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1. THE TEN VIRGINS, AND THE HUNDRED AND FORTY-FOUR THOUSAND JEWS — 1960-12-11

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• ¶144–¶147 There comes your hundred and forty-four thousand, will receive the Gospel after we…can’t receive It the same time the Light is on the Gentiles. The Jews are denying It and hiding It. Now, when the Light…the Gentiles is taken up, then the Spirit comes upon two to give witness to them, then the Jews receive It, which is one hundred and forty-four thousand of the lost tribes of Israel will receive the Gospel; and the Bride is taken away. Now, there’s “ten virgins.” Let’s strike Matthew 21, right away. See, we still got quite a little time. Oh, I love the Bible. When I take my vacation in Heaven, What a wonderful trip that will be; Hearing concerts by the Heavenly chorus, And the gates of my…the face of my Saviour I’ll see; Sitting down on the banks of the river, Beneath the shade of the evergreen tree, I want to spend my vacation in Heaven, Won’t you come take yours with me? Now, in the—the Book of—of Saint Matthew, I believe the 25th chapter, I believe. I said 21, didn’t I? I had it marked down here 21, but that’s wrong. It’s 25. I had to hurry this morning, I was…got up tired, and late and—and I—I was hurrying. I was jotting down some Scriptures, and I put 21 when it’s—it’s 25. Then shall the kingdom of heaven be like unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. Now: And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. And they that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried (that’s through these church ages), they…slumbered and slept.

• ¶148–¶149 All the way down through, both all died, slumbered and slept, see, as they went down through. Now, they’re not lost, but they’re just “slumbered and slept.” They’re waiting, see. They didn’t say they was dead, but they’re “slumbering and sleeping.” See? And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. And all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 27 And the foolish said—said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. (Pardon me.) And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterwards came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. (Now, see, they wasn’t unbelievers, they was good people.)…open to us. But the answer…But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour whence the Son of man shall come. Now the five “wise” virgins. Now, oil in the Bible symbolizes the “Holy Spirit.” We all know that. That’s why we anoint the sick with oil, and oil symbolizes the Holy Spirit. So the wise had Oil in their lamps, which was the Holy Spirit, so they were ready to go in at the Wedding Supper. And we could go back in—in—in Ezekiel 9, and so forth, and pull out and show, but I got about fifteen more Scriptures wrote out here. So oil sym-…I believe we’ve already had it in our class this week, that oil is, symbolizes the “Holy Spirit.” We all know that.

• ¶150–¶153 Now watch, they…both of them were “virgins.” Now let me get this. Here, let’s takes these two right here. This is a virgin and this is a virgin, this was a foolish virgin and this was a wise virgin, but both of them are virgins. Now if you’ll take that name virgin and run it down, it means—it means “holy, clean, sanctified.” The word sanctified comes from the word “sainted,” which mean, “clean.” Like the Hebrew word…Now, that’s a Greek word, sanctify means “clean.” Now, the Hebrew word is make “holy.” See? And ours is “clean.” Now, they take the three words, like each word has the same meaning but it’s spoke different, like the— the word “clean, holy, sanctified,” all three the same word. Like we was going to speak the word like dog. I’d say, “dog,” that’s English. If I’d say dog in German, Fred, it’s “hund.” Is that right? Brother Norman, if I say dog in Spanish, it’s “ajo.” Ajo, Hund, and dog is all dog to us, see. See, it’s—it’s just so, an expression. So, the Greek word for clean is “sanctify,” the Hebrew word is “holy.” Holy, clean, and sanctify, is all the same word. So this was not a filthy, dirty church; it was a sanctified, clean church, “ten virgins went out to meet the Bridegroom.” What does it mean? All these churches. Not…now, not down here in the Roman; but down into the denominationals, the Nicolaitanes. Baptist preach on the Second Coming of Christ; Methodist preach the Second Coming of Christ; Presbyterian preach the Second Coming of Christ; Nazarenes preach the Second Coming of Christ; Pilgrim Holiness preach the Second Coming of Christ. That right? “All of them went out to meet the Bridegroom.” Now you—you remember that they every one was on their road to meet the—the Bridegroom. Now, if God only respects that, then He have, take them too.

• ¶170–¶176 All right, to some of you legalist-believing brethren on this tape, would like to burn it: When did they become fish? When the net went over them? They were fish in the beginning! That’s right. Elected from the foundation of the world! They just never come into the Master’s use. That’s your frog. You take an old frog and throw him up on the bank, just “whop, whop” right back to the water. And the ol’ crawfish sitting there, say, “Aha, that’s a bunch of holy- rollers.” There he goes back, “Ah—ah—ah—ah—ah. Oh, no!” Right back to the mud as hard as he can go. That’s right. The ol’ snake hissing along a little bit, “I believe the days of miracles is past, Doctor So-and-so and So-and-so told me.” Said, “Ah—ah—ah— ah—ah—ah—ah, you can’t fool me!” There she goes, right over there again, you see. Snake, to begin with! Frog, to begin with! Paul said in the Bible, them kind, he said, “They went out from us because they wasn’t of us to start with.” See? Uhm! All right, the foolish virgin. The wise virgin with Oil in her lamp, she made ready. Now, “while she was gone to get some Oil,” that’s what they’re trying to do right now. These great evangelical churches, trying to find these great things, you know, and do…go back to the Bible, back, “we need the Pentecostal Blessing.” Why, you can imagine what kind of a service they’re going to have, see. They ain’t going to get down there and spoil all that manicure on them, and all of that. Oh, no. They ain’t going to give up them sororities and societies and things like that. Holding on to the world like Esau, in one hand, try to catch God with the other one. You can’t do it. You can’t be a cross-eyed Christian, you know, looking at God and the world too. You got to center yourself in Calvary, stay right there with That.

• ¶302–¶306 That’s hard, friends, that’s cutting, but that’s what the…I’m not responsible for…just what the Bible says. Now, that was a type in the Old Testament that foreshadowed the hearing of the Gospel of good news that “You are free!” You don’t have to be bound down anymore, you are absolutely free in Christ Jesus. No more sins and things. You don’t… You that love the world, the Bible said, “If you love the world or the things of the world, the love of God is not even in you.” That true? If you love the world or the things of the world, the love of God is not in you. Then what about all these big things that’s going on in the world today under the name of religion? The things of the world! And people just gulp it right down like a pig in a pig pen, see, “Oh, this is fine. Nothing about That!” See, they’re sealed and marked away. See? Now do you understand what the remnant of the Jews is, the hundred and forty-four thousand? Where they’re setting, waiting? Right at the hour. Can you see now that the foolish virgin that won’t take the…wouldn’t take the Oil, and will have to rise and be separated, the rights and wrongs at the day of the judgment? Do you understand that when the—the foolish virgin begin to receive, just like now, that she needed This, she went after It; it was that very minute that the Bridegroom came? Then how close are we? Right now! We have now in just a short time, I don’t know how much longer it might be. I couldn’t say when, I—I don’t know. Might be another year, it might be another ten years, forty years, might be forty minutes. I—I don’t know, I can’t say. But I know it’s near, it’s real near. And the Spirit of the Lord…

2. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS — 1964-08-30

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• ¶90–¶93 Yes, sir! That is exactly right. 403. When you use the expression that if we do not believe the Word, we will be eternally separated from Christ, do you mean the foolish virgin will live eternally, but they will be separated from the New Jerusalem where Christ will dwell with the Bride? Here are those who do not have the Holy Spirit, born again as the Scripture speaks of being born again. If the natural birth requires water, blood, and spirit, does not the spiritual birth require all three stages of grace before the person is truly born again? Absolutely, I just explained that this morning, the same, on the same thing. You’ve got to have all stages. You’re begotten of the Spirit, just like a baby is begotten, and in the womb of a mother, but not born until they receive the Holy Ghost. That’s right. You’re born then. You’re not converted, you’re in the procession of being converted until that time. That’s the reason that all these great mysteries could not be given to Luther, could not be given to Wesley, could not be given to the age that has just passed by us, the Pentecostal age. Why? It wasn’t time. They were begotten. Now, the Person of Christ, Himself, the Son of man (you understand?) revealing Himself in human flesh, it could not have come till now. 404. When the Millennium starts, how will the unbelievers be taken off of the earth? The unbelievers will go down in the tribulation period with the sleeping virgin, and all those others (unbelievers, and sleeping virgin), and the remnant of Israel that’s to be taken out. 405. Brother Branham, when some of…someone gets on me or “steps on my toes (This might be a good one.)—steps on my toes,” as the old saying is, my temper rises; how can I overcome this thing? I know the Lord will have to do it, but what can I do in my heart? I don’t want this thing.

