify the church, but it has its service of its own, see. It isn't to bother as long as the prophet of the church is... the meeting's in order, see. It's never to interrupt the meeting.
Now, see, "the spirits of the prophets." We got another question now, let's let that go just for a minute. See, the real correct way of operating these gifts... This is answering many gifts, you see. When we get to them we'll say we answered it in this first one, this person on this one here, see. That's number five:
"Is the tongues and prophecies to be used during the services to glorify God?"
You see, now, the minister... If the minister is anointed of God, and the church is set in order, now, the correct way... Many of you know how I've talked to you about "have it set in order." These gifts are supposed... Now, here's what we'll do in the Tabernacle, the Lord willing. Now, I'm watching. I'm seeing something, leaving Brother Neville and these other brethren here in order. Now you're... And many of you brothers are young brothers.

59 Now, I'm an old veteran to all of you in this way. I've been thirty-one years in this. It was about thirty years ago I laid that stone there. I've had to face everything there was to be faced, and you better know what you're talking about, too, when you come to it. You better not only know that; better be God there to back it up when you get through with it.
Now, the most successful way of doing this now, you could have a special meeting. I believe that's what they done in I Corinthians 14 there---something be revealed to one sitting by, let the other one hold his peace. I believe it was a special meeting for gifts, which would be all right. If they wanted to have a special meeting where all the gifted people met once a week, them with gifts, and come into the church, that would be fine. Let them have that meeting, there's no... be no preaching. It's for the gifts of the Spirit.

60 It ain't for the outsiders, the unbelievers. They'd come in, sit down, say... One raise up and go, "ah-ah," speaking in tongues; the other one say, "wha-ah."
"What in the world?" They come in and say, "Where's the singing? Where's the rest of it?" See?
But, now, these that's speaking in tongues, many of them (and interpreting, and so forth) are babes in the gospel, see. Don't offend them. Let them grow till that gift... Some of it, you can see how Satan tries to weave into some. 'Course, veterans, we see that. See, we can catch that, and you'll watch it.

61 Here not long ago a certain minister, sitting right here now, come to me and told me and had me at his home, a very precious brother. I don't say it because he's sitting here, but you're all precious brethren. If I didn't think that, I'd tell you, "Let's you and I get this thing straightened out between us, first," see. That's right. I love you all, and I'm only here in the spirit of tolerance to the Bible, you see---to help, see.
This brother had me to his house to... a certain woman, and that woman was wrong. And I never seen the woman but I heard it on tape, her give an interpretation of tongues, and telling something. You could pick it up right then.

62 One day, to another minister, and I, of the same person, we set on a stump, squirrel hunting, and talked of it. And both the ministers, present now, knows how that turned out, see. Just, you watch.
When you ministers are correcting someone about a gift---when you're correcting them, scripturally correcting them---and they get offended, remember, it wasn't the Spirit of God, because the Spirit of God cannot be offended by His Word. He comes to His Word. See, he's always willing. A real saint of God wants to toe the mark. Yes, sir.
I want to be corrected. I want the Holy Spirit to correct me in things that I'm doing that's wrong. I don't want nothing substitutionary. I want the real thing or nothing. Just let me alone, don't let me have anything at all, see, because I'd rather do that than to bring a reproach on Christ.

63 And I wouldn't teach anything, I wouldn't say anything 'less the Scripture...
And if some brother, some Christian brother would see me teaching something wrong, I'd appreciate it if he'd call me over to one side after the service, and say, "Brother Branham, I'd like to come to your room and talk to you. You're in error on something," see. I'd sure appreciate that, brother, because I want to be right. I want it.
Now, all of us want to be right, that's why we want to speak these things. And they got to come through the Scripture, you see, to make the Scripture tie together.

64 Now, the speaking in tongues should be... Now, a little later on... Now, let it go right now, for a while. See, I'd advise you just to let it go. To you ministers now, you pastors, just let it go until these babies get just a little bit older. Now, maybe, sooner or later, if it's the enemy that's trying to deceive that person, it'll show up. We're not too sure.
Now, after this, before you start this, get some spirit of wisdom in there, some discernment of spirits, you see, to find out. The first thing, you know, you begin to notice that somebody's begin to see that there's a little something wrong---that's discernment. Then, and baby that a little while, see. Then when you see the discernment getting wrong, then correct that. And if that thing... if it's of God, he'll stand correction with the Word, see.

65 Say, for instance, I'm going to say we spoke in tongues, somebody, we're... this is a gifted bunch of men. And Leo raised up and spoke in tongues then, and a brother here, Willard, give the interpretation. All right. Now, I want to say, Brother Neville and Brother Junie and Brother Willard Collins was the discerners, see. Now, because Leo spoke... Now, we're just here like in a little saints' meeting, a gifts meeting, and Leo spoke and Willard give the interpretation here, and he said, "Thus saith the Lord, 'Wednesday night there's coming a woman in here and she's going to be violent. Tell Brother Branham not to rebuke her, because she's insane. But tell him to take her over to the corner, because it was in a corner where she did a wicked thing one time and a certain thing taken place,'" see. That sounds very good, doesn't it? See? All right.

66 Now, but the first thing, you know, in the old Scripture, no matter what the prophet said or what anybody else said, it was tested by the Urim Thummim, first. See, it went to the Word. And if them lights didn't flash, they let it alone, see.
And the first thing, now, let's take it back to the Word. Now, this man spoke in tongues, sounded all right. This one interpreted, sounded all right. But the Word said let it be judged by two or three judges first. Take it to the Urim Thummim.
Now, first thing, Willard Collins says, "It was of the Lord." Junie says, "It's of the Lord." That's two out of three. All right, it's put on a piece of paper, it's spoke out right here in this church. Then when the people who sees it read before it ever happens, and then see it happen, they say, "Brother, that's God! See, that's God!"
But what if it don't happen, then what happens? See? (Now we're going to get to another thing I could hit right here, is "All prophecy... all interpretations and messages is prophecy.") Now, just a minute. Now, what if it don't happen? Then Leo has spoke in a false spirit; he gave a false interpretation; and you gave a false judgment. Then get that thing out of you. You don't want that. That's wrong. Leave it alone. That's the devil, see. [Gap in the audio.]
"I ain't a preacher, but I'm an interpreter. See, I'm an interpreter, Lord. I'm not a preacher." Brother Leo say, "Lord, I'm not a preacher, but I got a gift of tongues and the devil upset me on that. God, take that thing away from me." You say, "Lord, You've give me the spirit of discernment, and I've seen You do it so many times, how did it happen? Father, clean me out! What happened?" You see, there you are, then you've got it real.

67 See, that's a regular saints' meeting. I think that's what it was in the Bible, because Paul said, "If one prophesies and something being prophesied, and something be revealed to one sitting, let him hold his peace until this one speaks first. Then he may speak. And you all may prophesy one by one." Now, that couldn't be in a regular meeting, you know that. Each one couldn't give...
Now, to be sure that it's of God, see, because if it's just foolishness it ain't of God. If it doesn't come to pass, it's not of God, see. It's got to come to pass. And therefore in our churches, you see, brethren, we got a solid church then, see, where nobody can say that anything is ever said or done...

68 Look what it puts me before, when I'm up there before the public. Look at that! What about one error on that? See? Because I trust Him, see. I trust Him. Someone say, "You afraid of a mistake, Brother Branham." No, no, uh-uh. Ain't afraid of a mistake. I believe Him. He is my protection. I'm ordained to do this so I'll stay right with it.
If God's ordained you to do something, then He's your protection, see. He will protect you. If He's sent you, He'll back up your word. You're an ambassador then. You're ambassador with the gift of tongues; you're ambassador with the gift of interpretation; you're ambassador with the gift of discernment; the three of you. See what I mean? Then what have you got? You got a solid church. You wouldn't fear it standing no more than yesterday.

69 Here, I was in a meeting down here. A little old English boy from England come over here, was trying to commit suicide. Brother Banks come up there and said he had been down there four or five days. I had a lot of things to do, but he said, "The boy's going to commit suicide." The Waterview Hotel down there was telling me about the condition of that lad.
And I went into the room to pray for him. I come back out and I said, "Now, Brother Banks, I've never seen the man or know nothing about him, but I'm going to tell you what's wrong with him before I get there." Is that right, Brother Banks? And when we got there, the Holy Spirit come right down and told him what done it and all about him, where he had been and all about his life. He just dropped over, nearly.

70 "Are you afraid of a mistake, Brother Branham, you tell a man something like that?" How about on the platform, tell a man he's living untrue to his wife, got a baby by another woman? He'll throw you in the penitentiary. You better be right! See? See? Don't be afraid if it's God. But if you're not afraid... If you don't know it's God, then keep still till you know it's God. Is that right? Be sure you're right and then go ahead.
Now, this is hard teaching, brother, but you're my brothers. You're young ministers that's coming on, and I'm an old man, going to leave one of these days, see. And so you be sure it's just right.

71 Coming out of the room of the... Maybe I'll catch just a little later up here. A boy... Well, I'll say part of it now. Yesterday, Banks and I, real busy, been (oh, my) as hard as I could, and I'll tell you what I was going to do. On this meeting Leo and Gene and a bunch of us was going to go over there, and brethren, and say we was going pig hunting, hog hunting.
They got five days of javelina hog hunting, in Arizona, after the meeting's over. Our meeting closes. We go to Phoenix for one day, and got to wait five days before we have another---four days before they have another meeting of anywhere. We got to be right there at Arizona. Well, it happens to be at just that time javelina hog season is open.
So I wanted to go shoot my little rifle in, to see if it was in all right. Banks was going with me. We started out the gate, started out the gate. Here come a man walking right in, over top of that sign, see, said, "Please don't ask for Brother Branham."

72 See, reason they do that... it's not for people that's sick. Mine... that house... Ask Banks, he lives next door to me. People come, day and night and everything else, with sick children, everything. We never turn a person like that down.
But when they call me, Leo and them, from out there at the trailer, and Jim and them, "There's somebody here with a sick baby." "A man's here with cancer," we lay aside everything and take off for him.

73 Last night I was called into a hospital room where somebody called me, and the man wouldn't even let me come in after I got there, see. Somebody else just enthused. But that's all right. I go anyhow, see, 'cause it's my duty to go, see, try to help somebody.
Well, that's not what that sign's for. But this man, just as we was getting in the car, and Brother Banks knows that I had to... I waited in that house somehow. There was somebody come in at Brother Banks that held him up. He no sooner got there, I was held up. Then as soon as we grabbed our rifle and started to get in the car, here come a man walking right in. He walked up there.
And I was just getting ready to tell him go out and call that number out there (at Butler 2-1519), over at that sign. I said, "We're in a hurry."
Said, "I suppose you're in a hurry, sir."
I said, "My name..."
First I walked up, he said, "How do you do?" I seen that he didn't know who I was.
I said, "My name is Branham."
He said, "You're Brother Branham?"
I said, "I am."
And he said, "I wanted to meet you, Brother Branham." Said, "I see you're fixing to leave."
I said, "Yes, sir, I am."
He said, "I know you're in a hurry."
I said, "I am right now, sir."
And he said, "Well, I just wanted to speak to you a few minutes."
And I was just going to tell him... and the Holy Spirit said, "Take him in the room. You can help him." Now, there, that changes everything. The gun's just laid aside, and everything like that. God's work is first, see. And he said...
I said, "Come, go with me." I said, "I'll be back afterwhile, Brother Banks."
He said, "It's about my soul, Brother Branham."
I said, "All right, come in."
Went through the house. Meda said, "Ain't you gone yet?"
I said, "No, no, no, it's somebody out here." I said, "Keep the kids back in the other room." I took him in the little den room, sat down. No sooner sat down...
That man was in church last night. Or did he come, Banks? Did... Yeah, well, he was to come last night.

74 First thing, the Holy Spirit began to tell him who he was, what he had done, what happened down through his life, everything about it, see, just right on, telling him everything. Banks is a witness. Never opened his mouth and said but about two words to me; and there it come telling him, said, "You've been a vagabond. You really live in Madison. You just come from Evansville, Indiana. You've been down there in a Bible school, a cult, got all mixed up. You just come to Louisville a few minutes ago. There was a man... and a man told you---that you sat and ate with him---told you to come over here and see me and I'd straighten you out there." I said, "That's THUS SAITH THE LORD!"
The man just sitting, batting his eyes, looking at me, said, "Yes, sir!"
I said, "Stunned you, didn't it?"
He said, "It did."
I said, "Do you believe the Holy Spirit?"
He said, "I want to, sir."
And I said, "You want me to tell you what you're thinking about?"
He said, "Yes, sir." And I told him. He said, "And, brother, that's the truth."
And I said, "Change your thoughts."
He said, "All right, I have."
I said, "This is what you're thinking about."
He said, "That's right! That's right!"
I said, "Now, you don't need a vision, you just need straightened out." I told him something there that you wouldn't want me to tell. If it was on you, you wouldn't. It's some bad thing that was horrible, so you wouldn't want me to tell if it was on you. And I don't tell what the Lord shows me on people. So I just said, "All right, you'll do it?"
He said, "I will."
I said, "Be on your road."

75 We was in there about not over ten minutes, wasn't it, Brother Banks? About, between seven and ten minutes. Walked back out, come back down the road, and going down the road, he and I and Banks and my little boy, Joe, I believe it was, riding along together, going down the pike. He turned around to me, he said, "Mister, I want to ask you a question."
I said, "All right."
He said, "I'm a bit confused." He said, "How did you know all that stuff on me?" Banks was sitting there.
I said, "Mister, did you ever hear of my visions and my ministry?"
He said, "I never knowed your name till about an hour ago. Somebody told me, just said over there in Louisville, told me to come over here, and I walked across the bridge." Is that right, Banks? He said, "I never even knowed your name, knowed who you was."
I said, "In my ministry, it's a gift of God that He sent."
He said, "Then if that's the way that is," said, "now I'm..." Said, "I'm all right now," he said, "everything's gone." He said, "What it is, that was God speaking through you to me.
I said, "Correctly."
He said, "Now, I understand in the Bible that... One time I read in the Bible and said Jesus spoke to his disciples" which he meant the people, you see. Said, "Spoke to his disciples and He told them the things that they were thinking of." See, perceiving their thoughts is what he was getting to. He said, "And He said it was His Father that was speaking through Him."
I said, "That's right."
He said, "Now, now, the Father then just used you to speak through you to me, to tell me these things to get me to believe what you told me was the truth."
I said, "Was it the truth?"
He said, "Yes."
Said, "Then it'd have to be God."

76 I said, "Brother, you know more about it now (me and Banks was remarking) than some that's been in the meetings for ten years and still don't." Just that man! Now, that is what that is, see.
"The Spirit (orderly) in tongues is prophecy to be used during the service?"
No. It should be used on this way, and then told in the service. But for this time, for this present time, let them speak. Now, if it goes to getting out of hand, then it ain't ... you have to watch that. Now, sometimes it could be God. And those little fellows, just like a little kid trying to walk, now, if he falls down four or five times... I've seen it since I've been here in church, and well, I'll just leave it like that, see. And, but, you see, but what if it... Then say, "Brother Branham, why didn't you correct this?" No, no.
When Billy Paul back there first started to walk, he was up and down, and down more than he was up. But he didn't know how to walk. But I believe he had a gift of walking, see. I let him walk a little while. And then when he got to stumbling his big feet, I tell him about it now. You see what I mean? See? Go along looking at something else and popping and something, I say, "Pick up your feet, boy. Where're you at?" See? Now, that's the difference, you see.

77 Now, let them stumble and let them block along a little while. Now, when you have to correct them, if they resent it then you know yourself it wasn't God, 'cause the Spirit of God is subject... As you got here... a little bit, "The spirit of prophecy is subject to the prophet," see. That's right.
QUESTION: [Brother Stricker says, "Brother Branham, I'd like some correction."] All right, brother. ["Many times I've sat in services and I've heard speaking in tongues and interpretation, and most of the times I've felt very bad about it. And I go home and I'd seem as though I'd repent all the way. Was it because I felt that it was not of God, or was it because it was out of order?"]
It could have been, brother, it could have been either one, see. I would say... Now, this is William Branham, see. Until I get into the Scripture, why, it's still me, you see. Now, this I would say, Brother Stricker, that it could be either one. It could be that it was out of order; it could be that it was something wrong with you; it could be that there was something wrong with the person; something wrong with the message; or anything would make you feel bad.

78 Now, now, let me just help you a little bit, Brother Stricker, here, see. Always... Don't never judge anything by its feelings, you see. Judge it by its attributes, you see. Whatever it bears fruit, you see. 'Cause sometimes...
'Course, we realize that there is things that you feel that spooky feeling. I get it myself. Boy, I start moving away right easy, you know. But I don't say nothing. Just let it alone 'cause I don't know what it could be, you see, until I know what it is.
Now, like a lot of people say, "Whew! Brother, I know I got the Holy Ghost! Hallelujah! Praise God!" And they still wouldn't have the Holy Ghost. They could speak with tongues, and everything else, and shout and dance in the spirit, and still not have the Holy Ghost. Because the rain falls on the just and the unjust. It's not by feelings; it's by their fruit.
Say there's a... Remember my vision of that? How that... Hebrews 6, you see, "The rain which cometh oft upon the earth is to water it, which is dressed for, but thorns and thistles which is nigh unto rejection whose end is to be burned."

79 Excuse me, I'll let a little air in, I know you're all getting sleepy and getting tired. So now, wait, I'll have to hurry through these a little faster or I won't get them. This has got... We're about at the base of all of the end of it, right... this handful here.
But see, here's a field full of wheat. And in that field is sowed jimsonweed, cockleburs, or whatmore---weeds. Well, the drought is on. Now, doesn't the jimsonweed and the cocklebur get just as thirsty as the wheat? And what kind of rain is a special rain falls on the wheat and then a special rain falls on the cocklebur? Is that right? No, the same rain falls on it. Is that right? The same Spirit falls on a hypocrite that falls on the Christian---the same thing. But by their "fruit". Did that sink in, brethren?

80 The evidence of the Holy Ghost is the fruit of it, the fruit of the Spirit. Well, now, you say, "I'm a stem, I'm a cocklebur. I'm a stem the same as that wheat's a stem." But what kind of a life is in you? The life that's in it bears stickers, always fussing and cutting up, and "brrr," mean and ill, and everything. See what I mean? Arrogant---see, that's not the fruit of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is meekness, patience, gentleness, see, all that, see.
He can say, "Well, I can shout just as loud as you can. Bless God, the Holy Ghost falls on me!" That may be every speck true, but the life that he lives doesn't back up what he's talking about, see. He was a weed to start with.
Now, we get down on a big question now, see, on election, you see. So that's... You have to be that. You understand that.
They was a cocklebur to start with; he was a wheat to start with. So the drought was on; the rain fell on the just and unjust. Okay, got it?

81 QUESTION: [A brother asks, "How about the fruits of a preacher, would that ... that's preaching the Word?"]
That, the preacher, still, if he stood up there and preached the Word like an archangel, see, understood the mysteries of the Bible, and made a very good pastor, went and visited the people and things like that, he could still be lost, see. It's his fruit tells it every time, brother, see. No matter how good he is or what he is, he must have the Holy Spirit in his life, see.
Now, didn't Jesus say, "Many will come to me in that day and say, 'Lord, have not I prophesied (preached) in thy name, and I worked miracles in your name?' " He'd spoke with tongues, he'd done miracles, give interpretation, the mystery things of God, and all those things there. He said, "Depart from me, you workers of iniquity. I never knew you." See what I mean?
QUESTION: [Brother Taylor asks, "How about the man bringing the wrong message? I mean, he thinks he's right but he's preaching wrong."]
Well, I believe that that man is sincere, like the brother that's sitting here wanted to go back over his... trace back these things like that. If that man's elected of God, and he's ever brought before truth, he'll recognize it. See, "My sheep know my voice." You under... See what I mean, Brother Taylor? Is that what you're talking about? See?

82 Now, for instance, say Brother Crase, say he was a Baptist preacher and he never knew nothing about the baptism of the Holy Ghost; neither did he know any of these things, the gifts of the Spirit. And he was a good, faithful Baptist preacher, see. But the first thing you know, this come before him. And I believe that every child of God will be... every age will seine it till He gets him. The kingdom can't come until the will of God has been done. That's right. And not one will perish, you see. Now, see, that's the way.
The kingdom of heaven is like a man throwed a net into the sea and brought it forth. When he had, he had all kinds. He kept the fish, and the turtles and terrapins went back in the water. He threw it again, got some more, maybe got one fish. But He kept on seining till it was all seined out. See what I mean now?
But that fish was a fish in the beginning. It was just put in the Master's use, that was all. Put them over in another pond where it was better, clearer. But He was still seining in this frog pond till He gets all the bass out of it. See what I mean? You get what I mean, Brother Taylor. You ought to know by yours up there.

83 All right, now:
QUESTION: "Does he at all times have control over the spirit as to when and how to act?"
Yes, sir. Yes, sir, the Holy Spirit controls. Yes, sir. It has control of you and you have control of it, and it'll never make you do anything contrary to the Scripture. It'll make... The Spirit does not misbehave itself unseemingly. That's right. Okay.
"From one who loves you." Yeah, that's... All right. Now we'll jump to another one here.
I think that had a basis. Now, when I'm calling these now, if there's a question... Was there a question anymore on this? We all understand it? We understand how we believe it now?

84 [A brother says, "I got one question."] Go right ahead. On this here yet? Okay. ["Yes, on that one there. I kind of hesitated, but..."] Don't hesitate, this is... ["You were talking about the man that's preaching; and if he's not preaching the message that Christ brought forth, and regardless of what happens in his ministry, when he comes in contact with the truth and he rejects it, then what?"] He's lost. Excuse me just a minute for... ["In reference to predestination or ordained from the foundation of the world?"] That's right. That's right, see. ["Then he wasn't to be that way?"] Wasn't to be that way in the beginning, see. "They went out from us because they wasn't of us."

85 For instance, like this, it's the same thing in Hebrews 6, see. People misinterpret that Scripture so much, they think it's impossible... He says, "It's impossible for those which were once enlightened and made partakers of the Holy Ghost, if they shall fall away." See, they just don't get... He says, "It's impossible for those which were once enlightened and partakers of the Holy Ghost, seeing that they should fall away, to renew themselves again to repentance, seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh and put Him to an open shame; counted the blood of the covenant wherewith He was crucified with an 'unholy thing,' done despite to the works of grace."
Well, to me, it's a revelation. Sure. It's just like Acts 2:38, and Matthew 28:19. You just have to catch it, you see.
Now look, here it is, the same thing. Well, now, he's speaking to Hebrews, see. Now read on down through the chapter, far as it goes ahead and says, "For it's a fearful thing to fall in the hands of the living God." Now, here's a man, it's like that borderline believer. Here, here's a... Here, the same thing was here, perfect example I see in my mind.

86 God called Israel out of Egypt. All these people come forth, every one of them was delivered, crossed over the Red Sea into the wilderness. Is that right? The Red Sea... When they got ready, listened to Moses' message, started to march (justification), they turned around, started here.
They come to the Red Sea (the blood), and went through the Red Sea, and behind them all the task masters was laying, dead. See, just about three days from the promised land right then. That's all they were, less than forty miles, see. So there they are, just two days would have put them over there good.
That's what I aim to preach at Phoenix in a few days from now, at the Businessmen's meeting, "Staying On This Mountain." But He kept them right there for forty years 'cause they...

87 So they come to this and they looked back (sanctified), " Oh, hallelujah! Praise God! Glory to God. Hallelujah! There lays the old thing that once bothered me, is dead. The old cigarettes I once smoked is gone. The old liquor I used to drink is all in the Red Sea of the blood of Jesus Christ. O glory to God! Hallelujah!"
Every one of them come up here to face Canaan now, crossed Jordan. Well, he took a representative out of each tribe. Is that right? And he sent them over. Well, some of them said, "Aw, we can't do it. No. Why, we look like grasshoppers up beside of them!" See?

88 "What kind of a church would I preach to if I taught that Holy Ghost and all that stuff like that? Why, I'd have empty seats. My Methodist people would walk out, my Baptist people, my Presbyterian." Let them walk out. They were goats to begin with! You want sheep, see. See? You're not pastoring goats. Pastor sheep! What's the use of pastoring goats when [unclear words] and there's sheep to be pastored? See? And here you are over here, see. I always said I'd preach to four posts and preach the truth, the church. Yes, sir. Come over here.
But see now, what's he done? They come back, and Joshua and Caleb, two percent, or is that kind of percentage... two out of... two-twelfths of them, two-twelfths. Well, twelve of them, that'd be two out of twelve, two-twelfths of them believed it. They go right on over into the promised land, said, "Boy, this is a good place to be."
Ol' Joshua and Caleb, boy, they was trusting the Word. God give it to them, said, "That's yours."
They go over, they whacked off a big bunch of grapes, and here they come pulling her back like this. "Come on, fellows! This is a wonderful place! Take a bite,"---big grapes about that big around.

89 Oh, man, they seen them, said, "Aw, we can't do it." When they went back, they said, "No, brethren, this Moses has done brought us out here in the wilderness (this Holy Ghost, you see, which he represented), " done brought us out here in the wilderness. And here we are, our ministry is ruined. We couldn't do a thing like that."
Go back, see. "They which were once enlightened..." Justified by faith, sanctified. See, they come across this second altar and looked over into the promised land. "We which were once enlightened and have been... have tasted of the heavenly gifts." See, tasted of it. They brought it back. We see that it's right. We actually see it. Tasted of the heavenly gifts, made partakers of this thing, you see, this Holy Spirit, partook of it.
"That's good. Boy, look there at that man. Why, I know he was blind, now he can see. Look at that old... Boy, what happened to that fellow? Whoever thought that kid out there with no education... yonder he stands with the fire in the world." You see?

90 And then fall away, see, and they're... To renew themselves, go back again to repentance, go on back to preach repentance instead of that which He said the first place. Let us... You know, about laying again the foundation of dead works to repentance, and so forth. "We will, God willing," you see.
See, "We'll do that. We'll go back and lay this foundation back then," but go back unto repentance themselves, to repent of it, for ever being up there. "I'm sorry I was ever up there," and count the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified with as though it was an unholy thing, and done despite to the works of grace. He's gone, brother! That's all. He's finished, see.
Well, now, see, it's impossible for an elected child to do that. He ain't going to do that. "My sheep know my voice." If it's called in Canaan or wherever it's at, they're going, see. "My sheep know my voice."
QUESTION: [A brother asks, "And it would seem to me that... Acts 2:38...]
That would take that, every bit of the Scripture, take it all in. That's exactly right, brother.

91 QUESTION: "Are there two different types of Bible tongues? Is there a difference in tongues spoken in private prayer, and in the church where interpretation is required? On the day of Pentecost the tongues were understood by men of different nations; but in I Corinthians 14:2, unknown tongues spoke unto God, not unto men. I Corinthians 13:1 indicates to such men (C-o-r, I guess that's Corinthians 13) to such men and the others of angels.
Oh, yes. See? Now, brother, ever who you are, you've answered yourself here. See:
"Are there two different tongues? (There's many different tongues, see.) Are there two different tongues in the Bible, two different tongues?"
On the day of Pentecost every nation under heaven was there with tongues, see. All right.
"And is there difference between the tongues spoken in private prayer and in the churches where interpretation is required?" Yes.

92 Paul spoke over here also in the Corinthians, where you was asking here, and he said, "There are tongues of angels and there is tongues of men." Now, tongues of angels is when a man's praying to... him and God, alone. But when he's speaking a language, it's to be interpreted in the church, for edification of the church. "He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifies himself; but he that speaks... he that prophesies edifies the church." So he said, "I'd rather speak five words with understanding than ten thousand in an unknown tongue, except, unless there be interpretation." Then it's spoken then by prophecy, which is edifying. See what I mean?

93 Now, there are two different tongues---men and angels, see. And Paul said, "Though I speak with tongues of men and angels," see, both men and angels, both of those tongues, the one that cannot...
Now, that's where the Pentecostal people, tongues-evidence people that say... Told me, he said, "Now, Brother Branham, you're all mixed up."
I said, "Well, if you get it according to Acts 2:4, then everybody heard you speak in the language that they were born in."
"Oh!" he said, "No! No!" he said.
I said, "Sure. Yes, sir!"
Said, "Now, Brother Branham, you're all mixed up." Said, "You're talking about the..." Said, "There's tongues of angels. That's the Holy Spirit angel that comes down and speaks to you."
Now, it sounds good, see. It sounds like it could be a lot of truth, but it ain't all the truth. When Satan told Eve, "Surely you'll not die," he told her a lot of truth, but that wasn't truth, see.
Now, said, "'Men and angels,' and the angel he was speaking of was..."

94 Now, let's look how it won't jive with Scripture, see. Now, it won't cooperate, I mean to say. Pardon me, I didn't mean to say jive with Scriptures. I mean cooperate with Scriptures, or follow, coordinate with Scriptures, is the best word.
"Now, the man speaking with angels' tongues," he says, "that's the tongues of the Holy Ghost that..." He said, "now, when they received the Holy Ghost."
I said, "Where'd you receive it at?"
Well, he told me exactly the spot, the minute and the hour. I don't doubt but what he did, see. I have no... I'm not his judge, see. He said, "That's where I spoke it." He knowed exactly the place. Said, "Something happened to me."
I said, "I believe it, see. But still that wasn't the evidence of the Holy Ghost to you, son."
"Oh, yes!" Said, "That was it!"
And I said, "No."
He said, "Now, look, I want to tell you something, brother."
I said, "Did the people in your audience, that church there in Indianapolis where you said you received it, did those people hear you speak in English, telling them of the resurrection and the power of God and everything?"
He said, "Why, no! I spoke in unknown tongues."
I said, "You never got it according to Acts 2:4, 'cause every... wasn't one word unknown. 'We hear every man in our own language.' "

95 "Oh," he said, "Brother Branham, I see where you're confused." He said, "You see," he said, "there is tongues. That's tongues of angels. When you receive the Holy Ghost," said, "then you speak in tongues and nobody has to interpret that. That's the Holy Ghost speaking, see. But then you have a gift of tongues, and that's to be interpretation."
I said, "Then you've got the cart before the horse. On the day of Pentecost they got the cart before the horse. Before they got the Holy Ghost (unknown tongues), they spoke in tongues that was understood." So really it...

96 There is two different tongues. Tongues of angels, that's the man in private prayer out yonder somewhere speaking to God, speaking to God in angelic tongues. I could just call you a case right now, but I haven't got time. You remember when the woman come to the auditorium there in ... where Dr. Alexander Dowie's from---Zion. Remember me down there? And Billy come after me down there to get me to go to the meeting, and I said, "Billy, go on back."
He said, "What you crying about? Somebody been here?"
I said, "No, sir. You go on back, tell Brother Baxter to preach tonight."
And I got down on the floor and I said, "Lord, what's the matter with me?"
And all of a sudden I heard somebody at the door, speaking in other languages. I thought it was German. I thought, "Well, that fellow's come up to get him a..." I stopped, you know, praying. I listened at him, standing there like this. And I thought, "Well, how will that guy ever understand that?" 'Cause I knowed the man that run the motel, about five miles out of the city, you know. I had to get out there (so many people around), a small town. I said, "Well, that's strange. Hmm!" I said, "Well, boy, did you ever hear a...? That guy don't even get his breath, hardly."
See, I was thinking that, hard as he was speaking. Well, I said, "Well, that... why, it was me!" So I just kept real still, didn't say any... just kept real still. After a while He got through speaking, and when it did, it felt like I could run through a troop and leap over a wall.

97 And I went out and Billy was going out the gate and I hollered at him, "Wait a minute!"
He come back. He had been drinking a soda pop. And he said, "Daddy, what's the matter?"
I said, "Wait just a minute. Just a minute, I'm going with you."
I started washing my face real quick. He said, "What's the matter?" He knows better than to talk to me, going to the meeting. He said, "What's the matter?"
I said, "Nothing, nothing. Nothing, not at all. Just go ahead to the meeting."
We went on to the meeting. Brother Baxter was sitting there playing, "Nothing between my soul and the Saviour." He come in, he said, "Whew! Thought you wasn't coming!"
I said, "Shhh." Went on up and just started preaching.

98 When I got through, about time I got through preaching, boy, somebody like to took the back of the building, back there in that big auditorium. Run an extension mike back there, and there was a woman back there just walking up and down the aisle, shouting hard as she could shout.
Come to find out, she had TB, and had left Twin Cities, St. Paul. The ambulance wouldn't bring her because they was afraid she would burst her lungs. The doctor said anything... her lungs was like honeycombs. Said if they ever broke she'd be dead, that'd be all. And some saints took an old '38 Chevrolet car, and took the back seat and fixed it up, put her in there and was on the road over. And they hit a little bump or something another down there, and she started hemorrhaging. And she just started spurting the blood right out, and it was going through her nose and everything, like that. She got weaker and weaker, and finally... She didn't want to die in the car, she told them to stop and put her on a grass plat.
They picked her out. And they was all standing over her, praying, and all of a sudden she said something struck her and up she got, and away she went, shouting down that road, as hard as she could. Here she was at church, just walking up and down those aisles.
I said, "Sister, what time was that?" Just exactly the same time the Holy Spirit was speaking through me. What was it? Gifts.

99 What was that old opossum laying up there at the gate to be prayed for? An ignorant animal---not even a soul, don't know right from wrong. See, hasn't got a soul. It's got a spirit, no soul to it.
What was it? The Holy Spirit making intercessions. God sent a gift to the earth, and the Holy Spirit just couldn't wait any longer so He just come, took me over and begin to speak back Himself like that---back Himself, making intercessions Himself. And as we checked the time, at the very same minute that she... they put her out on a plat like that, they wanted to... 'Cause they knowed she was dying, they'd have to say what time she died. It was that very minute that the Holy Spirit fell upon me up there and begin to make intercessions, utterance, words, can't understand them, see, like that, giving utterance. That's the Holy Spirit speaking.
I didn't have to know that. See, I didn't. That was her... maybe her angel. We're going to get to that in a few minutes, see, that come over there and gave that message, you see.
Now, that's right. There's two different tongues, one of them's to be...

100 Is there a question? All right, trying to know what God is saying, you see. Now, I'd say, Brother Stricker, in that, in regards to that, try not to think about that, see. Just let... the Spirit does the speaking itself. Don't try to understand it, see, 'cause just yield yourself farther to the Spirit, see. 'Cause you're trying to say, "Hey, what are you saying?" See? "Hey, you're talking to me? Huh?" You see, he's trying.

101 QUESTION: "Now, is it all right for a person to speak with tongues when praying for others about the altar?
[Gap in the audio.] without interpretation. (Let me see what I put down here, I have to look.) If there is no interpreter, let them hold their peace. In I Corinthians, the first chapter... the fourteenth chapter and the twenty eighth verse. Who's got a Bible? [A brother reads the following scripture: "... if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church;"]
All right. Now, if there be no interpreter, anytime in the church, anywhere in the church, keep silent if there's no interpreter.

