Blind Bartimaeus

1 Thank you. And shall we bow our heads just a moment while we're standing. Our heavenly Father, we come to Thee tonight with the humbleness of our hearts, to express to You the gratitude for Your goodness and kindness to us, we who are unworthy people, and one time alienated from God, without hope, without mercy, without Christ, and Jesus died for us to redeem us back to the fellowship and relationship with God. And now we're sons and daughters of God. It does not yet appear what we shall be finally at the end, but we know we are going to have a body just like His, for we shall see Him as He is.

We pray that You'll bless this group tonight, exceedingly abundantly for all their goodness, and their mercies, and their thoughts, and love tokens. And tonight as it seems to be with other meetings allotted that we must journey on to another city, as our Lord said, "I must go to another city and preach the Gospel.

But O God, someday we're going to meet when we will never part again in that City where there'll be no night services. It'll be day, for the Lamb is the Light. And we long to see Him. He is the Light of the world and the Light of that great City.

And bless us tonight in our efforts. And help Your weary, tired servant, Lord, with not much voice left to speak to the purchase of Your Blood. But believing that You will meet us here and You will help us, and we will praise You for it; for we ask it in the Name of Thy beloved Son, the Lord Jesus. Amen. You may be seated.

2 I wish to express my most sincere thanks to Dr. Lee Vayle and to the cooperating pastors of the city and around about, who has dismissed their services for this campaign. It's with gratitude and a heart of love that I pray that God will bless you exceedingly abundantly in doing this. And for your real Christian feeling towards the work of God. I do thank Him for being as your co-worker in the Kingdom.

But I wish to express to this audience your faithfulness of coming each night and packing in and filling up the auditorium and so forth each night, coming maybe many miles through the snow and slick roads to come. You never come in just to be seen. You come for what good that the Lord would give you. And I thank you for it, my gallant brother and sister and friends of Christ.

3 Trusting that some glorious day that we won't have to travel like this to meet each other. But wanting to make an appointment with each of you, that after it's all over, how I would like to go home with each of you tonight, stay all night with you, get up in the morning and talk of the things of God, and the fellowship that we could have around the Word of God in your home. And be there, and eat with you, and fellowship, I just can't do it; because the harvest is ripe and the time is close at hand. So I must be going on. But someday I want an appointment with you, that we'll set down in another Kingdom, the Kingdom of the Father, on the other side. And then we'll just have forever to be together.

And I certainly covet the prayers of each of you people. Now, it won't be long, if God willing, I'll be going across to the foreign soil, Africa, India, through Asia, Japan. We're looking for the greatest religious meeting that's ever been in the history of the world when we come to Japan. There's only two thousand full Gospel people there. And they are worshipers of Buddha and their god is defeated. They're a great nation without a god. So I want to take Jesus to them.

4 And now, may I ask you to do this for me. Way overseas and you know, in the places and things when I'm over there... And the witch doctors and--and so forth are challenging the Gospel, and I'll have to stand there, and the winds are blowing hot, can I depend on the people of Lima and around about to be praying for me? Will you do it? Thank you. Thank you much. And someday we'll meet and God will reward you, before that even, for doing it.

I was certainly thankful to the--the board that let us have this beautiful little auditorium here. It's a pretty little place. And it's so marvelously arranged, and the acoustics seems to be so good. And the audience is drawed right up to you. I like that. I like the close feeling. Some of the best meetings I ever had was in cottage prayer meetings, where we was setting right around each other, fellowshipping. And this little auditorium, for a place of its size, produces that. And I think it's a lovely little place.

I was cutting a picture out that I found in the paper, to take with me. And to the custodians and for all their kindness, may the Lord richly bless you, gentlemen and brethren.

5 Then I was just set--asked or said to me tonight by my son, just a few moments ago, that they had taken a love offering for me. Well, I told Dr. Vayle, "You shouldn't do that." Just to put it in on expenses. And they said, "The expenses is already met." Now, I want to thank you kindly. If there's anything I've tried to do is keep away from money. For I was born poor, and my people are poor. And that's the way I want to be like I am now. And I--I never took an offering in my life, myself, never took one up in my life.

I remember one time at home I was going to take an offering. We were poor people, and I... You know when you get to a place you can't make ends meet? Did you ever get to that place? I do all the time. So I was working, and I said to the wife, "You know, honey, I'm going over and take up an offering tonight."

She said, "I'm going to watch you do it." And so she sat back in the room. And now, not as the people...

6 I pastored there seventeen years without one penny, not because they didn't want to pay me, because I was young, able to work, so I... I'd do it right now if I could just wait on my ministry and be with them. And I love to work.

And I went over to take up the offering, and I said... We didn't have any offering plate, so I said, "Folks, I'm kinda hit a little place, I just can't make the ends meet. I'm going to take a little offering. Somebody got some nickels that you'd like to help me." And I said, "Brother Wiseheart (We called him Uncle Jim.), get my hat, will you?" He went and got my hat.

And I looked right down in front of me, and a little old lady (she's in glory tonight)... Remember those little aprons with the pockets on the inside. Did you ever see them? What part of Kentucky you from then? See? And so, it was just a little apron, and she picks out one of those little pocketbooks with snaps on the top, and beginning to reach down for those nickels. Oh, I just couldn't do it. See? Oh, I said, "I was just teasing you. I didn't mean it." And my wife looked at me.

7 And you know, there was an old man used to follow meeting. Many of you might've seen him, a few of you maybe. He had a long beard. His name was Ryan, John Ryan. How many of you knowed John Ryan? Well, my...?... "Partings leave behind us..." And he, the old man... I used to get on him about wearing his beard. He was a movie star, if you all didn't know that. He was once a movie star. He rode the famous Garland in the Ringling, Barnam, and Bailey Circus. And was a Catholic and was converted into the Christian religion and the--the apostolic faith. And he's gone to glory now, at eighty-something years old.

And he rode an old bicycle down and gave it to me from Dowagiac, Michigan. Oh, it was in bad shape. But I went down, and took ten cents, and bought me a can of paint, and painted it all up, and sold it; got enough money to pay the bill off, and I didn't have to take the offering after all. So I--I never take an offering.

8 I wish that this didn't have to be done, but I know that that's a portion of your living. I know that you're poor people like I am, and perhaps, maybe, that might have to feed the baby... shoes... and--and--And I realize that. But friends, to the best of my knowledge, I promise you, that it'll not go for foolishness, for the best of my knowledge to the Kingdom of God. And may God bring it back to you, multiply, heaped up, run down--shaken down a hundredfold is my prayer.

Now, how many people is here from out of town, let's see your hand? Say, is there anybody here from Lima? Lima people raise your hands. Oh, there are a few here. I'm just such a...?... We're happy to be in Lima, aren't we outsiders? Amen. We think you're wonderful. We think you've got some fine ministers, and some fine makings, and just a lovely city. And we pray that God will bless you exceedingly abundantly.

9 And now, tonight I am very hoarse. Usually a minister would just as soon preach about once a day. Did you know that preaching is harder on you than most any kind of a manual labor that you could do? I've seen that estimated and broken down, and I believe that it is compared... I think that twenty minutes of preaching under inspiration takes more from your physical body than eight hours of a sledge hammer. See, see? That's how hard it is. That's inspirational preaching.

So we ask tonight we thank you, and if I've left anybody... Oh, the organist and pianist... There's just so many of you. And today I was just speaking to different ones in places.

10 And if I'm not mistaken, I believe I see a sweet, little old couple that usually calls me long distance when they're sick. And I don't think God's fail one time. And I don't know if it is, but isn't that the Rev. and Mrs. Kidd setting right there? Raise up your hand.

I want you all to see an old veteran and his wife, way in the seventies and eighties, still preaching the Gospel. Would you stand up just a minute? Brother and Sister Kidd. Let's say, "Praise the Lord for God's goodness to them. That's very much appropriate. God bless them. Way... God bless you, sister and brother. Way in the years of eighty and still preaching the Gospel, oh, isn't that wonderful? I pray that God will bless them exceedingly abundantly.

And now, they were probably out preaching before I was born. And you see how honored I feel of having them. You know, usually when you get a little old, the general public seems to pass you by. But Brother and Sister Kidd, they're one, and...?... like Paul and Silas. He will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. (See?)

11 I want to read tonight from the blessed Word. And then just for a short time, being hoarse... And we will pray for the sick.

And I want to thank you once more for something else: praying for me last night. The first time I ever got a prayer line through like that, in I don't know when, without visions...?... 'cause I just went to that all the time. And how the testimonies has poured in today, it's been wonderful.

What you need is a great big tent setting out here and about a four or five weeks revival, so you can just stay right with it until it's over.

12 I want to read from the Book of Saint Luke tonight, from the 18th chapter of Saint Luke, and beginning at the 42nd verse.