• ¶122–¶123 Remember, I said…I kind of pulled a little joke; I said, “Denominational brother who came by the—the…who came by the window and not by the Door.” The Door is the Word. You said that Cain was of the serpent’s seed. Why did Eve say, “I have gotten a man from the Lord”? That’s what I was trying to find this morning. I got the Scriptures wrote down here for that. I may be backing up a little; I hope so. Finding some here… Brother Branham, my husband, which was brought up a Catholic, in our worship he wants to pray his way. I got that. Remember? That’s birth control. I—I…Let me talk to you on—on private on that (see?), as I said this morning. First, are the five foolish virgins saved during the…? I got that. I’m backing here. Just a minute, just be patient with me. After having known the way, at least the way of repentance and sanctification (I got that one, you remember?), then to fall away from that… I got that one too. I’ve backed up somewhat. I’ll just have to get them as… Brother Branham, what is the meaning of Saint Matthew 24:28: “For wheresoever the carcase is, there the eagles would gather”? Remember me explaining that? See? I got that. Maybe I’ve done through with them. Praise the Lord! It’s time—is it time that the Bride will have to—to be with you for (Now, I got that one.) the Rapture? Maybe I…And I know I got that one, ’cause it was marked out at the bottom; I remember that. Well, praise the Lord! We’re getting right down here now. Let’s see. 412. Since Acts 2:38 is the only way to be baptized, what about the multitude…? I got that.

3. THE PATMOS VISION — 1960-12-04

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• ¶1–¶4 …as Brother Neville was making those announcements that… Brother Moore was saying the other day, talking of the Spirit of the Lord, came in…coming into the building. He said, “It got so great in there till I thought the Rapture had come until I looked around, I seen the others setting here,” said, “no, it hasn’t come yet, ’cause if—if they’re still here then I know I’m still here.” So sometimes the Spirit of the Lord gets that good to us. We’re so glad to have many friends that we see in the building. Too many to try to mention. I just happen to notice, come in the door, Brother Carpenter, the man that married wife and I together. Brother Carpenter, he’s been a great blessing to us here at the church, and has been a blessing to us in the way of the ministry, and preaches any, most anywhere. And we’re glad to have him in with, oh, so many others. Now there’s another question here that was given me last evening: Brother Branham, are the five foolish virgins of Matthew 25 counted as the Gentile remnant? I understand that the five foolish virgins were saved but have to go through the great tribulation period. Is this correct? If so, what will be their final destination? Could they be the sheep which are divided from the goats in Matthew 25:33 and 34? Pretty good theologian according to what I…[Blank spot on tape—Ed.]…think it too, that they are the remnant, the sleeping virgin is the remnant spoke of in Revelation; of the woman’s seed that keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. A woman will take a—a piece of goods and lay it down; well, now, that is what she’s cutting her…or takes her pattern and lays anywhere she desires, which way she’s going to cut that. And then what she has left over is called the remnant, but she chooses to cut it from a certain place by her own free thinking. But what’s left over is called the remnant.

• ¶5–¶8a Now, if you’ll notice, there were five foolish and five wise virgins; all of them was virgins, made out of the same material. But, by election, God chose His Bride by election before the foundation of the world, put their names on the Lamb’s Book of Life slain before the foundation of the world; before the world ever began, God in His mind, being infinite. And we use the word sometime, is “predestination,” but it’s a sure hanger in this church age that we live in. It was certainly a great thing used in the days of the martyrs, ’cause they certainly believed it. But it’s got away from It now, to the legalist ideas, the legalist teaching in the church which come…Which was a good thing, because all of it had gone Calvinistic in England till they didn’t even have revivals anymore, and John Wesley come along preaching the Arminian doctrine which balanced it up. God will always balance it up. So then the foolish virgin was the one who did not have oil in their lamps, that I believe that was cast out into outer darkness where there’ll be weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth. And if you’ll compare that, or your footnotes, it’ll run it right back again to the great tribulation. And I think they’re the ones who stays back and goes through the great tribulation. And quite a lesson there, if we had time to go into it. If you… Now, remember, I have said at the first, where when you hear the tapes, “These things is just according to the way I believe them to be right.” See? Now, if they’re wrong, I don’t—I don’t know they are. I…And I can only say what I believe. And I don’t mean to hurt anyone’s feelings. We must just lay them aside when we come in, and then take the thing that’s been said, and search it, and see if it’s really the Scriptures or not. That’s the best way to do it.

• ¶188–¶191a Now I want just to ask you something. I’m speaking to you lukewarm church. Ten virgins went out to meet the Lord, five of them was wise, five foolish; as we took this morning, that grafted tree. Now, remember, as they went out to meet God…Now watch, the Bible said, “The books were opened.” Daniel 7:9, “The books were opened.” That’s the book of the sinner. “And another book was opened.” Who came with Him? The Church from the Rapture. Oh! “Tens of thousands times thousands times thousands of thousands came with Him and ministered to Him,” His wife, the Bride. Oh, glory! His wife came with Him, the Church. Judgment was set, and the books were opened. And another book was opened, which was the sleeping virgin, and every man was judged thus from the book. You’ll be asked to give a reason why you didn’t, and then what then? You know better now, you know better. You might not have knowed It before, but you do now. See? Where if this righteous will scarcely be saved, where will that sinner and ungodly person appear? The one who rejects, knows better and then rejects It. Where will they appear? His feet like brass, Divine judgment. Now, let’s see, we’ll soon…down to the end of the page now: …hair like wool,…and his eyes were…flames of fire; And his feet like—feet like…brass,…burned in a furnace; and his voice…the sound of many water. “Voice of many waters.” What does waters represent? If you want to mark it down, turn to Revelation 17:15, and you’ll find that the Bible said, “The waters which thou sawest is thickness, and multitudes, and people, and tongues.” All right, Voice. What a horrible thing for a drifting soul on the sea of life, no pilot to guide him, loose, floating with the tides, to hear the roar of the great cataracts, the falls! What a horrible thing it would be to a soul drifting! “Voice of many waters.” What is His Voice?

4. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS — 1964-08-23

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• ¶173–¶175 No! See, everything will be finished for the Gentile church when the Bride is taken from the earth. The Spirit of God leaves the earth: “He that’s filthy is filthy still; he that’s righteous is righteous still; he that’s holy is holy still.” In other words the sanctuary becomes smoky, where the—the Attorney stands to plead the case. Christ leaves the sanctuary; His day of mediatorial is over. The Rapture comes; He leaves from the sanctuary, goes forth and takes the Book of Redemption, and claims everything He redeemed. There’s no more mediatorial work. How many understands that? I’ve got it on one of the Seals—or one of the…Yeah, the Seals, I believe it was, that Christ comes forth to claim His mediatorial work. Now, just a minute. “Will the foolish virgin be saved?” No! Whatever happens she—happens now. After that time she’s in the state…Now, she will have to go through the Tribulation Period. And the reason of it is, is because she has rejected the Atonement in Its fullness. She is a believer, a professed believer, but she will have to go through the Tribulation Period. The Bible said, “And the rest of them, the dragon spurted water out of his mouth to go and make war…” And what an hour that is. The… There’s never been a time in history where that the nominal churches has become so hungry to find the baptism of the Holy Ghost. I—I speak for the Christian Business Men. Constantly, it’s Presbyterian, and Lutheran, Catholic, and all, Baptists by the hundreds, Church of Christ, Nazarenes, Pilgrim Holiness, Seventh Day Adventist, every one of them flocking in trying to—to find…See?

• ¶176–¶179 Now, this is a striking thing. Please don’t take it as a doctrine, but do you understand what the Scriptures said would take place when that did? Time was over. For look, there was seven virgins, or, ten virgins went out to meet the Bridegroom, and half of them had oil in their lamp, half of them didn’t. That’s the part of the Body that’s dead and the part that’s alive. The five’s wise, when they—the cry come, “Behold the Bridegroom…” they all trimmed, or, woke and trimmed their lamps to go into the wedding supper. But when the foolish virgin said, “Give us some of your oil, our lamps is gone out. (See?) Give us of your oil.” They said, “Not so, we just got enough for ourself. Go buy it.” And while they went to buy it, the Bridegroom came. When the proclamation went out, the decree, “The Bridegroom’s coming,” everybody wanted to get right, right quick. Ain’t that the hour when the handwriting’s on the wall? “Oh, we want the baptism of the Holy Ghost.” “We want this, that, or the other!” But while they went to buy It, the Bridegroom came. The wise went in, and they were left outside where there’ll be weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth. I got just beautiful questions in here to go with that: “Who was the man with the robe on that come in, that didn’t have the wedding garment on?” And all those questions that tie right into that. 307. Should a person pay tithes to an individual, or should a Christian work?