102 At the altar, the only thing that someone... Many times you hear of people going to the altar. I heard a precious brother just recently at the altar, just go down and shake somebody on the back, and then speak in tongues themselves, speaking like they were trying to show them what to do. See, that's kind of artificially bringing the Holy Spirit (trying to) to the people. Don't do that, see. The thing to do is just let that person alone. Let them raise up their hands until the Holy Spirit comes in, you see. See? So it's a wrong... No, they should keep silent in the church, you see.

103 [A brother asks, "Brother Branham?"]
"Yes, brother."
["Say a person was in a service and at the close of the service, usually whenever a message will come through, the person that has the gift, they will be able to tell, or can they be able to tell the difference between the angel... the tongue of the angel or the message that comes through?"]
Now, let's see. Now [Gap in the audio.]... long as they come in and they'd write that thing out, lay it on my desk, see. And I'd read it right out like this. But when I walked in that room there, brother, that was all of it, see.

104 And before they come in here, they'd stand back here and everybody just as quiet as could be. And the sister would be there, Sister Irene, there at the altar, or, there playing "Down at the Cross." We wouldn't... Ushers just walk back and forth. They see anybody talking, they'd say, "Shh, shh, shh," see. And if kids got... They'd sit down real sweet and they'd say, "The house of the Lord, honey. You shouldn't. You should behave now in the house of the Lord."
And the man and the wife and all of them, they let them hang their coats up, and things like that. Somebody here at the door to see them just as soon as the door opened, and everything ready to go, you know, put the church right. Everybody get them a seat and see that they sat down.

105 And I was in the room, praying, been in there probably since two or three o'clock that afternoon. Nobody bothered me. I went down there with my message.
And then just at the moment to start, the song leader started a song, "Let us turn to hymn number so-and-so," like, "Down at the Cross where my Saviour died," on like that, you know, and get that going like that. Then when they sing about two specials... We never put too much time in singing; it's the Word. If they have a hymn-singing, that's what they have these regular hymn-sings for. The Word's the main thing the people come there for. It's the house of correction.

106 And then maybe the associate, like Brother George, Brother George DeArk, get up and offer prayer. And then we'd have a special, like a solo or something like that. And then it was time. Somebody let me know it was time to come out. If it was, all right, I'd come out freshly under the anointing, see.
Well, maybe that week they'd had a meeting somewhere here in the church, had their own meeting. Maybe before the service ever opened that night, they had a meeting. And here it was... I got it here, and say, "It is written here on this paper that there will come a certain storm through this country next week," or something, you know, something like that will take place. "It was written, spoke in tongues, and interpreted by two saints of the church here, Brother So-and-so and Brother So-and-so. Two witnesses of it gave record here, they have their names signed on here, that it was recorded it would be of God. It's So-and-so and So-and-so." That's my first part.

107 Then I'd say, "All right, we'll prepare for this, everybody be in prayer, see. Now is there a special request, everybody?" You know. "Let us pray." Stood and prayed. Right straight to the Word, right on to the Word.
Then immediately after the service was over, the altar call was made, see. The altar call was what we played on heavy. The altar call, get the people to the altar. And then after that altar call was over, perhaps then I'd pray for the sick.
Just something like that. The service was all took up because the spirit of the prophets is subject to the prophet.

108 That's what I was thinking of... You remember the night when I saw the vision when the angel come walking to me? I was sitting there in the room, thinking about---oh, way in the night---saying, " 'The spirit of the prophets is...' How could that be?" I looked at that light flashing, and here He come walking right down through there to where I was at, see. That's when He commissioned me right there, see, to these meetings.
Now, no, it's the person that's giving the message. That was your question, I believe, "The person that's giving the message, would he... is the person giving the message, would he know it was the angel of the Lord or not?"
[A brother says, "Now, the question was, you say there is the tongues of angels..."] [ Blank spot on tape.]
I don't think he could. Now, it's the way we got it now. But, see, when we get the way we should be, where you have a regular meeting for that, let...

109 See, each one of them is a ministry. Say, you speak in tongues, he interprets, and he speaks in tongues, he prophesies. You're just laity here of the church, but yet you got a ministry. And you got something... you're trying to help the kingdom of God, do something for it, see, and so you brethren meet together. That's the reason pastors, like this, we meet together, we got something in common. You brethren meet together, study the Scriptures, and speak in tongues and interpret, and give the messages, you see.

110 But, now, if this man, then, if he realizes... He's been to the meeting, he's got a gift of tongues. Well, he gets to the meeting, he speaks in tongues, but no interpretation is given, the interpreter don't get it.
[A brother asks, "Would you say then that those people edify the body, but the offices such as pastors, teachers, and that, perfect the body?"]
Yes, that's what it's for, the perfection, see. These are given for perfection, you see. I believe the spirits are given to perfect... perfection of the church.

111 Now, these people that speak, they are Spirit-filled, there's no doubt. Now, here's a man, maybe he's speaking in here in the meeting, and he gives... Now, he's right before the interpreters, see, and yet nobody gets the interpretation, there's just something wrong. The interpreter can't help that, see. He has to interpret by inspiration the same as the one speaking that. And he might have a real gift of speaking in tongues, but he hasn't got the gift of tongues, a language.
And then the thing for him to do is, when he uses this tongue, then he sees... Now, what... he ain't trying... If he's trying to stuff himself out again, he's a stuffed shirt. He's wrong to begin with, you see, he'll never go nowhere. See. you think, "Well, bless God, that guy just don't want to interpret my tongues. That's all there is to it." Now, see, he's wrong to begin with. Right there he's got the wrong motive, the wrong objective, see.

112 But if he's sweet and humble with... Say, "Well, maybe the Lord didn't want to use me in his service. But yet, He just blesses my soul. He wants to edify me, to know that I'm close to Him when I speak in tongues. So I'll walk out in the apple orchard. 'O God!' And the power begins to fall on me and I start speaking in tongues. I come in refreshed, you see. "Oh," you see, "You're speaking to me, Lord, You're just keeping me lined up by speaking in tongues," see. And, "Lord, today I ought to have spoke to that man. Forgive me for it, Lord. I passed over something I oughtn't to. Father, please forgive me." And, directly, away it goes speaking in tongues. "Ah, whew, feel better about it now!"
You see, that's all right. See, your gift is not to be used in the church, but it's to edify you. "He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifies himself," see. Now, if there's no interpreter, then... See what I mean? See, that's it. So he wouldn't know himself, but he'll know when he's wrong.
Now you just have to let it go together, you see. That's the only thing you can do till you can get it separated. That's the reason I think it...

113 QUESTION: "Explain I Corinthians 14:5."
Who has got it right quick? One of you got it? [Gap in the audio. A brother reads I Corinthians 14:5]:
... all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.
All right. "I would rather... I would that all of you spoke with tongues." Paul was trying to say... Like the church, you be my church. Some of Paul's churches wasn't as big, as many members, as what I got right here. That's right, sometimes ten or twelve, see. See? Now, now he said, "I would that you all spoke with tongues." That stunt you?
See, when the church that... In Acts 19, I believe it had about a dozen members in it, see. Just very little---missions, you see. So it's always been in a minority, see. And I think it said there was about so many, a dozen men and women, you see, in it.

114 Now, if... you see here, he said, "I would that you all spoke with tongues. I wish you all would speak... all spoke with tongues. (Just get so full of the Holy Ghost you'd just speak in tongues.) But," said, "I would rather you would prophesy; except it be for interpretation, there be an interpretation."
How does that read there? Have you got it there, right there? Let's read it again. Now listen.
[A brother begins reading I Corinthians 14:5, "I would that ye all spake with tongues,"] Now hold that a minute, "I would that you would all speak with tongues." ["but rather that ye prophesied:"] " I'd rather you'd all prophesy." ["for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues,"] Now hold it a minute. Now, what is greater than he that prophesies? That's where you wanted me to stop at? [A brother says, "I was just saying that was different (unclear words)."] Yes, see. Yeah, see. Now, here's where...
Now, you say for instance, now, we got two unlearned men among us tonight. They don't know nothing about this. And I come in and you all... We start here in this meeting, and you just start talking in tongues, every one of you, just talking in tongues, talking in tongues, talking in tongues, and talking in tongues. Well, what is it? See, the unlearned man say, "Huh! They're all crazy!" See? But if one prophesies, see, then he's saying something he can understand.

115 Now, go ahead and read the rest of it now. [The brother continues, "except he interpret..."] There you are. Now, "except," see. The ones that's prophesying is greater than he that speaks in tongues except this gives an interpretation. Now, go ahead, see. ["that the church may receive edifying."] There you are, see, the church is edified.
Now, in other words, why, the church... This guy here... Here, this men here is unlearned. They're just sitting among us tonight. We're having this meeting. We're all in here seeking our... wanting to know about the Lord. All of you just start speaking in tongues. Nobody said nothing; just start speaking in tongues. "I want you... That'd be fine," Paul said. "All of you spoke in tongues, it'd be fine."
But what if some of you prophesy, raise up and say, "Thus saith the Lord, 'There is a man sitting here, and he's a stranger among us. His name is John Doe. He comes from a certain-certain place. He's left his wife and four children there. He's here tonight because he's seeking help. He was with a doctor today in Memphis, Tennessee. And he said... The doctor told him he had cancer of the lungs. He's dying'"?

116 He said, "If all speak in tongues and the unlearned come among you, then he'll say, 'Aren't you all mad or crazy?' But if one prophesies and reveals the secret of the heart, then they'll fall down, say, 'Truly God's with you.'" See, that's...
Well, now, here. Now you're speaking in tongues. But one gives the interpretation. Say, "Thus saith the Lord (under the interpretation), ' There's a man sitting among us, left his wife, was in Nashville today [or Memphis, or whatever it was], and he's got lung cancer. Come in here, and his name is John Doe,' " so-and-so like that, see.

117 "... except it be for interpretation." See, then he gives edification. Then they'll say... Then that guy will go out, say, "Let me tell you something. Don't tell me God's not with them people up there. Certainly! Them people knowed me not at all."
So we want the gifts of prophecy, plus the gifts of speaking in tongues. But, in speaking with tongues, see, must have interpretation. And then, when it's interpreted, it is prophecy, see. It is prophecy. Now, I've got that question here in a minute, so I'll get to it just as quick as possible. [Gap in the audio.]

118 QUESTION: "Matthew 18:10." [A brother reads Matthew 18:10.]:
... that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.
All right. Now, the brother, ever who you are---'course there's no names, just little tickets, you see---who said this, I'm sure I...
Now, you could take two ways of it, you see. But I think the interpretation, if you just asked me, "Explain this," the way I interpret this is this: Now, you turn to II Corinthians, somebody, 5:1. It says this: "If this earthly tabernacle be dissolved..." You know what it is, see. "If this earthly tabernacle be dissolved, we have one already (you know) waiting." All right.

119 Now. Now, if you noticed, in Matthew 18:10, He was speaking about taking little children. There was little children, little tots, three or four years old. He picked them up. "They brought unto Him children (child)." " Children" comes from the name of "child." A child is just a little fellow---not an infant, but just between that and a teen-ager, see. It's not responsible yet for itself.
Now, He said, "Take heed that you don't despise..." If you'd really take the interpretation of that word, is "mistreat," see, to mistreat one of those, mistreat a child. You should never do that. They're children. They don't know, see.
And now notice, said, "Because their angels always beholds my Father's face which is in heaven." You see? In other words, their angels, their messengers, their bodies, angelic bodies that they'll go to if they die, "are always before my Father's face in heaven," see.

120 Now, if this earthly tabernacle be dissolved, we have one already waiting. Is that right? That's a body. Look here. If I just had time to go through this! 'Course, I know I'm not going to have it. But, here, let me just give it to you so it's on the tape, and you'll get it anyhow.
Look, one night Peter was in prison. They had a prayer meeting down at John Mark's house, see. And so the angel of the Lord come in---that pillar of fire, a light---come down, and Peter thought he was dreaming when he seen this light come to him. The Bible said it was a light, see. And I believe it's the same one with us, see. He come down. We get in the same trouble, maybe the same thing would happen, see. And come in to there. And so He said, "Come, go with me."
So Peter thought, "I'm dreaming now, so I'll just see what this dream means." So he walked right on by the guards, and thought, "Uh-huh. There we go on by. The door just opened by itself." Went out the next door, opened by itself. Went to the city gates, it opened by itself. And he still thought he was dreaming. So when he stood out there... And said, "Well, I'm free. So I'll just go down to John Mark's house, and have some fellowship."

121 They was back there, "O Lord, send your angel and deliver Peter."
And about that time somebody went [Brother Branham knocks]. The little damsel went to the door and said, "Who's there?" Raised up the little lattice, said, "Why, it's Peter!" So went back, said, "Hey, you can stop praying now. Peter's there."
He said, "Oh, come on! Go ahead." Said, "You're..." See?
[Brother Branham knocks again.] Said, "Open up! I'm coming in," see. And so he said...
So she went back, said, "No, it's Peter at the door."
"Oh," they said, "they've cut his head off already. That's his angel at the door, see. (His heavenly tabernacle, he had done received it; that this earthly one was dissolved, because it was waiting in heaven for him to come to.)
What I seen the other day in that vision, you know, crossed over. "If this earthly tabernacle be dissolved, we have one..."
And these little fellows who's done no sin as yet, you see...
See?

122 When a baby is being formed in a womb of a mother, soon as it's put there, see. But first it's a spirit. And as that spirit begins to take on flesh, a little germ of life begins to take on flesh. And as soon as it drops from its... Now, in the womb, it's a little, quivering, jerking muscles. We know that. That's cells. Just like, you take a horse hair and put it in the water. It'll cap over, and it'll move; and you touch it and it'll jump. That's the way a baby is.
But as soon as it's born in this world and breathes its first breath, it becomes a living soul, see. Because as soon as the earthly body is born into the world, there's a celestial body, or a spiritual body, to take a hold of it. And as soon as this natural body is dropped, there is a heavenly tabernacle waiting for it.
If this earthly tabernacle be dissolved, there is a heavenly tabernacle waiting for it. Just as soon as the baby's dropped into the earth, in flesh, there's a spiritual body waiting to receive it. And as soon as the spiritual body... the natural body is dissolved, there's a spiritual body waiting yonder, see. A "theophany" we call it, see, a theophany.

123 [A brother asks, "Well now, is that temporary, pending the resurrection of this body?"] Yeah, see. Yeah. Oh, yes. ["That's the condition that we're going to live in until this one is resurrected?"] That's right, see.
It's not revealed to sons of men yet. I believe... I know I saw it, see. But I don't know what kind of a body it is, but I could feel them just the same as I feel your hands, or anything else. 'Course, this is on tape, and you may be playing it years after I'm gone. But in that, whatever it was, see, I was holding those people and catching them, and it was just as real as you are real; and yet it wasn't... They didn't eat nor drink. There was no yesterday nor tomorrow, see. It was eternity.

124 And now when that tabernacle... they live there in that body. They come back to the earth. And that type of a body they had took on immortality. The dust of the earth gathered into that theophany of... somehow, and they become human again; had to eat like they did in the garden of Eden, see. "But if this earthly tabernacle be dissolved, we have one already waiting."
So these little children that had no sin, see, no sin yet, their angels, their bodies (the one that Peter had come back in...) see, was waiting. "Beholding the Father's face, in heaven," it's always before Him. They know it. There it is.

125 [A brother says, "It was a little bit difficult there where Jesus said, in the first part of his resurrection, He said, 'Touch me not.' He had not yet ascended up. And then when He came in the room where Thomas was, He says, 'Come over here and thrust your hand in my side.'"] That's right, He hadn't ascended up yet. ["And the difference of the two, where one He told them not to touch Him, and over there He told Thomas to come."] He hadn't never ascended up yet, you see. He... ["'For I have not yet ascended to my Father.' "]
That's right, see, He wasn't to be touched until after his resurrection. He had come out from the earth, you see. He'd come out from the earth and was walking among men. But He had not yet ascended. He said... He told Mary, He said, "Don't touch me."
She said, "Rabboni."
He said, "Don't touch me, for I've not yet ascended to the Father. But I ascend to my God and to your God, to my Father and your Father."
And then that night, after He had done went up before God... and rose from the dead, went up before God. Coming back, He invited Thomas to come touch His side. See, He had ascended up in before God. That's right. Okay.

126 QUESTION: Now, "In I Corinthians 14, 'Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that you may prophesy.' "
Webster, saying, 'Prophesy: to foretell future events, especially by divine inspiration.' Can a message...?" Now that's what Webster said and what the brother asked. "Can a message be called 'prophesy' that does not foretell future events?"
No, sir. Prophesy is to "foretell." See? All right.

127 QUESTION: Now, "I Corinthians 14:27, I believe that all messages should be interpreted, and that not more than three messages in tongues should be given in any one service."
That's the Scripture. I've got it wrote down here. 'Course, we're familiar with that, and know that, you see. That's... Yes, sir. It should only be by courses of three. That's I Corinthians 14, too, see. That's right, courses of three. Now watch that in your meetings, brethren. Now, you'll find that come up now. You'll find out that a lot of people gets into it. And don't say they haven't got the Holy Ghost, now.
But, you see, Paul went down to set the Corinthian church in order. We all know that, don't we? He had to put it in order. And he said, "All things be done decently and in order."

128 Now, if you notice, Paul, in going down, he always had trouble with the Corinthian church. You never found him that way in... He never said nothing about it to the Ephesian church. He could teach them eternal security. There's nothing about eternal security in the Corinthian church. They were always babies, trying, "One's got a tongue, one's got a psalm." Isn't that right? See? And if you let your congregation get started on that...
Like Martin Luther. He got so filled with the Spirit till he spoke in tongues. He said... in his diary, he said, "I spoke with tongues." He said, "but if I teach my people that," said "they'll seek the gift instead of the giver." That was right, see. They'll be seeking the gift instead of the giver.
And that's what people get, and then they get all flusterated and puffed up when they let them speak with tongues or something like that. And if it ain't of God, then it'll be of naught. But we...
Now, the modern churches turn the whole thing out, but we don't. We believe that it's God's gift and can be put in there by the Spirit of God. How about that, Brother Roy? That's right. Yes, sir, put in the church; it belongs in the church. The gift of speaking in tongues belongs there, see, in the church of God.

129 Now, let's see now exactly what his question was here. Said, that:
"I believe that all messages (that's right) should be interpreted, and that by the courses of three."
That's right, see, because if you let the... Now let's say, for instance, like you were having a meeting and we're sitting in here. And now what good would it do to let him speak in tongues, him speak in tongues, him speak in tongues, him...? Why, we'd be all so confused we wouldn't even know what we was doing, see. By the courses of three, let... Like Hollin, he's speaking in tongues. If he speaks in tongues... And there must be also an interpreter.
Now, there can be one interpreter unless you interpret your own tongue. "Let him that speaketh in unknown tongues also pray that he may interpret." He can interpret his own tongues, which is just as lawful as it is for some interpreter. But there must be one interpreter before tongues can be... If you got a bunch of people speaking in tongues and there be no interpreter, then pray yourself that you may interpret what you're saying.

130 Now, just don't do it to puff yourself up, 'cause you're just edifying yourself then, see. Don't do that. But speak in tongues that you might edify God, might edify the church. It's all for one big cause, brother. These gifts are to edify God, to edify the church, to bring people into God, to let them know that God is with us. He's not a dead God; He's a living God working among us, see.
And we just have to watch that real close 'cause, boy, the devil hates that like everything, you see, to see real true gifts, because... Gifts are weak, and he can really go to work on those gifts. Man, oh, man, he can really impersonate every one of them. So that's the reason...

131 Now, look, the difference between a gift of prophecy and a prophet, there's just a million miles difference. Before a prophecy... A man with a gift of prophecy can even be told before the church. Two or three has to discern that and say that it's true. That's right. But not a prophet, see. A prophet is an office. Gift of prophecy is a gift. A prophet's born, has "thus saith the Lord," brother, right on and on. There's nothing in that, you see. That's a prophet. But a gift of prophecy, that's a gift, you see. One's an office of God; the other one's a gift of God, see. And that's the difference.

132 Now, the messages, say, now, for instance, here's the way it would be. Now, we'll say, like Brother Junie, tonight, he interprets. We know that. He's an interpreter. Brother Neville's an interpreter, see---interprets tongues. Well, we know that. Now, what if here we're sitting tonight, oh, the Spirit of God just a-busting out to speak. My, goodness! And we got... Wait, church is going to start in a few minutes. See, we're meeting just before the church. I'm putting it in order like we'd have here.
Well, then, first thing you know, up gets Brother Ruddell and speaks in tongues. Wait just a minute, see. Junie jumps up, "Thus saith the Lord, 'A certain-certain thing,'" or somebody over here. The scribe is taking it down, whatever was said. Let's just take it quickly, 'cause it... get it fresh, right what he said. All right. If it's refused, then you just better let it go, see, tear it up. But if it's not refused, it's accepted by two people, then it's wrote out here. They sign their name on it, see. That's for your church. I'm telling you all for your benefit, see. I don't know whether they did that in the beginning or not.

133 And the first thing you know, up jumps Hollin, speaks in tongues. Now, the interpreter might swing the same message, see. It might be the same thing---certain thing to take place, a prophecy; see, something that's fixing to happen, or something you must do. Up jumps Brother Roberson, behind, speaks in tongues. All right. It could still be the same message, give the same interpretation, see, or it could be three messages.
Now, God ain't going to put fifty messages out in one night. We know that, 'cause you couldn't get them. But whatever is oppressing the church, like something that's doing, it's for the edification of the church, see. Then I wouldn't permit anymore than that, see, 'cause it said, "Let it be by courses of three," see.

134 Just the course of three, then I'd say, "Go ahead and write them down, and put them up there on the pulpit," see. Then tomorrow night we meet again, see. And if anything's fixing to happen between now and tomorrow night, God will speak it in one of those messages. See what I mean? Let it be by courses of three. And I think now, Webster says prophecy can...
QUESTION: "Can a message be called prophecy that does not foretell the future?"
No. If it's prophecy, it's prophesying, foretelling something that's coming to pass. That's true, too.

135 All right, and I think... Now, this is the last one till we get to these here.
QUESTION: "Brother Branham, can any of these... Brother Branham, any of these questions (It's wrote by typewriter and it's pretty near rubbed out.) Can any of these ques... Brother Branham, any of these questions that you don't feel led to answer or commit on... or comment on (yeah), comment on, lay aside, I won't feel bad at all. What is the full duties of a deacon, according to the Scripture?"
Well, I believe they got that out there. I know it's one of the deacons of our church. So I believe they got an order of it there. We ought to get some more of them copies up and give to each one of our deacons if we haven't got it. Wonder if we could get a copy of that, Gene, you or Brother Leo, or some of them. Get about six or eight of them and give them to our deacons. That gives the duties, Scripturally, what a deacon's to do.

136 QUESTION: "In case we should have a prophecy or a message in tongues out of order, just how should we correct it?"
Now, that's a good case of emergency. Now, bless you, deacon who mentioned this, 'cause this is a good thing. You want to handle it with rubber gloves. Now, if you give a...
If someone comes in, in our congregation here, and gives a message or a prophecy out of order, there isn't hardly anything that you can do about it if they're on the floor, see. You just... They know they're out of order, and it may ruin the service, see. But, if it does, just best thing to do, for the deacons, is just to keep quiet, see. Because the prophet on the platform is the one that actually is... You're his protection, you're his policemen, see. You're the guards around, see.
Now, if it's someone in our cong... If it's out of our congregation, the person is untrained, see. They're not trained. That's what we're trying to get here, see, that we know what to do. We know how to train our people. But if it's out of our congregation, well, we don't know how that poor person is trained.

137 For instance, like... Billy remembers this---Costa Mesa, California. Every time when I'd get ready to make an altar call there'd be a woman jump up, and run up and down them aisles, speaking in tongues, and she'd just tear that altar call to pieces. And I'd just have to walk out. You could see the Spirit done grieved, you see. Nothing will grieve the Spirit of God if it's in order. [Gap in the audio.]
...just before she got ready to start, how she'd get herself ready, 'cause I watched her. Any minister will do that when he sees anything out of order. Then this woman was back there and she told Billy... And Billy told me when I was coming in that night, said, "Daddy, you know that woman that's broke them altar call, two nights?"
"Yeah."
Said, "She was sitting out there." Said she said, "Glory to God, Billy, I got another message tonight!"
Well, now, you see? I watched her down over the audience. There was thousands of people there. That's when the "Reader's Digest" wrote up that about the healing of Donny Martin, you know, "The Miracle of Donny Martin." So I watched that woman. And just about the time I started to make my altar call, she...
Now, she was just untrained; no doubt a good woman. But she looked around; she started fixing her hair. She had bobbed hair, see. So you see, she belonged to the Assemblies or some of them churches that permitted that. She was fixing her hair up. She reached down and pulled up her stockings, got ready like that.
And just about time I started to make the altar... I said, "Now, how many in here... how many is there present now that would like to come forward and give their hearts to the Lord Jesus?"

138 She jumped up. I said, "Sit down." She started on. I said, "Sit down!" See? And, boy, everybody... I just stopped. She acted like she didn't hear me, and I squalled it out again. She heard me that time, 'cause I like to shook the building over with that big microphone standing right there. And she sat down.
I said, "Now, as I was saying, how many wants to come to the altar and give their hearts to God?" And I went right ahead with the meeting, see.
And that night when I started the truck, I was surrounded. And here them bunch of women standing there like a bunch of chickens, you know, "You blasphemed the Holy Ghost!"
I said, "I did?" I said, "How can I blaspheme the Holy Ghost by following the declaration of the Scriptures?" See?
And this woman said, "I had a message right straight from God."
I said, "But you was giving it at the wrong time, sister." I said, "I'm not..."
"You say that wasn't of God?"
I said, "I couldn't tell you, lady." I said, "I believe it was, see." I said, "I'll say it for your benefit, that I say I believe it was. And I believe you're a good woman. But you were out of order."
And there was her pastor standing there. I knew he was her pastor, see. And I said, "There's only one thing I can say, that either you was in the flesh, or you've got a pastor that's trained you that don't know nothing about the Scriptures." I said, "He ought to come and talk to us a little while about the Scriptures. That's wrong. You're out of order. You lost many souls, night before last, and many last night again; and would have done the same thing tonight."
And this man said, "Brother Branham," said, "I beg your pardon."
I said, "What do you mean?"
Said, "She had a right to give that message. You was through."
I said, "I was on the platform, and the spirit of the prophets is subject to the prophet. I'm still on the platform."
And he said, "Well..."
I said, "I still had the message. I was making my altar call that's to rake in. I throwed my net out. I'm pulling it now. Don't throw barbed wire out there or something to upset it, see." I said, "I was still pulling my net." And I said, "She interfered with the bringing in of souls. What good would it do to preach, or anything else, if you don't call and get sinners to come up?"
And he said, "Well, her message was later than yours. Hers was right off the platform... Hers was right straight from God."
I said, "If any man thinks himself to be spiritual or a prophet let him acknowledge what I say is the commandments of the Lord. But if he be ignorant, just let him be ignorant. We have no such custom, neither the church of God," quoting Paul, you know.
I said, "No, sir, nothing fresh! Jesus said, 'Let every man's word be a lie and mine be true.' Paul said, 'Though an angel from heaven come with anything else but what's here, let it be accursed.'" I said, "Mister, you are firmly off the line."
I said, "What kind of a church have you got? I bet it's a big bunch of confusion. If you let them people do that how do you ever make your altar call? She's got a ministry. They all got a ministry. But you got times for your ministry, see, that's given to you."

139 So that's right. No. And now, if that takes place in our church like that, like this, by some of our brethren or sisters here in the church that does speak with tongues, now, the deacons after the church, the board I think should meet them together, and say, "Let me refer back to you on a tape, just for a few minutes, you see. See? You're just... or the pastor..." Say, "I'm sure the pastor wants to speak to you. Would you just meet us over here in the study a little while, see, brother?" Go in there and speak to him real nicely, see. And say...
But, now, if they get all out of order and disturbing your pastor, see... If they're disturbing your pastor, then you elders should walk up to him and say, "Just a moment." And if the pastor motions to you to stop them, then he's done caught the spirit up there, that they're breaking the spirit of the meeting, you see.

140 So if the pastor stops and reverently bows his head, just don't say nothing, see. Don't say nothing; let the pastor. But you watch your pastor. If he motions to you like that, that you should stop it, then walk over with Christian love, say, "My brother, sister (whichever it may be), I believe you're out of order, because you're disturbing the prophet, you see. He has the message from God. When he gets through with his message, then we'll see about it a little later." See, if it's disturbing him.
But if it's someone out, and the pastor with respect just stops and waits a minute, then probably he'll start right on, you see. And if you notice, ninety percent of the time like that, the interpretation, it's always just quoting some Scripture or something like that, which it's probably flesh on both ends of the line. You know what I mean like that, see. All right.

141 QUESTION: "Is more than one permitted to speak a message in tongues without an interpretation?"
No. They should come one by one, see. One speak, and then give the interpretation, see. And then if another speaks, the interpretation. Because if you don't, the interpreter won't know what he's doing, because there's two or three messages here banging on him at once, you see. And that would be confusing to him, and God's not an author of confusion, you see. So let one speak, and another interpret. And then... Give three messages, but let each message be interpreted.

142 Then we'll have... Like if Brother Ruddell would speak and Brother Neville would give an interpretation, Brother Fred just hold his peace. See, get that interpretation. First, it's to be judged first, to see if it's of God or not in the first place, see. All right.
Now, if Brother Ruddell speaks, Brother Beeler speaks, Brother Neville speaks, the poor interpreter has got three messages in line. What will he know what to do? See? Let him alone. Give the message and then hold your peace. Just wait. Something be revealed to the next one sitting by him, let him hold his peace. Just sit still, see, and then let the interpretation come.
Then, when you do, write it down then, see what the discerners say, see. If they say, "Well, it's of God, all right," there's a message, see. Put it down, then wait just a minute. And the first thing you know, well, then the Spirit moving on him, he'll speak. Then the interpreter wait a minute, see what the Holy Spirit's going to say. Here he comes forth with that message, you see. And then he'll write that down, see. And let it be by courses of three.

143 QUESTION: "Brother Branham, we know that you are a messenger sent from God to this church age. The very same signs that followed Jesus we see following you. And we are... understand why some who know you best think you are Messiah. Would you explain the difference in your relationship to God and that of Christ's?"
Well, I know, brethren, that is true, see, but let's wait. I got something wrote down on that here, just for a minute. Many times it's misunderstood, see. But, now, in the person sometimes... I want some of you to turn with me to Luke, the third chapter and the fifteenth verse. While you're doing that, I might be saying to you... When you get it, that... It's Luke 3. It might... it's in... Let me just... I ain't going to shut the door, 'cause there's nobody there. Let me just get this to you, brethren. You have heard it. It's all around. But just let me tell you, see, it has to come that way. It's got to come that way. If it wasn't that way I would repent of my message.

144 Listen, brethren, I adjure you before Christ that you hold this part of your peace, but if you were spiritual you would understand. Don't you know what the very first thing He said down there on the river? Don't you remember what He said? "As John the Baptist was sent forth to forerun the first coming of Christ, your message..." It's the message that will forerun the second coming of Christ. That's what the angel of the Lord said.
Now, now notice. Now, "As John the Baptist..." Now, all of you have heard that. You've read it in books, and heard people that... standing there, hearing it, and everything else, when that angel itself spoke that message, "As John the Baptist was sent forth to forerun the first coming of Christ, you are sent with this message... will forerun the second coming of Christ." Now, the message...

145 Now, if you'll notice, and I... Little Willie out there put my name under that star out there, and that's the reason I passed it over, you see, 'cause I don't think... Now, I'm going to be honest as I can be. I don't think I'd have anything to do with that messenger, see. That's right. I believe that I'm, maybe, be sent for a part of this church, to help build that message up to a place to where it would, when this forerunner comes... that he will come.
But I believe, me being what I am, I believe that I have the message of the day. I believe that this is the light of the day. And I believe it's pointing to that time coming, you see. I believe that the message that he said down there, "the message that you have..." Now, if you notice that star that rose back there was a...

146 Let me make it... I know I'm pinching my time here, and I got these others, such fine questions. I don't want... It's after ten now, so... and I know you're wanting to go home, see. But listen here. Let me show you something. Will you give me just a few moments extra? All right, all right.
Now look. Now, let me say something. Now, you brethren keep this among yourselves, see. Now, keep this among yourself. I've got to get you straight on this because you're my pastors and things, you see, and I got to do this. And you're brothers with me working in this message, see.

147 Now, as far as me myself as a man, I'm as you, and worse than you. Many of you all come with Christian backgrounds and things. "I'm the chiefest of sinners (as it was said one time) among you." The lowest of life, I guess, that could be lived, as an unbeliever and doubter, I was.
But since a child I've always knowed that there was a God, and knowed there was something happened in my life. And that's beyond any question, my brother. But let me say this, that there will come a message, and there will come a messenger. I believe that if it's to be a man, it'll be somebody after me, see. It'll be... But this message that I'm preaching is the true message of this day, and it's the last message.
You see what I'm doing, brethren? I'm putting you all the same place I am, 'cause you're just as much into it as I am. You are messengers of this same message.

148 Here, I got an illustration. I think I can make it better by an illustration. Let me just partially close this door for a moment. This is Jesus, and that is Jesus. Well, I'll put this over here, Gethsemane, and this here and there. Now, you can't... I didn't even say this out before the church out there. Now, remember, what kind of a light, a star, led the men who was seeking wisdom, "to guide us to thy perfect light"?
Now I'm going to break down here just a minute and tell you something. Let's jerk that thing off that Willie's done up there, and then say it's right. Let's just say it's right.
I can't say that, brethren. That's a stuffed shirt. That, I wouldn't... Even if I believed it, I wouldn't say it, see. Somebody else says it, that's them.

149 But, here, just like I just asked some of the boys, if they would, kind of testify of some of the things that's happened. I don't like to get in the pulpit and testify of something that's happened in the meeting. Let the manager or somebody else do that, somebody else testify. I don't like to do that.
[A brother says, "Even they came to John and said, 'Are you the Christ?'"] Yeah, that's it, what I'm trying to get to. ["'Are you that prophet?' "] He denied it. ["Didn't say either one. He says, 'I'm just one crying in the wilderness.'"] " The voice of one crying in the wilderness." He positionally placed himself.
[Another brother says, "They asked him if he was that prophet; he said 'I am not.'"] Yeah. Now... For the prophet was that one that Moses spoke of. See, that's the prophet, see. But he knew who he was, see. But he did tell, now, that... He did tell them, see, and he did say, "I am the voice of one..." That was him. He said what he was, see. But he was a...