And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee.

And immediately he received his sight, and glorified him, glorified God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise--praise unto God.

And may the Lord add His blessings to the reading of His Word. And may the Almighty Jehovah ever bless.

Usually this is the night when more is done, than any other night in the meeting, because the great strain, it's in the--the anticipation, the waiting, the expectancy. And that's usually what brings the Holy Spirit right down. Oh, how I pray with all my heart, that there will not be a feeble one among us in an hour from now. I pray not one sinner in the building... And may every sinner be saved, every backslider come back to the house of God, is my humble, sincere prayer.

13 Jesus had just been speaking to the disciples and about sacrilegious. How that there was a--a publican went to the temple to pray, and a self-righteous man stood there. And how he in all of his good deeds that he could quote to the Lord... "How I thank Thee that I'm not like this publican or that ordinary men, how I pay my tithes and fast," and so forth. But Jesus was teaching them that all those things are all right, and they have their place, but then those things are not the real things.

They're not the religious. They're religion, but they're not salvation. If we depend upon those things to merit for our salvation, we would go in by works and wouldn't need the Lord Jesus. But we have to solemnly depend upon Him, and I'm so glad. Then everyone can come. If religion only means to build a church for sacrifice and to be sincere, God would be unjust to condemn Cain, 'cause he done everything religious that Abel did. Everything that Abel did religious, Cain did the same. Both boys sincere, both boys made an altar; both boys made a sacrifice; both boys knelt down; both boys prayed; both boys worshipped.

So if worship, sincerely, belonging to church, and all those things are all God requires, then He would be unjust to condemn Cain, for Cain did the very same thing that Abel did. But all of it was works of his hand. And it's not by works; it's by the grace of God you are saved. Abel never worked; He just believed on Him that justifies the ungodly. And his sacrifice was received.

14 Our scene tonight starts at the gate of Jericho. Jericho was one of the lowest cities of the world, way down in the valley of the Jordan. And it's a pathetic scene as we look at it. There is a blind man by the name of Bartimaeus. And he's sitting by the wall of Jericho.

And it was pretty hard on the beggars of those days, because there were many of them. There were lepers; there were cripples, lame, halt, blind, all types of beggars. And as a man who was a little more blessed that could spare a coin now and then, when he left his home at morning, the first beggar he met he, perhaps, give him the coin, and maybe could not afford any more through the day. So it was the custom that beggars would stay near the gate, that when the traveler, or the businessman, coming to his business in the city would drop the coin to them, that they might have a livelihood.

15 And perhaps, this man being blind for many years, if he--there had have been an operation could been performed on his eyes, he could not afford it, for he was a beggar. But very much in doubt whether physicians of that day could helped him, or the physicians of the day now. Blindness was a horrible thing and now is a valuable thing.

And so while he was sitting there... Let's just take a little picture now and go down there with blind Bartimaeus, so we can get the real kernel of what we wish just to talk on for the next fifteen, twenty minutes.

16 Blind Bartimaeus, setting by the gate, perhaps, in the sunshine of the direct rays of the Palestinian sun shining on him, by the wall... Let's think that he was setting, meditating.

You know, the way to find God is to meditate upon God, think of God. David spoke of it. How he would bind the laws on his bedposts, and how he would meditate therein day and night.

If you notice it, as the disciples on the road to Emmaus, that while they were speaking to each other, concerning the Lord Jesus, that He stepped right out of the bush and walked with them.

And if our minds would be more taken up on God and on the things pertaining to God, it would be so much easier to live a victorious life in Christ. He would be with us...

17 You notice Eliezer while he was thinking, meditating to God, the beautiful Rebekah come out to water his camels just in answer to what he was asking God.

And as blind Bartimaeus set at the gate... He was a beggar, ragged, setting with his little rags wrapped around him, probably a middle-aged man. We're kindy taught that he had a family, a wife, a little girl. And as he set there in that sunshine, I can just imagine his mind drifting back to another day, a day that when things was better for him, when he was a little boy as he run over the Judaean hills.

And I can think that maybe, perhaps, one of his favorite times was when his, after a midday meal was over, as a little brown-eyed Jewish boy frolics along in the soft wind and skipped through the fields. He would come in at a certain hour to his mama, being a...?... young...?... And as his favorite thing was, before he was taking his afternoon nap, was to hear her tell stories of the Bible.

18 That seems to be so interested to any little boy that's got good character in them, the Bible stories. It's just too bad that mothers today, don't take more time to talk to their children on those things. I'm sure we wouldn't have so much juvenile delinquency if this was did.

And as his little bright eyes would look up into mama's face... And how he would enjoy the different stories that she would read from the Bible to him. (The Old Testament of course, 'cause that's all they had.)

19 And perhaps one of the leading stories that he liked so well, was the one of the great mighty prophet Elijah, how that Elijah in his day, how that he went up to Mount Carmel, and there was a Shunammite woman, a Gentile. He thought he was a great prophet, and she was a rich woman, and she could help this prophet; so she built herself a little house for him, a little room, little chamber. And she placed in there a bed, a little stool, and some water for his feet and a pitcher to drink from. She showed kindness.

And so one day when he found all this kindness, he sent Gehazi his servant, to pick her up, to bring her in to where he was. And he said, "Could I do a favor for you? You've been so kind to me to divide to me the portion of your living, and to help me to have a little place to rest. And you did this because that you have respect unto my God. Could I speak to the king for you, or to the chief captain?"

She said, "No, I dwell among my people. Everything's all right."

20 And Gehazi said to him, "She doesn't have any children." And perhaps, Elijah in his prayer saw what the Lord was going to do. And he said, "Go tell her that about this time next year, according to life, she is going to embrace a son."

And the little boy was borned in the home, when her husband was old. And he was a lovely little lad. How little Bartimaeus' eyes would glisten and just sparkle when he could hear of this little boy born. And how mommy would baby him and play with him, and then one day it came to pass when he was about the age of Bartimaeus then, was out in the field with his papa, and it must have been a sunstroke. It was about near noon, eleven o'clock, and the little boy begin to cry, "My head, my head." And the father being busy in the harvest, sent a servant, took the little lad home, and the mother laid him on her lap, and he died. Oh, what a tragedy.

21 But to this Shunammite woman there was no defeat. She had something in her heart. She took the little dead form of the boy and laid him upon the bed of Elijah. What a place to put him. She has it right. Take him, and might have laid him in his own little crib upon their bed, but took him around the house to the little prophet's chamber, and opened the door, and laid him where the servant of God had laid. What a wise woman. And she called her husband, and she said, "I must go find the man of God." I like that.

"Oh." He said, "It's neither new moon, nor Sabbath."

But she said, "It'll be all right." Bless her little heart. "Everything will be well."

So he saddled a mule, and he told the servant, she did, said, "Ride, and don't stop till I call you to." And as they neared the mount where the prophet living in his cave, he walked out beside of the cave, and he looked and he said to the servant, "Here comes that Shunammite. Go and meet her. She seems like she's in a rush. Oh, they're just whipping the little mule, and he's a going. Go meet her and say unto her, 'Is all well with you? Is all well with thy husband? Is all well with the baby?'"

22 And his servant ran and met her. And she said, "All is well." The baby dead, her husband frantic, said, "All is well." Why? She knew God was in His servant the prophet. She knew she could hear from God, and she wanted to know why that her baby had been taken. So she runs up close, and Elijah looks at her again, and he said, "Her heart is full of gloom, and God has hid it from me."

You know, there's a wonderful thing. God don't tell His prophets everything. He just tells them what He wants them to know, not everything. They can't do nothing in themselves. Just what God shows them, that's what they do.

Could you imagine Isaac setting blind and blessing Jacob in the stead of Esau? Could you imagine Jacob holding Joseph's coat for forty years, bloody, thinking that an animal killed it, and being a prophet?

Proves God just reveals to His prophets that what He wants them to know, nothing else. Prophets are not infallible people. Prophets are not Angels. They are men.

23 In Saint James the 5th chapter it said Elijah was a man subject to like passions as we are. He had his ups-and-downs. But he prayed earnestly that it might not rain. Then he goes to say the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

And God had not revealed this to Elijah. And she ran up to his feet and fell down and made known everything that had happened. Now, Elijah knew that God dwelt in him, so he said to Gehazi, "Take my staff and go lay it on the child. Now, don't stop along the road for a little chat here and there. If any man salutes you don't salute him back."

That's the trouble with the Church today with this Message, they're stopping, chatting along the road, little gatherings, and social parties, and card parties, and picnics, and sewing circles, and so forth. Too much of the world has entered into the...?... of the blessed message. Oh, I hope you see this.