5. BLASPHEMOUS NAMES — 1962-11-04

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• ¶40–¶42 And we hope to get the church up, so I can get these Church Ages in, before—before the winter sets in, if possible. If I don’t, or when I have to come back from over there, if the Lord Jesus tarries. I was listening yesterday when I was taking, believe it was day before yesterday, of a tape. I thought I heard it playing out here this morning. Some little Southern brother had…His mother had come into the meeting. She had a malignancy on her breast, and she was shadowed to death. And the Holy Spirit, in one of the recent meetings, at the Southern Pines, I believe it was, or somewhere, told her, said about her malignancy, and who she was, and where she come from. And said she had a boy that was a backslider, and he was going to have an accident, and be for manslaughter. And a whole lot of things like that. And this fellow… It all happened just the way. And her malignant cancer, or malignant growth, rather, left her. Which is, malignant growth is a cancer, you know. So then it—it left her. And the boy was up for manslaughter, and everything just the way the Holy Spirit said it. And he was led to Christ, back again. And he made a tape of it, and I—I heard it playing. Did you enjoy that little, old Southern talk? [Congregation says, “Amen.”—Ed.] Said, “Down here in North Carolin’er,” he said. Oh, I just love that, them old Southern people. And he had…The Lord just blessed him on. He said, “I know you say you don’t preach doctrine, Brother Branham; only to your congregation.” Said, “We’re part of your congregation.” So that was right cute in him, to say that.

6. THE SERPENT’S SEED — 1958-09-28

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• ¶251–¶255 And her husband looked at me, said, “Brother Branham, say a prayer, ’cause she wanted to see you.” I said, “A prayer for her now would do no good.” “The way the tree leans, that’s the way it falls.” See? “Be not deceived; God is not mocked. Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he reap.” Do you see where it is? Now what’s happened? Look at a woman would do that. Look at women who lived back yonder, the chorus girl, what was her daughter? A flapper. What’s the flapper’s daughter? A rock-and-roll teenage. What’s her daughter going to be? Hum! What is it? See the seed of the righteous? Look at you Baptists. Go back a little while ago. Go back to John Smith, your founder, you Baptists. When, he prayed for the iniquity of the people, until, he cried and prayed for the people until his eyes swoll’ shut, and his wife would have to feed him at the table, his breakfast. And you Methodists, around here, with jewels in your nose and over your ears, and look like sidesaddles for the devil; and going out, wearing shorts, and things like that! When, old John Smith, one of the elders of the Methodist church, before he died at eighty-five years old, preached a short sermon four year, or, four hours. They had to pack him and set him in the pulpit. And here was his last words. He said, “I am so shocked at the action of the Methodist church.” Said, “Even the daughters of the Methodist church are wearing gold rings upon their fingers.” What would he say now, with shorts on, singing in the choir?

7. THE LAMB’S BOOK OF LIFE — 1956-06-03

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• ¶77–¶82 From the resurrection, “was caught up to God, and sets on the right hand of God.” Now, that would just cut loose all the “man child” doctrine, wouldn’t it? See? But now, “The law,” Hebrews 10 again, “having a shadow of things to come,” and not the very image, but the shadow. Now, the other night, I was discussing with a very fine person, on the doctrine of the Millennium. I said, “I believe in the Millennium, because there’s too many shadows of the Old Testament that speaks that there will be a Millennium. There’s got to be. Too many shadows!” They said, “Will the Church go through the Tribulation?” I said, “No. The Church can’t go through the Tribulation, It has got to go before the Tribulation. Too many shadows!” Look, that, Noah, in the beginning, Noah…“All the Old Testament, all the law, now, was a shadow of good things to come.” Now, before the tribulation period struck, first, Enoch, the… Noah, Noah was the type that was carried over, like the sleeping virgin, but Enoch was translated just before the tribulation struck. “And Enoch was took up, and was found not, because God took him,” the type of the going forth of the Church. And Noah watched him. When he seen Enoch go, he knew it was time to enter the ark, for to be carried through the tribulation. The Bible said, “There was ten virgins went out to meet the Bridegroom; and five were wise, five were foolish. And they were all virgins, every one of them. But five was wise, and they had Oil in their lamp. And they went out to meet the Bridegroom. And the Bridegroom came, and the ones that had Oil went in.” See, the translation, going with the Bridegroom.

8. THE REJECTED KING — 1960-05-15

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• ¶238–¶241 Lord Jesus,…[Blank spot on tape—Ed.]…five little stones, f-a-i- t-h, and the slingshot of prayer. And I’m bringing back my sister from the clutches of that nervousness…?…yonder. I’m bringing her back to peace and shady green pastures and still water. I do this in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen. [A sister speaks with Brother Branham—Ed.] Father God, this little girl, we’re so glad that it wasn’t muscular dystrophy. But regardless of what it is, it’s still in Your reach, Lord. And I come with the little sling of faith, and this stone. And I press this stone with all the strength that I can throw it. In the Name of Jesus Christ, may it hit the mark. May our sister be well. I do this in the Name of Jesus Christ. [A sister speaks with Brother Branham—Ed.] As this young mother, and her little offspring, a little one that she wants to meet over yonder, on the other side, in that glorious Land that I just spoke of, and they…The mother won’t live to the…raise the little fellow, and neither can the little fellow live long without Your help. But I’m coming with the sling, with all that the strength and the aim that I can take at the enemy. And in the Name of Jesus Christ, I sling this at him. They shall be well, for the glory of God. In the Name of Jesus. Amen. [A sister speaks with Brother Branham—Ed.] Oh, that’s so nice. I’m glad. Well, that ministry, then, was the greatest ministry of pointing people out. It pointed to works…?…

9. PUTTING ON THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD — 1962-06-07

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• ¶207–¶211 I said, “Good morning.” I said, “Auntie, how did you know I was a parson?” Now, down in the south that’s what a minister is called. I said, “How’d you know I was a parson?” She said, “Aw, I knew you was.” Said, “There’s one thing I just missed,” said, “you,” said, “you was supposed to have on a little gray suit, and a little hat put on the side of your head,” said, “but where is that briefcase you had?” I just set it down. I said, “I left it in the hotel.” She said, “I knowed you was coming.” I said, “My name is Branham. Did you know…?” Said, “No, Sir.” Said, “Parson Branham, I don’t know you.” She said, “But did you ever hear in the Bible about that Shunammite woman?” I said, “Yes.” Said, “You know, she—she had a baby, she was too old to have a baby, and yet she had one.” And said, “That Elijah, that prophet, went and told her about that baby ’cause she was kind to this prophet.” I said, “Yes, I know the story very well, Auntie.” She said, “Well, I’s is that kind of woman.” And she said, “I prayed to the Lord, me and my husband, to give us a child. I said I’d raise him like she did.” And said, “He gave us a fine boy.” And said, “But my boy took the wrong road.” Said, “He got out amongst sinners and so forth, and went the way of the sin.” And said, “He’s laying in there dying, he caught a venereal disease.” And said, “He’s in there dying.” And said, “We didn’t know it, we Christians here,” and said, “it went so long till it turned into syphilitic.” And said, “He’s—he’s dying.”

10. GOD HIDING HIMSELF IN SIMPLICITY — 1963-04-12

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• ¶302–¶307 Something happened the other day. You read, or heard the tape, “the seven thunders,” What Time Is It, Sir? See? It happened the other day. You know these things. The time is at hand, church. The time is at hand. Don’t, don’t, don’t wait any longer. See? How do you know the Rapture is not going on all the time? First thing you know, it’ll be past, one disappearing here and there. It’ll be gone, the first thing you know. And you’ll…Judgment will strike the world. You say, “Well, I—I thought this.” “It’s too late now.” Remember, they didn’t know it until the day they entered into the ark, and then it was too late. The foolish virgin didn’t know until she come back and found the wise virgin gone, then she was left for the Tribulation period. No good teacher believes that the Church, the Bride…The church goes through the Tribulation, but not the Bride. The church goes through, for purification, sure, under the sixth seal. Right. Israel does the same thing, for the hundred and forty-four thousand, but not the Bride. There’s… The Bride is forgiven. She goes straight to Glory, in a Rapture. That’s right. She, my opinion, the last member will be caught up, one of these days. It might come, and you wouldn’t know nothing about it. Remember, it’s a secret, secret catching away. “He’ll come in an hour that you think not.” You won’t know nothing about it. She’ll be gone; be too late then. You say, “I wish I would have stood.” If you ever intended to make a stand, let this meeting, at Albuquerque, let this be the time that you made the stand.

