William Marrion Branham

Excerpt from the book:
The Challenge of the Christian Theology and more...
By Ewald Frank

The course of church history

Right after World War II God made a new beginning. This time He used as a chosen vessel William M. Branham (1909-1965) who was ordained by Dr. Roy Davis in the »Southern Baptist Convention« in 1933. As Paul he could testify about a heavenly calling and say, »… and it came to pass!« (Acts 22: 6). It happened on May 7th, 1946, when the supernatural light like a very big spotlight shone into his room in which suddenly a heavenly visitor walked towards him. He could give the precise description of the one who stood before him saying, »Fear not! For I am sent from the presence of Almighty God to commission you... « As Paul testified so did William Branham about that extraordinary experience. It truly happened, and his commission is justified through the confirmed ministry itself. Millions have witnessed to this. As far as is known, he was the only one in our generation who could testify of such a direct heavenly call and commission.

The New Testament did indeed begin with supernatural events: an angel came to Zacharias to announce the birth of John the Baptist. The angel came to Mary to tell her about the birth of Jesus Christ. All the heavenly hosts - the angels came down over Bethlehem at the birth of Christ. One angel gave the announcement, »For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.« (Lk. 2: 11). Like a red thread it is seen throughout the New Testament that angels gave advice right to the last book of the Bible, when the angel appeared to John on the isle of Patmos. Wherever God truly is at work, even today the supernatural occurs.

It pleased God to start this salvation and healing revival in our time through His humble servant. All other evangelists - Oral Roberts, T. L. Osborn, Tommy Hicks and many others - who later became renowned in the healing revival, started years later. If they are honest, they will confirm that it was in a Branham meeting, where they received their inspiration and faith and then started their ministry. The only exception is Billy Graham, who was chosen to be »an evangelist« by the »Southern Baptist Convention« in 1950, but has no healing ministry. The spiritual movements existing today, as well as the healing ministries in the various revivals go back to the ministry of William Branham, who started in 1946 and actually spearheaded this revival. Even the Full Gospel Businessmen and also the various charismatic movements, how ever they may be formed, actually result from that ministry.

Since the days of our Lord and the apostles there was not given such a direct commission which could be compared with his. After the preaching the call to repent was given and people surrendered their life to Christ as they were prayed for. After this he started praying for the sick. No one was turned away, he prayed for each one, regardless of what type of illness they had. He took God at His Word, emphasising Heb. 13: 8 , »Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.« and also Jn. 14: 12, »Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do... « He believed what the Lord said. Great healing miracles, true signs and wonders took place, which millions can testify of.

The meetings quickly gathered attention, for the blind were made to see, deaf could hear, the dumb could speak and cripples were healed on the spot while being prayed for on the platform before the whole congregation. All illnesses were healed, especially cancer cases, for when W. Branham was given the commission he was told that a gift of divine healing is given to him and that nothing would withstand his prayer, not even cancer, if he only remained sincere and the people would believe him. As in the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ, the same signs and wonders have happened in this generation. Over and over again from the congregation the statement was heard, »No man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.« (Jn. 3: 2).

The man sent from God did not belong to any of the Trinity or Oneness denominations. His special ministry, sad to say, was misunderstood and internationally defamed by religious leaders, as was the case with Jesus Christ Himself. And again it was a German, Dr. So-and-so, who in his book was criticising especially William Branham, but also other healing evangelists, which he put under the category of the evil one. It is peculiar that such critics have no proof and confirmation of their own ministry, all they have is a theoretical pile of words. They can not testify of a divine calling. As the scribes were convinced of themselves and called the Lord Jesus »Beelzebub«, because of His extraordinary ministry, so there colleagues have done in our time.

All the evangelists who had their healing ministries since the late forties up to the middle of the sixties have first-hand knowledge of what God has done. Because William Branham was preaching the Full Gospel, the two main Pentecostal denominations, the Assemblies of God and the United Pentecostal Church, profited very much from it. When a day was set that he should speak with the representatives of these two fellowships and decide for one of them, because everyone wanted him to be only with them, God showed him a vision. He saw two trees full of ripe fruit. One had the label »Trinity« and the other »Oneness«. In this vision he saw himself standing between the two trees, one on his left hand, the other on his right. As he was shaking these two trees mightily, behold, all the fruit from these trees fell upon him. This experience he related to the brethren who would not even speak to one another before. He said, »Brethren, you see, God does not permit me to take sides with one of you. He is sending me to His people who are scattered in the two Pentecostal camps and in all the others, everywhere.« Then the two shook hands and Brother Branham prayed for them. The result was a co-operation throughout years wherein a rich harvest of souls through the proclamation of the Gospel was brought into the Kingdom of God.

The Pentecostal churches gladly received the multitudes, which came to them through that ministry. Later they started to reject him, because he had taken his stand firmly on God's Word and taught Bible doctrine. David DuPlessis was mainly responsible to discredit W. Branham, whom he had met in the historic meetings in South Africa in 1951. Later he followed him into the USA and became known worldwide as »Mr. Pentecost«, but apparently had more of the ecumenical spirit than the Holy Spirit. He propagated the paradox statement, »Branham is a great and true prophet of God whom the Lord reveals everything; but do not listen to his teachings!« How does that fit together? Can one source give sweet and bitter? Gordon Lindsay, Kenneth Hagin and others made similar statements. Should it not have been the duty of these men to search God's Word and acknowledge what the Scripture said about the doctrines in question? But instead they have judged from their own point of view. This is going on up till now, as ridiculous statements are still being published.