24 Notice. "If any man salute you, salute him not back, but go straight to the boy." That's what we need: Straight to the Word, none of that hanging around to this, that, or other, but right to the point. Notice. Then what happened?

But you know, I think that's where Paul got, taking handkerchiefs or aprons from the--his body. Elijah knew that everything he touched was blessed, because God was in him. That's what the woman that touched the hem of the garment of Jesus. She knew God was in Him.

But you know, the woman's faith wasn't in the staff; it was in the prophet. So she said, "As the Lord liveth, I'll not leave you. I'm just going to hang around." She had something in her heart, and she was staying with it.

That's the thing. If God has answered a faith in your heart that He's going to give you the Holy Spirit, follow right with it. If He puts something in your heart during the meeting, that He's going to heal you, stay right with it. Don't let nothing move it. Call everything that's happened contrary to that, call it wrong. Cast it aside and stick to the plan.

25 She said, "I'm going to stay right with you." And the prophet got tired of perhaps have her hanging around. So he goes and gets his mantle, and throws it over him, and girds up his loins, and here he went, the woman following him. Gehazi went ahead, and went into the dead baby, laid his stick upon the baby, but nothing happened. Why? The mother didn't believe it. It would've happened if the mother would've believed it. Maybe she didn't know about the stick, but she did know about the prophet. So she...

Then what taken place? Here comes the prophet up with the mother, her eyes right on him, and look what a condition it is. The neighbors was screaming and a wailing. And a heart broken, father screaming out in the street, "Oh, my boy, my boy," all tore up. The prophet just goes to his own little chamber and closes the door behind him. Looked laying there on the bed, there laid the little stiff, cold form of the baby, dead several hours. And the prophet walked back-and-forth, to-and-fro, up-and-down in the room. I just love that. Just walking to-and-fro, waiting on the Lord. "He that waits upon the Lord shall renew his strength; he will mount up like an eagle; he will run and not be weary; he will walk and not faint."

26 And he walked to-and-fro, waiting on the Lord. After a bit something must have struck the prophet, when he knowed the Holy Spirit was on his body, he ran to the child, put his hands on its hands, put his nose against its nose. And the baby sneezed seven times and come to life; outside they went. What a happy home...

And how little Bartimaeus must've loved that story. And as he set there renewing it in his mind, and how the great conqueror Joshua and many of the other stories, but alas shakes hisself. The sun has moved over, a shade had come over him. He goes along with his blind eyes and sets down again. Somehow he never got a coin maybe, that morning. What's he going to tell his little girl when he goes home? He perhaps maybe wanted to see if she could get a dress. His poor wife maybe hadn't had one in a long time. And he was ragged, and he couldn't even get soup for their meal.

And now, maybe they're so hungry this morning and now what can he do? Nothing to eat, and...?... and setting there. But there's one thing he had, was memories of a day gone by.

27 And then he remembered that not thirty feet from where he was setting the great prophet Elijah and Elisha walked down that road together, arm in arm.

Oh, I can imagine to hear him within his heart, "Oh, if I would've only been setting here then. I would've raised and said, "Oh, prophet of God, you great mighty prophet, speak to Jehovah for me. But, oh, the days of miracles is past, so my priest tells me. That was Jehovah in the day gone by. But think of it. One day right down where I'm sitting within thirty feet went those two mighty prophets, that walked right down to that Jordan and struck the Jordan and opened it up."

Surely in his heart he was saying, "That Jehovah didn't die." And of the great coming out of the children of Israel, when their oldest son was killed because there was no blood on the lintel of the door, would be another favorite story for him. And also of just a few hundred yards from where he was setting, the great mighty Joshua delivered the people into the promised land, walked down to the Jordan, taken the ark to where that God in the front of them, and it opened up. And His people walked across on dry land.

28 Oh, then he thought, "We are still the people of God. We are circumcised according to the precepts of the Testament, but they tell me that Jehovah doesn't do those things any more." You know, times hasn't changed too much. And I say that with respect.

And then he thought again, not over two hundred yards from where he was sitting then, one day when the mighty Joshua, the great prince, was walking out a viewing the walls of Jericho, before the great battle, he saw a Man standing with a drawn sword.

He had oft heard his mother tell that story, read it to her out of the Bible. And as he stood with his sword drawed, Joshua might've thought, "Where did He come from?" He just appeared, and He was a Man with His sword drawed. And Joshua drew his sword and went to meet Him. And as Joshua went to meet Him, he said, "Are You for us? Are You for the enemy?"

And the Man spoke back to this Joshua and said, "Nay. I am the Captain of the host of the Lord," just two hundred yards from where he was sitting. Little did he know that that same Captain of the Lord's host was not two hundred yards from him right then.

29 And as He begin to come into Jerusalem--or to Jericho, there begin to be...?... everywhere, people running, after while noises, people talking, different...?... subjects, some one way, some another. He listened. He was blind. And as he listened...?...

And after while there come a stream of criticism, people hollering, "Here comes that fanatic. Here comes that man that speaks against our priests and our church. Let's not let him enter the city." Others come, and above all he heard the great roar of his priest which said, "Hey, you Galilean, you who can raise a dead man, we've got a whole graveyard full of them up here on the hill. Come up and raise some of them."

That was the kind of mockery He got. That's the kind He gets today. But Jesus never heard them. Perhaps, rotten cabbage, or overripe eggs thrown at Him, and making fun of Him, and said, "You who has done all these miracles, let me see You do something. Ha-ha. Just who says there's nothing to this fanatic? He doesn't join up with our schools. And there's nothing to Him to begin with."

30 And Bartimaeus begin to wonder, "Who is this such a Person, wonder Who this could be? Then he hears another voice, "Hosanna, Hosanna! The prophet of Galilee comes." What was he saying? "Hosanna! The great prophet Jesus comes to the city. Make way for Him! Give to Him songs! Give to Him praise!"

And Bartimaeus said, "Who passes?" No one paid any attention to this poor old beggar, too insignificant to be looked at...?... everywhere. But after while a kind little lady stooped down. And he said, "Madam, who is passing by?"

She said, "Oh, blind man, do you... Have you not heard that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah of God?"

"Oh," he says, "I heard my mama tell me, that someday the Messiah would come, but surely the priests wouldn't be talking about Him like that, and saying all those things."

But she said, "It is true. This Man is the Messiah."

"Oh, you mean that the Son of David is coming through and they're treating Him that way?"

"Yes, that's Him."

31 Then all of his dreams, all of his fond hopes jumped into action; he sprung to his feet, and screamed, "Oh, Jesus, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me!"

And the people said, "Oh, shut up; sit down: you know that there's no such a thing as any of that for you, blind Bartimaeus. The days are past for those things. That guy is just a fanatic."

Down in his heart where he'd been dreaming... "But mother read to me out of the Bible that Moses said, 'The Lord your God shall rise up a prophet likened unto me.'" How that the prophet Isaiah said the lame would leap like an hart, and how the blind would see when this Prophet came. And faith took a hold, and he cried the much more, "Thou Son of David, have mercy on me!"

32 Now, He could not hear the literal voice of the blind man with all that voice screaming, and hollering, and saying the things, and mocking, and scoffing, and praises together. He would not hear physically, because He was too far from him.

And Jesus in this certain time, He knew that just a few days hence He was going, He was on His road down to Jerusalem. And there He must be mocked, and spit on, and made fun of, and beaten, and His back scratch with steel cat-o-nine-tail, or Roman lash, and there had to go to the cross. The great nails was in His mind, the thorns on His head, the spear in His heart, the agony of Gethsemane. All that was loaded on His precious heart. And I can see Him undisturbed by the criticism.

33 You know a big man can be criticized and he pays no attention. But it's the little one that speaks the loudest. So He wasn't paying attention when they were criticizing, making fun of Him, He had one thing: that was doing the will of His Father. With His heart full, to know that He came to His own, and His own received Him not, and knowing that He was to die for their very sins. He had His face set towards Jerusalem's Calvary. All that on His heart, He never noticed the flying missiles, and the criticisms, and so forth. He was walking towards Calvary.

So He could've not have heard that man's voice. If you was ever at Jericho and watched the distance to the road. But... And all the crowd, but something happened. I can imagine as He passed by, and the crowd still hollering, the lady said, "Oh, sir. Cry out again."

He said, "Jesus, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me! Oh, He couldn't hear me, so I can see. O Father God, I believe with all my heart that this One Who's persecuted and made fun of, is Your Son. I believe He is the Son of David."

34 And something happened. That blind beggar's faith touched the Lord Jesus. Oh, the insignificant one, that they tried to make him keep still, but his faith touched the Lord Jesus, like the woman that touched His garments. He turned, looking at him, and said, "Bring him here."

And when he got there, He said, "What is it that I could do for you?"