150 Go ahead. [A brother says, "When Christ came along then, following John, they come to Him and said, 'We've been taught to believe that Elijah would come before the Messiah.' He said, 'If you can receive it that was him.'"] That was him. That's right. That's right. And John kept saying, "I am nothing! I am nothing! I'm not worthy to loose his shoe!"
But what about when Jesus said about him? He said, "Who'd you go out to see?" Yeah. "Did you go to see a reed shaken with the wind? Or what did you go to see? Some man in fine raiment and luxury and things?" Said, "They're in king's palace. But did you go to see a prophet? I say yes, and more than a prophet." He was more than a prophet. He was the messenger of the covenant. That's what he was. He was more than a prophet. He said, "There's never been a man born of a woman as great as him to this time," see.
That's what it was, see. He was a messenger of the covenant. He was the one that introduced and said, "This is Him." All the other prophets spoke of Him, but John said "This is Him," see.

151 Now watch. Now notice. The wise men followed a star. I'm going to take it back more of a minor way, see. The wise men followed a star, asking, "Where is He born king of the Jews?" You've heard the song. "We've seen His star in the east and have come to worship Him." You've heard that, read it in the Scripture. All right:
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to Thy perfect light.
The star was guiding to the perfect light, because the star was only reflecting the light. That's where we got this out here the other day, see. How many was here Sunday to see that? You see, just got through preaching about it. Shekinah glory reflected in the star, and the star reflecting it. Here was the angel of the Lord standing here on the platform reflecting it back out there, out of the Shekinah glory. Just exactly the same thing. There it was right exactly. Looking here at the real one, looking out there and it being reflected right on the side like that, see.

152 Now notice this. Now that star rose in the east. Is that right? It was a great star. All right. And who was the actual earthly star in the time of the coming of Jesus? Well, John. He was the one who guided them to that perfect light. Is that right? That was in the east at the first appearing of Jesus. And, now, there's a lot of little stars that cross over the horizontal until it comes over to the evening star.
And the evening star shines in the evening. The morning star shines in the morning. And they're both the same size stars and the same kind of star. Now put two and two together and you got it, see. See, there you are. So it isn't... The star isn't Messiah; he's just reflecting the Messiah.

153 Now, the star does not reflect its own light. The star reflects the light of the sun. Is that right? [A brother says, "No."] Huh? ["In a sense. The moon does; the stars reflect their own light."] Yeah, the moon... Yeah, I meant that the moon reflects the light. Yeah. Now, if a star reflecting its light, then its light would have to come from God, because it is a glacier of some sort. Isn't it? [The brother says, "Sun."] Huh? A sun of itself, off of the sun. ["The suns farther away than our sun."] Yeah. And they were told that those suns come from the big sun. The sun throwed these missiles off and they're little burning missiles like the sun. So they're amateur suns to us. Is that right? Amateur lights. ["Most of them are bigger than our sun."] I mean to us, to us, see. We're talking about ourselves here. All right.

154 Now, if they are suns to us, or light-givers, they are part of the main giver, see. The big sun gives us the big light, the perfect light. The little suns, or the little stars, which we can see... In bodies they may be far beyond the sun that shines. But what they reflect to us is a smaller light. But they're only giving witness of a light. Is that right? Then when the big sun rises, the little suns go out. Is that right? They're not the sun to us; they are a reflector like the sun. See what I mean?
Now, the biggest among them in the morning, that heralds the coming of the sun... The setting of the sun and the coming of the sun, is the morning star and the evening star. Is that right? Two of the biggest stars, the eastern star and the western star.

155 Now, now you see where it's at? Elijah was the messenger to herald the coming of the eastern star, and predicted to be the heralder of the western star, or the coming again of a new day after this day is past. Now you see what it is?
The east, "It shall be light in the..." See, just before the sun was heralded to the earth, the morning star gave witness that the sun's a-coming. Is that right? See, that brings forth the morning star. Well, then the morning star and the evening star are the same type of stars, and there's little stars all across. Don't you see what I mean? The messengers?

156 Well, then, He was to look upon as Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, jasper and sardius stone. See what I mean? Now, the coming of Christ drawing near at hand, then the message that Elijah was supposed to preach in the last days, if there is a repeat of history... Just like the morning star heralds the coming there, the evening star heralds the coming of a new day, another day. This is the coming of the sun; then it heralds the going of the sun that we have had, and the coming of a new sun---a new age, a new time to come in.
Now, listen. Then if John brought forth his message and heralded the first coming of Christ, and Elijah comes in the last day, the prophet said, "It'll be light in the evening time." In other words, there would be a light in the evening time.

157 The evening light, the biggest evening light we got is the evening star---greatest light we got. Well, then, it would have to herald the same message that it was as this other star. It's heralding the sun, speaking of the sun. Well, now we're in the evening time. The evening lights are here. This age is vanished away. See what I mean? This day has passed over, and there'll be heralding another day coming.
For, see, that's actually... If somebody was in the west and looked back to that star, it would be in the east. And you see, "We have seen his star in the east," but they was actually... they were in the east looking westward towards that star. Is that right? The wise men was over in the west... over in the east looking back towards the western star. See what I mean? But it was an eastern star to the ones that was in the west.

158 See, like we'd say... I always say, "Down is up." How do you know but what that's right? We're standing in eternity, so the south pole may be up and the north pole may be down. We don't know, see. The way up is down, see. We'll leave this. After this we go into eternity. It's heralding a coming of an eternity---a different day, a different time, altogether.
Now we're in the evening time. We believe that. We believe that the coming of the Lord is at hand. All right. Now, if that be so, then there's got to be an evening light. And the evening light, according to Malachi 4, was supposed to turn the hearts of the children back to the fathers, back to the beginning.
But when he come the first time, he was turning the hearts of the fathers to the children. The children was the ones that he had gathered around him. He was to bring the children... the hearts of the fathers (the old, ancient, orthodox fathers) back to this light that he was heralding here.

159 But when he comes again, he's to turn right back around (did you notice, before the world was destroyed, the great and terrible day of the Lord...) and turn the hearts of the children to the fathers---the evening star which was the morning star at that time. Amen.
I hope I get it right, see: the evening star which was the morning star, 'cause it's the same star. We're in the west, looking east. They was in the east, looking west. It's exactly the same star. See what I mean? It depends on where you're at, see, whether it's the eastern star or the western star. You see what I mean? All right.

160 Now, one brings the faith of the fathers to the children; in this time it's the faith of the children back to the fathers. You've went around, and coming around again. Don't you see what I mean? It's the same star all the time. The same thing, the same message, the same thing right back again. It's passed over.
And how do you know which way you're going? I believe the hour will come when they'll actually find out that the world don't even run. I believe that with all my heart. I don't believe... how much they scientifically prove it or anything more. They've done a lot of scientific proving they had to take back. God said the world stopped... the sun. I mean the sun stopped instead of the world. See, the sun. I actually don't believe the sun... I don't believe the sun does what they say it does. I know the moon travels, and I believe the sun runs also, see.
But some of them say, "He looked at the ignorance of Joshua, see, and said He stopped the..." Well, he said, "He stopped the world."
I said, "Then you told me if the world would ever stop, it would just shoot like a comet through space." I said, "Then, what happened then?"

161 I was talking to Mr. Thiess down here, the Bible teacher in high school. You know who it was, when he told me. I said, "I believe that what the Bible said... that the world stopped---I mean, the sun stopped. Joshua said to the sun, 'Stand still!' and she stood there."
He said, "Well, He just stopped the world. He seen Joshua's ignorance."
I said, "You do the same by your intelligence, then."
[A brother says, "I think they can scientifically prove how long the sun did stop."] Yes, I've heard that, too. Yes, they claim... I heard an astrologer here sometime ago speaking on that, that they could prove it. And at the same time that they... something took place in the atmosphere that they could see where something happened in the heaven and it opened the Red Sea at that time and things. They proved all that. Well, boy, I'm telling you, stars from way in yonder somewhere else that done something like that at that time. However, that's too deep for us.

162 So, now, the reason that this message... this message will have to be looked on in this respects, to prove that it is. Now, we know, brethren, that man cannot be God. Man---yet he is a god. Each one of you are a god. You was made to be a god. But not while you're in this life, see. Jesus was a man just like we are, but God was in Him. The fullness of God was in Him. We have the Spirit by a measure.
But being that this light has come, and if it is the true light that's to herald the message that John the Baptist heralded, as he said he did on the river down yonder... And just look, how could it be anything else? Look at me, see---not even a grammar school education. When He told me the things would happen, not one of them has failed. Not one of them has ever failed. Look what He's done. Look, He's even got...
And I told brethren, back yonder years ago (I don't know who would be the oldest one among us), but told them about these things, about seeing this light and what color it was, and everything. Now the picture shows that it's true. All these different things proves to be the truth. Is that right? Well, then, if that is true, and it is the light...

163 Now, start about four [Gap in the audio.] ... above that thirty-fifth verse there, or I mean the... Let's start about the fourteenth verse, brother. Who has it open? All right. Start about the fourteenth verse of the third chapter of St. Luke there. [A brother reads Luke 3:14-16.]
And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.
And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not;
John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, ^^and ^^the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:
All right. What was it? The people were under such expectations of the Messiah to appear, when they seen this great anointed ministry of a man coming out of the wilderness and having his campaign and going back in the wilderness, many men that was his own followers said, "He is the Messiah." They was expecting it, see.
Then if this is the true message of God forerunning the coming, of John the Baptist, the same... like the same thing, the Elijah message, it'll have to be thought of in the same manner, see. So that answers that question, I think, exactly. See? It's got to be thought in the same manner, see.

164 QUESTION: [A brother asks, "Is there anything that we are responsible to do in order to try to help anybody that would take in a conflict like that? Or what could we do?"] There wouldn't be nothing. There's nothing you can do. ["A reprobate mind... Could that develop into a reprobate mind?"] Well, it would come to a reprobate mind if it come to this: if the man, that it was spoken of, would witness that he was the Messiah, then we know he'd be a false Christ, see.
See, as long as the man himself would hold his position, you see... Like they told John. John didn't... It don't say nothing there about him saying anything about them. They were the people, the lovely Christians or the believers that was believing on John.

165 They said, "This man truly is a prophet of God, there's no doubt." They said, "Aren't you that prophet?"
He said, "No."
He said, "Why, aren't you the Messiah?" See, they thought he really was, see.
He said, "No."
"Aren't you...? Who are you?"
He said, "I'm the voice of one crying in the wilderness."
And then the Bible said the people being under expectations... Who was that? His hearers, his listeners, his followers, his brethren, see. Now, they didn't want to hurt him. They wasn't trying to hurt him. But, see, they thought actually in their hearts that he was the Messiah.
Well, now, history has to repeat itself on every occasion. We know that. It has to repeat itself.

166 Like you take over there in Matthew 3, it said, "That it might be fulfilled, spoken of the prophet, 'Out of Egypt I have called my son.' " Now, that wasn't... It was speaking of Jesus, the Son, but run the reference. It was Jacob, the son, too. See? It all has a compound meaning.
So now if that thing did not rise, I would still say it was in the future to rise, because I know this message comes from God, and it's the forerunning of Christ; and it is the Spirit and the power of Elijah, because it's to restore the hearts of the children. Everything exactly vindicates it. So it's bound to shape up to a thing to be like that, under the true people that absolutely believe, and your brothers and friends.

167 Now, I got a doctor right here in town. I can tell you of a doctor (I ain't going to tell you who he is, a friend of mine), who put his hands around me, and said, "Billy, it would be easy for me to say to you, you are God's last day Messiah." See?
I said, "Doc, don't you do that."
He said, "Well, I don't see nobody in the world that's ever had a thing, and say the things and do the things that you do, Billy." It's helped him a lot, see. He said, "I go to these churches and see these preachers and things." He said, "You're different from them, and I know you ain't got no education. And I know that you're not a psychologist, 'cause psychology won't do those things."
I said, "That's true, Doc."
No need talking to him, 'cause he don't even know... You couldn't get to first base with him, see, 'cause he don't know what to do. But that's it, you see.

168 I know a colored woman that lives up the lane from me, and she works for another man that I know of. And this man's wife called her, said, "That woman would absolutely do worship to you as a god, 'cause she was dying with cancer. And you laid hands on that woman and said she was..." This woman that she works for, her husband and this certain doctor (not the doctor I was speaking about, another doctor) plays golf and things together, and he had give her up. And that was his buddy's housemaid, and had give her up to die, and she was healed absolutely. And the doctor couldn't even find a trace of it, of the cancer. And, see, she'd say...

169 Now, they don't mean it in the light that I think that they say it in, or we take it in, see. They mean that they believe God is with us, in us, working through us; not that an individual is God, you see. Now, they knowed that John was just a man.
And so was Jesus just a man. Jesus was just a man. He was just born of a woman, had to die. Is that right? He was a man---had to eat and drink, and hungered, cried, and thirst, and everything. Just as human as you are, as human as I am. But the Spirit of God was in Him in the fullness without measure. He was omnipotent in power.
Where Elijah was just a portion of that Spirit---maybe anointed a little above his brethren, but he was just a portion of the Spirit. But the people was a-looking for the Messiah. And they seen this portion above their brethren, they said, "Oh, my, this must be Him!" But when He begin to shine, John's little light went out, see.
And these little lights will go out when He comes, that great anointed Christ of heaven coming from the east to the west.

170 But He will not be on earth now, the Messiah will not be on earth until the millennium sets in, see, 'cause the church... We're caught up together to meet the Lord in the air. He never comes to the earth. He catches His Bride away.
He gets a ladder, you know, like... What was that play, Leo, where the man put the ladder up beside of the house? Romeo and Juliet. That's right, put the ladder up and stole his bride away. Now He's just coming down Jacob's ladder, and saying, "Psst, Sweetheart, come here." See, we're going up to meet Him.

171 QUESTION: [A brother asks, "Brother Branham, would this be correct then with that? These people came to John the Baptist and they wanted to call him the Messiah. And I heard you one time say that the Jew thinks the Messiah is God."] What say? ["I say, these people came to John the Baptist, thinking that he was the Messiah, the Christ. I heard you say one time that the Messiah would be God, for the Jew."] Yes, sir. That's right, "Rabbi."
[A brother says, "Well, John rebuked them, saying that he was not, that Christ was coming."] That's right. ["But isn't it true that the disciples called Jesus 'Lord'? And Jesus agreed with that, saying, 'You call me "Lord," and so I am.'"] Yeah. ["In John 13, where He washed (unclear words)."] Yeah, He would admit it. ["As being Lord, yes, He admitted it."] He admitted it. ["He accepted it."] Uh-huh. But, see, Jesus being Lord, when He was asked if He was, He said, "Yes, sir. I am your Lord and Master. You call me that, and you say well, for so I am." But ["But there's never been no other being that would, that..."] ... could say that. No.
Like if it... If somebody would say that I was a god, well, let me tell you in the name of the Lord Jesus that that's an error! See? I'm a sinner saved by grace, with a message from God, see.

172 QUESTION: "Should or should not a local church take care of her own... of her local (own) responsibilities before taking care of foreign needs in other lands? However, after she meets her needs, it is Scriptural for a local church to help in missionary work as she is able?"
Yeah. Right. Charity begins at home, you see. We take care of our own needs here, 'cause we'd have... this is the church of God, or ever... your little church, the church of God. Now, if you can't even pay your pastor, you can't even get song books and things, you shouldn't be sending it somewhere else, see. But then after you got your church paid for, and everything, your debts all up and everything, fixed and ready and go on, then help that other brother that needs a little help out yonder, you see. Get a little...
I believe, if you're making payments on your church, I'd also have a little fund set somewhere for a missionary offering, if the people felt like they wanted to give to missions; 'cause a lot of people will give to missions when they won't give to home churches, and things. So, if they don't give it to missions, they'll spend it for something else. So I'd say just have a little mission box, and I'd... That's the way we try to do.

173 QUESTION: "Luke 1:17, please explain John's coming in the spirit of Elias."
Well, I think we just got Luke 1:17, coming in the spirit of Elias.
[A brother asks, "Is that where the reincarnationists gets their doctrine?"] Pardon? [Is that where the people that believe in reincarnation begin their theory?"] Must've been. ["See, they believe he come back in..."] Yes. ["...he come back into another body."] Yes. See, it is true that a spirit never dies. That's true. God takes His man but never his Spirit. ["They say If you've been good, you'll come back into some fine fellow. If you've been bad, you may come back in a dog."] Yeah, they have... Yeah.
Well, now, like over in India, it was in a group of men where we met like this. And they'd even... mop the floor, step on a little ants or something, it might be some relative or something. You see, they wouldn't do it. But, you see, that's pagan, see. That's pagan. That's true.

174 QUESTION: "Paul said to the... Paul said to 'Covet earnestly the best gifts, and yet show I you a more excellent way.' Please explain what the excellent way is."
Love, I Corinthians 13, see. "Covet..." Now get I Corinthians 13 there, brother. I Corinthians, thirteenth chapter, and now just read the last three or four verses of it. I Corinthians 13, last ... about the last three verses of the chapter. [A brother reads I Corinthians 13:11-13.]
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
Charity.

175 QUESTION: "How should a brother be condemned whose weakness is to take a place in church without being asked to do so?"
Oh, my! Well, suffer with him, I guess.
"How should a brother be condemned (He shouldn't be condemned) whose weakness is to take place in a church without being asked to do so?"
For instance, if he wanted to be a deacon, see. And he's not asked to do so, yet he wants to be a deacon anyhow, see. Well, if a person's like that, you know there's a little something, you know, weak somewhere, anyhow. And so I'd just kind of deal with him in love.
And, of course, you never want to do a thing like that unless you really know. Put your very best men you can on your board, you see, like that. Brother, don't never get nothing in there that's... Test that man, first. A deacon's got more responsibility than a pastor has. He's to be blameless, a deacon is, see.

176 QUESTION: "At a communion service, a man came to the altar to pray. Brother Branham was standing behind the elements of communion as they were being administered. He said he could not leave them to pray with the man at the altar. Please explain."
I sent the associate, you see, Brother Neville. I remember the night when it taken place. I'm supposed to stay with that communion table, see, even when... Look here. Now, I ain't got time to go into it. Somebody sitting here that asked, of course. Here's what it is, brother. When you got the communion, that is a representation of the body of Jesus Christ. It should be under guard all the time.

177 Look, when Elijah said to Gehazi, "Take my staff (he had blessed that staff)," he said, "Go on your road. And if anybody speaks, don't speak back. If anybody salutes you, don't salute back. Go on, and lay that staff on the baby." Is that right? "Stay with that staff!" And that's what I was doing.
Now, if there had not been an associate pastor here, standing there... I had got through preaching. I remember when it was. And if Brother Neville hadn't have been standing here, or somebody to help that man at the altar... I'd just got through preaching, so I was standing at the communion table. And while they was fixing to take communion... And I was already in giving the communion. Brother Neville was just standing by, and I was ministering communion. Now, Brother Neville was standing there.

178 What if they had come to the altar and Brother Neville was still in his sermon, and he was preaching? I would've went to the altar with the man, if he'd have got up out of the meeting while he was preaching, went to the altar. I'd have seen my brother was... that he had the anointing of the Spirit. He was ministering. He was a minister in the... he was in the line of duty, a minister in the line of duty.
And you should never let them speak with tongues, interrupt, or any way, a minister in the line of duty. Yet, if the Holy Spirit's speaking to somebody and they run to the altar to get saved, let the minister continue on with his line of duty. Let a pastor, deacon, associate---if there's an associate or any other minister---let him take to that person right quick, and don't bother the minister in the line of duty, see.

179 And I was standing behind the desk in the line of duty, giving communion. And my associate, Brother Neville, was standing by me, and a man run up to the altar. I said, "Go down to him, Brother Neville." And Brother Neville went down to him. That's the reason I didn't go.
Now, if there had been no associate here, or nothing else that went to the man, I'd have stepped off and stopped the communion, and went down and seen that soul was saved. But being that there was somebody to send, it would have pulled me from the line of duty, you see, where I was serving communion.

180 QUESTION: "What all can a person do as a personal worker in dealing with a person seeking the Holy Ghost, and staying Scriptural?"
All right. Just keep quoting the Word to him, is the best thing to do. The Word has the light. Just say, "Brother, Jesus promised it. Remember, it is His promise."
Don't shake him, push him, or move him around, or something. Just don't try to... Don't you try to give it to him, 'cause you can't do it, see. God will give it to him. You just keep quoting the promises over, see. Keep standing there quoting the promise. "God in heaven, I pray for my brother. Your promise is, You will give him the Holy Spirit."
Then if you're trying to encourage him... He's saying, "Oh, brother, pastor, brother (ever who it is around him), I want the Holy Spirit."
"Brother, it's a promise. God made the promise. Do you believe He's promised? Now, don't doubt it. If you believe the promise, the Holy Spirit will come to you just at any moment now. Be expecting it. Surrender everything you got to Him, and say, 'Lord, I'm standing on Your promise.' "
Now, keep quoting. Now, make your subject, see, make him keep quoting. Say now, "You tell God. Now, have you repented?"
"Yes."
"Now say, 'Lord, You said if I would repent You were just to forgive me. You say if I repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of my sins, I would receive the Holy Ghost. Now, Lord, I've done that. I've done that, Lord. I have did it. I'm waiting, Lord. You promised it.' "
See, that's the way, just keep encouraging him. Keep him right on the Word. If it's ever going to come, it'll come then.

181 QUESTION: "Is a preacher or any Christian doing all right who doesn't believe in... (No.) Is a preacher, or any Christian, doing all right who doesn't believe in eternal security?"
Now, let's see. I imagine the "doing"... See if you read that the same as I do. Read it. [A brother reads the question, "Is a preacher, or any Christian, doing all right who doesn't believe in eternal security?"]
Thought I might have that right. Now, well, I...
"Is a preacher doing all right who doesn't believe in eternal security?"
I would believe that the preacher was doing... if he didn't know anything about eternal security. But if he did know it and know it to be the truth, and then not preach it, he needs to be ashamed of himself---that's right---or any Christian. Now, the Christian, now, I would say to the Christian that doesn't understand that too well...
QUESTION: [A brother asks, "That isn't an open doctrine, is it, Brother Branham, to be preached to people that have never...?"]
No, no. Now, that's what I was getting to. Yeah.
Now, you remember what I said last Sunday? If you are a preacher, get you a pulpit. If you're not, live your sermon. See, that's the best way to do that---live your sermon. If you're a preacher, get a pulpit, see, and go preaching. If you're not, just live your sermon. Let your life be your pulpit, see. I think that takes care of a whole lot, don't you? Because a lot of times we find out... And you brethren do that in your churches.

182 Remember, your laity sometimes tries to explain things and do things. It's best that you instruct them not to do it. And if somebody wants to know something, let them come to one of the ones that's instructed to do it.
Say, well, now, like somebody would say, "Hey, they tell me, you over at your church believe in eternal security."
Now, you better watch. You'll probably get in a bigger mess than you ever was in, you see, and make him worse off than ever. Say, "I tell you what. If you'll come over and ask our pastor... You go talk to him, see. That is true. I know our pastor believes that. I believe it also, but I'm not able to support... I'm not a preacher. I just believe it. That's all I know. I believe it because I've heard him explain it so out of the Bible, that it was beyond any shadow of doubt to me."
But better let the laity speak to the pastor about that. And the pastor, be sure that he knows how to answer it, too. So study it real good, 'cause a lot of times they'll tie you up in it, you see.

183 [A brother says, "Brother Branham?"] Excuse me. ["If I can ... (unclear words). But I know my calling and I have made my election sure."] Uh-huh. ["You just said that if you're a preacher, you should have a pulpit."] Yes, sir. That's right. ["I'm not a preacher. I'm an evangelist."] Yes, sir. ["But everybody's pulpit is mine."] That's right. ["But right now I'm working, physical labor. It's not hard work, but I'm working, and I have no pulpit. And I believe that this period of work that I'm in is in the will of the Lord. He's told me to do it, through the Word and witness of the Spirit. And I believe later that pulpits will be open."] Sure, that's right. ["Is that right?"] That's right.

184 Brother, now, if you'll go back here and get the old church ledger, you'll find out that I pastored this church seventeen years, and preached every day, preached every day and worked every day, see. [A brother says, "If you're working, it's a good sign you are called."] Yeah. Paul did, didn't he? Paul made tents. ["I would tend to be discouraged because, like you said, I'm a preacher. Should have a pulpit. I would tend to be discouraged, but I know that God called me to get a job for a season."] Sure. Paul went and made tents, didn't he? Worked with his own hands so he wouldn't have to... That's exactly. Sure. ["That's where I'm at."] See? That's right, see. John Wesley said, "The world is my parish." So your pulpit's still open, brother. The evangelists goes to all the world. Isn't that right? "Go ye into all the world." So your pulpit's the whole world. Yes, sir.

185 Question.
QUESTION: "Is it ruling, r-u-l-i-n... Is it ruling that a deacon or a trustee must abide in the doctrine of their church? (Yes. That's right.) Is it lawful for them to add to or take away of the teachings because of their own personal opinion or revelation?"
No, sir. No. A deacon or a trustee should be perfectly in harmony with the doctrine of their church. They should stay perfectly with the interpretation of the Scriptures of their church, because, if they don't, they're fighting against the very thing. They're hurting themselves, see. You're battling...
In other words, like if I say I love my family and try to feed them poison. See, same thing. See, you can't do that, you...
A trustee or a deacon in taking their office, or any officer of a church that represents a certain church body, see, that represents a church.
That's the reason I walked out of the Baptist church, see, for the very first time. I had just been in there a little bit and they asked me to ordain some woman preachers. Well, I couldn't actually stay in it. I said, "I refuse to do it."
And the pastor jerked me up. "What's this? You're an elder!"
I said, "Dr. Davis, in all due respects to the Baptist faith, and everything that I have been ordained to, I did not know that it was in the doctrine of the Baptist church to ordain women. That was one thing was left out of it."
And he said, "That is the doctrine of this church."
I said, "Sir, could I be excused for tonight, or would you answer some questions for me?" See?
He said, "I'll answer your questions." Said, "It's your duty to be there."
I said, "It is, sir. That's right. I'm supposed to anticipate in anything that this church does. I'm in the line of duty, one of the local elders." And he said... I said, "Could you explain to me why that in I Corinthians 14 or 15 there, where Paul said, 'Let your women keep silent in the churches, it's not permitted them to speak.' "

186 And he said, "Why, certainly!" He said, "If... I can answer that." He said, "You see, what it was," said, "Paul said... All the women was sitting back in the corners, popping off like they do a lot of the other time. He said, 'Don't let them do that,' see."
And I said, "Then explain II Timothy to me, where Paul said, also---the same scribe, the same apostle---said, 'I suffer not a woman to teach or to usurp any authority, see, but to be in obedience. For Adam was first formed and then Eve, and Adam was not deceived but the woman being deceived.' She's deceived. Now, I don't say she wants to do anything wrong, but she's actually deceived in it. She shouldn't be a teacher."
He said, "Is that your personal opinion?"
I said, "That's the Scripture's opinion to my way of seeing it. That's what the Bible said."
He said, "Young man, you could have your license taken from you for that."
I said, "I'll just save them the trouble. I'll just give it, Dr. Davis." I said, "Not to any disregard to you..." And he wouldn't do it, though. He let it go, let it go by like that. Then he told me he'd hold an open debate with me with it. And I said, "All right, just any time." But he didn't do that.

187 So then a little later on, then, when the Lord spoke to me, and about the angel of the Lord came, then he just made fun of that, you see. And then I just told him, I said, "Well, Dr. Davis, it's best that I get rid of this right now, see," I said, " 'cause it's going to burden. I've just been ordained a little bit, anyhow, so it's going to be a burden to me, so I just might as well get rid of it right now."
So, therefore, if I could not stay in the Baptist church and teach Baptist doctrine and take up for Baptist belief... If I did it just because it was a church, then I'm wrong, see. I'm hiding something back. And if I'm honest with myself, I'll go to the Baptist people (my pastor or whoever can explain it to me) and ask them for a word of life. If he can correctly show me where it's right in the Scripture, and satisfies my feeling, then I'll speak it just the way they speak it, see, and I'll be a Baptist.

188 That's the reason I am an independent. That's the reason that I do not belong to the organizations, because I do not believe in organizations. And I believe it's unscriptural, for an organization. Therefore, I could not belong to any organization and feel justified by doing it, see. Therefore, I do not take people in and make them members, and so forth like that, because I believe we are born to be members. We are born into the church of the living God, see.
We don't take people's names off the book and excommunicate them, and everything like that, because I believe that's not in our duties to do that. I believe it's God does the excommunicating, see. But I believe that the church, if there would be a brother that was doing something wrong...

189 For instance, if they caught Brother Neville, or Brother Junior, or Brother... some brother here, one of the deacons or trustees, or something another, doing something wrong, I believe the thing to do is for the church to get together and pray for this brother. If he still don't straighten up, then let a couple go with him, go to the brother to be reconciled. And then if he don't receive it, then tell it before the church. Then if they don't receive it then, that's the time for the whole church then, see, that's for pastor, elders, and everything else to do it. I don't believe that any deacon board has a right to throw anybody out of church, or any trustee board, or any pastor has a right to do it.
I think if anybody was to be disfellowshipped, would be because of immoral living, or something like that, that he wasn't a fit person---like a man coming in here defiling our girls, or insulting our women, and things like that, and still professing to be one of us here, see.
Now, if he's out somewhere else coming in, why, we have to do something about it. But when it comes to a person like that---an immoral person trying to make love to our wives, or insult our daughters, or, you know, something another like that, or do something immorally around her, or taking our little boys out and making perverts out of them, or something---those things should be taken up, and then that fellow should be excommunicated from the fellowship, and not permitted to take communion with it, because we're not supposed to do that. We're not. If any eats unworthily, is guilty of the blood and body of the Lord, on that person.

190 But I believe just... like a fellow say, "Well, now, he's this, that." Pray for him.
I never will forget, in Stockholm, Sweden, Brother Lewi Pethrus, a great man of God. We was sitting at the table, just a few hours before coming back to America. We had great meetings there. And he said... Gordon Lindsay said, "Who's the overseer of this great body?" Boy, it's got the Assemblies of God beat by hundreds of miles, you see. Said, "Who is the overseer?"
And Lewi Pethrus is... gentleman-like, he said, "Jesus."
He said, "Who's your presbyters?"
He said, "Jesus."
He said, "I know that's right." Said, "we believe the same thing about our Assemblies of God." He said, "That's right. But," said, "say, for instance, a brother gets out of line," said, "Who has the say-so of putting him out?"
Said, "We don't put him out."
"Well," said, "What do you do?"
Said, "We pray for him." I thought that was so sweet. That sounded Christian-like to me. "We pray for him." Nobody puts him out. They pray for him.

191 Said, "Well, then, what if some of the brothers agree," he said, "and some of them don't want to fellowship with him anymore? Bring him in, like it's a pastor, you see, that's beginning to be a lady's man among the... You know what I mean, and things like that, and some of the pastors won't have him in their churches. What do you all do? Throw him out of your organization?"
"No." Said, "We just let him alone and pray for him." Said, "We never lost one yet. They always come back, somehow."
He said, "Well," said, "now, what if..." Said, "What if some of them say that they want him and others don't want him? Now, what about that?"
Said, "Well, the ones that want him, take him; the ones that don't want him, don't have to."
So I think that's a good way to have it, don't you, brethren? And that way we are brethren.

192 Now, brethren, I hope that these things have given some kind of a little show towards an answer or something, that our meeting here tonight has profited us something. I'm fixing to leave now for a while, going into the meetings out into the West. I humbly covet your prayers.
Some of my answers in here, maybe many of them, maybe none of them, was right. I don't know. But it would be the best that I could accumulate in my own way of thinking, you see, to try to explain it. Maybe these last ones, especially, come in there at last, I didn't have time to look them up. And I just didn't... they was... What I mean, they were Scriptures that we go through here every time, day after day in the church. I thought maybe it'd be some great strenuous something that might cause us to get down to really have to go into something great, but it's just more like questions of churches.

193 I'm glad to see you holding like that. There's not any disorder, not any discontent, not any confusion. Not a question debated it and said "It's wrong, this is wrong, we won't have it." It was just brethren wanted to know something to strengthen their holds, that's all. That... strengthen up, buckle up the armor a little tighter, pull another notch in it. I hope that we get to meet many more times like this, pull up the armor.
And you remember, brethren, my armor needs pulling up, too. So you pray to God for me that God will help me, and pull up my armor a little tighter, that I'll... don't get so loose with things. And the life that I live and the things that I do, may I do it with more spirit of humility, more anxious to do it. And God give me a heart to do it more than I ever have had before. I pray the same thing for you all. God bless you.

194 I've held you here a long time, and it's right now five minutes to eleven.
And now, Brother Neville... Now, I found out, it's only about nine-hundred-and-something miles over there. I'm not going to leave until Monday morning. But I want to be here Sunday for Sunday school. I'm coming as your guest to listen at you preach, you see, Sunday, see. But... Well, brother... yes, brother. Brother Neville, here's the reason, brother. I love you, and you've always been so considerate in offering the pulpit just like as if... like I was a senior elder to you, or something.
But I've never felt that way, Brother Neville. I've felt that we are brothers.

195 Brother Ruddell and Brother Junie, and, oh, all you brethren and all of you, we're just brothers together, you see. But the reason of it, I'm just a teeny bit hoarse now, you see, and I've got six weeks straight of constant battle, you see. And I just want to maybe start... If I can, thought, after this meeting tonight, that'd give me Friday, Saturday and Sunday to rest, before I start on the meetings out there.
And Brother Junie, soon as I get back, one time coming in, I got to come down and see you again, want to come out. I passed your little church out there yesterday, I believe. My wife said, "I think that..." Is it out there by the railroad track right by Glenellen Park? I'd like to come out there and talk to those Sellersburg folks. Fine.

196 Brother Ruddell, bless your heart. I'd like to come out. You've got a fine bunch of people. You sat there tonight listening just like you was an old elder taking it in.
Brother Beeler over there is one of our evangelist brothers. I hope sometime I can meet one of your meetings somewhere, brother; can do some influence, have something to say somewhere to boost you along. I've always got a good word for you for anybody, you and to Brother Stricker here, and the evangelists.
Brother Collins here, which I believe some day will be a full-time minister in the work...
Men who are gallant men, gallant men, real men of faith, God be with you all;

197 And you deacons, you trustees, you brethren. I believe you are...
The brother here, I can't think of his name. You are [The brother says, "Brother Caldwell."] Caldwell. You're just a... You're one of the elders or something, aren't you, or just a...? ["Minister."] Minister? ["I'm a minister. I belonged to the Church of God. I couldn't preach the full gospel and stay with them. I couldn't preach the baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus and stay with them. I had the highest ranking ministry license that they put out, but I just turned them in since I heard you preach those great messages. I turned them in and come out of the organization. Now I want to be one of you all."]
Thank you, brother. We welcome you to our fellowship. And our credentials is of above. Our life makes our credentials, you see. That's our credentials. "If I do not the works of my Father, then believe me not," see. That's right. That's our credentials. And as Howard Cadle used to say, "We have no law but love, no book but the Bible, and no creed but Christ." That's right. "No law but love,... creed but Christ,... book but the Bible."