11. CONDEMNATION BY REPRESENTATION — 1960-11-13

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• ¶306–¶310 And the shouts and praises will raise up, from all over the city, around different places where these people will go. “You know, I once had stomach trouble, but it’s gone. I once had so-and-so, certain diseases, but it’s gone. I just heard that Message that morning, ‘Breeding back to the Word,’ and I come back to the Word. And I believe the Word, and now I’m well.” Grant it, Father. I commit them to You, in Jesus Christ’s Name. Now with our heads bowed. I want the elder to go forward. Let the… Teddy, if you will. Some of you sing Only Believe, just as you can now. And let the ones, has passed, right to their seat, as we anoint and pray for them!…?… In the Name of Jesus Christ, I now…?… Father in Heaven, as I lay my hands upon this woman, with anointing oil still on her…

12. GOD BEING MISUNDERSTOOD — 1961-07-23

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• ¶54–¶57 Now turn to Acts 2, Acts 2, and we’ll take the—the 30th verse, begin in Acts 2, and this is the Apostle Peter also speaking. Acts, the 2nd chapter, and the—the 30th verse I have written down here. Where…Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had swore with an oath to him, that of the fruits of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither did His flesh see corruption (Christ’s body). His soul descended into hell and preached to spirits, or souls that repented not in the longsuffering in the days of Noah. His soul did descend into hell and He preached to spirits, and rose on the third day. That is Scriptural, the Truth. 140. Now, were the five of the virgins lost? I presume that they are asking the question’s, “the five virgins,” the five wise and the five foolish. Now, if you were with us in the last teachings in Revelation, you find out there that those virgins, the—the five foolish virgins were not lost; but they were not permitted to go into the Wedding Supper, but they suffered persecution and was martyred, and raised again at the general resurrection in the last day. Those are the people where He separated the sheep from the goats, see, they stood before Judgment. You say, “Well, Brother Branham, don’t we stand, the Church?” No, sir! We do not stand before the Judgment.

13. BEING LED OF THE HOLY SPIRIT — 1956-02-19

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• ¶70–¶71 And all of them begin to say, “Yes, that’s right.” And I let her up. And when I let her up, she…Them little opossums was gathered, and away she went as hard as she could dragging that leg, and went right up to my steps, and fell down and exhausted there, passed out. I went up. We pushed her. That right? We pushed her and tried to get her to move, and she just wouldn’t. She just laid there. Well, Mrs. Wood come up. She said, “Brother Branham…” And her pocket…’Course when she lay down, let out; the little babies was there a nursing. And said, “Brother Branham,” Mrs. Wood said, being a veterinary, she said, “now look, go kill that opossum. See? Them little opossums, just pick them up and throw them against the ground and kill them,” said, “ ’cause the poor little things,” said, “that old curdled milk and stuff, her dead,” said, “they’ll—they’ll—it’ll…She’ll die, or the little fellows will die, and die an awful death.” Said, “They’re too little to put on a bottle. They got a round mouth anyhow. Said, “You can’t do it.” Said, “You just might as well kill them.” I said, “I—I just can’t do it, Sister Wood.” She said, “You’re a hunter, aren’t you?” I said, “Yeah, but I’m not a killer.” And—and she said—she said, “Well—well, look, Brother Branham, why don’t you go in and get one of your guns and shoot them?” I said, “I just can’t do it.” She said, “Well, let Banks.” That’s her husband. “Let—let him kill them.” And I said, “No, I don’t want him to.” Said, “You mean you’re going to let that poor thing lay there in that sun, them poor little things nurse on that dead mother?” I said, “She’s not all the way dead.” I’d kick her, and every once in a while you’d see a little, kind of a little move in her jaw there. Why, said, “Look at the poor thing. She’s dying. She’s passed out. She’ll never come to.” Well, I said, “I just can’t help it. I just can’t kill her.”

14. THE FOURTH SEAL — 1963-03-21

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• ¶55–¶57 And then we give, left off last night, with the illustration of what the Oil and wine was, and what the effects that It had. And we…It might have sounded a little rude, but I…it just exactly the Truth. See? Now, we left off on…Let’s, just a few moments, review of that now. And then we left off, on the power of the wine, what the Oil represented, Spirit. Now, I guess you all got it all down. You’ll find it on the tape, if you didn’t. And where to find the Scriptures, that, the Oil always symbolizes the Holy Spirit. Like the foolish virgins with no Oil, wise virgins with Oil, which is the Holy Spirit. And then on back, in—in the—the prophets, and so forth. And now I… Course, I don’t try to pull out every Scripture in there. And there’s things that you can’t even speak about; take too much time. But I try to place out here, with Scriptures and so forth, just enough to give the people so it’ll let them know and see the picture of It. But if you’d sit down with one of them Seals, why, my, you could take a month’s sermons every night, right on that Seal, and still not even touch It, see, on one of Them. And that’s how—how much there is to It. But, just hit the high spots of It, then you can—you can see what It’s all about. Now, as Oil symbolized the Holy Spirit, then we find out that oil and wine is connected in worship, see, always connected in worship.

15. THE FAITH THAT WAS ONCE DELIVERED TO THE SAINTS — 1953-11-29

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• ¶95–¶99 Now, you’re going to get angry with me, you just might as well get started. But, you men that’ll let your wives go out and act like that, and smoke cigarettes, and walk around, that shows how much man’s in you. That’s right. A real true-blooded man won’t permit such stuff as that. That’s right. Brother, that may be hard to digest, but if it is, take it, ’cause it’s good for you. Amen. That’s exactly right. I tell you, a real red-blooded man… My wife may do it sometime. When she does, that’s the day she leaves the Branham home. That’s exactly right. I wouldn’t permit it. By the grace of God, I couldn’t permit it. That’s right. And when men will stand up… Excuse me. That thing’s got more voice than I have. But look. I’m not excited. I know where I am. I know what I’m talking about too. Now, look. That’s right. This little ol’ girl started across the floor hollering, “Tootle-dee, doodle-dee,” and when this…she said…They was going to have some kind of old barn swing dance, or something or other, and she got down there to—to the radio, and she throwed a kiss to that guy through the radio. So excited she didn’t even know I was at the door. She said, “Tootle-loo, honey. I’ll see you out there tonight.” And I thought, “Yeah, it’s true, you’ll be there. No doubt at all. You’ll be there.” And she walked over, she kept going around the floor hollering, you know, like she was dancing. She said, “Oh, excuse me.” She said, “I just love to donce so well.” I said, “I noticed it.” And—and she said—she said, “Oh, I just love it.” I said, “I—I believe that.” I said, “Here’s your change.” And—and I went on back, and I was coming down a pole.

16. THE SMYRNAEAN CHURCH AGE — 1960-12-06

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• ¶150–¶152 “Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God.” Now, don’t grieve It (do things that’s wrong). If you do, you’ll pay for it; ’cause the Bible said, “Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby you are sealed until the day of your redemption.” Is that right? “Grieve not the Holy Spirit.” Oh! It’s going to be a wonderful day, some morn, some of these times. To show you that the resurrection’s going to be universal, “There’ll be two in a field, and I’ll take one; and two in the bed, and I’ll take one.” See, it’ll be a night one place, and daylight on the other side of the earth; be a universal resurrection, that Rapture. The trumpet of God shall sound, and every one of these, of this little church here, here, here, and even that little bunch that went through there, and come out here, here, here. When that virgin, that virgin when she seen in the seventh watch that…Now, remember, there were seven virgins. Is that right? Or, I mean, five virgins went out…Ten virgins went out to meet the Lord, five was wise and five was foolish. Is that right? And now, in the watches though, there was seven watches. And at the end of the seventh watch (some slept from this watch, this one, this one, this one, and that,…), the seventh watch, there was a voice went out, “Behold, the Bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet Him.” And they rose and trimmed their lamps. And all these others rose down through here. Oh, won’t that be a wonderful time! Oh, we used to sing a little song: It’s a wonderful time for you, What a wonderful time for me; If we all prepare to meet Jesus our King, What a wonderful time it will be. Here, let’s see if we can sing that: A wonderful time for you, A wonderful time for me; If we all prepare to meet Jesus our King, What a wonderful time it will be. (Won’t that be wonderful?) Oh, won’t it be wonderful there, Having no burdens to bear? Joyously singing with heart-bells all ringing, Oh, won’t it be wonderful there?