Said, "Lord, that I might receive my sight."

He said, "Thy faith has saved thee. If your faith was strong enough in God to call the virtue to leave Me, to call back to you, your faith is sufficient for your healing."

And as He turned and goes on, blind Bartimaeus standing there, and to all the black world before him became light. He could see his hand. And down the road he went rejoicing, praising God for his sight.

35 Not long ago I was reading a little story of him. It said that his wife, and his baby, little girl, just about ten years old, he'd never seen her. He had been blind for years. Let's say he might have been a Christian; I do not know. But they said that in those days, while blind Bartimaeus begged at the gate, he had two little turtledoves, that done little tumbles over each other. They entertained...?... to kids so they'd get coins for this, something.

If you've ever been to India or so forth, you see the--the beggars have to have some attraction, or they won't attract the tourists.

So these little doves would tumble over each other. And one night it was said, that his little girl got sick. And blind Bartimaeus made his way along the wall, and he prayed for the little girl, and said, "If You will let my little girl get well, God, tomorrow I'll sacrifice one of my turtledoves to You." And the little girl got well, so he did.

36 And by and by his wife got sick. So he made a promise to sacrifice the other turtledove. And then his wife gets well. And then another sick spell hit their home, and he didn't have anything to entertain the tourists by. And his begging was very poorly then. And he went outside to pray, and he said, "Lord, I only have one more thing, and that is my lamb."

Now, you've seen the blind being led by a dog. They train them for that purpose. In those days they had a lamb that led the blind. And he said, "Lord, if You will heal this case for me and let my little one live, I'll sacrifice to You my lamb. It's all I got."

And the next day the child was well. And he set on his road to sacrifice. The priest said to him, "Blind Bartimaeus, where goest thou?"

He said, "Oh, priest, I am going up to the altar to sacrifice my lamb, that I promised God I would do."

"Oh," he said, "blind Bartimaeus, you cannot give that lamb." Said, "I'll give you some money, and you buy a lamb."

He said, "Oh, priest, I never promised God a lamb; I promised God this lamb." There's a lesson there. And I hope God teaches it to us.

37 And he said, "Blind Bartimaeus, thou cannot sacrifice that lamb. That lamb is your eyes."

He said, "Oh, priest of God, God will provide a lamb for blind Bartimaeus' eyes, if I keep my promise to Him." And on this cold October day while he...?... God had provided a Lamb for blind Bartimaeus' eyes.

And may I say this, my beloved friends, that same Lamb is provided for your eyes tonight, and for your sickness. It's God's provided Lamb to take away your sins and your sickness. And someday you've got to stand in the Presence of God, to give an account of this life that you've been permitted to live.

38 Not long ago there was a great man who crossed through the middle eastern countries. And his name was Daniel Curry. He was a--a famous revivalist. It's been fifty some odd years. And Daniel Curry, one night he said he had a dream. And he dreamed that he died and was taken up to heaven. And when he got to the gate of heaven, the--the opener of the gate came, the gatekeeper, and he said, "Who art thou, that is approaching?"

He said, "I am Daniel Curry. I am the evangelist." He won thousands of souls...?... for heaven. "I have come to take my place and receive my mansion."

Said, "Just a moment. I shall look on the Book." And he went and looked at the Book. And when he come back, he said, "I am sorry, Mr. Curry, but I do not find your name on the Book."

"Oh," he said, "surely you're wrong. Go look again."

And he did the second time, and he said, "Your name is not on the Book. Therefore I cannot open these gates to you. You have no name to check."

"Oh," he said, "what must I do?"

He said, "Sir, you might appeal your case to the great white throne judgment, if you care to."

"Well," he said, "I have no choice. I'll have to do that."

39 And he said seemed like he was taken through space for a long while. And it begin to get lighter, lighter, lighter. No certain place it was coming from. And he begin to slow up, and said, "Then all of a sudden he came to a stop, and there was the brightest Light he had ever seen in all his life. It was thousand times brighter than the midday sun." And he said he heard a Voice saying, "Daniel Curry, did you ever steal anything when you were on earth? You are here at My judgment seat."

And he said, "I thought I'd been a honest man." But said, "In the Presence of that Light I realized that there was some things, I had pulled, little shady deals. I didn't think about it when I was on earth, but in the Presence of that Light..." He said then, he said, "Yes, Lord, I have stoled."

He said, "Daniel Curry, did you ever tell a lie when you were in your life?"

Said, "I thought at least I'd been an honest man." But said, "In the Presence of that Light, I seen a lot of things that I had told that wasn't right." He said, "Lord, I have told lies."

Then said, "The Voice come the third time, and said, 'Daniel Curry, was you perfect when you were on earth in your life?'"

He said, "No, Lord, I wasn't perfect." And said, "My bones seemed like they were coming apart, and I was listening for that great once blast, saying, 'Depart from me into outer darkness.'"

40 And said, "Just as I was getting ready to hear that great eternal separation word," said, "I heard the sweetest voice I ever heard in my life." Said, "Never did I ever hear a voice like that. No mother could speak words like that." Said, "I turned, and when I did," he said, "I saw the sweetest face I ever saw in all my life." Said, "No mother's face could look like that."

And said, "He walked up to me and put His arm around me and said, 'Father, no, Daniel Curry wasn't perfect on earth in his life. But in his life he stood for Me on the earth. And now in heaven, I'll stand for him. Let all of his sins be put on My back.'"

So that's what I speak for, that's what I try to persuade others for. How you'll want Him to say, "Well done." I wonder who's standing for you tonight, if your life should be called. Could you stand the judgment of the white throne? Just think of it right quick while we bow our heads just a moment.

41 And if the organist will be so kind to come to the organ and play a Bible tune if you will. With every head bowed, every eye closed, and those who know how to pray...

This may be the moment when some precious soul finds its eternal destination right there. And the last knock may be knocked at the door of the heart of the persons here. "My Spirit will not always strive with men." So it behooves us to pray, Christians. And now you're saying... I'm going to ask this to these sinners, the one that knows that he couldn't--not have someone to stand for him. Do you want Him to stand for you? If you do, would you just raise your hands to Him at this time, and say, "God, this is my hand as a sign. I want Jesus to stand for me in the hour of my death."

God bless you. God bless you, you. God bless you, lady. God bless you, sir. God bless you. That's right. Just keep your hands up. God bless you. You say, "Brother Branham, does that do something?" Yes. God bless you, little boy. God bless you, lady. That's right. Someone else out on the bottom floor? God bless you over there. Someone who hasn't put up their hand, would you put up your hand right away and say, "Jesus, I'm raising my hand." God bless you back there, girl. God... [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]

42 "I know that I have nothing I could offer, but all that I have I give." Back and to my left, would you raise your hands and stand for me, Jesus? Oh, my. There's hands, God bless you everywhere. In the balconies to the center, raise your hands and say, "God be merciful to me right now. I'm making my stand for You, Christ. You will stand for me at that day." Just hands everywhere. God bless you. Oh, how the Holy Spirit is moving in the building.

I'm going to ask you something, while the rest of them are praying. You who wants to hear God's voice when some morning the fog begins to come into the room, and the doctor's left and said there's not a hope. You feeled your pulse coming up your sleeve, and you know the time has come, you're leaving. Do you want Him to stand there and bear you across the Jordan, and you're loved ones...?... not knowing when they will break.

If you want to be sincere, and if it please to God that you want Him to put your name on the Lamb's Book of Life, and to stand for you on that day, will you quietly stand to your feet while we have prayer? Everyone that wants to make that stand tonight for Christ, would just stand. On the bottom floor and in the up, balconies on every side, would you, you who raised up your hand, stand up just a moment now. You make your stand like...?... God bless you. That's right. Everywhere.

43 Just stand right up and say, "I'm making my stand before these people."

Jesus said, "If you're ashamed of Me... (Now, just remain standing.) If you're ashamed of Me before men, I will be ashamed of you before My Father. But he that will confess Me before men, him will I confess before My Father." Oh, friends, you're going to need it. We're coming right to it. It may be before morning, but you've got to stand.

Let another host stand up, will you, someone who will say, "I will take my stand tonight." God bless you, sir. Someone else stand up while we offer prayer in the Presence of God. God bless you, brother. God bless you. Someone else? God bless you. God bless you, lady. God bless you. Will you take your stand and say, "God, I will stand for Christ now. And, O Christ, You promised me that You'd stand for me on that day."

44 How can you...?... your faith, when you've set in a meeting like this where the great powers and miracles of God was being done, and the Holy Spirit moving, the Gospel being preached? How you going to stand on a negative confession? Don't you want Him to stand for you? When I see those gates open yonder, and I see that every sinner's got to go, and Jesus sets right in the road. I want Him to plead my case. He's my Attorney. I won't have to face the Father if He's facing Him for me.