198 And Brother Caldwell, we're happy to have you. You come out of a great organization. The Anderson Church of God, I suppose. [Brother Caldwell says, "The Cleveland."] Or Cleveland church, Pentecostal Church of God. ["And I used to pastor out here at ..."] Oh, yes. Oh, yes. I've been out there. I believe I was out there with Brother Neville, or Brother Wood, one time.
We got a dog or hound dog from somebody that went to your church out there. And I got to standing on the steps out there and talking, and they was talking about you. Well, I'm sure ... ["At my church."] Oh? ["Burns."] That's right, Brother Burns. That's right. [Brother Caldwell relates a story.] Oh? Yes. Oh, Bertha, that's right. Oh, that's wonderful.

199 Brother Rook over there. He's become a pastor now, or evangelist, I believe. Is that right? Or are you pastoring? [Brother Rook says, "Evangelist."] Evangelist. I want to commend you, Brother Rook. I've heard of some great work you're doing for the Lord. I heard you went to Indianapolis, or was going to Indianapolis, and had services and won souls to Christ.
God be with you, Brother Rook. I'm sure glad to see you. I seen you out here on this old tractor out here, running around out here, just fertilizing the yard out there. Well, see you out trying to do something for the Lord. Glad He called you to the ministry. Ever hold Him before you, brother. God bless you. Don't compromise on nothing; but do it with the sweetest spirit you can do it with. Let your message always be seasoned with the sweetness of the Holy Spirit.

200 And Brother Stricker... [Brother Stricker says, "We desire the prayers of all of you. We are trying to get a church started now at North Vernon."] Oh, I hope you get it. We'll pray for you. ["Doing very well, so far."] That's right.
Billy, when are you going to start pastoring?
Dr. Goad and Dr. Mercier here... as we call one another that. And Brother Goad has got to a place till he really deserves a title. He can load shells now. And, Brother Leo, I believe we can just let him go at that like that, and call him... let him contain his title of Doctor.
Well, Dr. Branham, back there, you just keep her doctored up real good, and the lights burning real good. And I'll tell you what, whenever we have a special meeting I'll talk to the board and see if they can't give you a little extra on that [Brother Branham laughs], for special work when you have to do so much sweeping and carrying in and out, and that'll make you happy.

201 Dr. Wood. I called him "Doctor," I guess you wonder why. I don't misname him, he just butchers wood all to pieces, you know. The Lord will grow a pretty tree, and he'll cut it down and make a house out of it. I've never seen such, so I have to call him doctor.
Brother Taylor, you're still faithful at the door, to give a fellow a seat. I think of you like this, "I would rather be a doormat at the house of the Lord than to dwell in the tents with the wicked." That's right. Sure.
Brother Hickerson, you just started in the way, and up, coming along. I desired your... You started in the way, and coming along. I just certainly admire your sincerity and all that you are doing for the Lord Jesus. God ever bless you and make you a true deacon, brother---which I believe you are, your house in subjection and all things as you have been.

202 Brother Fred, you ain't been with us very long, coming down from Canada. We don't feel you're a Canadian any more. We feel you're a pilgrim and a stranger with us, as a trustee; you and Brother Wood, and you that serve your office good with Brother Roberson, and the rest of it; Brother Egan, he's not here tonight. And Brother Roberson. You've been a real help to me, Brother Roberson, along with others in this tax case that went under this investigation.

Questions and Answers

You can find this sermon at ChurchAges.net

1 ... these questions before I got to the pulpit, but Brother Moore, he sent in an emergency call, and I thought somebody was very sick---and he just wanted a meeting, so I was just trying to get him off the phone over there. He wanted to come down through Thanksgiving and have a meeting down there for them in Louisiana. Last year when we were there the Lord started a revival, and it's never ended yet. It's still going, the revival. I forget how many hundreds has been saved this last year, after the revival down there.

2 Now, I guess it's kind of surprising maybe, being here this morning, and ... it is to me. And I didn't know, so we didn't advertise it out amongst some of, you know, the people. Just dropped in to answer some questions. I thought that way... Usually a pastor can find out what's on his people's heart when they ask questions. And that way we find out what the people's thinking about.
And I believe before we start this morning, there was someone said they had a baby to dedicate. Billy was telling me that there was a dedication of a baby. If that's so, why, all right, we'll bring the little fellow up and dedicate it to the Lord. And then we'll answer the questions, and then we're going to pray for the sick.

3 I want to report that my mother is just about like usual. I don't think she's any worse, though they think so. But I don't think so. I believe she's just about like she was. And until God tells me that she's going to die, I'm not going to believe it. And I'm going to hold faith for Mama until He tells me she's going to go.
Now, He could be taking her. I don't know. Might be just keeping it from me, keeping me from worrying or something. But I'm going to believe that God is going to let her get well, no matter what she is. She hasn't eat for three weeks (but just glucose), but I believe she'll get well anyhow.

4 [Brother Branham dedicates a baby.] Well, this is a ... hope to another preacher coming on here. Little Mr. Woods. (What's his full name?) This is a little token just added to the Woods family up there. Of course, he's grandma's pet. William David Junior. He sure is a fine little boy. And his little fists are [unclear words]. Because he... Yeah, see he's got his fingers doubled-up. He's got his trigger finger... Squirrel hunter, right? He's looking of one eye at me. I guess he's kind of backward. We know that these are little things that God sends into our home that we appreciate and gives us responsibility of raising these up. And I'm quite sure if the grace of God continues with this family, this baby will be raised in the admonition of God. Let us bow our heads.
Our heavenly Father, we bring to you little William David Wood this morning in the name of the Lord Jesus, in respect of the Scripture, that they brought unto Him, when He was here on earth, infants, little babies, that He might lay His hands upon them and bless them. And if He was here this morning in a body of flesh, we know that our brother and sister would take this little token of grace to Him, so that we are to represent Him today in the way of preaching the gospel, they bring the babies to us. We, by faith, lift little David to You in the name of Jesus. And we pray that You'll bless him, Lord. God, grant that he'll live to be a servant of yours if you tarry. Grant it, Lord. Give him health and strength. Bless his father and his mother. And may, if it be in thy divine will, that this little boy will raise up to preach the gospel in the days that lies ahead. Grant it, Lord. We give You this little William David Wood for a credit of yours in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

5 I'm always so careful for those little fellows. It feels like you're going to drop them all the time. I think little babies and old people... If someone is just an old person that's been down along the line or a little baby that's... They're so innocent-like, you know. There's something about them that I really like. (Why don't we put on this pulpit mike. Brother Neville, you know where. Oh, here we are.)

6 Now, in questions, we got quite a few of them here. And I don't get a chance to even look up the scriptures of the questions that's asked because it was just give in this morning. And I just picked them up a few moments ago, just kind of brushed through part of them, and seen some questions, and wondering just how... And some of them... This is the most sticky group I ever have gotten. So, looking through them, I seen we was going to have a hard time with these.
So if I do not answer them according to your belief in these questions... Now, always remember that they are to the best of my knowledge. And then sometimes maybe in this I'll have to just refer to a scripture to answer them, and maybe not have time to look it up. Then when you go home, you look it up and see. And if I've misquoted it, well, then, I would be wrong. I don't mean to misquote anyone, but ... misquote the Scripture, but sometimes we can do it. Maybe a word where it would be something, then we might say it some other way. You know how easy it is to do that.
But we're aiming ... our aim is to quote them straight. And if I had to take them, say, this Sunday and answer them next Sunday, then I'd have time to look them all over through the week.

7 But there's many sick people coming in, and I've been real, real busy and haven't had a chance to go out and make many of my calls. And I thought today would be a good time, just let those sick people come into the Tabernacle and we'd pray for them. And we know that prayer changes things.
Prayer does something for us. And it's through prayer that I live today. I live by the grace of God through prayer. And this morning being a little tired and worn out, I desire your prayers for me, that you pray for me.

8 And then, I was at a friend's house yesterday, a Christian home where there was some young Christians gathered. And I was talking to them, and something just presented itself to me, a thought of how... I was looking into the woods and around the trees and see them dying, and I thought, "How pretty those trees are. Even though they are dying, yet they are pretty." And sometimes a tree looks better when it is dying than when it is ... when it's in its greenest and best. And I wonder if that just wouldn't picture out our conditions to our heavenly Father, for He said, "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints."
How that must be a beautiful thing for Father to look down upon His child coming home to Him and holding his position in Christ, his faith and his confession, see. "I am saved by the grace of God," and stand there. In the hour of death, yet we can hold our profession, we are saved.

9 And I believe that our Father loves our gallantry, and believing, and holding our testimony. And it just isn't to testify when you're feeling good, and healthy, and strong; it's when you're down, weak, and troubled. There's where your testimony counts.
And thinking on that, I was thinking of this, that death is associated not with life. Life and death cannot exist at the same time. And the trees has to have the sap go out of them before that the leaf can die on the tree. So therefore, death is associated---I would think in the realms of a human being---death is associated with sin, because before we had any sin, we had no death at all. But where there is death, then there is sin; and where there is sin, there is death because death is the results of sin.
And then, the soul that sinneth, it shall die. But when we're born again of the Spirit of God, we have eternal life and not associated anywhere with death, see. Death cannot associate with life. Life cannot associate with death.

10 And talking in the room yesterday where some young Christians was, I said, "If you were standing out here on the road and a car was coming down the road at ninety miles an hour, out of control, you would get off that highway as quick as you could. You'd jump, slide, do anything, get out of the way of that car." And that's the way that sin should be to a Christian, because sin is associated with death. And as soon as you see sin in any form, jump from it, get away from it. I don't care what you have to do, get away from the very appearance of evil. Because remember, to associate with sin is death, just the same as standing there and let that car strike you.
Don't just wait and see what it'll do; get out of the way of it. The very appearance of evil, shun it quickly. When you see a temptation coming up, and sin... You know, if it's something wrong, that death is lurking after you, see. Then get away from it just as quick as you would get away from an automobile approaching at ninety miles an hour, see. You'd want to get away from it right quick, out of the way. Jump, slide, run---any way---just get away from it.

11 And how that we know that we have life, is because that we hate sin. And we hate sin so bad, that we know that death's associated there, and we shun the very appearance of it. Any way we can get away from it, we jump, run, anything that we can do to keep away from sin, because sin has death in it. And we sure don't want to associate anything in death. We want to keep away from that.
So I thought that would be a good little thought. It struck me yesterday talking to these Christians, and I thought that would be good to pass to the church this morning, especially while the young people are sitting here and undergo such temptations as that.

12 And then, I believe a question, if we can only get it down here, something another associated in that also. And just remember that anything that is sinful, death lays right there. And when you're partaking of that sin, you're partaking of death. So stay away from it.
And what is sin? Unbelief. Stay away from all unbelief, anything that disregards the Bible. Anything that disregards God's Word, stay away from it! And if I get through these in time before having the healing service, I want to speak a little bit on that---disrespects.

13 Now, before we answer the questions, or try to attempt it, let us pray. Our heavenly Father, we come into thy presence this morning in the name of Jesus, claiming that we have disassociated ourselves with the things of the world, which it is said by Him that you cannot serve God and mammon, meaning the world. We either hate one and love the other, or love one and hate the other.
And we believe this morning that we are associated with eternal life as we accept Jesus Christ by faith and have the evidence of the Holy Spirit living in our lives guiding us. We are so grateful for this, that when we see sin, no matter how mild, how pretty it might look, there's something within us makes us jump, keep away from it, just as the illustration I gave about the car coming at a terrific speed. We don't want to be caught anywhere in sin. Keep away from it.

14 And now, Lord, feeling this morning that there is many sick and needy, I would pray for them, Lord, that You'll give faith to these especially in the Tabernacle this morning that will come into the prayer line, that they will lay aside every little weight, all unbelief, get away from it quickly, and flee to the Lord Jesus in faith to believe.
I pray for those that's in the hospitals and in the convalescent homes. And Lord, I pray for my mother. As yet, Lord, Thou has kept her with us, and we are thankful to You for this. And with faith we reach out with wanting hands, first to know the will of God, to see that if it's His will for her to go. If it's His will, then we are ... that's our will. But first we want to know if Satan has did this evil and it's working together for good to them that love us to give us a trial. Then, Lord, we want to stand gallant at the post of duty.

15 We ask this morning, Father, to remember all those phone calls and special requests that's out there at the office waiting. Bless our loved ones everywhere.
And today as it falls lot to answer questions, Lord, we realize that these are deep, sincere things that's on the people's heart. They never asked them just for folly; they asked them because that they are interested in knowing truth. Thy Word is truth.
So, Father, we pray that You'll associate our minds this morning into this truth, the Word, and help us, Lord, that we be able to understand better today when we leave this house of teaching, that it might be good for our souls. We ask this for the glory of God in the name of Jesus Christ, His Son. Amen.

16 Now, have some handkerchiefs laying here, I suppose, to be prayed over, and we'll do that just shortly, as soon as we possibly can. Now, by right time we have about a hour and a half. I don't know exactly whether, as I have said before, I'll be able to answer all of these or not. But what we plan for the program today is to answer the questions, have just a little sermonette here to help the faith of the people, then have prayer for the sick. And remember the services tonight, and the midweek prayer meetings, the men's meetings, and so forth.
And I don't know about next Sunday, if... I have a subject on my heart that I would like to bring to the church if it's possible, if the Lord permits it, this next coming Sunday---a very outstanding thing that come to me this week to preach, just a message to preach on, evangelistic message. We'll see about that a little later on as our Lord will lead.
And pray for me now, because there's got to be some great decisions made. Brother Roy Borders (I suppose he's sitting somewhere here this morning), he takes care of the meetings, and he's got a book full of invitations that's come in in the last few months, of places to go, and people that are calling him for meetings. And so you pray that God will let me make the right decision. On whatever I do, may it be right, that will count.

17 Now, to answer questions, which we know is sharply... And that's the reason I answer questions. We never advertised a healing service or something, so it'd just be the home folks here, so we could find out what was on their heart.
And Brother Neville sitting back here, our precious brother and pastor, I'm so thankful to see him advancing on in the kingdom of God. I believe he's come farther in the last couple of years than he has all the rest of the years put together, how the Lord has blessed him. I'm so glad of that.
And I'll say, not to his face... I do to his back, and you know that. I knew Brother Neville since I was just a boy, see. And I know that if Brother Neville... I believe this---he's subject to mistakes like all of us are. We all are subject to that. We're still human. But it wouldn't come from his heart. I don't believe that. He would be sincere, and he's always been the highest of sincerity.

18 And when he come to this message, I've had him ... brought him here by the vote of the church to be pastor here when even he didn't understand these things as he does now. But his sincerity to be willing to lay down and look it over and approach it reverently, until I think he's got a good solid background, that when he comes up now, he knows where he's standing now.
So I'm very happy for the Tabernacle. And they say the other night they had a meeting here whether they would build a new tabernacle or extend this one and make it bigger and make Sunday school rooms in it. And the church unanimously voted for the extension---to put a new extension to it out here, make it larger, and put Sunday school rooms so there'd be classes for all the classes, and carpet the floors, and put birch over it, and fix it up real nice, and Bedford stone it on the outside. And so the church voted that. And I think the architects and them are on the work now. There's a meeting of it tomorrow to make us a bigger church, extend it on back and fix it around different. So we'll be grateful to the Lord for that.

19 Now, in these questions, some of them I haven't even looked them over. I may have to go easy to spell the words out to find out. It's not your writing, but it's my education that's limited.
QUESTION: "We believe in being baptized Acts 2:38, but how can we answer people concerning the other baptism? Are they saved or not? Also those that have gone on and never received the light?
Now, that is a good question. Now, let me say again, see, on these questions, if I don't answer them according to your thoughts... I'm going to answer them just as close to the Scripture as I know how, to make them scriptural.

20 Now, the scriptural way of water baptism is in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, which is found in Acts 2:38 and the rest ... all the Bible. And many peoples today and nearly all the churches all the way from the beginning, the one that started it, they baptize the people in the name of the Father, in the name of the Son, and in the name of the Holy Ghost. Now, they do that through a error. There is no such commission as that in the Bible, nowhere at all. It's not even found in the Scriptures.
When Matthew was writing what Jesus said, where they taken Matthew 28:19, "Go ye therefore, teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost"...
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, that's titles, not a name. The name of the Father, Son, Holy Ghost is the Lord Jesus Christ. Father, Son, and Holy Ghost... And if He... And then they baptized all through the Bible, every person in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. On down through history they come until the establishment of the Laodicean ... I beg your pardon---the Nicene Council of the Catholic church at Nicaea, Rome.

21 When the Pentecostal church... Two groups, they separated. One wanted to stay with the Word, the written Word; others wanted a classical church. It was during the time of Constantine's reign. And Constantine was not a religious man. He was a heathen to begin with, but he was a politician that wanted to unite... Half of Rome was Christian; half of it was pagan. So he adopted some of paganism and some of Christianity to a classical group, and they made up their own religion.
Therefore, to disregard the Bible, the Catholic church believes that God gave the church the power to change or do anything it wanted to, see. Therefore, if the Catholic church is right, if that is true what God did, then we're all wrong but Catholics, see. The Catholic church is right, then the Methodist church is right, then the Baptist church is right, or all the organizations are right, see. They have a right, and who is right then? If the Catholic has power that they can change anything the Bible wants to say and make it some other kind of doctrines, to "Hail Mary"s and so forth, the Methodist has the right to say, "Baptism by immersing is wrong; we'll sprinkle." And they're every one right, because each one can do whatever the church is. Now, who is the church then? Is it Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Catholic, or what is it? See?

22 So you can't... You know that God, the source of all wisdom, couldn't do a thing like that. There's no such ... not even common sense in it, let alone the intelligence of the supernatural being. There's one thing that's right---that's the Word. The Word is right.
So then, if the Catholic church wanted to say this morning, "We'll just omit baptism altogether and take eating a lump of sugar each morning. That's what we'll take for remission of sins"; then that's got to be right, because ... if God gave that authority to the church.
But you see, to me it's the Word is right, because at the close of the Bible, God said this in His Word, "Whosoever shall take one word away from this, or add one word to it, the same will be taken, his part, out of the book of life." So, to me, it's the Word.

23 And there is no such a thing in the Bible as anybody ever being baptized in the name of the Father, Son, Holy Ghost, because there is no such a thing. Father is no name, and Son is no name and Holy Ghost is no name, but the name of the Father, Son, Holy Ghost is the Lord Jesus Christ. Exactly what the apostles and all down through the age they've recognized.
Now, the next question is... Of course that's scripturally right. That's the truth.
And in the Bible when they found people that had been immersed some other way besides the name of Jesus Christ, they were commanded to be baptized over again in the name of Jesus Christ before they could receive the Holy Ghost---Acts 19:5. Right. So that is scripturally the truth.
Now, there's no bishop, there's no archbishop, there's no minister, there's nobody else can say one word against that, because that's the truth, see.

24 And I asked the other day in Chicago before three hundred ministers that stood over there to debate and to ask that... And the Lord told me, He give me a vision, and told me where we'd be and what to do. I stood before three hundred trinitarian ministers, and I said, "Now, if I am so wrong in this doctrine, some of you men stand up here and show me where I'm wrong by the Scriptures without textbook. If there is no such a thing as serpent's seed or something like that that I've been teaching, come here and show me by the Scriptures." Nobody moved, see, because it can't be done. That's true. Not to be different, but just it's the truth. It's the Word. And there's where... No one can debate that---that's the Word of God. Nobody can do it, see.

25 But now, "Will these who have not [Let me read this to be sure it's right, see.] ... concerning other baptisms, are they saved or not? Also those that have gone on and never received the light?"
Well, I believe strictly that God called His people, and ordained His church and all those that would be there, before the foundation of the world. I believe the Bible teaches that. And I believe that every man that loves God with all of his heart will seek after truth. I believe that, that they'll do that. Every man that loves God will do that.
I believe if a man was baptized wrong, ignorantly, not knowing that he was baptized wrong... Now, I can't say this scripturally, but I believe it with my heart that if a man did not know what to do right, and he did something the best of his knowledge, I believe that God would overlook that and save him anyhow, because he didn't have... Remember, back in the days of Wesley, back in the days of Luther in the reformation, those great men of God who God honored and proved that He honored them, they died in the faith, see, with all the light that they had.

26 And there may be things I believe yet, like... Anybody hear Charles Fuller this morning on "Old Fashioned Revival Hour?" He's one of my favorite teachers of the Bible, yet he's way, way old and... But I think he's a great teacher of the Bible. And he said this morning (he was teaching on prophecy, I believe), he said that there were great things ahead, things that the church knows nothing about would be opened up to the people. I said "Amen!" to that. I believe that we still have great light coming on now that'll just flood the earth one of these days for a short period, maybe just in a matter of months. But I believe that there's great light coming.
I do believe that any person upon their faith and sincerity and walking in all the light that they have will be saved.

27 Remember, in the coming of the Lord Jesus, you remember how that He found those who walked in all the light that they had to walk in? You remember what happened? "Is not he a good man, even a Roman centurion? He's built our city ... or, our people a synagogue, and he's (all these things he'd done), he's worthy of this blessing that's being asked for him." See, God is a understanding Father. He knows your heart, whether you really see light or whether you don't see light. He knows.
And I truly believe with all my heart that the correct answer for this question is that the correct baptism is in the name of Jesus Christ, and that those who was baptized contrary, and in their heart---not selfish, just say, "Well, I don't want to fool with that!"... Now that person, that'll be up to them and God. But if they didn't know any different, I believe that they're saved. I believe it with all my heart, because they didn't know any different.
We could stay a long, long time on that one, but we try to get to all of them if we can.

28 QUESTION: "Would you please explain Hebrews 6:4 and 6, and also explain Hebrews 10:26-39? Please explain whether this refers to the Holy Ghost people or the sanctified people. Please explain the difference."
Well, let's see where the person's referring to, Hebrews 6 and 4. I love Bible questions that just... It pulls out something in you, that you get something that you wouldn't get otherwise, because you got what the other people's thinking, what's on their heart, see, and you know what they're doing.
Now, there's Hebrews 10, and here's Hebrews 6 and 4. All right.
For it is impossible for those that were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
And have tasted of the ... word of God, and the power of the world to come,
If they shall fall away, to renew themselves again to repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Now that's one. Now, Hebrews 10:26. All right, Hebrews 10 and 26.
For if we sin wilfully after ... we ... receive the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin,
But a certain fearful looking for the judgment the fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversary.
He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
... how much more sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who has trod under foot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and ... done despite to the works of grace?

29 They are both about the same thing. Now, I would like to explain this to the person. Now, if you notice here in Hebrews 6 and 4, it said, "It is impossible for those that were once enlightened..." That associates with this other scripture that's just read. If you have been enlightened and then turn away from your enlightenment, it is impossible for that person to ever regain his place again, see.
Now, Hebrews only tells the punishment that follows this rejection. It's one of the horriblest things in the world is to reject Christ, is to reject light of the Scripture.

30 Now, you notice, "For it is impossible for those which were once enlightened and has been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, if they turn away, to renew themselves again unto repentance..." See? Here we are. "For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted [watch], tasted the heavenly gift..." They've been right on the edge of it: "tasted the heavenly gifts..."
Now, you notice they never had come to the baptism of the Holy Spirit, see. They was enlightened to it: "And tasted of the heavenly gift [see?], but were made partakers of the Holy Ghost [by tasting of it], and have tasted of the good Word of God, [part of it, see?] and powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew themselves..."

31 Now, Hebrews 10 here only gives the judgment for that. "He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses. How much sorer punishment, though worthy, who has trod the blood of Jesus Christ and counted it an unclean thing that they were sanctified by?"
Now, to put these two together to make the question for you, let's take a scripture and a person in the Bible that did this, and then we can find...
Now, all the church today is the antitype of the type. We know that. There's a type and a antitype. Now, when Israel was on their journey from the land of Palestine ... or, from Egypt going into Palestine, was a type of the church in the spiritual today on its journey to the promised land. You all agree with that, don't you? All the theologians agree with that, that that was a type.

32 They left Egypt. Egypt was the world. They come out, went through the waters of separation at the Red Sea through baptism, come out on the other side rejoicing and praising God, went to the ... got their laws, and from there on to the promised land.
Well, did you notice, just before they got to the promised land, before they were to enter into the promised land---which would only been just a few days, ten or eleven days, maybe not that much, because it was only forty-something miles... They would've went right on into the promised land. They'd come right up through every stage of the journey that we've walked. And they come over, crossed over the Red Sea. Pharaoh's army was drowned behind them. They were free from their enemies, started through the wilderness, and got to the edge of the promised land at Kadesh-barnea, and there they failed. Why? Why did they fail?

33 Now, Moses said to the ten tribes, he said he'll send a man out of each tribe to represent each tribe, to go spy out on the land to see what kind of a condition it was.
Now, if that isn't exactly up to your place this morning, where you come. Today the church has come through justification through Luther, through sanctification through the Methodists, and now up to the time of the promise. The promise is the baptism of the Spirit, which is promised all through the Old Testament and New too, see. The promise---"Behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you..."---Peter said that on the day of Pentecost.
That is the promise. The promised land is to live in this land of Holy Spirit. That's God's promise for the church, is to live in the power of the Spirit. It's another world, it's another land. You have to come out of the conditions that you've been in, to come out to live in this promised land, to receive the promise. Remember the promise? "You shall receive power from on high, after this, the Holy Ghost, is come upon you."
And Peter said that the promise that was made all down through the Testament, Old and New... You find promising on up, on up to that day of Pentecost, and then they entered into the promise.

34 Now, those people had come out and had seen great signs and wonders in Israel. And then he sent some men out to spy out, one out of each tribe. And some of them come back... Some of them wouldn't go over. Two went over. When they come back, they had a bunch of grapes that taken two men to pack. Now, they had never tasted grapes. They were in the wilderness, and therefore, in that place was no place of fruit and stuff. They was fed from manna, bread from heaven, and quails, and wild life and what they fed on.
But now they were going over into the land, and they had a bunch of grapes that was so big that took two men to pack these grapes. And these two went over into the land and come back and give every one of them others on the bank a taste of these grapes. What did they do?
When they went back, instead of rejoicing because they had a taste of the grapes, instead of that, they went back to their tribes and said, "Oh, but we have seen the great walled-in cities of the Philistines, or the Hittites, and the Perizzites [and all the different "ites" over there]. Why," said, "they are giants. Why, we look like little grasshoppers up the side of them. We can't take that land. Why did you ever bring us out here anyhow?" See? And the Bible said that they all perished in the wilderness, every one of them. They died. What did they do? They were borderline believers. They come up to the real thing, and saw the promise, and felt that they wasn't able to go over and take the promise.

35 Now, that's exactly what's come today through justification and sanctification, see. "Has trod the blood of Jesus Christ wherewith he was sanctified..." It is the sanctified people that come up to a place where they see the baptism of the Holy Ghost, and they turn away and say, "It's fanaticism. We cannot take it. We'll be turned out of our classes, we'll be turned out of our places, we'll be turned out of our churches. We cannot do that, see, because it's contrary to our church teaching," see. Has counted the blood of Jesus Christ that brought him all this distance, right to the sealing of the promise, and then walk away from it. He said it's totally impossible for them to ever be saved. See?
Not the ones that has walked over in the promised land.

36 Remember, Joshua and Caleb was the only two out of that entire group of two and a half million people that went over into the promised land; because they went over in the promised land, and got the blessing, and come back. And they said, "We're able to take it, because God said so."
And there they stayed. Why? Now, all those people were looking at circumstances, but Joshua and Caleb was looking to what God said: "I have give you that land. Go get it."
And that's today, the people say, "Oh, if I be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, if I receive the Holy Ghost, if I would speak in tongues or prophesy, or if I would testify or shout in my church, they would put me out." Go right ahead.

37 You say, "But, I'll tell you right now, I live a Christian life; I live a good, clean, sanctified life." That's true, but you've come to the showdown, come to the place, the borderline. And if you turn away from that, then "it's impossible for those who were once enlightened..." See?
In other words, a man comes through justification, he goes, says, "I believe I want to preach the Word." He gets saved; he said, "I'm tired of sin." All right. Then he goes out, and first he still smokes, and maybe lusts or something. After awhile he says, "God, this is not becoming to a Christian, especially a minister, to look upon women in the wrong way, to smoke cigarettes." Or, "I do take a sociable drink of beer with the fellows, and even my congregation, but it don't seem right. Sanctify me, Lord." And then the Lord sanctifies him, takes all that lust away from him, and everything. Then he's a sanctified vessel. Then what God presents to him is the baptism of the Holy Ghost. To do that, he has to come out of that bunch he's with. There's where he shows his color. Then he backs down. What does he do when he backs down? He tramps the blood of Jesus Christ that sanctified him as though it was an unholy thing, not able to take him over there. Then it's impossible for him to be saved. And then what, but on to the fiery indignation and the judgment.
I hope that's clear. If it isn't, why, you let me know at another time. I got so many of them here, I...

38 QUESTION: "Brother Branham, what did Jesus mean in St. John 21:15 through 17 when He asked Peter if he loved Him and told him to feed His lambs; then He said, 'Feed my sheep!' and in the seventeenth verse He said again, 'Feed my sheep!'?"
Well, that is merely this. See, Christ is the shepherd. He was going away, and He was leaving the commission of His sheep---which any shepherd feeds, which is His flock, His church, see---He was leading ... or, leaving the commission with these disciples to continue to feed the flock, to be a shepherd, feed the sheep.

39 In other words, like this. If you look out here, here this morning, that's what I'm doing. Now, sheep will only grow as you give them sheep food. Now, if you'd fry up a big hamburger and give it to a sheep, he couldn't grow on that, because, see, that's not sheep food, see. And if I would fry up or have a nice T-bone steak fixed up, and give it over to a sheep, it's not sheep food. He just couldn't eat it, that's all, because he's a sheep. But sheep like sheep food. Well, then, when you're to feed the flock of God, don't feed them on some man-made theology; feed them on the Word. Well, that's where the sheep grow from---feed the Word.
Be a shepherd, a true shepherd. "Feed my sheep." Lambs is the little ones, of course, and sheep is the adult. So both young and old, feed the flock of God! See? And feed them with the Word. The Word, you see, is the truth. Jesus said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." Is that right? So, then, if man is to live, and they are the flock of God, the church, then they are to thrive upon the Word and manna of God. This is His manna!

40 In the Bible (we just come through it over there in the church ages), Jesus is the hidden manna. Christ is the church's manna. What is manna? Manna in the Old Testament was that what come down from heaven fresh every night to sustain the church in its journey. Is that right? Now, in the New Testament what is the hidden manna? "A little while and the world seeth me no more [hidden]; yet ye shall see me, for I'll be with you, even in you to the end of the world." And Christ is that hidden manna that comes from God out of heaven afresh every day.
Every day. We can't say, "Well, two weeks ago I had a great experience with God." What about right now? Every day, fresh, a new blessing, a new something coming from God, the hidden manna coming down from God out of heaven---Christ. And we feast upon this manna which is Christ, and He sustains us through the journey till we reach the land on the other side.

41 Now, that's what He meant by, "Feed my sheep." We'd get on that, we'd never get the rest of the questions, because that's a good one for me. I like that, when I talk of Christ being the manna and the food for the sheep.
Feed them Christ from His Word, see. Take the Word of Christ just exactly the way it's wrote here and give it out to the sheep. No matter what anybody else says: "Oh, they need a hamburger!" Don't you believe it. Here's what they need, right here. This is it, see. Give them this, this is sheep food. That's what makes them grow. The Holy Spirit, this is His Word, His commission. The Word is a seed. The seed brings forth a plant; the plant we eat. Now, this is what brings forth the plant that the Holy Spirit thrives upon, is the church. It feeds upon the church, the Holy Spirit does, rejoicing in the presence of God, because that the people is believing His Word and letting Him work through them, giving them the very things that God promised them that they would do. If God sees His church growing, therefore the sheep's being fed, and the Holy Spirit's being glorified, see. That's it. "Feed my sheep." All right.
Now, if that's not all, why, you let me know a little later.

42 QUESTION: "Brother Branham, as I went through the prayer line a short time ago, anointed hands were laid on me and prayer was made for my unsaved husband. I was slain by the power of the Lord. Is this a definite sign that he will be saved?"
Well, it's bound to be a woman. Sister, I wouldn't think that it was a definite sign that he was to be saved, though I believe that God... I believe he will be saved, certainly, but to say... Now, could you say that's 'Thus saith the Lord'? Be careful about that, see, because, see, it might be the Holy Spirit blessing you because you have taken a place of Christ.

43 See, you come here to stand for your sinful husband as Christ went to the cross to stand for the sinful church, you see. It was a great thing that you did. But what I would do... If you're present this morning, if you that wrote this question, what I'd do, I'd believe with all my heart that God was going to do it, see---that God was going to do it, because whether He give you the blessing or whether He did not, that was something extra God give you. But I believe it would make you feel good because He blessed you.
It's just like if you speak with tongues, and there's no interpreter in the church, why, you're not supposed to speak in the church unless there's somebody to interpret the tongues. But if you speak in tongues, and there's no interpreter... Why, you... Wherever you're in prayer---at your home or wherever you are---speak then, because he that speaketh in an unknown tongues edifieth himself. It gives him consolation, see. He feels good, because he is standing there praying, the first thing you know, the Holy Spirit come upon he or she and they begin to speak in tongues. And their soul was rejoicing and happy because they spoke in tongues, see.
Why, that wasn't just a sign that God was going to answer the prayer that you was praying for, but it was a sign that the Holy Spirit's hearing you. He knows you and He's with you. That's the same thing I would apply to this, the Holy Spirit giving you a blessing.

44 Here some time ago... The last time I spoke with tongues, as I can remember, it's been about three or four years ago. I was in Illinois, and Billy come after me to go to the prayer line up at Zion City. And I was burdened on my heart, and I knelt down and started to pray. And while I was praying, I heard Billy come up and knock at the door. And I said, "Billy, I can't go now." And he went out there and sat down.
And I was praying, my heart was so burdened I couldn't go to church like that. And, see, usually sometimes He gives me a vision, show me something's going to happen, but He didn't do it then. And I was just praying away in the room there, and I heard someone talking. I quit praying. I listened, and there was somebody at the door. They ... sounded like a foreign language, like German or Low Dutch, or something---it was so fast, chattery. I listened again, and I thought, "Well, somebody's come up there talking to that motel man in German. Maybe he'll answer him back."
And I just quit praying, leaned over a chair like this, listening, and it just kept on talking. I thought, "Well, wonder why some-body don't answer back." And I listened. I thought, "Well, now, isn't that strange."