17. THE CONFLICT BETWEEN GOD AND SATAN — 1962-05-31

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• ¶207–¶212 So, we have two classes today that’s professing. Now listen close, in closing. We have two classes that’s professing to be the Bride of Christ. That’s right. And the Bible speaks there will be two classes. That’s right. The wise virgin and the foolish one. Is that right? There’s two classes. The church says, “We are the Church.” They go out and have these great evangelistic campaigns, bring the people into the church. The women continue on with their way of doing. The men continue on with their way of doing. They never change their doctrine. They got it all wrote out, and documented, and set down, and those Apostles’ Creed, and certain prayers, and all these catechisms, and everything that the Methodists, and Baptists, and Presbyterians, and Catholic, and all, read. And they accept that catechism because some great man back behind said that was right. He might have been a great man, he might have been right, but he hasn’t got the authority to say that. Cause, the Bible is God’s authority. It’s the written Word of God. “And any man that adds one thing to It, or takes anything from It, the same will be taken (his part) out of the Book of Life.” That can’t be done so, now. But we have two professing it. One said, “Well, we’re the Church.” The other one said, “We’re the Church.” All right. The wise and foolish, both are invited. But did you notice? They both had vessels. That’s right. They both was virgins, believers. They both had vessels.

18. THE UNCERTAIN SOUND — 1961-04-15

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• ¶37–¶42 [A sister speaks in tongues, a brother interprets, “Yea, would I send My prophet weeping? Yea, would I send him seeking, lest it was for thee? Yea, I say unto thee, tonight, my people, it is I, God, that standeth before thee. Yea, would you not follow Me? Yea, was I not the—the One that loved thee? Yea, was I not He that bore thine iniquities? Yea, was I not He that suffered? Yea, wilt thou let Me cry? Yea, wilt thou let Me weep for thee? Yea, I say unto thee, tonight, fear not, for I am standing, yea, I am standing ready to receive. Wilt thou come? Saith the Lord.”—Ed.] Praise the Lord! Listen to that. Just a moment. “How long will you halt between two opinions?” You know what I did? Now, watch the story as it goes on. I walked out to the woman, standing out there. I said, “Father, forgive me.” I walked out to her, I said, “Could I set down?” She said, “Oh, hello.” She said, “I—I got company.” I said, “Lady, I didn’t mean it in that way.” I said, “I would just like to set here just a moment, until your friends return.” I seen she was drinking. And she said, “Very well.” And I told her the story that was told me by the vision. She said, “I know who you are,” she said, “You’re that Mr. Branham that’s down here in that armory building.” I said, “Yes, ma’am, I am.” She said, “I passed by your meeting the other night, I couldn’t get in.” She said, “Mr. Branham, I’m beyond hopes.” She said, “My father was a Methodist preacher, I got two daughters that’s Methodist Sunday school teachers.” I said, “What happened?” She told me the story. She said, “There’s not a hope for me.”

19. THE KINSMAN REDEEMER — 1960-10-02

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• ¶1–¶2 Thank you, Brother Neville. The Lord bless you. So good to be back again, this morning, back in the house of the Lord. I believe it was said, one time, “I was happy when they said unto me, ‘Let us go into the house of the Lord.’” Charlie, come out behind that post, and come up here and get you a chair. Come on up here. Sister, is there a chair back in there, somewhere, we could squeeze in? Here’s a place right up here, lady. Come right up here. Here, Charlie, come here and sit down by Banks up here, so you won’t have to stand up. Every time that boy comes from way down in Kentucky, gets up here, he stands up every morning. And we’ll get him right up here. Here’s a place here, on the end of the seat here, for someone else. [Brother Neville says, “There’s a lady back here, too.”—Ed.] There’s a lady standing up in the back, back there. Come right up here. Here’s a seat right here, sister, right up close. Come right ahead. And I suppose somebody is in the wheel chair there. Are they? [A sister says, “Brother Branham?”] Yes. [“There’s a seat right here.”] There’s another seat right over here. If someone wants one, back there in the back, right here is a seat right here. [A brother says, “And here is one, Brother Branham.”] Here’s one right up here, also, just suit yourself. [“Another one, over here.”] Yes. You can have one right here. Now, come right on, take your seats. And just feel real…

20. LIFE STORY — 1951-04-15

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• ¶77b–¶79 Is that right?” And I said, “Yes, sir. They told me I could hold revivals for them.” And she said, “Well…” I said, “Will you go with me?” She said, “Sure.” Bless her heart. She said, “Sure, I’ll go.” And that’s a real wife, go with you through thick or thin. Well, now, when I started out to hold the meetings then, I was going to go to hold them. And I went and told my mother. She said, “Well, God bless you, honey.” She said, “Years ago down in Kentucky at the old Lone Star meeting house, we used to hear the people shout like that long time ago, and had that kind of a demonstration.” Said, “But it faded out.” And—and—and I said, “Well, mama, these people, It ain’t faded out of them.” I said, “They sure have got a…?…” And so she went…?…things. When we got to her mother—got to her mother…?…When we got over there, why there’s where the trouble started, right there. She said, “William Branham, do you mean to tell me that you’d take my daughter out amongst a bunch of trash like that?” I said, “Well, look, Mrs. Brumbach. They’re not trash.” She said, “That’s a bunch of holy-rollers.” She said, “And you take her out of here, she’ll starve to death.” She said, “Today she might have something to eat, and tomorrow she might not have nothing to eat.” But brother, I come to find out what she called “trash” was “the cream of the crop.” And bless my heart…?… And said, “You mean to tell me that you’d take…” Said… And Hope started crying. And she said, “Mother…” She said, “I—I—I want to go with him.” And she said, “Very well, Hope. If you go, your mother will go in a grave heartbroken. That’s all.” And then Hope started crying.

21. BEHOLD, A GREATER THAN SOLOMON IS HERE — 1962-06-12

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• ¶22–¶24 I was in a—a Lutheran college, Bethany, where I’d been called on the carpet, oh, my, just digging me up, he’s the one, called me a polished-up soothsayer, and then the Lord kind of got after him about it a little bit, you know, and so he called me up to apologize. We went down into a basement where they set a nice big dinner, and he said to me, he said, “Brother Branham, I just want to ask you some questions. First, I’m sorry I said what I said in that letter.” I said, “That’s all right, I never even thought no more about it.” He said, “I want you to tell me, what in the world…? Are we Lutherans in the race?” I said, “Sure.” He said, “What—what—what have we got?” I said, “You got the Spirit of God.” And I said, “You know…” They, for the students who couldn’t pay their way through, so, they had about a thousand acres there of corn, so they just worked their way through. So they…He said…I said, “A man one time planted a corn crop, and he went out, and the next morning there was two little leaves sticking up, he said, ‘Praise the Lord for my crop of corn!’” I said, “Now, Brother Hegre, did he have a crop of corn?” He said, “Well, not yet.” I said, “Potentially he did, didn’t he?” He said, “Yes.” I said, “That was you Lutherans.” I said, “By and by, them two little blades growed up, and after while it made a tassel, that was the Methodist. They looked back down and said, ‘There’s no more use for you, you’re just a leaf, I’m a tassel.’

22. THIRSTING FOR LIFE — 1957-07-28

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• ¶47–¶48a Someone else would say, “Remember me, Brother Branham, in prayer. God, I’m a—I want to accept You just now, accept Your Son as my personal Saviour.” Would you put up your hand, someone else on the bottom floor? God bless you back there, my brother. Somebody… God bless you over here, my brother. God bless you down here, brother. God bless you back there, brother. That’s good. Back over to my right, the Lord bless you, back here. Somebody else now would raise your hand and say, “Brother Branham, remember me in prayer just now”? As we’re just about to close the service, say, “Remember me, I want to here accept Christ as my personal Saviour.” Would you raise your hand, saying, “Remember me, Brother Branham”? That’s right. God bless you, sister. God bless you, sister. I know there’s plenty of them in here. Would you just put up your hand? You can do that much. On the bottom floor now, will you do it before we go to the balconies? Been about fifteen. God bless you back there. I see your hand. God bless you. God bless you, my brother back there. That’s good. “Oh, Brother Branham, I know I go to church, but I—I…” God bless you, sister here. God bless you here, lady. “I go to church, but I—I know—I know I’m not right. And I want to be right. God knows I want to be right.” Will you put up your hand? The balconies to my right, someone up there say, “Brother Branham, remember me”? God bless you, young man. God bless you, lady. Someone else say…God—God bless you, lady. That’s good. “Remember me, Brother Branham, just now in prayer, as you go to prayer. I believe in you.” God bless you, brother. I now want to raise my hand and say, “I believe in Jesus Christ, and, Brother Branham, remember me in prayer. Just before you leave this building tonight, won’t you do it?” Put up your hand, and I’ll certainly do it, that God will see you. Won’t you do it? Up here’s the balcony to the right. Just one more time across. God bless you, sir, right here. I see your hand.