You want Him to face Him for you tonight? Would you stand? Someone else? Just before prayer. God has put your name on the Book of Life, as certainly as you're sincere in your heart. His Words cannot fail. Now, let us pray for these many who are standing.

45 O Jesus, Who passed by the Jericho gate, and the blind man's faith stopped you on the road to Calvary. How wonderful You are. A little flower could not peek its little head out from under a chip in the woods without You knowing it. A little gnat could not light on a limb somewhere without You knowing it. The sparrow could not fall to the street without You knowing it.

And how much more will you look down tonight here and see all these people standing, confessing their sins, and pleading for mercy, and asking You to write their name on the Book of Life, and to plead their case for them... Certainly You see every one of them. You know their names and who they are.

46 And now, the Father has given You these. Thou has said, "No man can come to Me, except My Father draws him. And all that comes, I'll give them Everlasting Life, will raise them up at the last day. No man can pluck them out of My Father's hand." They are love gifts. Jesus, here's what the Father has give You tonight. These men, women, and children that are standing, are love gifts that the Father is giving to You.

And O Christ, as Your servant on earth, I pray that You write every name on the Book, and give to them the baptism of the Holy Spirit, that they may from this day might live an upright, God-fearing life before the world, with a testimony that will ring out to their neighbors. Make them so salty, as it was, until all they contact will be saved too. Grant it, Lord.

47 I commend them to Thee now as a fruit of preaching the Word and the love gifts of the Father, Who's in the Word. And You receive them now, for Thou hast said, "He that heareth My Word, and believeth on Him that sent Me has Eternal Life, and shall never come to the judgment; but's passed from the judgment unto Life."

In so many words, Father, they can't stand at the white throne judgment, You're going to stand in their place. Never come to the judgment, but has bypassed the judgment, and has Eternal Life through Jesus Christ. Grant these blessing to the people. For we ask it in Christ's Name. Amen.

48 The Lord bless you. And them who are standing, as they set down, a Christian by their side, shake their hand, won't you, dear? Oh, there's something about the grand old highway. I just love the old fashion revival type service, don't you? Sinners are borned into the Kingdom of God, the Holy Spirit here to bring birth to the children.

Now, to you who have just come. How many's here for their first time, let's see your hands, the first time you was ever in one of my meetings? Oh, my, just... It's a good thing we all don't meet at once. Every night two thirds of the audience is new ones. All right. Now, we are going to pray for the sick.

49 And to you little children that was just come into the Kingdom of God, do this now. Listen. Go right straight to some good church who's solid in the Gospel, be baptized, join that church, and live for Jesus till I get to shake your hand in glory someday. Do that. I'll meet you in the morning by a bright river side, when all sorrows has drifted away; I'll be standing at the portal, when the gates open wide, at the close of this long, weary day. I'll see you by the grace of God.

I remember when my wife was dying, and I put the last kiss on her cheek, and I told her, "I'll meet you in the morning, sweetheart. Be standing by the side of the gate, screaming, 'Bill,' and I'll get the children together and come to see you."

I'm on my way. Years has passed, and tears has fell; my shoulders are drooping; I was a young twenty-three or five year old man then. Now, I'm forty-seven, turning gray, drooping down, but I'm on my way.

Throw out the lifeline from side to side, taking everything I can to the Kingdom of God. I want you to rest secure that the salvation and the Christ that you have just received is not a fiction. It's not just...?... It's the power of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.

50 We're going to pray for the sick children. And we do not claim that we heal people. God has already did that. Now, you was not saved just five minutes ago. You were saved nineteen hundred years ago, but you just accepted it five minutes ago. The same way here by healing...

And now, to everyone that's here, press to the Kingdom. The Bible said that, "Christ, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." He said, "A little while and the world won't see Me no more, but you'll see Me, for I'll be with you, in you, to the end of the world." Did He say it?

And then He said, "The works that I do shall you do also." Did He say it? How long to the end of the world? Did He go around and say, "I am a healer."? No, Not one time. He said, "It's not Me that doeth the works; it's My Father that dwelleth in Me; He doeth the works."

51 But He said in Saint John 5:19, when He was questioned about why didn't He heal some people, and the man packing his bed on the Sabbath, and whatever they was questioning Him about, He said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, the Son can do nothing in Himself; but what He sees the Father doing, that doeth the Son likewise." Otherwise Jesus just saw visions of what the Father told Him to do, so He went and done it just the way the Father said. That's His Word. Is that right?

Now, if He's raised from the dead, He's the same; He does the same. Now, He doesn't have any hands on earth tonight but mine and your hands. His eyes... Our eyes is His eyes. We are the branches; He is the Vine. The vine doesn't bear fruit, it only purges the branch so it bears fruit...?... you and I could bear the fruit, while He...?... the spirit and the power.

52 And now, we're going to call some people to the platform, and I want each and every one of you... I was going to start a line like I had last night, but it's too late. However, I believe the boys give fifty cards, didn't they? Hundred? But I preached just a little longer than I thought I would, so maybe we'll take the other... What was that? X's? All right. 1 to a 100?

All right, let's bring a few people to the platform, and then in a massive way see the Lord Jesus heal every person in the building. Do you believe He will do it? If He will return here on the platform tonight, and do the very same things that He did when He was here on earth, will everyone here promise that you will believe Him and accept Him as Saviour and Healer? Raise your hand, every person in the building.

How many knows now, every person in the building, that He didn't not do nothing until the Father showed Him first? Let's see if how much you know the Bible. That's right. Good. Then we know that when Philip came and found Nathanael, He told Nathanael who He was, what He was, and where He was before He come to the meeting. Is that right?

53 What did the Pharisees, the religious people of that day, say He was? Said He was a fortuneteller, a Beelzebub.

What did Jesus say? "You speak that against Me, it'll be forgiven, but when you speak that against the Holy Ghost when He comes to do the same thing, it'll never be forgiven you in this world, or the world to come."

So there in doing that, He's prophesied that the Holy Spirit would do the same thing that He did. That's what He said, "The Holy Spirit will testify of Me. And He will bring these things to your memories, and will show you the things to come." Saint John 16, I believe it is, or 15. Notice, that's the Scripture.

Now, if He has risen from the dead... Now, I want to ask you. If the Lord has risen from the dead, 'course we know He has, He is the... That is the only religion in all the religions of the world that can prove that their founder is alive. Buddha can't do it. Mohammedan can't do it. No other religion can do it. But Christianity can do it.

Oh, sure India's got hundreds of empty graves that they said were raised from the dead, but where are they at? That's the ridiculous then to compare with the sublime. It cannot be done. But we can prove, because God said we could, that Jesus raised from the dead, for He's here to do the very same things.

54 And the Mohammedans said to me down there, them missionaries, one missionary had been there seven years and won one soul, he said, "That precious jewel," just a preaching the Word, giving the tracts, and that's all this brother had ever knowed to do, belonged to a fine church in America here, that one precious jewel.

But when they--they said, "Let us see you teachers do the same things Jesus of Nazareth done, and we'll believe He raised from the dead." That's what they were waiting, to see the Bible fulfilled. And when that was done, in literal in Durban, they estimated out of about thirty thousand, there were ten thousand of them was Mohammedans.

See how God does things? Just get it His way. He will do it right. Just let Him have it. You can just beat and beat and beat, and it'll never happen. Just come in grace and let the Holy Spirit do it; He can do it.

Now, we can't call too many to the platform at once. It's too long for them to stand. Then we'll get to as many we can. I'm going to ask every person here to be just as reverent as you can. Be just as sincere as you can. Just set real quiet for just about fifteen minutes and be in prayer.

Now, how many here that does not have any prayer card, that's given to you today, and you know you're not going to be in the prayer line, upstairs, downstairs, wherever it is; but you believe that Jesus Christ will heal you; and you believe that you have a sufficient faith to touch Him, raise your hand? God bless you. Now, just stay right where you are and start praying.

Now, does the Bible say... This is after the resurrection, that, "He is the High Priest of our confession."? Does He say that? Does the Bible say that He is a High Priest that can be touched by the feeling of our infirmity? How you going to touch Him then? He's got to bear record of that. If you touched Him, you would know you touched Him. Is that right?

55 Now, if you feel, "Well, I'm not going to be on the prayer line here." You just set real still, and be sincere, and say this to God. "God, make it real to me tonight. And if that man will turn, me not knowing him, and the Holy Spirit that he claims that anoints the people, will turn... And I love you, Lord, and I'll serve You. Just let him turn to me and tell me like our Lord did the woman at the well, and I'll believe with all my heart." I challenge your faith in Christ's Name to do that. God said, "Prove Me."