45 There was a weight scales down the road, and I heard that fellow down there hollering, "Drive off!" you know, and, "Drive on!" I turned around, looked out that way, and I did, I felt my mouth. Come to find out, I was the one doing the talking. It was me. And I just kept real still, not knowing not one thing. I had no more control of what I was saying than nothing, knowed not one thing I was saying, not a thing. I just... My mouth was moving, I was speaking some kind of a language. I just held real still. After while it quit. And when it quit, oh, my, I felt like I could scream out, I just ... just so happy. I don't know why, but the burden all left me.
So I went on to the church then, called Billy. And when I got to the church... Mr. Baxter then was the manager of the meeting. And he was a ... been singing, waiting. I was over a half hour late. And I told him that I was just late. And he seen I'd been weeping, and he said, "What's the matter?"

46 And I said, "Nothing," and I went on. And just about ten minutes, a woman come in at the back of the auditorium, and she was about to take the place back there. And when we checked up with the woman, to find out, she was on her road from Twin Cities (St. Paul and Minneapolis, somewhere, one of those cities). She was so bad with T.B. till the ambulance would not dare to bring her, her lungs were in such a condition, just gelled. And so a couple of brethren got an old Chevrolet car, and took the back seat out, and fixed her a cot in there some way, or a bed, and laid her on it, and was bringing her to the meeting. She wanted to come. The doctors had give her up.
And on the road over... They told her the least little bump, she'll go into a hemorrhage, and that's it. And she went into a hemorrhage. And they had taken her out and had laid her on a grass flat. And the saints were standing there praying over the woman. And she was just... Every time she'd breathe, it'd just gurgle and the blood would blow out of her mouth, like that.
And all of a sudden, she was instantly healed! And she jumped up from there and started rejoicing, come on to the church. And there she was back there testifying, back in the back.
I said, "What time was that?" And when she gave the time, of what time it was, it was the very same time that that speaking was going through me. Well, what was it? It was the Holy Spirit making intercession for that woman there! See what I mean?

47 Now, the Bible says that. Sometimes we mutter words, we don't know what we're talking about. But it's the Holy Spirit in there moving out, making intercession for things that we do not understand, see.
And the woman was instantly healed. We heard from her for a long time from that. She's perfectly well, got all right.
Now, you see God knows where those things are, and He has a way of doing it, see. He has His own way of doing it. We must just submit ourselves to what He does. And then the hard thing to do when you get there is hold yourself from that one little knife edge of fanaticism to a truth.
Now, if you don't watch, the devil will throw you right over into a bunch of fanaticism, and you'll lose all your experience and everything else, see, when you do that. But if you can just hold to solid truth, watch the Bible, and stay with it, and stay meek and humble, God will just keep taking you on towards Calvary, just on down the road like that, if you'll just stay with that.

48 And that's something like yours was, sister. God was just giving you a blessing. It might be a definite witness that you're going to... But I wouldn't rely just on that, you see, say, "The Lord told me!" Because ... I said that experience because that it might encourage you to continue to believe on. Whatever it was that God did there, brought the Spirit upon you like that, it was for some purpose. It might've been something else; but if it was for your husband, he'll sure come right into the kingdom of God. I believe that.

49 QUESTION: "Brother Branham, is it not scriptural that women should not speak in the church?"
He's got two questions here. That is true. That is true. It's not right for women to be ministers and speak in the church. That is right, I Corinthians, the fourteenth chapter.
Of course all of the church here, you all know this. And this may be a stranger in here this morning, I don't know. But it's not right for women to be ... to minister. That is true.
I'll just read it to you here, and you can find out. And then you'll know: I Corinthians, the fourteenth chapter, I believe. I'll get it just in a minute, if I can find... Yeah, here it is.
Let your women keep silent in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. [Now, the law didn't permit women priests and so forth back in them days, see.]
And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it's a shame for a woman to speak in the church.

50 Now, if you'll notice Corinth here... Many of these Corinthian Christians and many of... The great goddess of the world in that day was Diana, which was a Roman goddess. And she was a goddess of Ephesus, and she was worshipped throughout all the world. And now, her ministers... Of course, her being a woman, then that made her ministers women. And when they were converted into Christianity by Paul... Now, Paul was in prison when he wrote these letters, of course, at Rome.
Now, they wrote him letters, you see, after they'd begin to speaking with tongues and got great gifts working among them. Well, these women thought they should continue on their ministry.

51 Now, if you'll notice, you that's reading your Bible, the thirty-sixth verse, he said.
What? came the word of God ... from you? and came it from you only?
If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.
But if ... he be ignorant, just let him be ignorant.
Now, in otherwise, the women... Now, if you'll take the history to this letter, see, of the church, these women thought that they were to continue on with their ministry, just as they was the priests to the goddess Diana. God is not a woman; God is a man. And there's only really one, and that is a man. A woman is a by-product from a man. Man was not made for woman, but woman was made for man, see. If you could just open up your spiritual understanding, see.

52 When a man first come on earth, he was both male and female, feminish and masculine before he become sex, see. A feminish spirit, the lower spirit, the one that's timid; and then there's also masculine, man. But when He made and put him into different... In order to reproduce the world, He brought the feminish spirit off of him and put from a rib from his side and made a female.
She was not to be ruler! When she first started that, she caused the whole human downfall, see. Oh, and even it was a... She was the cause of the fall. And then God taken her up and brought life back into the world through Christ by the woman. But nowhere was a woman ever permitted to be a minister in the church.

53 On over in II Timothy, the third chapter, he said, "I suffer not a woman to teach or to usurp authority over man, but to be in silence," you see. And it isn't right for the woman to preach---that is true.
Now, I know I've seen some women that were real preachers. They could preach, too---like Aimee McPherson and many of those women there. But just put your hand on this for a little while, see. I know people who could speak with tongues this morning sitting right in this church. If there was no interpreter, they'd be daresn't to do so, see.
You got to remember them women was born under a certain line, that when they are... Your birth has a lot to do with it. It's ... your name, all about you, you see, has a makeup to it, no matter what it is.

54 I could get out here and pull a trigger on a gun and kill a man this morning, but I'm daresn't to do it. But I can do it all right, sure. See, I could kill a man the same as you could a squirrel; but you ain't supposed to do that, see. And that's the same thing. You've got to watch those things, now, that you do not... This is the commandments of the Lord.
When they wrote over and said, "Why, the Holy Spirit told us!" Paul said, "What? Came the Word of God out of you? And came it from you only? If any of you all ... if you got any prophets over there, they'll acknowledge that what I say is the commandments of the Lord, see. [That's right!] But if there's any man shows he wants to be contrary, if he wants to be ignorant, just let him be ignorant, see. Just let him alone, leave him go on. Don't do any contrary to it." But remember, she's not supposed to speak in the church.

55 And therefore, there's where you can judge your pastor or whatever it is, whether he's spiritual or not, see. He said, "If any man be spiritual or a prophet, he'll acknowledge that what I say is the commandments of the Lord," see.
That's the reason I command the people to be baptized over again in the name of Jesus Christ. Paul did that, and he said, "If an angel from heaven come and taught anything else, let him be accursed." And this is what's already taught here also. If any man comes... If a angel come from heaven and said, "Let the women preach and be preachers, ordain them ministers," the Bible said, "Let him be accursed." This is the commandments of the Lord here.

56 QUESTION: "Is it right for Christian men and women to kiss one another [Oh!] on greeting?"
No, sir! No, indeedy! No, sir! You kiss one woman, brother, that's your wife, see, or your child, see.
"Is it right for..." Let me see if I got that right! "Is it right for Christian men and women to kiss one another on greetings?"
No, sir! No, indeedy! Don't you never get that started! Yes, sir! No, sir! You keep away from women! Shun away from them! Exactly right!
Now, they're our sisters, but ... now, they've got that. That thing even got over in Pentecost, and it's called "free love." And when you get anything like that, you stay away from it. That's right!
I don't care how clean you are. You're my brother, and I believe that you might be a good, sanctified, holy man. I don't care how holy you are, you're still a man. And I don't care how holy she is, she's still a woman. Stay away from it till you're married. You just do that!

57 Remember, the body... I'm going to speak double now, so that you older people will understand. It's a mixed group, but I'm your brother, and this is a question, see.
Each human being, male and female, have a different type of gland. A female has a female gland, sex gland. A male has a male gland, sex gland. And those glands lay in the human lips. That's right.
And here's another thing might be brought up, men kissing one another in the mouth. That's dirty! That's filth! And what does it do? It starts homosexuals. Stay away from that! You say...

58 A guy asked me not long ago, said, "Brother Branham, why, they greeted one another with a holy kiss." They kissed on the back of the neck, fell upon their neck and kissed them on the back of the neck. That was before handshake come in. It's a greeting. That's the way it is. They didn't shake one another's hands; they put their arms around one another and they kissed one another on the back of the neck---not on the lips, in the face. That starts a perversion. Stay away from it! Don't never do that!
Nowadays, we shake hands with one another. If you want to... If you got your arm around your brother, and kiss him on the neck, or he kisses you on the neck, that's all right. But don't you kiss that woman, and don't you let that woman kiss you, see. That's right! You take her by the hand, say, "Wait a minute, sister, just a minute here, see. Let's get this straight!" And so, now you do that.

59 Now what did I tell you awhile ago when I first started? When you see a car coming down the road ninety miles an hour, get out of its way. That's right! When you see the first twist in anything like that, get away from it. Stay away from it! That's the ground you should not be on. Satan will present something till you'll wreck your soul and send you to hell. Stay away from it! Shun the very appearance of evil. That's right.
Be a man, be a woman, like... I'm going to take up for the women a minute. That's unusual, isn't it? They say, "Oh, the woman caused it! Oh, it was a woman's fault. If she hadn't got out of her place, well, the man wouldn't have got out of his." That's true. We'll say that's right. She gets out of her place. A man can't be bad unless there's a bad woman; but remember there can't be a bad woman without being a bad man. That's right!

60 And you who claim to be a son of God, where is your principles? If the woman is out of her place, aren't you a son of God? Aren't you the one that's a higher, stronger vessel? As the Bible says, she's weaker. Then if she's weaker, then show yourself a man of God. Tell her, say, "Sister, you're in the wrong." That's right. I've done it, and other Christians has done it. And you'll always do it as long as you're a Christian. But show yourself, you're a son of God. You have more power over yourself than the woman does. If she is weaker, recognize her to be weaker, understand her mistakes, and things like that. Or try to correct her, say, "Sister, we are Christians. We shouldn't do that." Be a real man, be a son of God, and watch the women.
And there's where the great fall began at the beginning. It was Satan with Eve. That's what brought the whole downfall of the human race is through that.
And if you're a son of God, be strong, be a real man. If you're not that way, stay at the altar till you become that. And shun the very appearance of evil. And don't start, now, greeting...

61 Someone told me some time ago about they'd seen that two or three times at my church here, of... Not here in the church, but people who come to the church. And if you're sitting here this morning, I just want to dig this to you right good, see.
Women, young women, coming up and these men kissing these women. Don't you do that! You keep away from there. You remember that! If she's young, single, or whatever she is, she'll be somebody's wife someday. And you haven't got no business doing that. Stay away from her. If you want to greet her, then be a son of God, shake her hand and say, "How do you do, sister." And let that settle it right there, see.
Stay away from those things. It's filth, and it'll soon get you into trouble. You just ... oh, that's just... Sin is so easy. It's so appetizing, it's so pleasant, it's so easy to fall right into it. The best thing to do is, the very even appearance of it, stay away from it! Get back! Be a real Christian!

62 And for men kissing one another, if you kiss your brother on the neck, and you want to do it, that's all right. Don't kiss no man in the lips, and on the mouth, or anything like that, because that's not right, see. No, that shows there's a little something wrong to begin with, see. So just stay away from there, shun that. Don't start that around this tabernacle here. No, we certainly won't stand for that at all, see.
If you want to see your brother, if you want to kiss him on the neck, well, you go ahead and do it, but don't kiss people in the mouth, because that won't work. That's not right! And it only starts a perversion. It starts homosexuals and things.
And there's only two things that'll do in them things like that. If you start... Let the man ... I've seen, oh, many times amongst the people, they'll come down... I've seen the churches, and the preacher'd come in, reach and grab every sister, and hug her and kiss her and set her down. "How do you do, sister? Hallelujah!" Reach over and get this one and kiss her. Go right down right through the church like that. To me that's wrong!

63 When I was in Finland, we was all over there... You might know this. We was having meetings, and I was at the Y.M.C.A. There was no soap, no detergents in Finland. I had some shaving soap, and every one of us had to stand up and take a spit bath, you know, with this shaving soap. Only had one piece with us. We had no soap in Finland. And they just washed with some kind of a compound, and it'd nearly take the hide off of you.
So then, they told us they was going to take us over for a Finnish sauna, and we went over to the Y.M.C.A. And we went over there to take a sauna. That's that Finnish ... famous Finnish bath. And I've had them before, and they were nice. I thought "Well, we're going at the Y.M.C.A. so it'll be fine."
But when I started over there, the Holy Spirit said to me, "Don't you do it." Oh, it's so good to have the Holy Spirit! "Don't you do it."
Well, I ... just right then I said, "I don't believe I want a bath this morning."
Dr. Munion and them said, "Oh, Brother Branham," said, "my, there's some big glass rooms," and said, "it's beautiful." Said, "It ain't..."

64 Usually when they do, they throw this water on these hot rocks and make you all steamy, and beat you with birch leaves like that, and then you run right out and dive into cold water. Them Finns go right into the snow and ice and things like that. But of course they're used to it, great big sturdy men. And then they'd come back and get in this hot bath again. Then from hot to cold quickly, like that. But they'd just let me stand where the cool air was and then get back, because I couldn't ... I was afraid it'd stop your heart to do that, wasn't used to it. So I liked it real well, but something told me not to take that one up there.
Well, Howard, my brother, and Brother Baxter and all them going up there, and Brother ... all the rest of them, you know, all talking, you know, going up. So I kind of got a little skittish, you know, because the Holy Spirit said, "Don't do it."

65 So we went up to the Y.M.C.A. and they come in, all those men standing there, greeting me. And, oh, they had the headlines in the paper, first and second page, every day, the meetings. And they were around, and I went into a little room and sat down, and they all went into the room to undress. And while they were in there to undress, here come a lovely-looking little Finnish blonde-headed girl. And they're a nice people. They're clean, moral people as they could be. Here she come with the towels over her shoulder. Started walking in the room. I said, "Hey, hey, hey. Stop. Psss." I tried to stop her. She looked around and laughed, went on in there, gave each one of them (and them men no clothes on), a towel. Each woman come down got a man, took them back in there, scrubbed them like that. I seen what the Holy Spirit meant. So then when I come back out, I said, "Dr. Manninen," I said, "How does that come, you being Christians and going in, taking those saunas with them..."
"Oh," he said, "Those scrub women, Brother Branham."
I said, "I don't care what they are. It's wrong. It's not right." I said, "And nature itself teach you."
He said, "Well, Brother Branham, they're raised up from children to scrub, just like your nurses in America, things like that; they're raised up that."
I said, "I don't care what they are; that's still wrong. Absolutely. It's male and female, and they're to be separated, and clothed from one another." Amen.
I don't want to start on that, I'd be preaching that after while, wouldn't I? All right.

66 QUESTION: "Please explain apostolic faith."
That's one question. There's one, two, and three questions. Apostolic faith means "the faith of the apostles." That's what apostolic faith means, that you stay with the Bible. Now, what's called apostolic faith today, many of them don't stay with the Bible. But apostolic means the--the apostolic faith, the apostolic faith of the Bible. All right.

67 QUESTION: "...and the group that call themselves fundamentalists, are these two groups saved?"
Now, I don't know. See, I wouldn't know how to answer that. Now, "Are these groups saved?" I don't know.
Explain the difference between the spirit and...
Well, that's a different question now.
Are these two groups saved? Now, I don't know. See, I wouldn't know how to answer that. Now, are these groups saved? I don't know. Explain the difference between the Spirit... That's a different question now. Are these two groups saved? Let me make that just a little bit more sensible to you and say I don't know. I wouldn't know. Now, remember, here's my thoughts. It may be wrong. My thought is that if a Roman Catholic or whoever he might be, Methodist, Presbyterian, Church of Christ, Lutheran, whatever he is, if he believes on the Lord Jesus Christ and solemnly trusting Him for his salvation, I believe he's saved.
But you see, the Roman Catholic church doesn't do that. They believe that the church saves them, see. Their salvation is in the church. Like this priest was put off the air here some time ago for saying there's no other salvation only [break in tape] Christ, that's right. Not by the church but by Christ.
Now, if these Apostolics, and fundamentalists, now, call themselves...

68 Now, like a fundamentalist come to me here some time ago and he said to me, said, "You kind of lean Calvinistic, don't you?"
I said, "Well, as long as Calvin is in the Bible I'm with him." I said, "I just go with the Bible and if Calvin stays in the Bible; but if he gets off the Bible, then I just pull on, believe the Bible."
He said, "Well," he said, "I want to say something to you. You told, I've heard you say, that if a man was once saved, that he could never be lost."
I said, "That's exactly what the Scripture says: 'He has eternal life and shall never come into condemnation, or judgment, but has already passed from death to life.' " I said, "That wasn't me said that. That was Jesus Christ said that."
He said, "I want to ask you something then." Said, "Do you believe that Saul was saved?"
I said, "Saul, the king Saul?"
He said, "Yes."
"Why," I said, "sure."
He said, "Now, remember, he was a prophet."
I said, "Correctly, the Bible said he prophesied with the prophets. He had a gift of prophecy. He wasn't a prophet, but he had a gift of prophecy, because he was down there with the prophets when they were prophesying. But we know that Samuel was prophet in that day, so... But Saul was prophesying with the prophets."
He said, "Then if he was a prophet, then he was saved?"
I said, "Absolutely!"
He said, "Then I want to ask you something." Said, "I want to ask you something." Said, "And then you say Saul was saved, and the Bible said that the Lord departed from him and he become a enemy to God, and he committed suicide, and then say that he was saved?"

69 I said, "And you're a fundamentalist?" I said, "Brother, you're just not reading it right, that's all. You're not reading what the Scripture said."
He said, "Well, Saul could not be saved if he become an enemy of God."
I said, "Saul was saved."
"Oh!" he said...
I said, "He was a prophet, he had to be saved, see. God saved him, and God's not a Indian giver, as we call it. He don't... Well, if God give you the Holy Ghost knowing that He is going to lose you right down here, why, what a foolish thing it would be for Him to give you the Holy Ghost in the first place."

70 You might impersonate the Holy Ghost and act like you got the Holy Ghost, but if you've got the Holy Ghost, God knows your beginning from the end. That's right! That's a loose way to run business. God don't run His like... He's infinite. He knowed the end from the beginning and knowed everything that'd ever be here. Every fly, every gnat would ever be on the earth, He knowed all about it before the world ever began. So, see, what would He run His business like that for? He doesn't do that.
If you once ... if you've really got the Holy Ghost, you're saved eternally. I can prove that through the Scriptures, and we have, time after time. But to conserve the time to get these questions, I might say this, you see, that... This fellow said, "Well, then what would you say about Saul?"
I said, "Sure, Saul was saved." I said, "Remember, Saul backslid. I'll admit that. He backslid and went away from God, because he was greedy. He liked money." He'd brought up all them sacrifices and things, when Samuel through the Word of God told him to destroy everything. But he even saved the king, and he saved a lot of stuff, and brought it up because... See, instead of following the Word of God just exactly like it says, you put your own opinion in it. There's where you backslide."
That's what I think about denominations and things. They backslide, because they don't follow the Word. And you show them the Word, they turn their back from it, say, "Well, our church teaches this." That's not right; it's what God says!

71 And Samuel was commissioned to go down there---or Saul was---and destroy everything utterly, "Everything, you destroy it all." Instead of doing that, he saved some for sacrifice, and he spared the king's life, and he done everything. And Samuel walked out to him and told him the Spirit of God had departed from him and all like that.
And Samuel died. And about two years later, well, then, Saul had got... The Spirit of God departed from him, but He wasn't lost. Sure, he wasn't. The anointing went off of him. Now watch, and see if it was now.
Saul got so far away from God till when he went to the battle... He started to go to battle. And he was worried about going to battle, and he asked the Lord for a dream. The Lord wouldn't give him a dream. There was no prophets in the land in that day, no prophets. Samuel was a prophet. They had prophesiers, so forth, but he couldn't get a answer from God no way. He even went down to the Urim Thummim and asked there. And the flash of the lightnings upon the Urim Thummim wouldn't even answer him. And what did he do? He crawled off into a cave where there was a witch, a fortune-teller. And this witch... He disguised himself like a footman and went down there, and he said, "Would you divine unto me the spirit of Samuel, the prophet?"
And she said, "Well, now, you know what Saul has said." (She was talking to Saul, but she didn't know it.) Said, "Saul said all that's got familiar spirits, he must be killed."
He said, "I'll protect you from Saul, but divine unto me the spirit of Samuel."
So the witch went into her enchantments, and first thing you know, when she seen Samuel raise up, the spirit of him coming, materializing in front of them, she said, "I see gods rise from the earth."

72 That's one of the consolations. Look at old Samuel standing there. He had been dead two years, but there he stood. Not only... He was standing there with his prophet robe on. Not only was he still alive, but he was still a prophet. Hallelujah!
She said, "You've deceived me."
And Saul said, "Samuel, I don't know what to do. I'm going to battle tomorrow, and the Spirit's gone from me." He said, "I can't even get a dream from the Lord, and the Urim Thummim won't speak to me. I'm in a terrible shape."
He said, "Seeing you've become an enemy of God," said, "why have you called me out of my rest?" Samuel said that. Said, "Why did you call me from my rest, seeing that you've become an enemy to God?" And then he went ahead and told him. He said... But however, he'd tell him the Word of the Lord. And when he did... Now remember, he'd been dead two years, see. But he said, "I'll tell you the..." He told him the Word of the Lord. Said, "Tomorrow you're going to fall in the battle, and Jonathan, your son, is going to fall with you. And," he said, "by this time tomorrow night you'll be with me." If he was lost, so was Samuel, the prophet. That's fundamentalism---you see why it's so-called. He said, "You'll be with me tomorrow night by this time," see. Then if Saul was lost, so was Samuel, because they was both in the same place.

73 No, no! Fundamentalist. Fundamentalist so-called, like Church of Christ so-called, and Christian so-called, Christianity so-called. Today because you're an American you're supposed to be a Christian---because you're an American, see. That's so-called Christianity. But a real Christian is a born-again man of the Spirit, born-again woman of the Spirit. That's really... These others are impersonating, but real Christians are called of God.

74 QUESTION: "Please explain the difference between the spirit and the soul."
Well, now, that's a hard one. But the first thing, you are a triune being, just like Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Father, Son, and Holy Ghost is three titles going to one person, which is Jesus Christ. And you are soul, body, and spirit, but it takes those three to make you. With just one of them, you're not you. It takes the three to make you.
Like I said the other day, "This is my hand, this is my finger, this is my nose, this is my eyes, but who's me?" Who is me that this belongs to? It's what's on the inside of me---that's the intelligence.
If this eyes, if this hand, if this body stood here just as it is today, yet I could... My body could be here, but me could be gone, what I am. Whoever I am inside of me has gone on. That's the part that is the spirit. The soul is the nature of that spirit, that when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, it does not do nothing... It changes or converts your spirit to a different soul. And that soul is a different nature that's on that spirit. So the soul is the nature of your spirit.
First you were mean, and evil, and hatred, and malice, and strife; now you're loving, sweet, kind. See the difference? It's your nature. I call it that. It's your soul that's been changed. The old soul died, and the new soul, which is the new nature, was born into you, see.

75 Your brain is not your intelligence; it's your spirit that's in you is your intelligence, see. Your brain is a bunch of matter and cells and so forth. It has no intelligence in itself. If it did, then as long as it laid there, whether you was dead or alive, it would still operate, see. But it's not your brain; it is your spirit inside of you. And your soul is the nature of that spirit. That's the soul of the spirit that controls the body, see. There you are.
Now, I've got to hurry because we're just getting a little bit late. Now, I hope that takes care of that.

76 QUESTION: "Brother Branham, please explain ... please make clear if women should testify or speak in tongues in the assembly."
Well, I believe that if the woman is a preacher in the assembly, she isn't supposed to be a preacher. But if she has a gift of tongues and speaks in the assembly, where there are prophets and the gifts are gathered together, I believe she has a right to do that. Because in the Bible we find out that they had prophetesses like Miriam and them, and they wasn't ... they had no jurisdiction... If I get to my little sermonette here, I'll get that in there, see.

77 But the women, if they are gifted... Now, the correct way that I believe that when we come together pretty soon... When our church gets settled a little bit more... (And by the way, there's a new group, another church is going to unite and come with this church as soon as we get room here for them and things. Another church is going to come and unite with this church. Not no organization, just come as a body, in a group, to the church. And they are a bunch of gifted people.)
And now, when it comes together, the thing to do, is these gifted people must get together on certain times for themselves, and see what the Spirit says to them. And then it can be given out from the platform. And the people... It's for the edification of the church.

78 Now, if you speak with tongues, and you know, nobody interprets it... And then when you're in the meetings, sometimes it's so irreverent, you know. You find sometimes... I've been standing in my congregation making an altar call, and someone would raise up and break the altar call speaking in tongues. Now, see, now, the person might've been speaking in tongues correctly. That might've been the Holy Spirit. But, see, without being taught to know what to do, how to hold that...
I've sat right on the platform and hear a preacher preaching and see him get to a spot... My, I wanted to get up and help him so bad I didn't know what to do. And you've done the same thing---all of us do that. But what is it? That's irreverent. Sit down. Regard my brother.

79 I heard Brother Neville preaching, and he's heard me preaching when we'd, no doubt, we'd ... Brother J. T. here and all of them, we can hear one another preaching, we think, "Oh, brother, I believe I'll get up and help him out," see. You just feel the Spirit pouring on you, but what do you do? Hold your peace, see, because the spirit of the prophets is subject to the prophet, see. That's right, hold your peace, see. You do that.
But I believe if the woman... The question was if the woman has got a gift of tongues and she wants to speak. I believe that when that time comes on, she has a right to speak out in a gift of tongues; but not to preach or to usurp any authority over men. When she's a preacher, of course she is over men.

80 QUESTION: "Brother Branham, I was married to a woman that had been married before. We divorced, and she has been married twice since. The Bible states that if we desire to marry ... if we desire to marry, to turn to ... first wife. Now, could I turn to her who has been married before or could I be free?
Well, now, my brother, here's the only way that you could do it. Now, this is a great subject, and someday I want to---if the church ever gets organized and straightened up into the place where it should be, or... I'll say this with reverence. There's two factions of this marriage and divorce in the churches, one holds one faction and one the other. And to my opinion, with grace in my heart before God and His Bible, they're both wrong, see. But there's a truth lays there.

81 If you notice what Jesus said... Now here, I got a brother, my own blood brother, that's fixing to marry a woman, and my brother has been married before and got a child by a good woman. And he come to me to marry him. I said, "Not at all!"
Jesus said, in Matthew 5, "Whosoever puts away his wife, and marries another, saving the cause of fornications (which she had to do before she was married and didn't tell him about it), causes her to commit adultery: whosoever marries her that is put away liveth in adultery." So don't do that. No, you cannot go back to your first wife if she's been married again. But if she divorced you and put you away...

82 Then you said, "Am I free?" Let me read it again. "I was married to a woman that had never been married before. We divorced, and she has been married twice [I suppose this person has remained single]. The Bible states that if we desire to marry to turn to ... first again."
No, sir! Get over in the Levitical laws. You go back to that woman, she's somebody else's property. You've defiled and made yourself worse off than ever. No, you should not take a wife back who's been married to somebody else.
Now, "Could I turn to her who has been married before or should I be free?" You are free! Stay free! Yeah, you don't go back again. No, sir! She's married to somebody else; stay away from her. That's right! That defiles... You understand. If we had a little more time, I'll get into that. But just for your question, my brother, whoever you are. No, sir! Don't you go back and take that woman when she's been married two or three times since she married you. That's wrong.

83 I married a couple here not long ago that'd been married before, and they divorced and went away---old couple. Well, it was Brother and Sister Puckett. That's exactly who it was. They just couldn't get along and had a little spat between them. They divorced. She lived just as true and single as she could be, and he lived the same way. And after while, they seen how silly they was, and they come back and wanted to be married. I said, "Sure," see. "That's all right, that's what you should be." Well, they was married all the time. They never had been divorced---just give them papers to live together as husband and wife, that's all, because they was married in the beginning.

84 QUESTION: "What do the three letters mean on the Catholic crucifix? [Let's see.] What does the three letters mean on the Catholic crucifix?"
Well, I think all crucifix are the same, if I'm not... I'd better look that up. But it's got I-R-N-I which means "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews," see. If that's what it is, I didn't know they had any other special or something or other. But them letters means "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews." I-R-N-I, that's what's on the crucifix. All right.

85 QUESTION: "Would it be wrong to use tithes on church building funds?"
Well, now, here's a touchy little thing for the church now. No, correctly, tithes is to go to the minister. That's right! In the Bible they had a box they'd set at the door in the Old Testament when the ... building. This box was a fund where the people put in there for the repairing... You've read it many times in the Old Testament. They kept up the buildings and things like that... All the repairs on the building was taken care out of that fund. But a tenth of that went---a tenth of the tithings---all the tithings went to their priests, their pastors. Yes, tithings are to go for nothing else.
I know people take their tithes and give them to a widow woman. That's wrong. If you've got anything to give the widow woman, give her, but don't give her God's money. That's not yours in the first place---that's God's.

86 If you sent me downtown to get a loaf of bread, and you give me twenty-five cents to get the loaf of bread, and I met somebody on the street wanted it ... something else, and I give him the twenty-five cents, see, I give them your money. If they asked me for something, let them get it over here in this pocket and give them my money; but this is your money. And a tenth of it is the Lord's, and Levi the priest could live by the tenth.
The tenth is to be a tithing that's to be brought into the storehouse with a promise of God to bless it, and a proof. He said, "If you don't believe it, come and prove me and see if I won't do it," see. That's right.
The tithings goes into the church for the pastor, and so forth like that, to live on. And then the building funds and things like that is a separate fund altogether. Now, that is scriptural.
One time, when we get started, I want to take a night... I've went here some time ago, before I left the Tabernacle, and taken about two or three weeks just on subjects like that and went plumb through it and showed what tithings was in the church.

87 QUESTION: "Brother Branham, is there anything wrong with belonging to a lodge after we have become a Christian, such as the Masons?"
No, sir. You be a Christian wherever you are. I don't care where you are, you still be a Christian.

88 QUESTION: "How do you feel is the best way to find the Lord... ? How do you feel is the best way to find the Lord's will in some important matters?"
Now, I don't believe I... Let me see if I can get the continuity to it. "How do you feel is the best way [I see. It should be a comma there, I suppose.] ... How do you feel is the best way to find the Lord's will in some important matters?"
I tell you, dear friend, the best way to find the will of God in some important matters is prayer, see.
Now, let me... Here's a wonderful little thing here. If you have a matter that's very important, now, here's the way I do it. I take it before the Lord, and it's always been my strength. I wait upon the Lord and see what He says. And I just let myself neutral to it, don't take either side, and say, "Now, heavenly Father, it can..."

89 Of course, now, in my case most of the time, if it's very important, I wait on a vision. But many people, God doesn't deal with in visions. So therefore, I wouldn't advise you to do that, see, because it's just some people that has visions, and some does something else. Where you do something else that I couldn't do, maybe---in your way of serving the Lord---I do something that you couldn't do, see. God deals with us different.
And so I would, if I was in your place and didn't have visions before the Lord, I would just wait upon the Lord and say, "Lord, now You show me what's the decision to make." And then, the way you feel led to do it, then wait just a little bit. Then wait a little while longer, and see which way, which side you lean towards, which way the Spirit... Say, "Now, Father, in my heart You know it doesn't matter, but I want to know what You want to do about it."
That's the way I do about meetings sometimes. I feel kind of led to go this way or that way, then I follow that way. That's the way to do it, because it's in prayer then. You're doing the the best you can.

90 And I believe this, my friends, as Paul was, in the New Testament, in days gone by. He was between two straits, which way he should go. And he started on the wrong road, and he got a Macedonian call. And I believe if you are making a decision for God and do it the best that you can, I believe God will correct you and see that you don't go wrong. I believe God will do it.

91 QUESTION: Let's see. "Brother Branham, what happens to the people that are considered the sleeping virgin when they are judged at the judgment?"
Well, the sleeping virgin will be saved, of course. She'll be saved at the judgment. She'll never be the bride, but she is a saved group of people that will come in the judgment, that will not be included in the bride. But as long as they are virgins, they are before God, see. They are to be saved. He separates... They'll be the sheep on His right side, and the unsaved will be the goats on His left at the great white throne judgment.
I could spend a lot of time on that, but it's getting a little late.

92 QUESTION: "Is it possible for a Holy Ghost-filled person to be driven by the ... to do minor things ... influenced to do minor things that he doesn't want to do?"
Oh, yes! Yes, sir! Yeah, a Holy Ghost-filled person... You're right in the place then to be drove by these things. You just put yourself up a target. When you're down there serving the devil, he just lets you slouch around any way you want to, but you once take a stand for Christ, you've got on the other side then. He trains every gun right around on you. Every temptation, everything that can be throwed to you, then you got it. But what have you got? "Greater is He that's in you, than he that's in the world," see.
Now, you was in no battle here, you was just slopping along, see. But now, you've cleaned up, you've dressed up, you've shaved, you've combed your hair, you put on a uniform, you've got a gun in your hand. "Let's go!" See? You're in battle, not to show off, but to fight, fight! Sure, when the temptations rise, with the Spirit---the shield of faith, buckle on and move on, see. That's right. Oh, put all the whole armor of God. Why do you put on a armor if you're not going to fight? All soldiers are dressed to fight; not to show off, walk out and say, "I'm So-and-So. Now, I'm a Christian. See who I am? I belong to So-and-So. Hallelujah! I got the Holy Ghost the other night. Sure, nothing bothers me anymore." Uh-uh! Oh, brother, I believe you better go back and try again, see.

93 Oh, I'm telling you, when as soon as you say you got the Holy Ghost, Satan's got every gun right on you, shooting. Then you got the whole armor on. Then take the shield of faith, the sword of the Spirit, or the Word, and take the buckle on the ... shod yourself with the gospel, and take the old middle piece here, the breastplate, and pull up the cinch on it, and tighten yourself up a little bit, and get ready, boy, because it's a-coming, don't you worry. Yes, sir, you're going to have plenty of trouble. But remember, "Greater is He that's in you, than he that's in the world."

94 QUESTION: "What did Jesus mean in St. Matthew 16:9 and 10? What do the twelve baskets and the seven baskets represent? Question for Sunday morning."
Let's see, Matthew 16:10. I'm not too sure just now. Let me get where it's at, Matthew 16:9 and 10---16:9 and 10. Here we are.
Do you not ... understand, neither remember the five loaves or the five thousand, and how many baskets you took up?
Neither the seven loaves or the four thousand, and how many baskets did you take up?
Now watch. Let's just take just a little bit before this.
And Jesus said unto them, Take heed that you beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
And they reasoned among themselves, saying, Is it because we have taken no bread.
Jesus [Now watch!] Which when Jesus perceived [He caught their thoughts, you see.], he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among you, because you have brought no bread?
Do you not ... understand, neither remember the five loaves and the five thousand, or how many baskets you took up?