23. THE SUDDEN, SECRET GOING AWAY OF THE CHURCH — 1958-10-12

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• ¶111b–¶115 But She is ready, and dressed, and waiting for it. We see His sign posts in the world, that she’s ready for judgment. We see signs and wonders in the Church, great things taking place. What kind of people should we be? Ready at the moment, for we don’t know when He’s Coming. “Be ye also ready, for you know not what minute or hour your Lord does come.” Be ready! For, you can’t get ready then, for He said you could not. How many of you, all perhaps, have read of the virgins? Some were wise and some were foolish. Virgin means “purity.” They were all good people. Every one of them, virgin, sanctified vessels of God. But those who had Oil in their lamps, went in, and the others was left out. They were all virgins, every one. People that you couldn’t put your finger on, for anything wrong. They, every one, believed in the Coming of the Lord. They were ready to go meet Him, but some of them let their Oil go out. Don’t let that be your case. Keep Oil in your lamp. Oil is a Spirit, the Holy Spirit. Never let It drain from you. When you feel your love dying away, your sincerity to Christ and to the—the Cause, quickly go to Him Who has the fountain of Oil, and buy for yourself a filling of the Holy Spirit. Our nation gone, morally corrupted and ruined. Our politics, corrupted and gone. Our leaders, O God, what could we do about it? You can put a good man in, and he comes out a crook.

24. THE ONCOMING STORM — 1960-02-29

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• ¶176–¶180 God bless you, Sister…?…[Brother Branham prays with the people at the altar, many of his words are indiscernible—Ed.]…?… Oh, nevermore… Won’t you just raise up, and come down with these others standing around the altar here? Come. It’s coming to judgment now. Won’t you come? Come now, your sins confess now, you won’t have to go to the judgment. God bless this couple that just come. God bless you, sir. That’s good. God bless you, young lady. Come right on down. Come, sir. I’ve wandered far… Come on, my Spanish brother. …away from God, Now I’m coming… Won’t you raise up now, and come down here? Let’s pray. Come to the Shelter. …of sin too long I’ve trod, O Lord, I’m coming home. May I say this, just while the organ is continually playing. The Message, tonight, is a Message of love, grace, and warning. Tomorrow night, this Message may be in your ears somewhere else, a Message of condemnation and judgment. While It has mercy in It, come and receive It. Won’t you, friends? I’ve got to meet you with This, what I’ve said tonight, someday. Won’t you come? Let It speak for mercy, for you. While we sing once more, “Now I’m Coming Home,” won’t you do it? Just stay right here, sister, dear. You all stay right here if you will, just a moment. We want to have prayer with these at the altar. Just let them stay right where they are. Once more now. I’ve wandered far… Rise up, come. Won’t you? I invite you. Now I’m coming home; The path of sin too long I’ve trod, Lord, I’m coming home. Christians, pray now. Coming home…

25. THE CRUELTY OF SIN, AND THE PENALTY THAT IT COST TO RID SIN FROM OUR LIVES — 1953-04-03

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• ¶221–¶221 [Brother Branham continues to quietly pray for the people for two minutes and forty-seven seconds, many of his words are indiscernible—Ed.]…?…

26. THE ARK — 1955-05-22

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• ¶169–¶171 See this darling little girl, we’re so thankful You did so much for her, Father. You helped us, not long ago. I pray that You’ll make this child completely well, and a revelation to others, that they can believe on You. I bless this child, this morning, in the Name of Jesus Christ, and curse the disease of her body!…?… Bless my beloved brother, today, Lord. May his faith never fail, as he looks yonder at Calvary, knowing You there, faith, whatever faith is laid there, God will confirm it and bring it to pass! (You can go back now.) Bless my Brother Morgan. Give him the desire of his heart. Whatever he asks for, today, may You give it, in the Name of the Lord. Bless my sister…?…Lord, and give to her those things which she desires, through Jesus Christ. Father God, my brother, I pray unto Thee, for the desire of his heart, it may be fulfilled…?… Our brother here from Ohio camp meeting,…?…Heavenly Father, may the desire of his heart…?…May he find that desire in Jesus Christ. And thank You for the healing, Lord. Father God, I pray, with hands laid upon my brother, for the desire of his heart to be granted…?… Bless my little brother, Father!…?… Here’s a little girl, Father, I bless her. In the Name of the Lord Jesus, may she get what she asks for, in Jesus’ Name. Grant it. Bless my sister, Lord, in Jesus’ Name…?…[Brother Branham prays with the people at the altar for another two minutes, many of his words are indiscernible—Ed.]

27. WITNESSES — 1954-03-03

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• ¶26b–¶28 An old woodsman type of a preacher, with the beard out over his face, like a fuzzy worm, and a big piece of sheepskin wrapped around him, standing on the muddy banks of Jordan, preaching repentance. Amen. (No fine, dressed lace, silks, and satins and whatever it was.) And there’s where God spoke from the heaven, and he saw the Spirit of God coming like a dove, falling upon a Man Who’d been born in a manger. See, what the world call great, God calls foolish. And what the world calls foolish, God calls great. That’s right. So don’t mind to be called foolish. ’Cause remember. You can’t have the mind of Christ and the mind of the world at the same time. You can’t be in your way and God’s way at the same time. You have to get out of your own way to let God have His way. That’s the only way you’re ever going to do anything. You got to get away from your own thoughts, your own reasons. Don’t try to reason; just believe. What if Mary tried to reason about the new birth, or, not the new birth, but the virgin birth. Pardon me. What if she tried to say, “Now, wait a minute. Now, look. I don’t know no man. There’s never been anyone like that. How would I ever have a child? Oh, you can’t tell me that.” She never waited for anything. She just took God at His Word and started thanking God for the baby. Before she felt any life, before she felt anything, before one sign was given to her, she just took the Angel’s Word and went rejoicing and praising God, telling everybody she was going to have a baby, knowing no man. God give us some more Marys around Phoenix here, that can take God at His Word and start rejoicing before anything happens. That’s what you need. That’s all. For she was overshadowed by the Holy Ghost. And when the Holy Ghost truly overshadows a person, they take God at His Word. That settles it, what the Holy Ghost said.

28. BALM IN GILEAD — 1961-02-18

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• ¶135–¶137 Hadn’t been but a little while, I went out and got some more orders and come up. And I had a place up there where somebody had went up and pushed the wires on a meter, and just running it without that, and somebody in there ironing. Why, if they had cut a wire across it, twenty-three hundred had come through there, it would kill a woman dead with a iron in her hand. So I had to go up and cut them nips off, so they couldn’t put it in straight like that. So, I just cutting it off like that, come down, and Doctor Brown was coming down the street. He said, “Hello, Billy!” And I said, “Hello there, Dr. Brown.” My, he’s a mighty fine man, Methodist preacher. And he said, “How you doing this morning?” I said, “Fine, fine.” He said, “You Baptists are really having a time up there, aren’t you?” I said, “Oh, yes, sir. We just having…” He said, “How you get that there crowd you have up there every Sunday night, Billy?” I said, “I give them pills.” And he said, “What kind of pills?” I said, “Gos-pills.” Uh-huh. And he said, and so, “Oh,” he said, “you haven’t lost any of your southern idea.” I said, “Nope, nope, that’s right.” He said, “You know what, Billy?” He said, “The other day…I’ve got five hundred members to that church down there,” and he said, “I’ve sent out five hundred cards to get those people to pledge that they would come six months out of the year to Sunday school. Within the year they would register six times in—in…they would register six months in the year, they would come.” And said, “You know how many answered?”