All right. What was them prayer cards? X's 1 to a 100. Well let's take... Let's start at number 1. Number 1-X, that's marked X with a number 1. Who has the card, would you stand up? Number 2? Right over here, would you stand up? Number 3? They'll be all over the building. Number 3, where's your hand so I can see you? Number 3? That's number 3. Is that the lady there?

Number 4, would you raise your hand? Start checking for...?... they may be deaf, dumb, can't speak, maybe can't raise up, or are paralyzed. Number 4? Number 5? X number 5, would you raise your hand? Who has it? X number 5, raise up your hand please, ever... I'm sorry, lady. 6? 7? 8? 9? X number 10? Who has X number 10, would you raise your hand? Number 10? 11? 12? 13? [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.] I see her going both downstairs and upstairs.

56 Who here is sick and does not have prayer cards that's going to be called into this line, and would like to be prayed for, and want Jesus to heal you, would you raise your hands again so I can get a general conception? Just no way of getting it. It's everywhere. All right. Just look this way and believe now. Now, do that.

Now, Jesus was passing through a place one time, and a little woman touched his garment, and He got weak. Did the Bible say He got weak? Virtue, which is weakness, strength went from Him. Many people wonder why it makes you get weak. Do you know that that's... Daniel had one vision, and it troubled him at his head for many days? Who knows that in the Bible, Bible reader? Yes.

How many knows that the virtue of the Angel that was on the water at the pool of Bethesda in Saint John 5, the first one being healed, that stepped in, and had faith enough to be healed, the Angel even left the water, let's see your hands. Good. All the virtue left the water.

57 And Jesus, the Son of God said that He got weak, virtue had left Him. Now, we got up to some...?... twenty or fifteen or something. Now, as the line gets just a little closer down, we'll keep calling a few more, as you see the line getting down.

Now, this is hard. If I ever come again up to Ohio... I hope you would like for me to come back. And I sure would like to come. I would like to instead of being throwed...?... for about a month. So I could get a chance to pray for the people, and then have different meetings, afternoon teaching. Have lines like we did last night, and pray...?... This here is for massive prayer massive healing. This is to bring forth the Presence of Jesus Christ.

58 Now, as I said last night, now did you notice the difference in the American people? Brought them on the platform here and a little a lady had a wreck and ribs was mashed and her back. You better be careful what you tell them. And her back was mashed, but just as soon I prayed I seen she was healed. I said, "Go take your braces off in front." How many seen her pack them out?

So the little lady had a lump on the side of her head. I saw something move out of my hand while I was praying, and away it went. Did you see it? The lady had a growth here in the front of her, out here in the front of her. While I was praying and looked back, and the thing was gone.

Little deaf-mute standing there received hearing and speech. How the Lord blessed a colored man bound down with a paralytic stroke, as he moved him up, and there coming down...?... in his feet, and he walked away. See, that's the way the American people wants to lay hands on them. But that's not really the way you should do it.

59 You know Jairus said, "Come, lay Your hands on my little girl, and she will live."

The Roman said, "I'm not worthy that You come under my roof." But said, "I'm a man with authority. When I say to this soldier, 'You go do that," he does it, because he's under me. And I say to this one, 'You go do so,' and he does it, because he has to obey me. He's under me."

What was that Roman doing? He was recognizing the supreme Deity of Jesus Christ. See? He said, "You just speak the word, and my servant will live." What did Jesus say? "Now, I've never seen faith like that in Israel."

That's what I'm trying to get to you people. Christ is here. So believe it. Africa, India, one supernatural sign, they're watching for it, and they see that compared with the Bible, that settles it forever.

60 All right. Now, as we're praying. Now, I want... Now, if you'll be real reverent... I'll tell you why. And to you brethren that were taking the pictures...?... don't take them now. See, this is a Light.

Real bad to hear that report. There was a lady here last evening who was a crippled, setting in the audience (the ushers left some staying.), that was setting in the audience, and she wanted to get into the prayer line, but could not. And she just looked up, and I prayed that she'd receive it. And was instantly healed and walked out whole.

I understand the little lady with the polio here, I walked in the room the other day passing through the building. I offered a little prayer for her, and someone tells me... Now, this is just what someone told me, that she got a feeling in her foot, and begin to itch or something, and...?... That's God moving. See? Life is coming back, the curse being taken. See? Just keep on believing, that's all. You're feeling better, aren't you? Amen. That's good. Ask so many of these...?...

61 Now, to every one here, you are total strangers to me, as far as I know. I... Right here's a, two men setting here that I know. And there's somebody else... The doctor standing right down there. I know the doctor. And I know him, and Mr. Wood, and Sister Vayle here, are friends of mine that I know; and my son standing over here. My daughter-in-law, Mrs. Wood setting back in this section here by the posts. That's all that I know in the building now.

But did you know that Christ knows every one of you. Excuse me, Sister Vayle, the doctor's wife. I see you setting there. But do you know Christ knows each one of you? Now, here is a purpose... Now, don't lose it now. This is the last night. This is the purpose. Listen to me. Christ has healed every one of you when He died at Calvary. It's your faith in His finished work. No matter what the condition you need, it's your faith in what He did.

Now, the thing you do, is just accept Him as personal Healer. Now, if Jesus is here tonight, and you say, "Jesus, come here and heal me," why He could not do that. He's already done it. The Bible said He did. He was our Redeemer. Did He? It's all done. He said, "It's finished." He's already been wounded for your transgressions, and with His stripes you were already healed. The only thing He could do would be to cause Himself to be here. And how would He do it? In a miracle.

62 Now, are you the lady? You're supposed to come here just a moment...?... Now, be real reverent. You can walk just a little closer if you will, lady. Here stands a lady, and she's, of course, wearing glasses. We know there's something wrong with her eyes, except they be reading glasses. A person past thirty-five, forty years old, they're actually their eyeballs get flat, and just use reading glasses for close reading. That's the regular procedure, like your hair turning gray or anything else.

But she looks healthy to me, and she's a stranger to me. I never saw her in my life. I suppose that's it. We're strangers to each other? If we are, so the people would understand, raise up your hand?

Now, here is a picture again, of a Bible picture. This is...?... Our Lord Jesus, in Saint John 4, was talking to a woman that came out to get some water at a well. He'd never seen her. And she came to get some water, and when she got the water and started to put it on her head to walk away, our Lord Jesus said to her, "Woman, bring Me a drink."

And she being a Samaritan, and Him a Jew, there was a law of segregation, so she said, "It's not customary for You to ask such. We have no dealings, the Samaritans and Jews." He packed the conversation a bit till He caught her spirit.

And when He did, He said to her... He found out some trouble she had. And we believe in America, I know the eastern idea is different, but we believe in America that she had five husbands. The Bible said she did. And Jesus said, "The husband you got now is not yours, and you're living with him." So there must have been something wrong.

63 And when the disciples found them, it wasn't no disgrace for a man to talk to a woman in public, but they was astonished that--that Jesus talking to such a person. The Bible said they was. So if the eastern idea is different from that, why, it's all right. Whatever it was, it was a woman talking.

And the woman... He said... He contacted her spirit, and He found where her trouble was. And He said, "Go, get your husband."

She said, "I don't have no husband."

Now, watch. She witnessed she didn't have a husband. But Jesus said, "You've had five, and the one you have now is not yours." The lady said the truth.

What did she say? "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet." Is that right? Now, watch what she went on to talk. Then she said, "We know that when the Messiah cometh..." How many believe Jesus was the Messiah of God? Certainly. She said, "We, the Samaritans..." She was a religious person that went to the church and knowed the laws anyhow.

She said, "We know that when the Messiah cometh, He will tell us this, or all things." But she couldn't make out Who He was.

He said, "I'm He that talks to you, that speaketh to you."

And she run into the city and said, "Come, see a Man that told me these things. Isn't this the Messiah?"

64 Now, if that was the sign of the Messiah then, and He's the same yesterday, today, and forever, it's the sign of the Messiah now. That is to the believer. But what was that sign to the big high orthodox church men? A devil, a fortuneteller, a Beelzebub, a mental telepathy. It's the same sign to them now.

"Little while and the world sees Me no more, yet ye will see Me. I'll continue. I'm not going to die and just stay dead. I'm going to raise again, and I'll be with you, even in you, to the end of the world. I'll be doing the same thing right on down to the end of the world."

Why, if that sister is...?... then Christ Spirit come down, if she is a believer, and He produce Himself again, and find out what she's standing here for. Is that right? And if He does do it... The woman could be an infidel; she could be an agnostic; she could be here for a frame up. Watch what happens.

65 How many were here where that man, they hired him to come and hypnotize me, said he went to these army camps and made people bark like a dog, and--and hypnotosis ever what you call it? Hypnosis, or I don't know whether I speak it right or not. Hypnosis, I believe it's called. Anyhow, even hypnotizing soldiers and make them bark like dogs and things.