95 In other words, like this: If you seen God provide and do a miracle, then can't He do a miracle again? See? In other words, like this: If He saved you from a life of sin, can He not heal your body? Don't you remember when you was a sinner how He lifted up your soul in faith to believe? Can't He likewise do something great for you again? Can't He do the miracle or anything else for you? The five baskets, said, "Remember..."
Like when they crossed over the Red Sea, God opened up the way like that and made the Red Sea open like that, and walked through. He come right on the other side, and as soon as he got without water, they started murmuring. Is that right? As soon as they got without bread, they started crying out, "We don't have no bread," see. Said, "Didn't you consider the miracle back there at the Red Sea? Have not you come down... ?" When they all got in a spot by the Red Sea, "Oh," they said, "we ought to have died. Here comes the Egyptians right on us now. Here it is, what are we going to do?"
Said, "Who smote the earth with plagues down there? Who kept the sun shining in Goshen?" See? We must remember those things, remember God is God! Hallelujah! Any of it, He's still God. He certainly can do anything.

96 QUESTION: "Will you please explain 'the body of Christ' in I Corinthians 12:27 and 'the bride of Christ' in Revelation 2:9. Is the New Jerusalem spiritual here in Revelation? Is this the spiritual discernment of the church?
No. Now, let's see if I get this first now, I Corinthians, right quick, I Corinthians, the twelfth chapter, all right, and the twenty-seventh verse.
And ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
And then, where was the next scripture? Revelation 21:9, Revelation in the twenty-first chapter and the ninth verse. All right, here we are.
And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, and I will shew you the bride, the Lamb's wife.

97 Yes, the body of Christ. See, the body of Christ was broken for our sins and by one Spirit we're all baptized into that body and become members. And where did the body... ? Where did my wife, symbolically speaking... ? Where did Eve come from? The body of Adam. She was taken out of his side. Eve was taken from Adam's side. The Christ... And she was part of his body. He said, "She's flesh of my flesh and bone of my bones. And I'll call her woman," see.
Now, and the body of Christ was taken out of the body of Jesus, for we are spirit and flesh and bone of Him, see. Because we are born into His body. And because this body here belongs to Him, yet it's born in sin, He has redeemed it. God will raise it up at the last days, and I'll live in it for eternity, see. That's it. All right.

98 Now, let's see, the last question here was: "Is the new Jerusalem spiritual?" No, no, the new Jerusalem, John saw coming from God out of heaven, it isn't the discernment of the church now, you see. It's the New Jerusalem John saw descending out of heaven prepared as a (Revelation 21, see) ... prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

99 The last question now. I think that's all of them.
QUESTION: "The Bible says that everything works for the good to them that love the Lord. Then if you love God and turn back to the world, would God let you die in sin or would He let you be reconciled back to Him before He takes you away?"
The lady signed her name to it, so I'd say it was a lady, see, because she signed her name. Yes, sister. If you are born... Now, let me get this. See, temporarily, minor, every one of us backslide many times a day. We know that. We're all guilty, every one of us, there's none of us perfected. And as long as we're in this body, we are still... No matter how much the people try to tell, "I've got sanctified, I can kiss this woman or do that," he's lying. He cannot. Now, that's all.
I don't try to say, "Lord, let me see how close I can go." It's, "Lord, keep me as far away as I can get," see. Just stay as far away as... Remember, you are still human being, see.

100 But, now, if you make a mistake and do something wrong, you don't willfully... If you are a Christian, if you're a born-again Christian, you don't mean to do wrong. Your intentions and everything is right. But if you do, as she said here, make a mistake and do something wrong, will God let you just go on and go on and die like that and be lost, or will He bring you back to reconciliation? He will bring you back. That's right! He will bring you back.
And then, if you do anything wrong, it don't condemn you and you go on like that, on out, remember, you wasn't saved at the beginning. That's right. You wasn't saved. You just had a make-belief, you wasn't saved. But when you're saved, you have a different spirit. You're a different nature, you're a new creature in Christ. And the old things has passed away, and they are dead and buried in the sea of forgetfulness. You see?
But being you're living here in this world, there's traps set for you everywhere, and you're walking with your eyes on Christ. And remember, that when you make a mistake, a real Christian will always come back quickly for reconciliation.

101 Look, in the ark, God turned the old crow out ... or, Noah turned the crow out. Now, what was he? He was a crow. Oh, yes, he sat on the same roost there with the dove. They both sat in the same roost. But when he turned the old crow out, well, I imagine all the waters was stinking with millions of people's swelled bodies rottening up on top the water, and horses and animals, all dead. The whole world was destroyed. And there they was, this old dead carcasses floating on top of the water, and things like that. And Noah turned the dove out, because ... guess he saw some sunshine, and he wanted to know whether the water had receded or not, so he turned the crow out. And the old crow flew down on an old dead body, "My, just fine, that's good!" See, eating a dead body. Why? That was his nature. He was a crow. No matter how much he'd sat with the dove, how much he'd heard Noah preach, how much he'd sat with this clean bird, he was a crow to begin with. As soon as he got the opportunity to show his colors, he showed it.
Now, but when he turned the dove out, when she started down, whew, she couldn't stand that. Nowhere she could go, she couldn't find no rest for the soles of her feet, so she come back to the ark. And that's the way it is.

102 Sometimes you might be turned loose for a little while to see what you'd do, but you'll always, if you've got the nature of a dove, you cannot eat crows' food. That's all. It just won't digest, that's all.
Where would you go, what would you do? Tell me what you would do if you were not a Christian! Tell me what I'd do this morning if I wasn't a Christian. What could I do this morning? And my mother laying out there in the hospital in that condition and unconscious as she is, and laying there, and in my heart I could stand here in the pulpit and preach, and go on the way I do, seem like I don't pay much attention to it. Because I know my mother's saved, see. I know she's saved. I know who I believed. I'm persuaded He's able to keep that which I committed to Him against the day.

103 What would Mama do now? Now, maybe she'd had good intentions all of her life, that "Someday I'm going to be a Christian." But how could she be, now when she's laying there unconscious? How could she become a Christian now? What would her children do?
The other day when we put her ... taken her out there to give her glucose out there... It's the only thing she has in her body is glucose. She can't swallow, she's paralyzed. And she said, "This one thing I want you to know, Billy." She talked about me and Delores standing there, and about her children and things, and a couple of my brothers' drinking.
And I said, "Well, they broke your heart."
She said, "But, Billy, that all goes in the wheel for a mother." She said, "But I'm saved." And she said, "I'm ready to go."
I said, "Mama, you might've left us a home that reached all the way from Jeffersonville to Utica, a palace. You might have left us ten million dollars to fuss and fight over after you were gone---that's all that would happen to it. But Mama, you leave us the greatest treasure that anybody could leave, the assurance that we'll see you again in that land beyond the river." That's right, see.

104 You're saved, and I'm so glad to know that Christ saves our... But we may backslide, we may do wrong. We all have our ups and downs. But in your soul, as soon as you do anything, well, there's something goes wrong in you. You know it is. Now, right there is the time to jump. That's the time to jump. Get away from it.
Now, say you go out here today, and somebody comes up to you and say, "Hey, they tell me you're one of them holy rollers."
Right quick Satan say, "Slap him down!"
"I don't know about being a holy roller. I'm a Christian." See? And always with evil, meet evil with good. And remember, now just take this, remember this: when you meet evil with good, evil cannot stand in the presence of good. It cannot do it.

105 Now, I'm a missionary, and I've been around the world, in all kinds of evils, and all kinds of spiritualists, and isms, and all kinds of devil worship, and, oh, everything could be thought of, where there's everything---and I've always found that right always conquers wrong.
Listen, I don't care how dark the night is. It might be so dark till you could feel it. You could put your hands up like this and couldn't see a shadow of no type. The least little bit of light will expose that darkness. Certainly. That's the way life does in the presence of death. That's the way right does in the presence of wrong. That's the way faith does in the presence of doubt. It scatters it away.

106 How can the night stay here when the sun shines through ... blessings through? Where does the night go to? It's no more. What happened to the night? Where is that darkness in this tabernacle about twelve hours ago? Where is that darkness that was congealed inside of these walls here? It is no more. It vanished. Why? Light came in. And when light came in, darkness had to go. Yes, sir!

107 You take the creatures that roam at night---roaches, and beetles, and bugs and things. Let the sun rise or let a light flash on, watch how they take for darkness. That's the way the gospel is. When it flashes on, what happens to those who wants to call you holy roller? What happens to those people who make fun of you? When a light flashes on, they shoot for darkness as hard as they can go, because they're children of the night. But the children of the day walk in the light. Amen!
We are the children of the light by the grace of God. So when the light's flashed on, we thank God and walk with our eyes open, looking at things that you can't see with your natural eye. For faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Amen! I love that.

108 I haven't got time for my little sermonette I was going to speak, because we're going to have to pray for the sick.
How many love the Lord? Amen! Now, after we've had these questions, and there's some of them sharp and everything, and maybe answered... Maybe I didn't even do the right job on it, because I didn't have time to look up the Scriptures. I'd had it wrote on the paper if I had. I hope everybody's satisfied. If not, write it back again to me. Let me have a time to study it if you don't think it was fully answered.

109 Thanks for staying. And now, we're going to form the prayer line just in a minute. But before we do that, let's just change the atmosphere now from answers and one answering this, and one believing this way, and that way. You see, in answering questions, sometimes it's a little sharp, so let's just worship the Lord and sing.
I love Him, I love Him,
Because He first loved me,
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary's tree.
Now, I want you to shake hands with somebody around you now when we sing again.
I love Him, I love Him,
Because He first loved me,
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary's tree.
Now, let's just raise up our hands to Him like this, close our eyes.
I love Him, I love Him,
Because He first loved me,
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary's tree.

110 Our heavenly Father, we love You, Lord. And I believe this little group loves You. We come down to the house of the living God, a little building---not the building, but the God that lives in the building. Like in myself, this old body, it's got to drop one of these days, but the man that lives inside of it cannot drop, because it's held by the power of God.
This old building here that we worship in this morning, no matter how much we fix it up, someday it'll drop, but the God who lives in the building is eternal. We're coming to face You now, Father, to give thanks and praise.
And for these questions upon the people's hearts, we see that they were wondering whether they should do this or that. And, Father, I trust that in every tender Christian's heart that the answer was some way that would make them understand what was truth. Grant it, Lord. And if I failed, then forgive me. I didn't mean to fail, because it's your children, and they're asking those questions, and I want to give them all that I know, Father, like if You were standing right here to judge me by what I said.

111 Now, Lord, we're coming to face for the sick. Now, we know that in the Bible that we only get what we believe we get. We remember one time, Father, when Jesus was here on earth, the Syrophenician woman come to Him and said, "Lord, be merciful unto my daughter, because she's variously vexed with a devil."
And we hear what He said, "It's not meet for me to take the children's bread and give it to the dogs."
Oh, God, seemingly what a flat refusal, and not only that, but to call her a dog. But instead of being arrogant about it, very sweetly and humbly she said, "That is true, Lord." Because it was truth. She said, "It is true, Lord, but the dogs will eat the scraps that fall from their master's table." That's what done the work. She was willing just to take the scraps that come from the children's table. And God, that's our attitude just now. We are willing to anything that You want to do with us, Father. We're in your hands.

112 I'm so glad to know that the God of the Old Testament, who showed visions and give signs and wonders, still lives today. And the heaven that they longed to go to, someday by God's grace we go too, because the same God is showing Hisself to be the same God among us.
There are those among us, Father, this morning who are sick and needy. They're going to pass through a prayer line. May they not come and say, "Well, I don't believe You can do me any good." Lord, may that not be the attitude, but may they come remembering that God said, "These signs shall follow them that believe. If they lay their hands on the sick, they shall recover." You promised it, You said so.
May they come with holy reverence, believing that as soon as prayer is made and hands have been applied to them, may the Holy Spirit come upon them like this dear sister that wrote the question, said the Holy Spirit almost slew her mortal being with such a tremendous baptism of His presence.
May that be the effects upon everyone that comes this morning, Lord. Grant it. May they be healed. May they come knowing, knowing without a shadow of doubt that You promised it and You cannot lie, and as soon as light strikes in, darkness and doubt flees away. Grant it, Father. We commit them to You now as we pray for them in Jesus' name. Amen.

113 Now, those that wants to be prayed for, on this side first, line up along the building here while Teddy plays for us "The Great Physician Now Is Near."

114 Brother Neville... Just keep lining up, coming. We'll be standing here. Let all the church be praying. And Brother Neville and I will be here together; he'll be anointing; I'll be laying hands on the sick, right... Now, everybody in prayer now.
Now, what are we doing? We are coming to anoint the sick and to pray for them. Now, let me quote the Scriptures to you. "If there be any among you, sick, let them call the elders of the church, let them anoint them with oil and pray over them. The prayer of faith shall save the sick, God shall raise them up. They that did any sin, it shall be forgiven them. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another that you may be healed."
Now the rest on this side, when you desire, as soon as you get below that line there, that place, that aisle, you just drop right in behind. Now the elder here of the church will do the anointing and prayer. I'll pray and lay hands on the sick. And now, remember friends, you that is standing in the prayer line, this is the moment to prove that you believe what you're standing here for. You got to get well.
I believe with all my heart, that's what held my mother all this time, (and her an old woman) is because that I believe. Until He tells me... that she may be dying, but till He tells me, I'm believing she's not dying, see. And now, I know she's got to go, and she's old enough to go, and wants to go, and trying to go. But yet I'll--I'll believe He would tell me. Now I believe He'd tell me, see. Now He may not. I don't know, I don't know that He will, but I just believe He will, see. But so far He said nothing to me about it. And I believe it. And if you...

115 I don't express to the people all that He shows me, you know that. Well, yesterday I was at a certain place, and I saw a vision exactly what was going to do, and God knows that's true, and sitting right with two or three more men. And about a half hour afterwards I seen it happen, just perfectly, just exactly the way it was. I had stood there, just trembled in myself, thinking, See? May... I said, "Maybe I should have told them that was going to be that way." But I said, "Well, just let it go. See?"
And that happens daily. See? Something's going to happen; I just let it. God knows that's true. See? Just something that's going to happen, just shows it, tells it. Something will appear to me and say, "Just say this word this a way, and this thing will happen over here." And then I'll say, "Well, let it be like that." Then I watch; here it is over here. See? Yeah.
Well, if He can make objects, material, something that has no life in it, move to His Word, because we have said it, how much more can He make you and me, associate with me. You are with me; you're my--you're my brother and sister that's sick. And if we say these words, "Let the power of God heal this person," why, it's got to happen. Now, that material can't say, "No, I doubt it." It'll go ahead and do it. But you can say, "Well, I wonder," and it won't happen. See? But if you'll just go ahead and just stay right in line with your thought now, "I'm going to be healed." You've got to have it. You believe in that?

116 Now, let's all pray. Our heavenly Father, laying hands upon this young woman, this young mother standing here, that suffers with this bad cold. Let the... [Gap in the audio--Ed.]
So I pray that You will heal the people these handkerchiefs lays upon. Grant their requests to them. In the Name of Jesus Christ, I ask it. Amen.

117 In deeply appreciation of your stay, and your loyalty to stay all this time, and to wait in the church like this, while we're... But I don't know a better place to be, do you, than in the church? I just don't know of a better place to be. And the consolation that we have in the respects that God, of Him being present now.
And we just, for a moment, let's just think of how great He is, and what He's done for us. What could we have done without Him? How we have seen Him, just not one thing has He ever told us through the... He had give me visions. And I bring you to question, this morning, have you ever seen one but what He fulfilled? Just exactly what He said He'd do, right at the moment. Then He's God. Then He's our Father. He loves us. And wherever His heaven is, we know we're bound to go there someday. We know He's present here now. We realize that.

118 We--we look at things that we don't see. Now, many of you was prayed for, and (See?), as we just refuse any symptoms of any thing contrary to that... See? Anything that God has promised... See, the Christian does not look... You do not see with your eyes anyhow. You know that. You do not see with your eyes. You see with your heart. See? "Seeing" means, "to understand." You understand with your heart; therefore, we look at things that our eyes does not see. See? The Christian confession, the whole armor of Christianity is based upon that. We--we look at things that we do not see, for Abraham called those things which were not, as though they were, because he believed God. See?
Now, what do we do now? Now, when you're prayed for like that, then God promised to heal you. Then right now you may not feel a bit of difference, but He never... That--that isn't it at all. See? We believe it anyhow.

119 If you only knew, I come to the pulpit about two hours ago and I didn't think that I'd go half way through the meeting almost. I was so tired and worn, and felt like I was taking the flu, but now I feel fine because that I said, "I am duty bound to God. I believe God." And I had to fight with him. My wife there could tell you the same, in trying to get down here this morning, and I was hoarse in my throat and everything. I said, "How will I be able to do it?" But, honestly, I feel wonderful now. And I--I believe I could take my text and go ahead and preach, and that--and feel fine.
But because, you see, you've got to look at those things that you don't see with your eyes. You see it with your heart. You believe it, and you testify to those things that you don't see, but what you believe. Because it is faith. "And faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

120 I've watched, this morning, a young Christian that's been setting here before me, And I know a decision that that person made. And I certainly appreciate it. I wouldn't say who it was, but I--I appreciate a--a decision that this certain Christian, regardless of even to whether it would be an associate, a friend, father or mother, or whatever it was, they long to stand loyal to Christ. See?
That's the way you win a loved one, is by being loyal. Being loyal is the way you win loved ones. Stay to your conviction. Be sure that you're right with God, and then ever remain there. Just stay right with it. Nothing can ever move you from it if you'll just stay right with it.

121 Now, we are all going to make mistakes. Just remember. And when you're looking at one another, don't look at the other person's mistake. See, don't do that, because, remember, you make mistakes too. But look to Christ Who is guiding this person. And if they need some help, then you pray for them. That's--that's the way we get along (See?), pray. And remember, when you are praying for somebody else in that kind of a fix, God will honor and heal you when you're praying for somebody else. That's right. That's what Christianity is based upon, to help one another, do for one another, be kind to one another, understanding to one another. Now, if you see your neighbor's mistake, you see where they've went wrong, don't go wrong with them, but just pray for them. Just keep praying, and God will understand that. He'll make everything right.

122 Now, I'm hoping to, if it be the Lord's will, I think Billy has got a system, he mails everybody a card. And if mama gets along all right this week; as far as we know now, we're not sure, but if mother gets along all right this week, and everything, next Sunday I--I want to speak on a--a Gospel message. If that's all right with our--with our precious pastor here. And we'll be expecting you back if you can... If you can come, we'd be glad to have you.
Do you love Him with all your heart? Isn't He wonderful? What could we do without Him? Now, just what could you do? Could you tell me anything that would be greater? If you can show me something greater than that, then I'll--I'll--I'll sell out what I got, and long for that that you show me that's greater than This. Yes, sir. This is the greatest thing that I know of, to know with the assurance that we are saved, to know that the very God that made the heavens and earth would humble Himself and come down and dwell among us, and do for us.

123 Now, here is how we know whether we are right or not (See?), because that the very thing that He did in the beginning with those Christians back there, the very church, the very operation, the way the Holy Spirit moved, and the way the devil fought against them, and the way they stood, that's the same thing that takes place right here, with the same signs, the same wonders, the same God, the infallible proof of Him.
Tell me, in the word of science, tell me in scientific way, how that anyone could foretell something that would happen in the years or times to come, before it happened. Show me the power, that where it would be, that would foreknow it before it happened. Tell me any human mind that could drop back through anything that you want to, and show me any way that you could see something and foretell something that happened just the way it--it does. See? There isn't.

124 So, He is God. See, He is God. And because He is God, through His grace He comes and dwells with us, and just like He did with them men back there who foretold these things, and every one of them happened just the way they was foretold. Now, that same God is with us, foretelling and showing just exactly the same things He did back there. Why, we should be so happy, we'd be skipping like from cloud to cloud, like that, just walking through space, almost, because that we know.
We know that we have passed from death unto Life. We know that we have salvation. We know that we are Christians. And we know that we're going to heaven, because God made the promise, and here He is moving right along with us in--in a way that we see Him.

125 We see Him. How do I see Him? When I see you. You see Him in me; I see Him in you. See, I see what He does for you. Now, here I see Him here reveal the Word to me. You say, "How can you see Him in me?" Well, look, He is here revealing the Word to me. I see It out there, Him giving It to you, and you keeping It. See? And then you look back, and you say, "How'd he, how'd that ever come?" Then you come back, find out that's right. See? So you see Him in me; I see Him in you.
And we can see Him in the sunrise. We can see Him in the sunset. We can see Him in the flowers. We can see Him in the... We can see Him anywhere, because that we have passed from the lower elements of this earth-bound condition, into this high element of the glory of God, so we can see His beauty.
A few days ago, when I was up on this trip, up in--in on the Alaskan Highway, when I went on a hunting trip, I was back there wondering, "Why? Why?" Watch how--how real God is. Now, there's sick people everywhere, but yet God knowing.

126 Now, tomorrow I'm supposed to leave, Brother Roy back there, and all of us, we're supposed to leave tomorrow for Colorado, for our... going hunting each fall where we... I've come in from the meetings, to go. I can't go, because of mama, mama's condition.
Now, look at the kindness of the Holy Spirit. He knew that a long time ago. So instead of letting me go, He turned around and gave me a vision and sent me up there, and give me one of the hunting trip that I couldn't get in Colorado (See?), ' cause them animals are not in Colorado like that. Turned around, and gave me that by a vision, and let me have that, knowing that He'd have to keep me away on this trip up there to Colorado. Talk about goodness and mercy. Then why? Then a long time ago He knew my mother was going to suffer. He knew my mother would be in the hospital. If He permits it, then He's doing it for some good purpose that I know nothing about. But I know it's all working together for good to them that loves the Lord.
If we'd just stop once in a while, church, and see our God... Just stop yourself and get away from your flusterations, and stand still a few minutes in the Presence of His Spirit, and you can just see Him moving everywhere. See how good He is?

127 Now, there lays mama, and me wondering about her. Why didn't He just let her go when she had the stroke? Why didn't she just die right then? But, see, Him knowing that ahead of time, and knowing that I'd promised to... I was going out into Colorado, and know that I love to get in the woods like that, He just turned around and give me a better one, sent me up there, and told me what I was going to get, and everything about it, 'fore I even left; told me how the people would be dressed, and what we'd do, and all about it. Then I come, told you all. Then he goes up and see it happen, come back, just exactly the way it is. Exactly, see, knowing that mama would be out there, know that she--she'd be broke down at this time, and I wouldn't be able to take this other trip. See? We wouldn't under... I didn't understand it myself then. But if you just yield yourself to Him and watch Him, He just leads everything just exactly right. See? He makes it all come out just right, step by step.

128 The other day I was standing by a young minister that'd had some dreams, and he brought the dreams to me. When the interpretation come, we stood there, Billy and I and this minister, stood there together. There it was. Why, it was just as perfect as it could be. And how that man stood there with--with--with awe, and how to see the Holy Spirit could reveal those things, and bring him right straight back and show exactly on the road and where it's supposed to do it. Oh, I tell you; He's God. He--He dwells... He's God.

129 So many of you people have made sacrifices. You've give up your boyfriends or girlfriends, you've give up homes, and so forth, and many of you has had to come out from amongst associates and friends, and things, and old friends that you've knowed a long time, to walk in the way of the Lord. I commend you for that. I think that's wonderful to do that. Now, because that you have seen the Gospel Light, and it is the truth, and you're--you'll walk in that Light. And whatever you do, children, whatever you do, wherever you go, shun the appearance of evil and walk after Christ. As long as you live, stay right on that road. Don't move from it, it'll certainly pay off good. It's Eternal Life.

130 And I see mama when--whenever she... A few minutes she can get to herself. I say, "Mama, mama, do you hear me?" Sometimes she just laying there, she won't. Then after awhile she'll say, "uh," shake her head like that. I'll say, "You..." I said the other night; I said, "Mama, you know me?" She didn't know me. I said, "You know who this is standing here." No, she didn't know that. I said, "Mama, you know Jesus?" And... Oh, my. Might forget her own child, but she can't forget Jesus. That's it. Oh, brother.
You don't know what that means till you have to come to your own family, down to that. You see? To know Him is Life. To know Him is the satisfaction of knowing that when this life's race is run, we got a home beyond the skies yonder. What it is, I don't know. I don't know just how to tell you it would be, 'cause I don't know, myself. But I know that someday by God's grace we'll journey over there.

131 Pray for me this week. I'm needing it. And now, you pray for me; I'll be praying for you. The Lord willing, being willing, I'll meet you next Sunday. And remember tonight's service. Possible, if I don't have to set up tonight, or anything, and be out there with mama, I'll probably be back with you tonight.
And now, Brother Neville, our precious pastor, come up here. How I certainly... There's--there's no one here but home folks, you know. We're just all what we call home folks. I appreciate Brother Neville's stand for this Gospel truth. I appreciate his loyalty and sincerity before the people. And the other day when he was speaking, I had never noticed it, but while he was under inspiration, giving prophecy, he called me a prophet, under inspiration. That wasn't him calling me that then, that was the Holy Spirit. So that give me courage and faith to move on, deeper depths and higher heights with God. I appreciate you, Brother Neville. God ever bless you. And till I see you again, God be with you.

Questions and Answers

You can find this sermon at ChurchAges.net

1 Good evening, friends, it's nice to be here tonight. And I ... the way this kind of all fell upon me, was because that I was thinking this morning of my brother, and how that I know what two services a day means.
And I had a little s... in my throat. I preach a lot. And then as soon as I get into the city, this valley, the little palate back here from some kind of they call it... This here climate here in the valley, it just keeps that swollen so bad I just have to keep swallowing all the time while I'm here in the valley. And I get away, couple days, it's gone. Come back, she drops back down again.

2 And I kind of had a feeling for Brother Neville, knowing that we just maybe a little further up the road than what some of you young fellows are, and so we're looking the other way. So we kind of feel for each other, and that much more as the days begin to approach, the evil days coming nigh. And then knowing that we're going away now, right away, the Lord willing.
And I thought, you know, Brother Boze is to be here next Sunday evening, I believe. Did you get that? Yes, next Sunday evening, he's got a film he wants to show, on his missions from overseas where... He had a dream that come to him many years ago, about coming to Chicago. And the poor little fellow felt all tore up one time, said his message had never been fulfilled. And I explained it to him how that the Lord had already fulfilled. Then he got it.

3 So then the Lord gave him another dream. And then when the interpretation come, told him where to go and what to do. And he went over there and, my, oh, my, to Kenya and Tanganyika and Uganda, and those nations in there, it's just marvelous what the Lord has done for them in their missions. And he wants to show the picture, just to show what the Lord is doing amongst those people, the African tribes in there. The Lord willing, in January, I want to join him there in them, amongst those tribes, for a meeting just before I go down into Rhodesia and South Africa again.

4 And, then ... that's this coming Sunday night, so remember, now. And pray hard for Brother Joseph, he's been a nice little brother. I've appreciated him very much, his fellowship and so forth.
Then, this coming next week, we leave then to ... for up in Southern Pines, and then down in Columbia, South Carolina; and then from there to the Cow Palace, the West Coast, then on up into Grass Valley; and over to the World Fair, and back to Oregon again; then up in British Columbia, and so forth, on and on until late this fall. Then we hope, this fall, the Lord willing, to have some more meetings here, if the Lord provides.

5 Then I thought, before I left, it'd be a good thing to kind of ask a few questions. You know, you find out what's on the hearts of the people when you ask questions. And so then I thought, you know, tonight, to just kind of have a little heart-to-heart talk with the little flock, of the people here, just talk to you out of our hearts. Sometimes I think that does more good than preaching a sermon, just kind of understand one another better.
We're grateful to God for what we have seen Him do this week in answer to prayer, it's been very outstanding. And so we are grateful, just so grateful.
And we see the time and the end time approaching, knowing that something's fixing to happen. There's no one but what knows that's true, if he's a thinker. We know, we looked for that through the ages, each one has watched it. But, you know, there's too much happening now. We know that it's right ... can't be far away. And now maybe I'd speak on some of that in a few moments.

6 But let's now, to start off, just bow our heads for a word of prayer. And while our heads are bowed, I wonder if there is something in our hearts, that we would like to be remembered in prayer before God. If it would be, just raise up your hand. He'll understand, He knows all about it. Just some request that you'd like to say, "God, remember me." The Lord bless each one of you.

7 Our heavenly Father, as we come tonight approaching that throne of grace, which Thou has so graciously bid us to come boldly before the throne of God and His grace, to ask any petition that we would have need of. You told us if we would be as many as two or three would gather together and assemble in Your name, that You would be in the midst of us. And then whatever we desired, if we asked it, we should receive it if we'd only believe that we would receive it.
Thou knowest the conditions of the day and the conditions of the church and of the people, and our requests before Thee. You've seen the hands, Lord. You know the hearts of the people, and their desires and their needs. And we see the time is approaching, it's closely gathering in now, the great clouds settling down. Things that the prophets spoke of many hundreds of years ago, we see has never happened till this time, and here we see it right in our days.

8 Now we pray, Father, that You will grant to us these blessings that we ask. Heal the sick and the afflicted. Restore unto Thy church, Lord, living power of the Holy Spirit, living faith that what we ask for we believe. We believe that we receive it because we are sure that it's the will of God to give it to us before we ask. We're not asking amiss, we're asking for the kingdom of God's sake, so we pray that You will grant it to us.
Bless our gathering together, our pastor, the workers of the church, every person, the members of the body of Christ that's present. Those who are not members of the body of Christ, looking today for shelter somewhere, buying a bomb shelter for the back yard, God, may they come under the sheltering protection of the Lord Jesus, knowing that when this life is finished there is life beyond this. Thank You for the promise.
Give unto us the answer of these questions tonight, that we might satisfy every heart with Thy Word. For we ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.

9 Approaching the coming of the Lord, what a great assurance it is!
I was speaking a while ago, someone said something about insurance, I was with the Businessmen not long ago in one of their conventions, an international convention. I just attended one, regional. I speak for the Full Gospel Businessmen, worldwide. And then this convention being on the West Coast, and, oh, the celebrities sitting there from all over the world, so dressed and dignified. One of them said to me, "I heard somebody call you 'Reverend.'"
I said, "Yes, sir."
Said, "You're a preacher?"
I said, "Yes, sir."
He said, "What you doing with these businessmen?"
I said, "I am a businessman."
"Oh?" Said, "What kind of business you in?"
I said, "Assurance."
He misunderstood me, he thought I meant insurance. So he said to me, he said, "What company are you with?"
I said, "The Heavenly Company."
He said, "I don't believe I know that one." Said, "What kind of an insurance you sell?"
I said, "I never said 'insurance,' I said 'assurance.' "
Said, "What do you mean?"
I said:
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchased of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood."
So, that night when I was being introduced for the telecast, I told it. And I said, "Now, I have policies here if any of you people here or out over the country, that's interested in a policy, I'd like to talk it over with you right after the service." Assurance, blessed assurance!

10 Now, I thought, in asking these questions, that it might give me a little approach to your thought. I got two. As I come in the door Billy said there was more, but, of course, I didn't get a chance to look them over. And I want to be sure that I'm Scripturally right before I answer it, because you want it to be that way, or before I answered it. So maybe I can hold those back for some other time. Now, one of ... And in answering these questions now, remember, I'm just doing the best that I can.
I don't answer questions out in the services. I tried it one time and got in trouble. They misunderstood me. It was about Mr. Allen, or about the evidence of blood and oil and so forth, in hands and face, being the evidence of the Holy Ghost. I said, "Well, I don't know about that," I said, "I never seen anything of it in the Scripture." I said, "But I believe that I ... could preach like this, brother, I wouldn't lay upon sensations, I'd just preach the gospel," and went on.

11 And so they got a letter, internationally, "Dear Brother Branham ..." so it went everywhere. And they just misunderstood it. And we sent them the tapes and let them play it over and see ... said that I condemned the man. I did not. I never condemned any brother. Sometimes I can disagree with them, but that's on friendly basis.
And then here not long ago a man wrote a book about this man, about, "Biting of Devils." Then I thought it'd be a time maybe to pay up or to let him know. And the man that wrote the book had criticized every evangelist on the field but me, and he was sitting right in my meeting, so I said, "I appreciate, not the criticism, but," I said... The brother, frankly, he complimented it on "Christian Digest," he said that I was one who never taken up offerings and begged people for money and so forth like that, and he appreciated it. And the man sitting there. But a chance that I knowed that the man had said something about Brother Allen that wasn't right.
He said, "A. A. Allen wrote this book of "Biting of Devils."
Now, A. A. Allen never wrote that book. I knowed the writer of that book. And I said, "Now, if the man who wrote it wasn't sincere enough to go out and check up to see who wrote it before he criticized Brother Allen, I kind of believe some of his other criticism is not due these brethren," see. And the man sitting right there taking up for me. But it was just let him know that his statement was wrong, you see, that Brother Allen never wrote that book, "Biting of Devils."

12 Now, in answering these questions, they are the best of my knowledge. And I'll try to answer them by the Scriptures.
Now, the first one is found, I believe, in I Corinthians, the 7th chapter and the 15th verse. So now we will try to go over to that Scripture and see what it looks like, and see if we can help this precious person who's asking the question. Now, I Corinthians, 7th chapter, 15th verse. And I suppose the person's present now. Now here's the way it reads:
But if the unmarried depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such a case: but God has called us unto peace.

13 QUESTION: Now, I Corinthians, 7th chapter, 15th verse. (Now the question they asked): " Brother Branham, does this mean a sister or a brother is free to remarry?" No.
See, you don't get his question there and what he's saying. They're not free. See, that would make a contradiction in the Scripture, and the Scriptures doesn't contradict themselves at all. See? Now, let's ... You see, like you can make the Scripture (just by reading one verse) say anything you want it to say, to fit your thought. But you've got to take the thought that they're talking on.
Like if I was talking to Brother Neville and you heard me say the word, "board."
And then you'd go away, you'd say, "You know what he's talking about? We bored him tonight," see. "No," the other fellow would say, "that's wrong, it meant that he owed a board bill, he's going to pay it." The other one say, "Oh, no, he didn't mean that, he meant the board on the side of the house." And the other fellow say, "No, I tell you what, I believe he was talking about boring a hole," see. See?
You've got to find out the conversation, then you know what you're talking about, 'cause Paul here sometime is answering back their question.