No man's influence

It needs to be mentioned that no human has influence upon the sovereign working of God. This applies also to the photo with the supernatural pillar of light, which certainly did not appear because William Branham desired it. He certainly had no influence over it. In the natural two press photographers, Mr. Ayers and Mr. Kipperman, who were critics, took pictures during the meeting; spiritually speaking, the Lord came down in the supernatural light as in Bible times. It happened on January 24th, 1950, in the Houston Colliseum, Texas, in the presence of about 8,000 people. A debate had taken place between Dr. Best, who denied that healings, and signs and wonders occur today, and Rev. F.F. Bosworth, who of course knew his Bible and had the upperhand in the debate.

This peculiar photo was developed in the Douglas Studio in Houston, Texas. Because of the extraordinary light appearing on it, Rev. Gordon Lindsay submitted it to the Examiner of Questioned Documents, Dr. George J. Lacy. In his expertise he confirmed that no retouching or double exposure was done. The light was there, the camera took it and it appeared on the film. This photo is the only certified document about a supernatural appearing on earth and was exhibited in the Art Gallery in Washington, DC. In December 1969 I saw it for myself there, when I visited Washington.

This supernatural light descended as Brother Branham began to pray for the sick. He saw in detail things from the life of that person he was to pray for, just as it happened in the ministry of our Lord. Hundreds of recorded sermons with prayer lines are still the available proof. It has pleased the Lord to have His promised presence in His church even confirmed to unbelievers beyond any shadow of doubt in visible form after 2,000 years. William Branham testified, that it is the same light in which the Lord appeared to the Apostle Paul (Acts 9: 22- 26). He had the same ministry, the same confirmation, the same fundamental teachings about Godhead, Baptism, Lord's Supper etc. as Paul. As I had the privilege to know his ministry for 10 years (1955-1965), I am an eyewitness before God of what happened in our time and my testimony must not be withheld from the public. I am therefore a true witness having seen, heard and experienced these things personally.

Even Evangelists, who esteem him highly and call him the »father of the healing revival«, do not comprehend that his ministry was directly connected to the Plan of Salvation through which everything was restored and brought back into its original state as it was in early Christianity. They also do not understand that the confirmation of a prophet does not exist in signs and wonders, but in what he speaks, the Words of God as they came from the lips of the Almighty. It is a pity that the majority of church leaders did not recognise the gracious visitation in our time and the high purpose connected to it. To them applies the saying of the Lord to the spiritual leaders in His day. He would have gathered His people, but they were the actual hindrance. History repeats itself indeed. Many of the healing evangelists have made themselves a great name and have established their own empire within the Kingdom of God. They preach theoretical deliverance, salvation and healing sermons, at the same time proclaim prosperity and have made themselves millionaires. God be merciful, for Mt. 7: 21-23 must also be fulfilled. Doctrinally they remained in the old traditional leaven and with it in the Babylonian captivity. They did not recognise that God, in His love and faithfulness, now in the end-time, before the »day of the Lord« breaks forth, has sent, as He promised, a true prophet of the calibre of Elijah (Mal. 4: 5-6; Mt. 17: 11 a. o.) to restore all things. Everyone knows that John was the messenger of Mal. 3: 1, not of chapter 4.

In conclusion I leave you with the following: the masses never joined the move of God in any revival, it was always a minority which was ready to walk on with Him. It was so with Israel in the beginning, and later in the course of church history repeated by all denominations, »What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for, but the election hath obtained it... « (Rom. 11: 7). As it was with the Jews, so it is with Christians. Always only a small minority recognised what God was doing in their time. What He did in the past is known to all. But whoever lives in the presence of God will recognise and have part in what He presently does. The admonition of our Lord, »If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace!« (Lk. 19: 42) does apply in all times. Everyone must recognise the actual work of God in connection with the promised Word and the Plan of Salvation. Whoever rejects it will have to be satisfied with the indictment , » ...ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?« (Lk. 12: 56).

I cannot withhold what God has done. The ministry He ordained and placed must be brought to public attention, because it happened according to the promised Word of God. As a servant of the Lord, I must be faithful and cannot deprive God's people of the blessings from heaven. No one can demand of me that I should despise and bypass my call. On the contrary, I would like to address all in saying, »Give God the glory! Let Him be right!«, for Scripture is fulfilled before our eyes. Now we must receive the pure Bible message before the Return of Christ, the everlasting Gospel which after 2,000 years is preached in its fullness. The calling out of the Bride-Church goes forth. Everything is restored unto her, and she is being prepared and shall experience the completion.

A messenger is someone showing the way; he is not the way. The message of the Word shows us the way - Jesus Christ is the way. After reading this booklet all will have to make a decision. Whoever is not agreeing should at least be tolerant enough to let others live according to their faith and convictions. No one, not even those who speak about movements in the term of being a sect, has the right to declare fellowships who have separated from the traditional churches and their teachings to be heretics. From now on everybody knows what heresy is: it is a doctrine which does not agree with the Holy Scripture, leading astray. All denominations are full of such.

In publishing this I cherish the expectation that God, as He moved since the Reformation stepping over all religious and political boundaries, will move in His sovereignty by His Holy Spirit and give the final breakthrough to original Christianity.

Verily, we are already in the transition period to the last biblical revival. Now it is important not to miss the connection to it. For »he that comes too late will be judged by life itself!« In this case negligence can never be made right; one will have to suffer the consequences in the hereafter. Who would dare to risk it? May God show His way to us and be merciful to us all. Amen!