And somebody hired him to come and hypnotize me. And when the anointing come down, I felt that odd spirit. I thought it was a--a devil at first. I looked around for a fortuneteller. And I watched, and I seen him setting there, and those eyes looking at me.

I thought, "Is that right? I turned again. I begin to watch. They interrupted. I walked out there out there, and seem like the Holy Spirit said... I turned around where he was; I said, "You child of the devil, why has the devil put in your heart to come do this thing. God rebuke you." And the next day, he was paralyzed, and he is yet today, and that's been about three or four years ago. He's still setting paralyzed...?... All I know, that was yours.

66 Remember that man that night, up here across on the Canadian line. They went up there and put on his prayer card a whole lot of things that he had, TB and everything, and walked up here. I said, "There's nothing wrong with you."

Said, "Oh, yes there is. Look on my prayer card."

I said, "That has nothing to do with you. The usher's got the prayer card." I said, "There's nothing wrong with you."

He said, "Oh, yes, there is. There's something wrong with me."

And I said, "Well, maybe you had faith and was healed."

He said, "That's what it is then."

And I turned and looked, I thought, "Strange." I seen a room open up before me. And there stood a woman standing, looking down on two men. One of them went on a gray suit with a red tie. And the other man setting across from him, had his back to me. There was a green spread hanging over the table. And I heard them say, "Aw it's just nothing but a telepathy, and we will prove it, and we'll show that he's wrong."

67 And he belonged to a certain denominational church that I would not call the name. And when he come back, and the vision left, I said, "Why has the devil put in your heart to do this?" Why I said, "Man, aren't you ashamed of yourself being a preacher? And last night you set with your wife and another man, which is setting right there in the balcony, setting in there with that red tie on in the gray suit. And you set in a room last night, and said that you'd go over and write so-and-so on your prayer card...?... thought the usher was...?... to me, mental telepathy."

I said, "Now, the...?... And grabbed...?... on the platform by my pants and I said, "The thing that you put on your prayer card, TB and so forth, is on you now." The man died about a year later. That was the...?... Many of you's heard that. How many's heard it, let's see your hands. Many of you out there. Certainly. We're not playing church. It's the Holy Spirit. You be reverent.

68 This woman's a stranger. I never knew her. I never seen her in my life. God knows her, I don't. But I'm professing this: and my contentions is that Jesus Christ has raised from the dead, and is yet the same today as He was. He will keep His Word. If He's God, He's got to keep His Word. I believe the Word infallibly, I believe it.

Now, be reverent. Be in prayer. And I want to talk to the woman just a moment. And if He will perform the same thing here that He did back there in the Bible time, every one of His promises, you'd believe and would accept, anything that you got need of, you believe He's here to give it to you? Is that right? If God will do this, it's a sign to you that He's here to give you just what you're asking for. The only thing you lack is to believe.

69 Now, let us look to the woman. May... As a Christian and talking, the spirits of... Or the Holy Spirit's in a gift. One gift is preaching. That's an evangelist. Another gift is prophetic, which is altogether a different gift. And to be preaching and switch to something else, it's another anointing, but the same Spirit. You understand.

Now, you and I being strangers, we never have met each other, and you being the first person here, I'm just trying to contact your spirit. And it's exactly just right, exactly what I'm trying to do. That's right. Because you're a woman, I'm a man, and we've never met before, and here we are before several hundred people.

And now, God's Word is at stake, that Bible says that Christ promised what He promised that--that we... He'd do the same, He'd live in us, and He would work through us, and do the same things that He did back in the...?...

70 Now, don't be afraid to put God's Word to the stake. But I perceive that you are a Christian, because your spirit begins to feel welcome. See? The Holy Spirit's here, and now it's a gift. It's a brother and sister now...?...

You're aware that something taken place just then. If that's right just raise your hand so the audience can see? That's... Did you ever see the picture of that Light? That's what's right around you just now.

Now, the lady, if the audience can still hear my voice, she is a believer, a real believer. And I see her: she's doing something, but she's real nervously about something, like she's dropping something or something. She's bothered with nervousness. That's her trouble. She has a nervous condition.

71 And she's all upset about something now. That is, she had been to a--a doctor. And that doctor was looking on her breast, and he found a place like that keeps gathering, like a growth. Now, see that that little white thing or something, he turns your back, and there's something on your back near your spine. And he says that you need an operation for it. That's THUS SAITH THE SPIRIT.

That is true. You believe? Now, Something's here that knows you. I don't. Something knows you. He said, "These signs shall follow them that believe." Come and let me pray for you.

Our heavenly Father, in the Name of the Lord Jesus Thy Son, I bless this woman that she may receive every blessing she's asked for, and send her home happy, rejoicing, praising God in Jesus' Name. Amen.

God bless your loyal heart, lady. Go rejoicing, happy, and thanks be to God.

72 Would you come, lady? You believe? Now, has He raised from the dead? Now, you look this way, lady. The anointing is on. Amen. Oh, what a feeling.

I feel just like it was that day when that, after two years, that little boy in Finland was supposed to be raised from the dead. How many of you read the story? Standing around the little dead boy laying there, hundreds standing around, and I said, "THUS SAITH THE LORD. I saw a vision of that baby, and five minutes from now he will be on his feet, or I'm a false prophet." There he raised and leaped to his feet, praising God, living yet today. He's Christ. He can't die, and remain Christ.

73 Now, the lady standing here is another stranger. We don't know each other. If that's right, raise your hand. Have faith now, don't doubt. Believe. All right. If the Holy Spirit can reveal to me what you're standing here for, the very thoughts and desire of your heart, will you accept it? You will?

You know as a man, I couldn't heal you if you're sick. And if you are, if I could and wouldn't do it, I'd be a brute not a man, if I could help you and wouldn't do it. But I can't help you. But I'm trying to do all I can to get in the Presence of Him Who can help you, 'cause you're my sister. You're a Christian believer. That's right.

Now, the Lord said to Nathanael, "Behold, an Israelite in whom is no guile."

He said, "When did You know me?"

Said, "Before Philip called you, I saw you." Way away.

74 What if I told you I seen you from way away, too? You're not from this city. You're from another city called Cleveland, Ohio. That's right. And I see a doctor appear. And the doctor's looking somewhere in the chest or the throat. He says it's a goiter on the inside. And that's just been recently. And he set a time for operation, that's two weeks from now for an operation. That's right. Is it? It has to be. Will you believe God?

Our heavenly Father, the little lady desires life. And I pray as I lay hands on her that You'll give to her the desire of her heart. I pray this prayer in Jesus Christ's Name. Amen.

God bless you now. Go on your road happy. God--God bless you, sister.

75 Do you believe? All right. Be real reverent now. Someone was healed in the audience just then. I didn't catch it. Just be real reverent. I saw the Angel of the Lord, which is the Christ of God. It's a Light.

How many knows that the Angel that followed the children of Israel was a Pillar of Light or Fire? How many knows that was Christ? How many knows that He said, "I come from God, I go back to God." Did He say it? And when Paul met Him after the resurrection, what was He? Pillar of Fire again, the Light. That right? It's what the Bible said. That's what He is.

Now, be real reverent and pray. All right. This the lady? How do you do, sister? I don't know you. You know that. But we're strange to each other, but God does know.

76 Now, just be reverent and don't think I'm beside myself. I am not. But I can only say what I'm seeing. And now, just believe.

Well, you are come to me, and we're years apart, and probably born miles apart and years apart. This is our first time to meet. But do you believe me to be God's servant? You believe that what I teach from the Bible is the truth? And you believe that the claims that I make...

The reason I say that, lady, you remember when Jesus saw a vision of the resurrection of Lazarus, He was on His road back to get Lazarus to raise Him. But He asked Martha, when she come out on the road, she come out to meet Him, He said to her...

And she said, "If Thou would've been here, my brother would not have died."

He said, "Thy brother could rise again."

And she said, "I know in the last days."

He said, "I'm the Resurrection and Life." See? And He said, "I'm the Resurrection and Life. He that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. Whosoever liveth and believeth in Me will never die." He said, "You believe this?"

She said, "Yes, Lord. I believe."

77 She believed that He was what He said He was, the Messiah. And He is the Messiah tonight. I'm just His servant. But the Angel Who spoke to me and sent me here, said, "Get the people to believe you, and be sincere when you pray."

I said, "They won't believe me."

He said, "By this they will believe you. This was given at birth, when just a little baby boy.

78 You are suffering with a--an arthritis. I see you can't hardly get around at times. Then you have heart trouble. That is right. Then you have something that makes you sick; it comes from your right side. It's gallbladder trouble, because you have...?... like of a gallbladder. That's the truth. Is that...