14 Sometimes they say, "The Bible contradicts itself." I want to find it. It doesn't. I'm thirty-two years behind the pulpit, I've never seen a contradiction yet, see. It doesn't contradict itself! It's you that's contradicting it, see, and not understanding it. The Holy Spirit is a revealer, the revelator of the Word. Therefore, the contradiction...
See, Paul is writing them people, saying, "You asked such-and-such a thing." Only, he isn't just saying you asked it, he's just saying that. Then here he turns around and answers them back, which is contrary to what they asked.
They asked, "We do so, and so, and so." And Paul turns around and says something else, see, looks like it's a contradiction. It's not. If you'll just read the whole verse, the whole chapter, you find out that he's trying to explain what they've wrote him.

15 Now, right here that would look like it would give... And that's the way you get contradictions in the Bible, but it isn't so. Now, it seems like, here, that the person is wanting to know, or the question what they do want to know:
"Is a brother or sister in the Lord, can marry or remarry, be free, if they leave their companion to remarry again?" No.
Now let's take ... begin at the 10th verse:
... unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord [see], Let not the wife depart from her husband: [see],
But ... if she departs, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife. [That's the commandments of the Lord, see.]
But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: [see], If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, ...
Now, watch his subject, see. And you read on down before this, on through the chapter, you find that they thought, "If we married a wife and she was ... I got married and I become a believer, and my wife wasn't a believer, let me put her away." No, no. That isn't it. You can't do that, see. See:
... If any brother has a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. [That's not because of marriage, that's because of unbelief. Not "remarry" again. See, stay with her.]
And if the woman which hath a husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. [That's right! See?]
For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.
But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart...
Now, if the unbeliever says, "I'm not going to live with you any longer, you've become a Christian." A man tells his wife, "Because you've got saved, and going to get out of the world where we was once in, I'm going to leave you." Now, there ain't nothing you can do about it, let him depart, see.

16 Or the woman say to her husband, "I'm not going to mix up with that bunch of holy rollers. I'm not going to do this! I'll separate and leave you." Don't you leave the church, you let her leave, see.
A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such case. That is, if your companion is putting you away and wants to depart, you don't have to just hold onto them. If they're wanting to leave you and they're going to leave you for the cause of Christ, let them leave. But, you can't remarry! "But God has called us unto peace," see. Now, not that you can remarry again, he's already stated that, but you don't have to live with an unbelieving husband or an unbelieving wife if they are not willing.

17 If they're willing, say "Now, you go on to church. If you want to go down there, that's your business. You want to go to your church, you go ahead. For me, I don't believe it. And I'll do anything for you, I'll not stand in your way, you go ahead." Then you just remain there, knowing not that your sanctified life will sanctify that believer, cause them to believe, see. Either side, man or woman, see.
But now just to say, "Brother Branham, I got married and my wife's an unbeliever, and here's a sister over here I can marry. I'm going to leave this one and marry that one." Oh, no! No, indeedy! Your vow is until death you separate, and there's nothing else in the world will permit you to marry (in the Bible) until your companion is dead. That's right. The only grounds! There's no remarrying nowhere at all, except a dead companion. That's all, see.

18 You can't make it contradict itself. So just read the verses before and after, and you'll catch them what he's talking about. Now, this means here, not ... see:
"Does this mean a sister or a brother is free to remarry?"
No, sir. See, he explained that first. See:
... unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:
But and if she departs, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: ... [See?]
There's no such things as any believer ever being reconciled to remarriage again, with a living companion.

19 Now, here is another one. The second is like this:
QUESTION: "What manner of body will the wicked have in the last resurrection at the great white throne judgment?"
That sinner will rise in the resurrection to be judged in the body that he has committed the sin in, see. He'll have to stand the judgment in resurrection.
Resurrection is not replacement, it's bringing up that that went down. When Jesus raised from the dead, He was the same body that went down, He raised in that same kind of a body. We rise in the same body that we go down in; it's a resurrection, not replacement.
Now, the Bible says that we will be judged according to the sins done in the body. And, when the wicked rises, he will be judged in the same body that he sinned in, the same thing.

20 QUESTION: "Adam knew his wife Eve; and" [conjunction] " she conceived, and bare Cain." I believe all you teach, but how would I answer someone who says she didn't conceive after Adam knew her, because of the conjunction 'and'? Adam knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain."
Now, we adults know what "knew" means. Now, the question is concerning the conjunction. Now, if you'll watch, friends, see, you just can't make the Bible say one thing one place and something something else. It's got to say the same thing all the time. And if you've got it saying one thing here and something else over here, then your interpretation's wrong, see. You can't do it. You can't get Eve beguiled by the serpent and then find her somewhere else beguiled again, see. And the first time she was beguiled is when she conceived. You can't make her beguiled twice.

21 Just let me show you on your conjunctions. In reading the Bible you must know where your conjunctions go. Conjunction is tying your sentence together, see. Now watch this. Now, in Genesis 1:26, watch this conjunction, and then you explain this and then I'll tell you how he ... when Adam knew his wife. Genesis, the 1st chapter, and beginning with the 26th verse. Now, listen close. God has made His creation now, and God let the earth bring forth of the creeping things and all the things that the earth brought forth. Now, in 26th chapter ... 26th verse of the 1st chapter of Genesis:
And God said, Let us make man in our own image, after our own likeness: ... let them [man ... not him; "them," see, plural] have dominion over the fishes of the sea, and over the fowls of the air, and over the cattle, and over [See the "and, and, and, tying together?] ... over the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them [both man and woman].
And God blessed them after His creation, then, and ... said unto them, Be fruitful and [and] multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: ...
Conjunction after conjunction of what... Man's to be multiplying. And, after multiplying, then subdue the earth; that's plumb into the millennium, see. All right, "Subdue the earth." All right:
... and have dominion over the fishes of the sea, and ... the fowls of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

22 Now, God created man in His own image, created, let them (the man) have dominion over all the earth, subdue it and everything, and let them do this and have dominion over the fishes of the ... and everything that He did. And then we find out, in Genesis 2:7... Listen to this. After God had done made the earth, done created man, done give him dominion over the earth, done give him everything that he's got, and God created them, told them to multiply and replenish the earth, and all these things, and after seven more verses of things that He had finished, and the heavens and earth and everything, "And the Lord God formed man out of the dust of the ground." "And!" Here He is ("and" conjunction) making a man that He's already made, see. Making a man:
And [tying His sentence together] God formed man out of the dust of the ground, and breathed [the breath] into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

23 Now, think of that! After He had done made man [woman and man] in Genesis 1:26 to 28, He made man in His own image, created him and give him ... subdued the kingdoms and give him all these powers and everything, and yet He had never created a man yet.
See, Satan had already beguiled Eve. 'Course, Adam knew her, but she was already beguiled. Because right back here, before they... When they come into the judgment, He said ... and God brought them together and said, "Who did this?" Asked them the question.
Adam said, "The woman You give me."
And the woman said, "The serpent beguiled me."
And God put a curse upon them, and everything like that. And then Adam knew his wife, see, after she was already beguiled and become a mother. Just the same as God made man way back here in Genesis 1:26 and yet he had never been formed yet, see. All right.

24 Now watch, let's get down here and read, also:
And Adam called his wife ... Eve; because she was the mother of all living things, all ... or mother of all living. Called his wife ... called the woman wife because she was ... or woman because she was ... of all living things.
And unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD ... make coats of skin to cover them.
Now, now notice in Genesis again, 1:21, God created the whales in the sea. He done everything, and made the creation, made man in His own image. Made man, not a man, whole man, all of them in His own image, see. And after the image of God created He them; male and female, created him both like that.

25 And now we find out, over here again, after He made man in His own image, after He created him over here male and female, here He makes man out of the dust of the earth.
And then, after He did that, after He done made him male and female, then He comes back here and makes a woman for him, after He had already made him, see.
See, your conjunction is tying that sentence together. Just the same as it said, now, here, "God created a man in His own image, after His likeness He created him," it's God speaking in His thoughts, in His mind, what He had. Here's where He actually done the deed.
Jesus was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world; He wasn't slain for four thousand years afterwards, see.

26 So the serpent had beguiled Eve. That's truly. Then after the judgment was set, then Adam knew his wife. And then she conceived and brought forth a son, Cain. You get it? See, the conjunction is just carrying on what Adam did, not what was done before Adam.
And look here, if you'd like to carry that out, in that great statement here, I believe we find it over here in the 4th chapter, I believe it is.
And Adam knew ... his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and [a conjunction] said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.
Then it actually wasn't Adam, it was God's son, by it, see. See? If you want to put your conjunction where it's at see, ("and" again), " I have gotten a man from God." Then saying that God give her that discriminating thing called Cain? Where did that resource of all that vile and filth and things that Cain had, coming from God? Couldn't be! See? She was beguiled by the serpent, and the serpent ... she was already become mother. Then Adam knew her, certainly he did, he went and lived with her as a wife, but she was already to be mother of this child.
And then when Adam's son finally was born, he was a gentle, sweet, humble, meek person like Adam.

27 But this fellow, where did that pure lying... Where did that sin come from? Where did this fellow, Cain, that murderer? And the Bible said that the devil is a murderer. Where did that lie come from? (The devil is the father of a lie; he's a liar and the father of a lie.) It had to come from some resource outside of God. So Cain was the evil one, and his father was Satan; and he brought forth this evil one.
And then, 'course, Adam knew his wife, certainly.
And maybe if you said like this. I might say, taking myself, well, now, Rebekah was born, and after a while come along...

28 I was reading one day the story of Joseph, and I was so thrilled at the story of Joseph. I got over in a little closet and knelt down, up there in Minneapolis, and I said, "Lord God, how I thank You for a man like Joseph!" And I thought, "If I... Wished I'd have named Billy Paul, 'Joseph,' after that great noble character." There's not one mark against him nowhere in the Bible, perfect type of Christ in every way. Thought, "How I would love..." I said, "Oh, if I had a boy, I'd name him 'Joseph.' "
And just then that light came moving into the building and said, "You'll have a son and call his name 'Joseph.' "
I knew my wife, sure, she brought forth Sarah. Then I knew my wife and she brought forth Joseph. See what I mean? See, it had nothing to do with the first. God's promise was "Joseph," Sarah come between that. Not placing Sarah in that kind of a predicament, but just to show you what I mean. See, that ... Sarah was God-sent, too. And so then we know that.

29 Now, but ... see. God, when He passed the judgment upon Adam and Eve, she'd already done the sin before He could pass the judgment. And, listen, did you ever know that the first child was ever born in the world was "born in sin, shaped in iniquity, come to the world speaking lies"? The very first one that was ever born was born that way.
You say, "What about Adam and Eve?" They wasn't born. They were created, see.
But the first child ever come was born in sin, so it has to be that line. "A man that's born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble." He's born in sin. That's the reason he has to be reborn again, see, by the Spirit; not by spiritual thought; by spiritual birth, see, that regenerates him, makes him a new creature. The first man was born was born in sin.

30 Then, there had to be one come without sex. Now, if sex wasn't the first thing, then why did they have to have one in sex to redeem the whole human race? Why didn't He just bring one down the corridors and said, "Here's the just one that thinks right"? It had to come through the sex, come through woman, because that's where it come in the first place. Through sex, brought unrighteousness; and through sex, brought righteousness, see. God, without an adultery, without sexual desire, brought forth Jesus Christ by immaculate conception, by overshadowing Mary and creating in her this baby, that come by sex. And, through that, His holy blood redeemed the whole fallen race, see. So it has to be, no other way for it.
Every man that's born of a woman is death bound, he's dead when he's born. That's right.
That's the reason I was talking the other day how that we have that blessed assurance now.

31 When Israel... I speak so many things that's got nothing to it, but sometimes the Lord gives me something and it just thrills me. So when He gave me that, it thrilled me more than anything I've ever had in years. When He gave me that the other day, when I seen that Israel (a slave) had no home, God's children. Throw in molded bread, anything they want to! Oh, if they could only have a home where they could live in peace, earn their living by the sweat of their brow!
And, one day, coming down out of the wilderness come a prophet, led by a pillar of fire, and told them of a promised land. Nobody had ever been there, they knew nothing of it. But it was a promise. Upon that they believed and followed this prophet till they got near the promised land.

32 Then there's a witness called Joshua, which means "Jehovah-saviour," crossed over Jordan into that land, and returned back with the evidence that that land was just exactly what that prophet said it was with the Word of God. They had a bunch of grapes, taken two men to pack, and they could taste the original fruit from the land. Nobody knowed the land was there, they just believed it. They walked out by faith and believed it.
Now when they inherited their land, how happy they was! Each one could live in peace, have his little garden, have his children and everything. But, yet, old age finally got him, and death cornered him and took him.
Then down from the corridors of heaven, through a woman, came another great warrior, the greatest of all of them, God Himself made manifest in the flesh, Jesus Christ. And He told Israel what a great people they had been, but death faced them, He said, "But I'm telling you of another land. In My Father's house is many mansions. If it wasn't so I would have told you. You're happy in your land, you have your homes, you have your children. But you're burying each one out yonder and it seems to be the end."

33 Job saw it, said, "If a tree dies, it lives again. But man layeth down and giveth up the ghost, where is he? His sons come to honor him and he perceives it not. Oh, that Thou would hide me in the grave, keep me in the secret place till Thy wrath be past!" He said, "If a man dies shall he live again?"
Four thousand years before that, they looked for something beyond that grave. All the great things God give them, a home, a family and children, and a church, and everything, and prophets, and great men up to this time, but yet each one died and went to his grave. But here comes one and says, "In My Father's house is many mansions, and I'll go and prepare a place for you."

34 Like Joshua, he met his Kadesh-barnea. When Israel come to Kadesh-barnea... And Kadesh was the judgment seat of the world at that time, seven springs from a big major spring, meaning judgment, like the house of God and the churches that goes out from it. And Joshua, from Kadesh-barnea, crossed over into the promised land to bring back the evidence.
Now, Jesus met His Kadesh. What was it? Judgment seat! Where was it? At Calvary, where God judged Him for the sins of the world. What did they do? He met death, the recompense of God. To reconcile sinners to God, He died the death and crossed over the river of Jordan (of death). They buried Him.
He died until the moon and stars was ashamed of themselves. He died until the earth had a nervous breakdown. It shook till the rocks run out of the mountains. It shook till the stars wouldn't shine, the moon wouldn't shine, and the sun went down in the middle of the day. He died! So dead till a Roman took a ten-pound spear and rammed it completely through his heart; water and blood. He was dead! He crossed Jordan. And they put Him in the grave and rolled a rock up against it, taken a century of men to do it. He was dead! They put a Roman seal on it.

35 But on Easter morning He come back from across Jordan, and said, "I am He that was dead; and alive again forevermore!"
Some of them said, "We see a spirit."
Said, "Feel me. Has a spirit got flesh and bones like I got?" Said, "You got anything to eat? Bring Me something." And they give Him fish and bread. And He eat it. He was a man!
What was He? Bringing back the evidence that there is a land that we're going to. What did He do? He, like Joshua, He brought the evidence of it. He said, "Now, if you want the evidence of it, 'Repent, every one of you, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the Holy Ghost.' That's the evidence that raised Me up. I'll give you the earnest of your inheritance." And then what happened? On the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit came upon the believer.
Now what do we do? Confess our sins, reckoning ourselves dead, buried with Him in baptism, raised with Him in His resurrection. What to? "Sit in heavenly places with Him." That's where we are tonight, sitting (not physically) spiritually, our minds, our thoughts, our souls are far beyond the cares of the world right now. What are we? "In heavenly places in Christ Jesus." How do we get into it? "... by one Spirit [I Corinthians, 12th chapter], by one Spirit we are all baptized by the Holy Ghost into one body of believers." The mystical kingdom of God!

36 In there we look back and seen where we used to lie and steal and cheat and smoke and do the things that's wrong. We've raised from that. We're in heavenly places. What is it? The evidence that someday we'll have a body like His own glorious body. It's the exact evidence of the resurrection, because, potentially, we are already raised with Him, potentially we've already died.
William Branham that used to live doesn't live no more, he's been dead thirty-some-odd years, now it's a new creature. Orman Neville that used to live isn't living no more, he died many years before that, this is a new creature. Orman Neville's dead, the horse racer, gambler, or whatever he was, the man that once lived is dead. I don't know, Brother Neville wasn't that; but whatever it was, he's guilty of all of it, "Guilty of the least is guilty of the whole." Ever what you were, you are a sinner, that's what you are.
And you're dead because you love the things of the world. And as long as you still love the world, no matter how much you confess to be up here, you're not up here, you're down there yet. "He that loves the world or the things of the world, the love of God hasn't entered him yet."

37 But when you raise above that the heavenly things then set your affections on things above, because you are risen with Christ and now seated together in heavenly places. Just rest assured, not a thing can harm you, not a thing. Even death itself has no ... can't do a thing to you. You're already anchored in Christ. The assurance, the earnest, the down payment's already been brought, you've accepted it. What did you do? Raise up with Him in resurrection.
Look back where I once was. Now I'm above that. Why? By His grace He lifted me up, and here I am now seated in heavenly places in Christ. Oh, my! There you are. Then the Bible becomes a new book. Then you're reading it through spiritual eyes and spiritual understanding. Then you see the nouns and pronouns, and then you see the junctions ... and conjunctions, I mean, and so forth, in the Bible.
Oh, where it says... They say, "It contradicts itself"; you're down here reading. Get up here and read it, it's all different then. You see? That's right. Sure. Sure, it means a whole new thing when you read it in the Spirit. Yes.

38 QUESTION: This other question is really not a question, it just says: "I lived many years in sin until I found the Lord. Please, Brother Branham, I have sinned again and I am not worthy to come before you in this holy place. Please tell me if I can be restored wholly again. Please help me, Brother Branham, I have a devil in me. Help me! Will you lay your hands upon me and restore me again?"
Now, there is a question, I never noticed it when I read it awhile ago. There is a question. Now, if that person is present... Let me just read it to you:
"I have lived many years in sin until I found the Lord. Please, Brother Branham ... [see]. I have sinned again and I'm not worthy to come before you in this holy place. Please tell me if I can be restored whole again." Yes.
You have not sinned, my friend, so far in God but what you could be restored. If you had sinned so far that you could not be restored, you'd never want to be restored, see. See? But as long as there is something dealing with your heart, you're still in line of restoration.
"Guilty of the least is guilty of the whole." I have sinned many times, every day every one of us do things that we don't want to do.

39 It's in our heart... You don't want to be that way or you wouldn't ask this question, see. That's itself a proof that God still is dealing with you. (You've probably gotten nervous, probably Satan telling you that you can't be restored. He's a-lying, certainly, he is.) Because look, if there is a deep calling, there's got to be a deep to respond to the call. If there's a hunger for something, that something's got to be somewhere or you would have no hunger for it, see.
As I've said lots of time. Before a fish had a fin on his back, there had to be a water first for him to swim in or he wouldn't had any fin. Before there was a tree to grow in the earth, there had to be an earth first before there was a tree, because the earth had to be first for the tree to grow.

40 Now, before there can be a creation, there has to be a creator to create the creation. See what I mean? Now, as long as you are wanting and hungering to get back to God, there's a God somewhere calling to you, see, or you wouldn't be hungering. There's a creator!
Now, if you... There is a place that you can cross where you can't get back, but when that is you're down there again in the same shape you was. It goes to show that you only fell from grace. Backsliding is not lost. I want somebody to tell me where backsliding is lost, and prove it to the Bible. Backslider is not lost, he's just out of fellowship.
Israel backslid but they never lost their covenant, they lost their praises and joy.
David lost the joy of his salvation when he took Bath-sheba, Uriah's wife, but he never lost his salvation. He never said "Restore to me my salvation.", he said, "Restore to me the joy of my salvation."

41 Oh, there's so much of this legalism today, "touch not, taste not." You don't do things legally.
I didn't come to this church tonight legally. I feel tired, I've been nervous, I'm upset, I'm wondering about something that's out before me, my heart's burning, even so much till my heart's a fluttering. I got a cramp, pain, right at this minute, just shooting back and forth, up and down through here. Weak, nervous, trembly; catch a hold here and squeeze; got my toes squeezed up in my shoes. I felt anything but come down here. Why did I come, then? Because I love God. Live or die, I must stand here for Him. It's not because I have to. He wouldn't care about whether I did or not. If I die I'd go to heaven, anyhow. But I'm coming because I love Him. You serve God because you love Him, not because you just got to do it. Because you love Him enough!

42 I'm not true to my wife because I'm afraid she'd divorce me. I'm true to her because I love her. There's no other woman in the world but her. That's the reason I'm true to her. Not because... If I done a mistake and they thought I did something wrong, come to her, say, "Meda, honey, I didn't mean to do that." She'd forgive me for it, I know she would. I'd forgive her; I love her. But I'd forgive her; she'd forgive me. But I wouldn't do it for nothing, I love her too much to do it. It isn't because I didn't think she would forgive me, it's the idea that I love her too much to do it in the first place. And as long as I love her like that, I'll never do it; and if she loves me the way she's supposed to, she won't either.
And you love the Lord with all your heart, you don't have to worry about these things. If you make a mistake, you don't sin willfully, you just done something wrong. See, you've slipped back. True, you was up here in fellowship, you've dropped back down in this muss down here again.

43 But what is it? It's just like an eagle. One time I saw ... up here at Cincinnati Zoo, I took Sarah and was going down there. If anything I seen that hurt me, is to see something penned up.
I just can't stand to see anything in a cage, even little birds. And I know you women have them little birds, you turn them out.
When I was a little boy I used to say, "If ever I get a chance, when I get to be a man, I'll slip in every house and turn them poor little guys loose." Yes, sir. I said... Sitting up there in the hot sun, and them say, "Hh, hh, hh," and the woman out somewhere on the back porch smoking a cigarette, and that poor little bird sitting there burning up, he can't do nothing about it, he just has to sit there. And he wasn't born for that! I thought, "Boy, if I could slip up there and let him out, he wouldn't be there very long," see.

44 I hate to see anything penned up. I hate to see a man calls himself Christian then penned down by some kind of a church creed, "I can't say, 'Amen.' I can't believe in that. The pastor says, 'Don't believe it.' " Oh, my, goodness! You're born free.
Then how about a big eagle? He's a heavenly bird. He lives way and above the clouds. That's where he goes of a morning way so high, nothing else can follow him! Not another bird ... he would disintegrate in the air if he tried to follow him. He's a special-made bird.
And then somebody had caught him in a man-made trap, had caught this big eagle and put him in this cage. And the poor old fellow... I looked at him and my heart just burned. He looked at that side like that and he didn't know how to get out of that cage. He would just get across there, and he knowed how he'd take off, and he'd start flopping his wings. And here he'd go, he'd bang his head up against the bars and beat the feathers out of his arm, wing feathers here, and all across his head, till it was bleeding. He'd hit that bar so hard it'd knock him plumb back on his back. And he'd lay there and roll them weary-looking eyes, look up towards that sky, "There's where I belong. There's my home. There's where I was born for. But, looky, between me and there is a cage. Well, the only thing I know, I put my mind to it and here I come," and "bang," he'd go right back again.

45 I thought, "Oh, my, isn't that terrible! I wish they'd sell him to me. I'd pawn my Ford to buy him, see, just to turn him loose," see. Oh, it made me feel so bad, that poor big bird there, beat the feathers ... I thought, "That's the most horrible sight I ever seen."
No, I take it back, the most horrible sight I ever seen is a man born to be a son of God and then penned up in some creed. And he looks up there and sees a God that he really wants to serve, but he just can't do it. They won't let him do it, see, penned up. That's a horrible thing.

46 Yes, yes, sister, brother, ever who wrote this, if you have fallen down here that don't mean you're lost. You're just an eagle got into a pen, that's all. You're caged-up down here in sin again. You don't want to be there, that's the reason you're looking upward. There you are, "O Brother Branham, I once lived up there. Is there a way here?" Yes.
Reminds me of one day (oh, a little boy) I was walking around behind the farm, and there was ... somebody had tied an old crow to keep him out of the corn. And that poor old fellow was just about starved to death. I couldn't be that mean to do that. He tied the old crow by the foot, and the old fellow had eat everything was around, he couldn't get nothing else and the farmer had just left him. And he was so poor that he couldn't even get up. And the crows would fly over and say, "Caw, caw, caw." In other words, say, "Come on, Johnny Crow! Wintertime is coming, let's go south!" But he couldn't do it, he was tied.

47 So one day a certain fellow come by and seen that poor old crow, so he just went over and caught him and untied him, said, "Go on, boy, you're free," see. And so then, the first thing you know, he kept walking around.
Here come the crows over, hollering, "Come on, Johnny Crow! Caw, caw, caw! Let's go south, the winter is coming. You're going to freeze to death."
If he could look back, say, "Can't do it." See, he had been so used to being tied, see, he just thought he was still tied.
You may think you're tied, too, brother, sister, that wrote this question. You may think the devil has got you tied down there, but he's lying. There was one time a man come to earth, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, He untied you. Don't you believe it; you don't have to stay down there. No, sir. You're free. That's right. He died in your place to take away your sins. You just believe on Him, flop your wings and fly away with the rest of them. Don't stay in that pit of the devil. No, sir.

48 "Now, will you lay hands upon me and free from that?"
Sister dear or brother dear, sure, I'd lay hands on you, but that wouldn't free you. What would free you, is to understand that you're already free. You're already untied. You don't have to worry about being free, you're already free! Jesus made you free. Be not again entangled in the yoke of bondage. You're free as you can be. You don't have to be tangled up. Laying my hands on you is just a tradition. We might do that. That, why, I could do that, but that still wouldn't set you free until you accept what He done for you; that's just me saying "Lord, I believe it."

49 Well, you just lay your hands by faith upon Him, say, "Lord, I believe it," up you come. That's right, confess your sins. See, "He that hides his sins will not prosper, covers his sins. But he that will confess his sins..." There's where you get freedom and justification, when you're willing to say "I've sinned, I'm wrong." That's what you said here:
"I have fallen, I've sinned. I'm dead wrong! Is there a chance for me to be whole again?"
Absolutely! The minute that you desire it, that shows that God dropped a lifeline down to pick you up. Just rise up on His lifeline of faith and prayer, move right on up into the rest of the eagles like that, go flopping away. That's right.

50 Yes, laying on of hands, that's a great thing, I believe in that. I believe in laying on of hands, I sure do. But that isn't what does it. I could lay hands upon the people, week in and week out, and still it would do no good until you accept what Christ did for you. That's only my sanction, laying hands. They laid hands on the elders. They did those things, it was their sanction before God that they give their faith to it, they give their belief to it, see. Sometimes, just like things...
I am so misunderstood so many times. I have ... last night. I'm halting between opinions, and I don't know just which way to turn. I'm ... myself, I am between opinion, I don't know what to do. I hope this is just the church natural, or the church spiritual sitting here, rather, I don't guess they're recording this so I'll just say what I want to.

51 I wanted a little heart-to-heart talk with you, and I believe I'll just take it, anyhow. I had a note wrote here with a scripture, whether... If I didn't, I was going to speak on "The End-time Evangelism," what the end-time evangelism is. Maybe I'll save that for another day. I'd like to talk to you from my heart, just from the bottom of my heart.
I'm between opinions, I don't know just which way to turn. I want your prayer. This little coaxing in here, on these things, was just getting the opportunity to talk to you a few minutes. Something else I want to tell you, see. I realize that we're real close to something. Now, don't misunderstand me, don't do it, see.

52 A man come to me the other day and made me feel real bad. (I thought, "Surely I haven't been that loose in teaching," see.) He said, "Brother Branham, in about so many days I'm supposed to be operated on, next fifteen, twenty days." Said, "Do you think Jesus will be here? I won't even have to have that operation," see. You see, you misunderstand it. Don't do that! See, don't do that. Jesus may not come for another five thousand years. I don't know. He may be here yet tonight. He may come tomorrow. I don't know when He's coming, nobody else knows. Frankly, He don't even know Himself. That's what He said. Nobody knows.
But did you know Paul looked for Him to come every day? John, on the Isle of Patmos, thought he would live to see it. Irenaeus thought sure He was in his days. All the rest of them, Polycarp, St. Martin, all down through the age. Luther thought, "Surely that's it!" Wesley said, "This is the time." Charles Finney, John Knox, Calvin, Spurgeon, every one of them said, "This is the time!" Billy Sunday, on down to this day here, everyone, "This is the time!"

53 We're looking for it. We don't know when the time is. I'm believing it's this time, and I want to hold the torch light up. And listen, catch this right! I want to live each moment of my life that I'm looking for Him the next moment, but I want to carry on like it would be ten thousand years from now. I still want to sow seeds, reap the harvest. I want to preach the gospel, carry on just as I always did. On like that, with my eyes up, watching; pulling the cradle of the ... getting the sheaves, the grain. And then the next year I'll sow my crop again, "Lord, I thought You would be here last year, but if You're not, You may come this year. So I'll put my crop in to raise my children. If You tarry, they'll have something to eat; if You don't, I'll be looking for You." There you are, see, just carry on just normally.

54 If I thought He was coming in the morning, tonight I'd preach the same message I'm preaching now. If I thought He was coming in the morning, I wouldn't go out and sell my car, I wouldn't go do this, that, or the other. I'd just go right on as I ordinary went, because every moment I'm watching for Him to come. 'Cause He might come just for you, it might be your hour it might be tonight. Maybe it's my hour tonight. I don't know. But one of them is going to be our hour.
And what difference does it make if I am living here or I am buried out yonder? For if I am already paid the penalty of death, I'll be there before any man that's a-living. That's right. "I say this ... [II Thessalonians, 5th chapter], I say this to you in the commandments of the Lord. We which are alive and remain to the coming of the Lord shall not hinder [or prevent] those that are asleep. For the trumpet of God shall sound, and the dead in Christ shall rise first [the privilege of those that are dead will come forth first. That's how we know that it's at the hand, see.], Then we which are alive and remain shall be changed, in a moment, twinkling of an eye, and shall be caught up together with them, to meet the Lord in the air."
So what difference does it make if I died in the time of Noah, if I died in the time of Abraham, if I died in the time of apostles, if I died two weeks ago, or right now? What difference would it make? I'll be there in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, I'm only resting until that time.

55 Now, the gathering will be unto the Lord. As Jacob, in the 49th chapter, he said, "When Shiloh comes, and the gathering will be unto Him. There'll not be a lawgiver go until ... from between the feet, until Shiloh come," speaking of Judah, "and to Him shall the gathering be."
Now, so many people are looking for a church, a great group of people to be caught up together, a church, a denomination, some creed something to be caught up. That's not it. That's not it at all.
The gathering of the people, when God calls His flock together, He may take two out of Jeffersonville, two out of Indiana, two out of Kentucky, two out of Mississippi. That's exactly what He said; not them words, but He said, "There'll be two in a field," that's where the daylight's at, "I'll take one and leave one. There'll be two in the bed," the other side of the earth is nighttime, "I'll take one and leave one," see.

56 The gathering of the people will be not clannish, for a group here. It'll be a universal resurrection gathering together, and the rapture will come the same way. Because He said, "When one fell asleep in this watch, one in that watch, one in ... on down to the seventh watch. And then when the bridegroom come, all of them awakened, everyone, all the way from the time of Genesis until the end of Revelation. Every one of them awakened, that's right, to get ready to go in."
Now, you see, He shows that all the dead will rise forth from the grave, at His coming, the righteous, the bride, the sleeping ones that's in the grave will rise at the resurrection. Then He shows that the people that are living on earth, it'll be one here and one there, it will not be a bunch of people gathered together in a little group. "For there will be one in the field, or two in the field, I'll take one and leave one," there comes one of the church out of daylight. On the other side of the earth, "There'll be two in bed, I'll take one and leave one." Is that right?

57 So the gathering will be unto Christ whether I am in Jeffersonville, whether I am in Sweden, whether I am ... and wherever it is, the gathering will be unto the shepherd, see. And then together we'll be caught up with the resurrection to meet the Lord in the air. People will be coming from all parts of the earth, that's living. People that's dead, and so forth, will rise. And together the church will be caught up (together) to meet the Lord in the air, see.
His coming will be universal. It will not be just coming to Louisville. It will not be just coming to the Baptist, to the Presbyterian. It'll be "the pure in heart shall see God," in the resurrection and the gathering shall be from everywhere.
And now, when is it coming? Maybe tonight, maybe tomorrow, maybe this year, maybe fifty years, maybe a hundred years, maybe another thousand years. I don't know nobody else knows. But let's us, you and I, live tonight like it was going to be yet tonight.

58 But now, in doing like you say, "I have an operation." Well, if you have to have an operation, you haven't faith for deliverance, go ahead and have your operation.
If I was going to buy a... Someone come and wrote me a note the other day, and said, a great letter, and said, "Brother Branham, I don't know what to do." Said, "Me and my wife have been so faithful to God as we could be. We've raised our children." And said, "Now, what I am wondering," said, "we have saved up a farm---bought a farm." Said, "How we love it! There's a spring there; there's a creek runs through the place." It was out in Oregon. And said, "We hear that you are coming to Oregon. I'll tell you what we've decided to do. We know that ... We thought we would save it up for the children, 'cause none of them are Christians." Said, "We thought we'd save it up for them as they have to stay here to go through the tribulation, and save it for them and let them have something, for we believe that we'll be in the rapture. Therefore we don't know what to do about that, so perhaps when you come we'll just turn the farm over to you, see, and then you can do with it whatever you want to."
I wrote back, I said, "How thoughtful it is of you to think of your children."
Said, "Me and mother goes out there of a evening." Said, "I'm ready to retire, and" said, "the pleasureous hours we have, crossing over the farm, looking at the spring, and standing out there praising God."
I said, "Continue to do that, live just like that way, physically, materially. Just keep on keeping on until He arrives. See, just keep on staying here, keeping on till He arrives."
Plan, go ahead, make that, "If the Lord willing! If the Lord willing! I'll do this, if the Lord willing." He may come before that time. [Gap in the audio.] But just keep on going on just like you are until ... But keep your soul trimmed, that He might come at any minute. See, be ready. For, you see, He might come for you any minute, any second, the next heart beat, the next breath, He may come for you. But just continue on doing whatever you want to, as long as it's true and decent and upright, go ahead and do it.

59 Now, we know that we're facing something. I know it; you know it. I don't know which way to turn. You remember about four years ago, in Chicago one day, the Spirit of the Lord came upon me and I said, "This is it! And the revival is over, and America has turned down her opportunity." It's on tape. "And there won't be no more. Her last opportunity she's turned down."
I want you to watch. Does anybody know what day that was on the tape? We've got it. Leo and Gene's got it. I heard it here not long ago. Boze put it in his paper. And so just watch what's happened since then, see, the revival has stopped.

60 I said that over at Blue Lake the other night, and a little fellow got back up the next morning, said, "Brother Branham might say the Pentecostals has had it, but not me! Glory to God! Hallelujah," and on. See, but the little fellow just didn't know which end of the horn he was blowing from. See, he doesn't understand. See, he doesn't know. It's all right, enthused, that's perfectly all right.
But look around! What are they doing? What's the matter with the people? What's happened to the revival? What's happened to Billy Graham, Oral Roberts, the rest of them? Where is the revival going on? It's finished! The smoke is done settled up. The seeds are sowed. The meeting is over. The fires are burnt down. (In the old temple of Rome, in Vesta, when the fires went out the merchants went home, at the altars.) Now, we see the revival is not on. It isn't the enthusiasm.