29. WHY LITTLE BETHLEHEM — 1963-12-14

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• ¶184–¶188 This is the time to do it, now, Christmas. It was the birth of Christ, let Christ be born in us. What is Christ? Christ is the Word. How many knows that? “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Somebody said the other day, said, “Brother Branham, you, people know that you’re a woman-hater.” I am not. I’m not. I got genuine love for my sisters. Some men will turn around, think you look nice with red eyes and green eyes, and bobbed hair, that man has got a different opinion than what I’d have. Your…I love that soul that’s in you, that’s got to meet God. That’s what I’m…my sister for Eternity, not some little sex thing here on earth will… How many ever read the decline, of the fall of Rome? Sure. Look at there, just the same thing we’re doing, sex appeal. Youth in the condition it is, just exactly the way we got now, racial problems. And youth taking over, and man and sex. Just the way the Roman Empire fell, eighteen hundred years ago, and here it is right back here again amongst Gentiles. See? The confusion amongst the religions and things. Oh, what an hour that we’re living in! [A sister gives a message. Blank spot on tape—Ed.] Amen. The Lord God has spoke. I believe that. Now let us stand. When He speaks, it’s time for us to give reverence. [Someone speaks to Brother Branham—Ed.] (What say?) By God’s grace, and by God’s help, I’m more determined than I ever was, stand by this Word and try my best, by the help of God, to cut a way down to Bethlehem again, where Bethlehem dwellers can drink from that Fountain. How many will join with me, with your hands up, say, “I promise to God I’ll do it”? God bless you.

30. THE SEED SHALL NOT BE HEIR WITH THE SHUCK — 1965-04-29

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• ¶44–¶46 Now, Ishmael could not be heir with Isaac, because one was slightly doubted, just slightly doubted. It was a child, it was still the seed of Abraham, but not God’s perfect way for it: Ishmael. Now I could spend much time here, but I’m hoping the Holy Spirit will convey this to you in the real way that it should be. Now if they, if Ishmael and Isaac could not be heir together because the original plan of God was substituted into a—a permissive plan of God, a permissive way that God did bless, neither can the spiritual Church today be heir with the denominational. The denominationals, God blessed them, like He did Ishmael, but the Spiritual will not be heir with the others. That’s right. There will be, coming out of the church denomination (church so-called, church natural), will come a Bride of Christ, the Elected. Now there, what troubles me at this hour, is knowing that we see all these denominations pulling into this what we know to be the…what you call the latter rain, or, the pouring out of the Spirit. Do you realize that Jesus said, that, “When that come to pass, it would be the end”? When, the foolish virgin and the wise virgin was not heirs together. For when…The foolish virgin, she was a virgin, just lacking Oil. But when she come to buy Oil, it was at that time that the Bridegroom came. And she was left out, while she was trying to buy Oil. You understand? I want that to soak in, real good. Now, surely I won’t have to move that subject any further. Now, neither can the Spiritual and the natural be heirs together.

31. LOOK AWAY TO JESUS — 1963-12-29

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• ¶98–¶106 And she looked around, said, “What shall I say, Brother Branham?” I said, “Say what your desire is. Think of your greatest desire, and say it.” And her boys was even snickering and laughing. And she said, “The greatest desire I have is the salvation of my two sons.” I said, “I give them to you, in the Name of Jesus Christ,” and there they went. And they been faithful in this church, with communion, them little fellows sitting there washing feet with the men, and things like that. We all are witness of that. She had a real choice. Her mother has to die, so does she, all of them. But what she asked will be Eternal, and the salvation of her children. That was the third time it happened. The fourth time it happened, I just explained it here the last time I was here, was up on the mountain where that storm raging. How many heard it? Oh, all of you. All right. Where the storm raging. And God being my Judge standing here, going down the mountain when… David Wood, he is here somewhere, I guess, that made me a sandwich, and it was quite a one! I think he was trying to get even with me for the one I made for his daddy, a few years ago. He had bologna, and—and meat and everything mixed together. And I put it in my shirt, and it rained, and just got it just a big wad of dough. And I was coming down the mountain. It was so stormy, I couldn’t even see my hand before me, hardly. And I know, just one thing, you’re turned around, ’cause that wind is just whirling. Now there is witnesses here, to that.

32. THE IMPERSONATION OF CHRISTIANITY — 1957-01-20

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• ¶152–¶157 Said, “She is in a heart attack, real bad, and may die at any time,” the mother. So I thought, “What is happening to this great Branham generation?” I thought the same thing when I seen my daddy, as I held him on my arms, and his curly hair dropped over in my arm, and I there seen him as he looked at me and smiled, when I was praying for him, and he went out to meet God. I thought the same thing a few days before that, when Doc, my brother there, picked up his own brother, cut through the throat, where a fellow, drinking, hit a post, and broke the car and killed him. And he died in my brother’s arms. And seeing dad come down the street, from Mrs. Kelly’s…Mr. Kelly’s house over there, crying, with his old black hat in his hand. In a few days later, holding him in my arms, as he was dying. I stood there and watched the old rocking chair, without anyone in it, begin to rock back and forth, as Ruth my sister-in-law was going to meet God. And I said, “Honey, shall I hang the picture of Jesus over here?” She said, “Billy, no. He is before me, always.” Then when I stood by the side of my wife, Hope, the mother of my boy, Billy, and my little girl, Sharon. And seen her take a hold of my hands, while her dark eyes looked to me, and spoke of the Place that she had just returned from, and desired to go back, and told me, “Never fail to preach this Gospel, Billy. You don’t understand what a joy it is to go like this.”

33. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS — 1959-06-28

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• ¶103–¶105 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—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 from— oil from those who sold it. While they were going, the bride come and the—and the—the wise virgin went in, and the sleeping virgin was cast out. 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—that is right. See? I couldn’t see it then, but I—I see it now. Look, the…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.

34. THE TRIAL — 1964-06-21

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• ¶136–¶140 At the tree, at seven years old, where the Voice spoke to me and said, “Don’t never smoke, chew, or drink, or defile your body.” And me in a bootlegger’s home, didn’t even know what a Bible was, no more than just a word. We might have been able to found an almanac, but not a Bible in our house. Nothing but a bunch of…Not talking against my people, but God knows all about it. There was no way at all, my people before me, back behind that were Catholic. They had all married away from church and gone away, and there wasn’t no religion at all. We didn’t even pay any attention to it. But He—He told me what was going to happen, that I was to not to smoke, or drink, or defile my body in any way, there would be a work for me to do when I got older. Well, it was years and years after that. How did I know I’d be a minister? I hated the thought of a preacher. But it happened, anyhow. It goes to show He keeps His Word. Seventeen years after He appeared to me there in a bush… We find out, next day after that, He showed me a bridge crossing the river, spanning it, showed sixteen man drop off of it. I told mama. Sitting against a tree, looked at it. She said, “You went to sleep, honey.” I said, “No, I never, mama. I watched it.” Exactly seventeen years from that day, the Municipal Bridge at Jeffersonville spanned over to Kentucky, and the seventh…And the sixteen man lost their life on it, just exactly like it said. Ah, so did Mr. Unbeliever has tempted me all along!

35. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS — 1954-01-03

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• ¶69–¶71 “What about in the Rapture?” Well, in the Rapture time…Jesus taught that as a parable. And He taught it many different ways. Here’s one way. He said that there were ten virgins went out to meet the Lord. And so-…All of them were virgins, but some had Oil in their lamps and some let the Oil go out. Is that right? And when the Bride…Now, what was the Oil? The Oil was the Holy Spirit; the Bible said so. Now look. They were virgins. Now, what does virgin mean? “Holy, clean, separated, sanctified.” Is that right? If I had a little glass here I’d show you what…Here, for instance like this bottle here, if it was empty, and I picked it up, and it was just as dirty as it could be…I want to use it. Well now, the first thing I want to do is Justification. I pick it up because I want to use it. It’s dirty; I found it out in the—in the pigpen, or wherever it was. Now, if I’m the right kind of person, well, I don’t want to put something clean in there I’m going to have to use. I—I have to fix that thing up first. Now, the best thing to do is scour it, clean it, and sanctify it. Is that right? Now, what does the word sanctify mean? “Cleaned and set aside for service.” The vessels of the old temple were cleaned and set aside for service. Now, there’s the Church: God picked them up through the Lutheran age, justification; Wesley age, He sanctified them; and in this age He fills them. See? He puts the Life in them. And when this, His Life through the Holy Spirit…The Holy Spirit picked them up; the Holy Spirit sanctified them; the Holy Spirit filled them. See? It’s all the same Church. But now look. Now in this day…

36. HEAR YE HIM — 1958-03-24

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• ¶202–¶206 Whatever it was, lady, I don’t know now, but it was the truth. He’s always truth, He’s the very Fountain of truth. Yes, I see the lady again, it was turning dark around her, she’s nervous, worried about something, it’s a nervous condition that she’s suffering with. Then she has a growth that’s a lump, and that’s on your breast, that’s on your right breast. That’s correct. And then, you’re interested in some…I see a man up here before me, and he’s looking to you, he’s calling you mother, it’s your boy, and he has something wrong with his back. And it’s dark around the boy, he once was a Christian, but he’s backslid. You’re not from this city, you’re from another city called Waverly, Ohio. That’s THUS SAITH THE LORD. You be the judge. Was those things true, whatever He said? If that’s right wave your hand to the audience so…What is it? It’s something that was back somewhere else. She be the judge, she knows; and you know that has to come from some supernatural power. Are you like the…? Are you a modern Pharisee that says, “It’s of the devil”? If you do, you get a devil’s reward; if you believe it’s God, you get God’s reward. What do you think? It was God? Then you have His reward. Go, and God be with you, for you will receive what you’ve asked for. The Lord God bless you, lady. I do not know you. We’re strangers to each other. If that’s right, would you raise up your hand for the people? [The sister speaks to Brother Branham—Ed.] Been in my—been in my meetings twice before, before I come to the city, although I don’t know you. Your first time in the prayer line, or anything? All right. Now, be real reverent.

37. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS — 1964-08-23

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• ¶144b–¶145 “If I be lifted up, I’ll draw all man to Me.” I’d go; be real careful. Don’t join their church though! Please don’t do that; don’t you join their church, but go on! 247. Brother Branham, here is a question that’s been sort of puzzling to several of us here. One—on—on (pardon me) on some tapes you speak only of the Jews being saved after the Bride is raptured. (And it’s a line across.) Please explain fully about the Gentiles that don’t go in the Rapture. I thought you said that the Gentiles that were left went through the Tribulation and gave their lives for a testimony of Jesus. When He returns from the Gentiles to the Jews…when He turns from the Gentiles to the Jews, then there isn’t any more chance for the Gentiles being saved, just the Gentiles who have been saved, but not received their last day Truth will go in the Tribulation Period and then be saved in the end. Is this right? Please explain, because you said that there would be just a small number go in the Rapture. What about the people that believed in the Lord—believes in the Lord now and the way…and don’t believe the way you preach for this end-time-day Message? Will they be saved? And then the sister signed her name. Now, very good question. Now, the first place, the confusion is, is what I have said about the Gentile’s days be done when the tribulation…in the tribulation. Now, I do not see the Gentiles in the Bible…The Gentile Bride, Bride, not the Gentile church now, the Gentile church will go through the Tribulation Period (see?), but not for their…See, the Bride is the Elected; They go through nothing but the Rapture. They’re just changed and taken out of the world. See? Now, I’ll explain that in a further question here, bringing it from Luther up, and you’ll see then what it means; it’s the maturing of the Body. See?

38. THE UNWELCOMED CHRIST — 1955-10-02

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• ¶52–¶53 Somebody nudges, “Look, going there, Look, going there.” That’s the way they do today. Nudge, nudge, “Look at there; that’s a holy- roller. Look, going there. You know you they are? They’re one of them. That’s one of them gang.” Oh, I’m so glad to be one of them; I don’t know what to do. Yes, sir. “There they go. Look where she’s going to now, and she’s been weeping. Oh, she’s one of them fanatics. Look where she’s going, right straight up to where they’re at.” There she goes up. She’s late. She’s got to hurry. But brother, it’s better late than never. You may wait a long time, dad; you may be sixty or seventy years old, but it’s better to be late—be late than never get there. Come on now. You said, “Oh, well, I want to get the Holy Ghost sometime, Brother Branham.” Right now. You say, “Well, I’m getting pretty old now; I couldn’t be much service.” Get It anyhow, better late than never. She got there. And when she gets there, all the party…She knows she was at the right place, the glasses was tipping together, and the big hoorays, and times of the wine being poured out, and everything. She knowed she was at the right place. Now she tipped on her toes, and she looks back there, and there she sees Him setting. She said, “I can’t. It—it must be…If they catch me in there, what will they do? I’d be out of place if I go in there. If I’d get into that kind of a group in there, I’ll be out of place, a person like me. Well, they’ll—they’ll throw me out. I—I can’t go…Maybe He wouldn’t want me to do it. I must be dreaming. There must be something wrong,” the tears running down her cheeks. She said, “But one time I heard Him preaching, and He preached on this, ‘Come unto Me, all ye that labor and heavy laden and I will give you rest. Whosoever will let him come.’ Surely, He meant me.”

39. IS YOUR LIFE WORTHY OF THE GOSPEL? — 1963-06-30

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• ¶19c–¶23 Bring them in, bring them in, Bring the little ones to Jesus. I don’t know better hands to put them in. Do you? The hands of the Lord Jesus! Now, I know it’s hot out there. I want to say to the janitor, my brother, Doc, or other, them takes care of it. Some of the sisters are ruining their skirts on the—on the grease that’s on the chair. How many got some of it on them? I know, there’s my wife, my two daughters, little Betty Collins, Mrs. Beeler, some of them. It’s something, grease on there. If you take a look at it, Doc, when you can. It’s, I believe, it’s where they…It’s grease or paint, or something, right where they work up and down, the seats. And it isn’t? [Brother Edgar “Doc” Branham says, “There’s no grease on them, to get it off from.”—Ed.] Well, I—I don’t know what it is, then. Something I just…Is mentioned to me, and I said I’ll mention it to—to Doc. All right. Now, Wednesday night prayer meeting. Is any other? You’ve announced? You got your announcements in, Brother Neville? Announcements all in. Now, if the Lord willing, next Sunday morning, I want to speak on the subject of indicting this generation for crucifying Christ. You say, “This generation couldn’t have done it.” We’ll find out whether they did, or not, according to the Word. Now, next Sunday morning, if the Lord is willing. If, now, if—if—if something occurs… I’m supposed to be in Houston this week, also, in a convention, that take me through Sunday, so I don’t know whether I’ll be able or not. But we got a couple more Sundays to play on, before it, anyhow. Then we go to Chicago for the convention, or meeting in Chicago, the last week in this month. And then I have to take the family back to Arizona, for—for their vacation is over and the kiddies has to go back to school.

40. ISRAEL AND THE CHURCH 1 — 1953-03-25

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• ¶125–¶128 And watch the ten virgins that went out. Five…All of them virgins. Five of them were foolish; five had Oil in their lamps. What is the Oil? The Holy Spirit. See? That’s right. They were all virgins, lived good, clean lives. You say, “Well, brother, I don’t go to dances, I don’t go to shows.” That’s just the moral thing. Unless there has been a Supernatural! Not because you shouted, not because you spoke with tongues, not because you jumped up and down, not because you did this; but something Supernatural has happened in here, that’s changed you and put…You are sealed away in God. You’re anchored. That’s right. “Well, you don’t believe?” I believe in shouting, I believe in all these things, but that isn’t the Answer. The Methodist thought, when they shouted, they had It, but they found out they were wrong. A lot of them shouted, and didn’t have It. The Pentecost come along, they spoke in tongues, they said “we got her,” but they found out they were wrong. Many of them spoke in tongues, had nothing. “Though I speak with tongue of men and Angels, and have not love, it profit me nothing.” They didn’t have It. That’s right. And that’s the reason the whole world was deceived by it, and through the other thing. That isn’t the Answer. Not any fleshly demonstration or emotion, but something has happened in here that’s changed your whole opinion, changed your whole nature. You are converted; not you, but Christ has come into you and converted you. Your nature is dead, in the old man, and you’re borned again, and you’re a new man. Watch. Amen.

41. THE SIGNS OF HIS COMING — 1962-04-07

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• ¶226–¶232 How many knows that immorality is on the move greater than it ever was? How many knows that wickedness is unbelief? More unbelief and adultery than we ever had, homosexuals, everything else. Is that right? Perversion. I—I—I must, I—I got to say it, our Pentecostal women, skinning themselves in little ol’ dirty-looking dresses like a skinned-down weenie, walking out here on the street immorally. Did you know you’re going to answer for committing adultery? Them men looking upon you, and you putting your kids out like that. What’s the matter? Why, well someone said not long ago, said, “Brother Branham, people call you a prophet.” I said, “I’m no prophet.” Said, “Well, the people call you that. Why don’t you teach them great things, how to receive the gifts of God, instead of talking to women about wearing short hair, and—and wearing things the way they do, and makeup and stuff the way they do, and things like that?” I said, “How am I going to teach them algebra if they won’t learn their ABC’s?” Yes. They won’t come out of kindergarten, the common decency to line up with the Word of God, exactly right. How you going to do that? You can’t do it. Why? Just those God called is the ones will hear It, “My sheep hear My Voice.” That’s right. They know the Voice of God, It speaks from the Word. It’s the Word is what does it. Now, He said that generation, this is it, would receive a sign. What kind of a sign? “As Jonah was in the belly of the whale for three days, the Son of man shall be in the heart of the earth.”