Now, I cannot heal you. Neither do I know what was said. But Something was talking to you. That wasn't me, 'cause I don't know you.

Now, do you believe, audience? Now, more you would talk to her, more would be said. Now, not for a public show, God doesn't do things that way. But for the glory of God, that you might understand, through a Divine gift, may I talk to her some more? She's an elderly lady. And I'd like to talk to her just a little more.

79 Now, the lady seems to go from me again. Yes. I see that it's some kind of a vomiting and...?... It's the gallbladder. And I see you, you're not from this city. You're from a--a city that's right off a canal...?... or something. It's Spencerville. That's where you're from. And you live on a street called Main Street. Your number is 401. Your name is Mae Miller. You believe me to be His prophet, His servant? Let us pray.

O God, Who raised up the Lord Jesus, I pray that You'll heal this woman, and make her well in Jesus Christ's Name. Amen.

God bless you, sister. Have faith in God. Do you believe?

80 Now, here is another case: a colored woman and a white man. This brings back the case again to the Saint John 4. And down in the south, they have a segregation between the white and the colored. And this makes the scene just right. And then... Jesus let her know though, that it was no different. God makes no difference; we're all His offspring.

I do not know you, lady. And here we are, man and woman, first time ever met in life, even a--a different race. But God knows us both. You are a believer. And if God will reveal to me what your trouble is, will you believe it? You do? Will the audience believe? May the Lord Jesus grant--grant this.

81 Little laddie... Now, just a moment. There's a little boy. I thought it was a little laddie...?... I'm tired. That isn't him. No, here's...?... with a little bow-tie on, way over in the corner. Papa, do you believe that God can make your boy well? You're sitting there praying for him, aren't you? You was in prayer.

The little boy has a rupture. That's right, isn't it, papa, mama? Ain't that right? Raise up your hand. See, you touched Something, didn't you? You touched the Christ. Lay your hand over on the little lad.

Heavenly Father, in Christ's Name, grant their faith be sufficient now to do that which they are desiring, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

Jesus said, "I can if you believe, for all things are possible to them that..." Oh, if you could just see what I'm looking at. It's a little lady setting there with, looking at me. And she's praying. And she knows that she has contacted the Holy Spirit. She's moving her lips and praying. She is now praising God, for she's been suffering with a throat trouble. She's got a little turban like on her head; she's got a little white thing. That's is right, isn't it, lady?

And I see someone else holding to her throat. It's the lady setting next to you, with the long like hat on, has throat trouble too. I'm speaking to you, Mrs. Miller. See? Now, do you know who I'm talking to? All right. I never seen you in my life, and never knowed you. If that's right raise your hand? See, see?

Oh, how we thank the living God for His goodness, for His mercy endureth forever. Just have faith. Just believe.

82 Now, little lady, you setting there that just wiped the eyes, from weeping. Something touched you, didn't it? You never touched me. But you touched Him. And that big bandage they put around your arm and said you had high blood pressure, that is right.

What do you think of it, setting next to her? You had one around your arm, but it said low blood pressure. One was high, and the other one was low. Is that right? Then it is right. Now, have faith in God. You touched Him. See? I challenge your faith to believe. Don't doubt. Just have faith in God.

83 Pardon me, lady? I can only go just as He's showing me. All right. We're standing here as man and woman. Oh, you are for a great, great faith. You're standing for someone else, your brother. And that man is in a mental institution. And he's not here in this city, but he is in Cleveland, Ohio, in the mental institution. You're his sister, and you come that I might offer prayer for your brother. That is true. I'm not reading your mind. That is true.

O God, our kind heavenly Father, down there in that wherever place tonight, blessed Holy Spirit, deliver that man from his affliction, and make him completely whole. Because of his loved one who's standing for him, I ask this in Jesus' Name. Amen.

Go, and may God grant it as you have believed. So may it be so. Oh, my. Have faith.

84 Little lady, with little spots on the head, you should've accepted Christ awhile ago. The Light of God is still over you. But that breast trouble you been having, is gone from you, so you won't have to worry about it no more.

What do you think, setting next to her, has nervous trouble? You believe that the Lord Jesus would make you well too? All right. You may have it also then.

And the lady with her hands up to her face, she's got a breast trouble. And the little lady that's wiping her eyes yet, that arthritis is gone also, sister. Amen. That's the way to believe it. Have faith. Don't doubt.

85 How do you do? Of course you know you're in the Presence of something besides a man. You believe it's the Holy Spirit? Be real reverent, every one now. See, diseases go from one to another. Now, be real reverent. They won't have to stand much longer. But just be real reverent a few minutes longer, please.

Each one is a soul. Each one's a spirit. And if you move, it--it has an interruption. You see? 'Cause every one of you is just placed just like in this row right where you're at. See? And just watching with all that is within me to help you, friends. Please, you cooperate with me, and with the Holy Spirit. Be real reverent.

86 Let us take this lady then just a minute. Your main trouble is a nervous trouble, and it caused you to have trouble in your arms and in your limbs. That's right. And you're not from this city either. You're from Cleveland. Your name is Henrietta. Pullman is your last name. You live at an address called 8517 Cedar Avenue.

Another thing that you might know that I be God's prophet. You got someone on your heart you're praying for. It's a man. The man is your uncle, and he's got cancer, dying, and he's unsaved. And you're praying for his soul. Amen. You believe? Then receive what you've asked for. In Christ Jesus' precious Name. Have faith in God.

What do you think, setting right back there with that back trouble, sir? Do you think God will make you well? Setting right on the side there, you believe God will heal you? All right. You can have what you ask for then. Amen.

Want to get rid of the stomach trouble and be made well, be healed? Then go eat your supper. Be well in Christ's Name. Amen.

87 What if I told you, you were healed, setting there, would you believe me? Would you...?... have confidence in my word? Then go. The Lord Jesus makes you completely whole.

How do you do, young lady? You're very young lady to be anemic, but you are. So how about, let's you and I go to Calvary for a blood transfusion and be made well? You believe? Then in Christ's Name, go and be healed. Thanks be to God.

Heart trouble's a killer. But Jesus Christ is a Saviour. You believe that? Then go and be healed in the Name of Jesus Christ.

Let's say, "Praise be to God." Do you believe? Have faith then in God. What about you in the balconies up there? You're not left alone. Christ is just as great up there. I challenge your faith in Christ's Name to look and live.

88 Here's a young girl looking straight at me, setting right up here by the banister, kind of a heavy set girl. Do you believe me to be God's prophet, sister? You were praying, wasn't you? If that's right, raise your hand so the balcony can see you? I've never seen you. But you're suffering with a back trouble. If that's right, raise up your hand? Now, do you believe me as God's servant? You believe it's Jesus Christ in the audience tonight? Let me tell you how it happened. You fell off of a slide and done it. Is that right? Raise up your hand. Now, you're healed. Christ makes you well. Believe.

That lady setting right behind you, a little white hat on...?... you're praying. If God will reveal to me what's your trouble, will you accept and believe me as His servant and Christ be praised? In the breast. If that's right raise your hand? See? I challenge your faith.

By the way, the man setting right behind you has got arthritis too. That's right. If it's so, raise your hand. There you are. Have faith. I challenge you. Amen.

89 How do you do? We are strangers to each other. I don't know you, but God does know you, doesn't He? You believe me to be His servant? You're suffering with breast trouble too. That's the reason you're hooked to that lady there. That spirit is going back and forth. That's right. You believe?

What's your husband going to think about this? He's going to believe too, you think? As a minister he should, shouldn't he? See? He's got back trouble, hasn't he? Uh-huh. Mrs...?... that's exactly right. Your husband can go home now and be made well...?... I never seen you in my life, but that's true. Now, go on your road and rejoice. Tell your husband to be well.

Let's say, "Praise be to God." You love Him? Oh, how He wants to heal you all.

90 There's many out there that's suffering with heart trouble too, lady. They're just everywhere. Everybody with heart trouble, stand to your feet right now. Stand to your feet...?... see, you can't call them. Just remain standing, and you stand right here just a minute. Have faith in God.

Death, black shadow, cancer: Cancers, stand up to your feet. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. There you are. Stand here just a minute. Have faith.

Come, lady. You believe me as God's prophet? Sugar diabetes. Every one with diabetes stand to your feet. Just remain standing. Have faith in God.

Come, lady. You stand here with the heart trouble...?... too. Believe with all your heart.

Oh, now, do you believe? Satan's going to lose this battle. The hour is here. Something's going to take place. The devil's defeated. Don't you know it? Oh, my. Let us all stand to our feet all over while this great anointing, the whole building standing...?... The Holy Ghost is here.

O Jesus, Son of God, in Jesus Christ's Name, heal every one of them. Make...?...