61 Then I think about the river in 1936, I think what He said. What happened there? Many of you know. I was just a boy, and baptizing my first baptism when that Angel of the Lord came down and stood over where I was at. Some people said, "You didn't see it." Then science proved that it was so, see. See?
Now, what did He say there? "As it was, as John the Baptist was sent forth to forerun the first coming of Christ, your message will forerun the second coming."
I've watched that across the earth, around the world it went. Just almost overnight, revivals broke out everywhere. Revival fires was burning everywhere, there's been the greatest revival we've ever knowed of. But was there anything before that? Not a thing! When two weeks before that, I heard a man make a speech in New Albany, said, "People used to believe that ballyhoo of revival, like Billy Sunday and them." Said, "We know that there cannot be no more of that, people wants concrete evidence. There's no such a thing!" When they was making that big ballyhoo, at the same time God blast forth the greatest revival we had since the early centuries, more people has been saved, millions.

62 Statistics shows that a man's message lasts three years, any of them, then he lives upon his reputation the rest of the time till God calls him. Now, that's been since Christ, His was three-and-a-half, see. And shows that all down, Spurgeon, Knox, Calvin, all the way down, it shows three to three-and-a-half years is the limit for a man's ministry. The rest of it... His candle's burnt, he lives on his past reputation. If he's been evil, his works follow him; if he's been right, his works follow him. That's all.
Now, what did that mean? I've been preaching to this church here and telling you that "I believed there was a great one coming." I believe and have told you that "I believe that the Scriptures support that there will be a messenger of the last church age." I believe that. I've looked for that person to appear, I've watched constantly.

63 I see a man rise up, I hear of him, a great man start sweeping, I notice his message it's far off the Bible. I see him fly back over in a corner, see. I watch another one raise up, fly up yonder, but he doesn't get amongst the eagles, he stays amongst the denominational crows. Stays down here, his organization, and another one bring in more membership and so forth. I watch it, I see it die down.
I think, "God, where is that one that's going to restore the faith of the fathers to the children? Where is them seeds going to be planted? Where's it at? What's to take place?"

64 Now it comes to this. If that message down on the river that day, if that was it, the coming of the Lord is at hand, it's about here. If it isn't, there's a lull before the storm. I don't know. He hasn't revealed it to me. I'm trying to wonder, "Was that His official message? Was that what all He wanted me to say? Was that when He commissioned? Is that all of it? If it is, we are real, real near. It's later than you think. If it wasn't, there's a lull before a storm.

65 Now, someone wrote me here not long ago, and asked me, said, "If you do not believe that the church goes through the tribulation period, how about Revelation 13, how they overcome by the blood of the Lamb and their testimony?" The person asked that question. I wondered. Do you realize that the first three chapters of Revelation deals with the church in the church age? That's the tribulation period, not the church age; the church raptures and goes up at the 4th chapter of Revelation, never comes again till the 19th chapter when it comes with Jesus. That's right. That's in the tribulation period, not nothing to do with the church at all.

66 All these great promises of great things that you've seen in the Bible, like what's going to take place, that's over into the Jewish kingdom, not here amongst the Gentiles. I believe that they'd have a rally by this one that's supposed to come to restore the faith of the people, which is promised. And the only way I can get that, because He said, "Immediately after this message, that the earth will be burnt with heat---fire." Let me just read that to you while we're right here, and watch what it says.
And now this little message of the kingdom, maybe I might preach that next Sunday morning, if the Lord wills, see, if the Lord willing.

67 Now watch here, here's the coming of John, Malachi 3:
Behold, I ... send my messenger before my ... send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
You see that Malachi 3? Matthew now, watch Matthew the 11th chapter, and listen to this, and the 6th verse. Let's read now, Matthew 11, Jesus speaking. And now let's begin at the 11th chapter.
And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities.
And now when John had heard in ... prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,
And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?
See that gloominess of that prophet? He knowed something was going to take place, but he wasn't sure where it was at, see. See, just what was taking place, "Art thou He?" after he had announced Him.
And Jesus ... said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which you do hear and see:
The blind receive their sight, ... the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, ... the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached unto them.
And blessed is he, who is not offended in me.
And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitude concerning John [Now, listen!], What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? [No, that wasn't John, no compromising with John.]
... what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? [In other words, collar turned around, you know, and scholarly and great man] behold, they that wear soft clothes are in king's houses. [The one that kisses the baby, and marries the kids, and buries the dead, and, you know, or hang around kings. That's that kind, he don't wield a two-handed sword, see.]
... Now, what went ye out in the wilderness to see? A man ... his clothes is shaken with ... wind?
... A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' palaces.
But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.

68 Watch! "For..." Listen now, this is Jesus' own words:
For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before my face, and he shall prepare the way before thee.
Now watch Malachi 3:
Behold, I ... send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: [Malachi 3, not Malachi 4
Now watch Malachi 4:
For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubbles: ... the day cometh that shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, ... it shall not leave them neither root nor branch [that's of the tribulation and destruction, see, that's coming].
But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness rise with healing in his wings [the coming of the Lord]; and ye shall go forth as ... you shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall [that's like going out upon the pasture, walk out].
... ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in that day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.

69 In other wise, the righteousness, in returning with Christ to the earth, shall tread upon the ashes. When you see these people, haughty, arrogant, despicable, snoopy, and yet claiming to be Christians, they're nothing but ashes. That's all. That's what the Scripture says. Now watch.
Remember ... the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded ... him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.
Behold, I will send unto you Elijah the prophet before the coming of that great and dreadful day of the LORD: [Just before that day (the return of the Lord), Elijah will come first.]

70 All right, remember, yet future. Now, it could not have been the coming of John. He was the Elijah, but he comes five times, now. J-e-s-u-s, f-a-i-t-h, g-r-a-c-e. See, five is the number of "grace." Elijah makes five appearings: one time is Elijah; as Elisha; as John; at the end of the Gentiles; and over with Moses to the Jews. Perfect number, the perfect prophet, perfect messenger, stern, bold, see. Notice:
... I will send to you Elijah ... before the coming of the day, great and dreadful day of the LORD.
And he shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

71 See, not the first coming of the introduction; that was John, because the earth never burnt as a stubble, the righteous never walked out upon the ashes of the wicked. But just before this takes place, will Elijah come. And what will he do? Restore the faith of the children back to the fathers, the original faith of the Bible.
When I see a man come, I think, "That must be him. There's a man rising in fame, look at him, the churches is going." What's he doing? A thousand miles off the Bible. What does he do? Wander around, air gives out and down he goes. See, "Having a form of godliness and denying the power thereof, denying the faith." Don't believe in the Bible, saying, holding onto creeds, denominations, getting denominational children. It's got to fall. There he goes right back.

72 Where is that one that's going to sow that seed for that end-time church? Where is that ripening seed, that promised Elijah? And immediately after his days shall the great tribulation set in and burn the earth.
And then at the return of the church and the bride, the bride and Christ shall walk out upon their ashes, in the millennium, when the earth is purified by fire. And there they shall reign. And the heathens that's never heard the gospel shall be raised in that time, and the sons of God will be manifested. If he's to reign, he's got to have something to reign over, he's got a domain. "And they ruled and reigned with Christ," and Christ ruled with a rod of iron, the nations. Then the gospel... Then the manifested sons of God, with the authority just like He had when He was here, see, there will come the millennium in that reign, see, upon the ashes.

73 So I've watched for something. Has it slipped by us in humility and we've missed it? Is it gone and the church is left in her sins? If that be so, then it's later than you think. If not, then there's coming one with a message that's straight on the Bible, and quick work will circle the earth. The seeds will go in newspapers, reading material, until every predestinated seed of God has heard it. None of them will come unless the Father has drawed them, and everyone the Father has drawed will hear it and come. That'll be ... the predestinated seed will hear the Word.

74 Then when that takes place, it'll be a gathering together. And Jesus shall appear, and there will go the church from all over the earth like that, with the resurrection, going up.
Will it be like John came, and even the elected disciples didn't even know it? They said, "Why saith the scribes that Elias must first come?"
He said, "He's already come and you didn't know it." But said, "They did what they said they would do unto him." His message was so quick, look, to all of Israel, and it only happened in one little ... two little spots, just below Jerusalem and there, or down at Enon where John went up to baptize, and right down at the river where he was baptizing, the river dried up. Just six months and the whole introduction of the Messiah come right in, see.

75 Have we overlooked something? Is it later than we think? This is a heart-to-heart talk now. This is just tonight, just to... Yeah, it's just us talking here. Is it later than you think? Was that actually that message there at the river that day? Has it slipped by and the people has missed it? Is that it? Then it really is later than we think. When will it be? I don't know. Might be tonight. Might be another fifty years. I don't know when it'll be, I'll just keep on going on as I am now. Well, what is it? Am I looking for something?

76 I had a strange dream last night, it's bothered me all day. Usually I don't dream very much. But I had a dream...
I'd go everywhere, and it used to be I'd blast that message and I'd see one here and one there catch it. I'd go right back again and blast the message and they'd turn up their nose and walk away. What's the matter? Have they sinned away their day of grace? Has the last one come in? Is it over? Are we just waiting for destruction? Is all these little wars rising up like that just getting ready?
Something is fixing to happen. Before it happens, the church is gone. How I disagree that the church will be in the tribulation! How can you make a type take away from an antitype? See? Noah was in the ark before one drop of water ever fell. Lot was out of Sodom before the fire ever fell, see. Jesus said, "As it was in them days so will it be in the coming of the Son of man." The church don't have to stand judgment, it's already in Christ.
What we need is a perfection of saints. The saints don't understand, see, they're getting... They just don't know what to think, see. Now we're...
If that's right... If it isn't, there's coming something right quick, there'll be a blast. I'm watching, I don't know which way to turn.

77 Last night I dreamed a dream. (Then I'm closing.) I dreamed a dream, strangest thing...
I was laying there talking to my wife, about the oncom... We had just been praying, and I... Somebody in little old Dallas, had called that he had stuck something in his ear, and I went in ... bleeding and he had to run to the doctor. And I went in to pray, and the Holy Spirit said, "That's all right," see.
Here he come, it's all right. Doctor said, "Why, I thought you was going to have... Said, "You done injured the ear drum, bursted, and blood is running out of it, and what's all." Just all... The next time he went back, he said nothing of it. Don't know what, see, no infection, nothing, see.
So then someone'd call, I'd go in the room and pray. About another day they'd call up, say, "It's all over. Fine and dandy! Going on!"

78 And I was talking to the wife, I said, "Honey, for about a year and four months I haven't hardly knowed which way to move." I said, "I don't know what." She said ... We was talking about the move. I said, "I don't know what to do, I'm standing and I'm wondering. Are we looking for... Is that one great prophet of God's coming on the scene to blast the thing? Will it be publicly known?"
I thought, "That's contrary to Scripture, as, 'He comes in the hour you think not.' " See? And I thought, "I don't know what to do. Have we overlooked it?" I thought, "I don't want to lay around the house here." I thought... Now, I hope this is not being taped; if it is, tear up the tape or lay it aside, see. Now it said, if... I said, "If this is it, we're closer than we think."

79 There's one thing that's going to happen. Either something has to happen to me now. And I don't see why He just didn't let me go when I was down on that bench the other day, then, see, if there isn't something else to do. Why? Why didn't I go? What happened? Is there something else to do? I thought, "Well, if it is my message, the people will turn up their nose to it."
Then, something calls me to the foreign fields. I hear the call across the sea, coming in from everywhere.

80 Letter just come in the other day, Brother Liger writing a book on the Durban meeting. He said, "It's never been compared. Africa never had a shake like that. Over one night's time this dark land of Africa had a shake that they never had before in their life." That's right, down amongst the heathen.
I looked down there, I seen those poor Negroes, precious people, seen the way them people was treating them ... worse than slaves. Seen a little old boy there that worked there, and I said... That boy, you just... You women couldn't do as much in two days or three days, as hard as you could work, as that boy had to do in one day. And sleep on a pallet out in a little, old washroom (about four foot long and four foot wide), curled up there. And he got a pound a month, that's $2.80. And he didn't get to eat the scraps from the table, a bucket of mealy meal; third of it, breakfast; third of it at dinner; the other third that night at supper. Work till ten or eleven, twelve o'clock; get up the next morning take care of the baby and everything else, and polish the steps and wipe off the boss's car. The big, old, fat mother do nothing but sit around there and click her fingernails and drink tea, lazy, no-good.
That poor boy had to work like everything. He had a cough, and he looked like he was just about cold, like a "Hauh, hauh, hauh." And one day I looked across there, I said, "Don't you ever have that boy... Why don't you bring him to meeting?"

81 "He's a Kafir." That means a "rogue." No wonder they blow up at that name. I would, too. That man's my brother. And there he is. He's not a slave. His color is nothing to do with it. He's my brother. There he was like that.
I walked out, I called him "Thomas." The boy could speak three languages. And I said, "Thomas."
He turned around, fell on his knees and put his hands up, said, "Yes, master."
I said, "Get up. I'm not your master, I'm your brother." I put my arm around him. He looked over at me like that, and great big tears coming down his cheeks. I said, "Thomas."
And the Holy Spirit come and there was a vision. I told him something. And he said, "Yes, master. That's true. That's just what it was."
I said, "Thomas, the cough has left you, you'll never have it no more." And he didn't."
People slipping money in my pocket, I had about 180 of those pound notes (means $2.80). And I was afraid to give it to him; afraid the boss would find him with that, they'd think he stole it and then they'd beat him to death. And I said to the boss, I said, "I love that boy. Let me give him some money."
"Oh, no! No! You'll spoil him."
I said, "You're pretty well spoiled." "What are you laying around here? You do nothing. That boy does all the work and you let him half starve to death. He's got a widowed mother and afflicted sister, and then you let him have $2.80 a month." I said, "You'll reap someday for that! There's two million whites and about a hundred million colored. You'll have an uprise."
Said, "Don't you say that in America, what goes on here."
I said, "Who's going to tell me to hold my peace? Only God." Said, "No wonder the people's got a complex, be treated like that." [Gap in the audio.] There you are. And I took up for them.

82 One day a couple ministers, collars turned around, little mustache, they come up to Rhodesia.
A little old green pilot flew me into one of them tropical storms, and we went two mile, looked like ... high in the air, flipping around. We didn't know whether we was upside down; the plane turning over and over and over. And finally it... We didn't know whether it was going down or up. And finally it throwed us above the storm. And I was so sick at my stomach when we got off!
Couple of those ministers, Pentecostal ministers, got in a car and was driving me on down to Pretoria. I come down from Southern Rhodesia; and I got down there and I was sick, anyhow. And Brother Baxter sitting there, sick, and Billy Paul, sick. And here we was driving right down through the compound; that's where the colored people that does something has to leave their tribe, some tribal sin, and they come in there. And they won't let them come in the city, so they just live under tin or anything they can, very dirty and things, it's true.

83 And here they went down through there, and I seen a sign there, said, "Twenty miles an hour." And them men was going sixty-five miles an hour. Them poor old mothers running out there grabbing them little babies, little tots, naked out there in the street, from about two years old up to five or six; grabbing them little fellows, and screaming. They come pretty near killing four of them at one time.
I tapped him on the shoulder, I said, "Hey! What's the matter with you?"
He turned around, said, "What did you say?"
I said, "I said, 'What's the matter?' Slow that thing down!"
Said, "We got orders to get through there on time."
I said, "I give you orders to stop it." And he said... I said, "Don't you have no feeling for them people?"
"What people?"
I said, "Them little babies out there you nearly run over."
Said, "That's Kafirs!"
I said, "Shame on you! Call yourself a Christian?" I said, "Don't you know that mother thought as much of her baby, if you'd have killed it, as your mother would have thought of you?" I said, "She may be ignorant and unlearned, but a mother's love cries out for her baby. You ain't got no business for doing a thing like that. And you call yourself... I said, "Another thing, that sign said 'twenty miles an hour,' my Bible said, 'Give Caesar what's Caesar's." And he ducked his head. I said, "You slow it down to twenty miles an hour and treat them people like they were your brother." I said, "Shame on you, anything like that." Oh, my, they blowed up like frogs eating buckshot! But it didn't make any difference, I got my word in---my punch.
And when we went around them people knew that I was for them, to bring them the message of the gospel. And God would come in there.
And mix them up, and put the white over on one side, and the colored, and there the colored couldn't even speak one word to them, or nothing. The Holy Ghost would go out among there and bring out the sick and the afflicted and the cripples, and heal them, and let them sit over here in their big inferior complex built up over there. Shows how God deals with the humble in heart!

84 Now, that's a person hasn't received the message yet and he's writing that book.
Now, what must I do? The thing, what must... Am I to return there? Now, if God is calling me to evangelism, then I cannot be His seer and evangelist at the same time. You just... The offices won't mix, I'm just... I'm fighting the wind. If I'm going to be an evangelist, I'll have to be an evangelist. If I'm going to be His seer, I'll refrain to the mountains somewhere and stay away; no church, no congregation, till I hear from the Lord; and stomp out and give it, and stomp back again, see. One of those things, it's weighing in the balance. Or either it's over. It has to be one of those three things, to me. The message is finished or either I got to get one of these two things to do. I don't know what to do.

85 Last night I dreamed a dream, and I dreamed that I was going to a meeting, and I never seen such a group of people! They were gathered like a big stadium, far as I could see. And somebody come after me that wasn't Billy, and he taken me down. And I had been in the room, praying, and I was coming under the anointing; kind of like they'd call it, make you to understand, like a gear to where I could feel that it was to be discernment. And on the road down the fellow commenced to talking to me and, when he did, the discernment left. I couldn't feel it. And then I tried to pull myself back into it; I couldn't do it. I just couldn't do it. And I got weary.
And I begin to look at the crowd as they drove up. And when I did, I said, "Well, I got a text in my mind that I know that those organizations and the way they treated them people, then I'm going to preach that gospel just like that to them as hard as I can." And when I walked to the platform, that left me.
No discernment, not one of those messages; and I stood there, and yet the people were waiting. And I said, "What shall I do?"
And something said, "Just go on. Just go on, see," it'll be furnished when I get there. "Just keep moving on," see. Then I was right there at the plat... and I woke up.

86 It may be because that I was thinking of that, I dreamed such a dream. It might be that. It might be the dream is spiritual. I do not know. I have no interpretation of it, I do not know what it means. I just can't tell you and I don't know what it is. But, whatever it is, I'm on a crossroad somewhere, see. There's something, something somewhere.
And I can say one thing, and I'm so misunderstood. Or say this way, it's this way or that way, one gets it way on this side. And way it is, you say something right straight towards a point, and one hears it this way, so he tells another one and leans it a little farther, the next one leans a little farther, next a little farther, then it's got plumb out of cater. One hears it this other way, he goes this way, that way, and that way. See, and you get away. And that's the way it is out in the meetings, and so forth, when you're really driving right to a spot. Now, the elected would hear that spot. They get that spot! They know, 'cause I said just exactly what was meant (see) like that, just the message, just exactly.

87 Now, and that's what I say, seems like there's more misunderstanding all the time, continually. What is it? Have I planted all the seeds that's supposed to be planted? Is the time at hand? Is this great messenger fixing to step on the scene right now? Is the coming of the Lord near? Is it calling away from this land to the other? Has He called me from evangelism?
Remember I rehearsed it to the wife. Many of you in the book... The day I laid that cornerstone there, about thirty years ago, right there in the corner, it said in there... That morning when He woke me up, and was sitting in the room there, even before I was ever married or anything, just a boy preacher, He said, "Do the work of an evangelist. Not... You wasn't evangelist, but do the work of one," quoted a Scripture to me. When I run down and seen them two trees, broke one off of here ... oneness and trinity. I never crossed them, I planted them like that. Then He seen the fruit fall in my hand and then run me to Calvary. Now listen, He said, "When you come out of this, read II Timothy 4, II Timothy 4."

88 And it left me sitting in the room. I didn't even know it was a vision. I didn't know what to call it then. I was laying the cornerstone (that day) of the foundation there. It's wrote, laying right there in that cornerstone now, and said:
... do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of your ministry.
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall ... heap for themselves together teachers, having itching ears;
... and shall be turned from the truth unto fables. [That's both oneness and trinity, they've missed the...]
Now, He never said, "You are evangelist," He said, "Do the work of one," see. Now, has the time come? Shall I continue on with that or has the time come for something else? That I know not.

89 That's what I wanted, a heart-to-heart talk with you. And I'm past my time right now, of letting you go, sorry to keep you that long.
But, if the Lord willing, just before Brother Boze comes Sunday, I may come down Sunday morning and might speak on this subject of "The Evening-time Evangelism," or something like that, see, if it's all right with you, pastor. [Brother Neville says, "Fine! Praise God!"] Lord willing, next Sunday morning. And I was going to speak on that tonight, and I was going to have a heart-to-heart talk maybe some other time, but I feel like it would be better this way, maybe, see, if that be the will of the Lord.

90 I pray for you. You pray for me. Just don't say, "Brother Branham, I will." You do it! See? I'm depending on that. I'm the one that needs prayer, if He can shove me somewhere. Remember, I'm a human being, I'm not God. I'm just a human being like you are, trying to find the will of God so I can walk in it. No one can know until... "And he that lacks wisdom let him ask of God." And that's what I'm doing, asking of God. And I'm just putting that to you as my church, a heart-to-heart talk. What, where are we at? Where're we standing? What hour are we living in? We're at the end-time, I believe. I believe we're right here at the end.
Now, it can turn one way or the other. It's either that my work is finished, or I'm called to the fields over yonder, or either He'll make an evangelist or a seer. One of those things has to take place, 'cause I'm at the end. I don't know what to do. I don't know which way to go. Even these meetings, that I'm approaching them, I've been praying, I said, "Lord, I'm not going to do as I have been. I'm going to approach it like I did back there, I will fall back to that evangelism just until You give me that call for what I am supposed to do."

91 Now, I've sowed the seed everywhere, tapes has went worldwide, my messages have went around the world. All the churches know about it, around everywhere, and what the Father has elected He'll call it, see.
And now it looks like it becomes an offense to them. Oh, they don't want nothing to do with it. No, sir. Shall I just go forth and pray for the sick, and little simple message upon that, and see the way the Holy Spirit leads me? That's what's in my mind to do until He makes another call. Because a man don't know what to do until you understand from God what to do, until you get your bearing.
And I don't want to lay around the house. This message is on my heart. People are dying, falling away, going out into eternity. What can I do? Let me blast it everywhere I can, and tell about the Lord Jesus until He changes the position. You pray for me, I'll pray for you. I hope you do that.

92 Now, remember Wednesday night, prayer meeting, and Friday night, men's meeting. Is it going to be here? I may be down to see you all, I told you I'd come and see you on a Friday night. All right, then on Sunday morning, the Lord willing, I'm going to speak on "Evening-time Evangelism," if the Lord willing; might change it, don't know. But that's what I'm thinking of right now, the kind of evangelists will be in the evening time. And then Sunday night, Brother Boze's film, and remember that now. And pray for us, for next week we hit the harvest field, the Lord willing.
Do you love Him? Amen!
Will you serve Him? Amen!
Will you believe Him? Amen!
Amen, Amen!
He's the Father. Amen!
He's the Son. Amen!
He's the Holy Ghost. Amen!
Amen, Amen!
Still a-singing. Amen! Amen! Amen!
Amen, Amen!
Do you love Him? Amen!
Is He coming? Amen!
Are you ready? Amen!
Amen, Amen!
Could be tonight, are you ready? Amen!
In the morning, are you ready? Amen!
Anytime, are you ready? Amen!
Amen, Amen!
Still a-singing. Amen!
And a-shouting. Amen!
And a-praying. Amen!
Amen, Amen!
Come Lord Jesus, Amen!
Get Your church ready. Amen!
We're making ready. Amen!
Amen, Amen!
Want to see my mother. Amen!
Want to see my father. Amen!
I want to see my Saviour. Amen!
Amen, Amen!
Oh, do you love Him? Amen!
Will you serve Him? Amen!
Do you love Him? Amen!
Amen, Amen!

93 Our heavenly Father, this is our little "Amen" song. We love Your teaching, we all say "Amen!" We love the Spirit, "Amen!" We believe He's coming, "Amen!" Every Word that You speak in Your Bible, Lord, we punctuate it with "Amen!" We believe every word of it, teach it just the best of our knowledge, just the way it's wrote, every punctuation, every hyphen, every period, every comma, just the way it's written, to the best of our knowledge.
O God, restore to us, Lord. Give unto us the great satisfaction that we long for, that we one day shall hear the sounding of the angels as they break forth in a hallelujah chorus in the skies, and Jesus shall appear yonder and the church will be caught up.
The unbelievers will wonder, "What's happened, what's the matter with them people? Where did they go?" O God, they'll not understand, they'll not even see Him. But the church shall see Him, that is, the called-out, the elected, the born-again, they'll just disappear. They won't know where they're at, they just know they're missing; they will be with their Lord.
Then at that time, Lord, wouldn't it be a horrible thing to be left here, knowing that the time of salvation has passed? No more redemption! The Scripture said, "Let him that's filthy be filthy still, let him that's unholy be unholy still." Oh, what a hour that will be!

94 May we prepare now, Lord. What a wonderful time it will be if we'll just prepare to meet You, Father, and prepare our hearts daily. And if we do make a mistake and fall, like this poor soul wrote in this question today, let them know that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses all sin. That person don't mean to do that, Lord. They're hungering and thirsting, trying to come back up into that fellowship of the Spirit. Bring them up, Lord. Rise them up above this cloudy, dismal world; above, where the sunshine can shine upon their souls again. They've dropped down below the great horizon of the clouds, and they're down into the muck, down into that sin. But they've once lived up there in the sunlight. They want to go back again, Lord. Take them back tonight, Lord. And if there's some here who has never witnessed being up there, and knows that...
All these here missiles and everything is just exactly in accordance with Your Word, just exactly the way things are supposed to happen. And we see that the church world how they have did. We see just like it was in the days of Noah, just like it was in the days of Sodom, just exactly what Jesus said would take place; the tidal waves; how women would walk and dress, and how they'd be snoopy, and walk the way they do, and mince and twist, and care ... just exactly what the prophet said. Just what Daniel said, "The iron and clay couldn't agree together." And, oh, everything, it's fulfilled, Lord. We're right at the end time. The shadows are falling, Lord. The red lights are flashing, the bells are ringing.

95 O God, let Your people realize that soon the angel shall set foot upon the land and sea and raise up His hands and say, "Time shall be no more!"
Then O, what a weeping and wailing,
When the lost ones are told of their fate;
They'll cry to the rocks and the mountains,
They'll pray, but the prayer is too late.
Now is the day of salvation. "Let him that has an ear hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." Grant it, Lord.
May there not be one person here be missing on that day of the rapture. May we be so filled with the love of God and the Spirit of God until the Holy Spirit will catch us away with the waiting, or even if we shall rest in our lot. As You said to Daniel, "Go your way, Daniel, for you shall rest. But at that day you'll stand in your lot."
O God, You said, "Those that turn many from sin to righteousness shall outshine the stars forever and ever." What a day! But them wicked shall be turned away into destruction. O God, make men to realize their position just now in life, that they might turn to the righteous One before it's everlasting too late. Grant it, Father.

96 Now with our heads bowed just a moment, in the closing prayer, would there be one like to be remembered, saying, "Brother Branham, I raise my hand, not to you but to God. May God be merciful to me and I'll be present on that day, washed in the blood of the Lamb"? God bless you. God bless you, you, you, you, you, many hands.
Now, our heavenly Father, God, bless each, every one. You've seen their hands. You know their hearts.
And we realize, Lord, that something is fixing to happen. The world knows it, they're singing songs, and the television are bursting forth with neurotical jokes and songs. What are they doing? Like a little boy whistling in the dark, passing by a graveyard, scared to death, trying to soothe his nerves by whistling. He's only fooling himself. So is this nation only laughing, joking, joshing! Just as it said that the time would come when they would do that, be turned from truth to fables. And how that in the last days there would come scoffers and laughers. And how these things would be at the end time, heady, high-minded, having a form of godliness, turning away from the truth, and we see it right now.

97 O God, wake up people! Let them realize that they can be assured right now that they've passed from death to life. When we receive Christ, the Holy Spirit, we just rise above the world. Then we know we are already risen with Him, and we are just waiting for that change where death will cease in the mortal realms (these little wheels of mortal life that's turning in our senses) will be redeemed. O God! And then we shall have a body like His and shall live eternally with Him, the great promised land, having the evidence.
Let no one miss it, Lord. Those who raised their hands, may they sweep, tonight, into the kingdom. Maybe when they go home, maybe the man say to his wife, "Dear, something struck me tonight"; or the wife say to the husband, "Honey, I felt real strange." "Yes, dear, let us kneel here by the side of the bed. We've never did this before, but let us pray tonight. Let's ask God to be merciful to us and gather us. I love you, sweetheart."

98 And the other, the male say to the female, and how they love one another, "I want to be in heaven with you. I don't want to miss it. And someday when we're welcomed home and I'll take you by the arm and walk down through the great corridors in the eternal gardens, where the lamb and the lion will be laying together, and the wolf and the cow shall lay together. And there'll be no more death and no more sorrow. And as we walk down through there and the anthems fill the air, of the angels, the choruses above us, as the angels welcome us home, I want to be with you there, dear. I love you," Maybe you're getting old, "I remember you when I married you, your pretty little face." "And I remember you, dear, when you was a handsome young man."

99 But all this will be restored. He who painted your beautiful face one time has the sketch of it in His mind. He can paint it again over yonder where it'll never fade. O God, let people know that this is not a mythical dream, but it's a truth, and God, the Holy Spirit, is here to bear record. His Word down through the ages has spoke of it. Let us look back and see, read our history. And any man that ever amounted to anything on earth are men, God-fearing men, even to our presidents like Washington, Lincoln, and so forth, Joshuas, and Moseses, and those who... Great men in the world has been men who believed in that, and has sealed their testimony, and waiting yonder that resurrection. We have the first fruits of it, the earnest.
I pray now that through my prayer You will receive these people with their prayer and take them into the kingdom. We ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.

100 God bless you, be rich in mercy to you, make His face to shine upon you, and keep you, and bless you in all heavenly blessings.
Now I say this, not cruel, but of love. I pray that you that don't know Him, that your pillow will be so hard that you'll not be able to sleep no more, your food will be so foul till you can't eat no more, until you slip out by the side somewhere and say, "Lord, be merciful to me." That's not wishing anything wrong to you. That's for your good, brother, sister. I just pray that it'll be that way for you.
Until we meet! till we meet!
Till we meet at Jesus' feet; (till we meet!)
Till we meet! till we meet!
God be with you till we meet again!
God be with you till we meet again!
By His counsel guide, uphold you,
Smite the death'ning waves before you;
God be with you till we meet...

101 Now for old time's sake, let's shake hands with somebody now.
Till we meet! till we meet!
Till we meet at Jesus' feet; (till we meet!)
Till we meet! till we meet!
God be with you till we meet again!
Till we meet! till we meet!
Till we meet at Jesus' feet;
Till we meet! till we meet!
God be with you till we meet again!
Till we meet! till we meet!
Till we meet at Jesus' feet;
Till we meet! till we meet!
God be with you till we meet again!

102 You remember when we used to sing those songs? Let's... This other one we used to sing, long years ago, I don't know whether there's any here or not, when we used to join hands around an old stove here, and mud on the floor. You remember that? We'd sing:
We're marching to Zion,
Beautiful, beautiful Zion;
We're marching upward to Zion,
That beautiful city of God.
You know in the millennium what Zion's going to be? There'll be a light on Zion, and it'll be for a shadow from the sun in the daytime and as a light by night, for there'll be no night there. Oh, my!
The fields of Zion yield
A thousand sacred sweets
Before we reach that heavenly throne,
Before we reach that heavenly throne,
Or walk the golden streets,
Or walk the golden streets.
All together now:
We're marching to Zion,
Oh, beautiful, beautiful Zion;
We're marching upward to Zion,
That beautiful city of God.

103 I just love that, I just think it's so pretty. Now, don't you like them old-time songs? I think it's a whole lot better than this chopped up stuff we have today called songs. I just love that. And I used to sing an old song in church, you remember:
Room, room, yes, there is room,
There's room at the fountain for thee.
Oh, my! Those good, old songs, I believe the pen was guided by the Holy Spirit, who wrote them songs.
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!
Even though it be the cross
That raiseth me;

104 Yes, Charles Wesley and them great authors who wrote those songs like that, them poets. It's beautiful, I just think they're so good. And then we used to... Remember that:
O Beulah land, sweet Beulah land,
As on the highest mount I stand,
I look away across the sea,
Where mansions are prepared for me,
Remember the first time that angel of the Lord appeared down on the river? We was singing:
On Jordan's stormy banks I stand,
And cast a wishful eye,
To Canaan's fair and happy land,
Where my possessions lie.
I'm bound for that promised land,
Who will come and go with me?
I'm bound for that promised land.

105 While we were singing that, a voice screamed from the skies, and here come that great pillar of fire circling right down and said, "As John the Baptist was sent to forerun His first coming, you have a message that'll forerun the second." Look where she's went. That's thirty-one years ago. Look where it's went from then, around the world in a revival fire. Now we see it cooling. The time is at hand.
Let us bow our heads now, remembering all of the announcements.
Great shepherd of the flock, that we look to see coming someday, our hearts are longing for that hour when we shall see Him. One day You set upon the mount and You taught Your people, You said, "Pray in this manner,":
... Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us of our trespasses, as we forgive those that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

106 The Bible said, "And they sang a hymn and went out."
Take the name of Jesus with you,
Child of sorrow and of woe;
It will joy and comfort give you,
Take it everywhere you go.
Precious name, O how sweet!
Hope of earth and joy of heaven;
Precious name, O how sweet! (How sweet!)
Hope of earth and joy of heaven.
Doesn't that sound pretty? Just let up once, just one here and there, and listen at it again while we sing.
At the name of Jesus bowing,
Falling prostrate at His feet, (See?)
King of kings in heaven we'll crown Him,
When our journey is complete.
Oh, isn't that beautiful, Let's see:
Take the name of Jesus with you,
As a shield from every snare;
When temptations around you gather,
Just breathe that holy name in prayer.
(See?)
O precious name! Let's sing it:
Take the name of Jesus with you,
As a shield from every snare;
When temptations 'round you gather,
Breathe that holy name in prayer.
O precious name (precious name!),
O how sweet! (O how sweet!)
Hope of earth and joy of heaven;
Precious name, O how sweet! (How sweet!)
Hope of earth and joy of heaven.
Now, if we'll bow our heads, our pastor will dismiss the congregation in prayer. God bless you, Brother Neville.