The Rejected King

1 I was just a little early tonight. And I heard that Brother Sullivan and--had taken up a--a love offering for me. Now, I sure do appreciate that with all my heart, friends. If you had not've done it, would've been just the same; it doesn't matter.

I've--I been in the ministry about thirty-one years, and I've never took an offering for myself yet or for anybody else. I never took one. And people is give me offerings. And what that offering goes for, it goes right into the Tabernacle foundation. And from there it's spent for overseas trips and for the Kingdom of God sake. I'm on a salary; I get a hundred dollars a week. That's what I get, and I don't have any...

[Brother Branham speaks to someone on the platform.--Ed.] I thought someone out there, brother, would--might... I was trying to hold it up so the recorder..." That's more bandages than a doctor's got in his office, isn't it? Thank you, brother. If it won't short anybody out there, that's here...

2 So therefore, with the best of my ability, with all that I know how, I'll see that every penny of it goes to the Kingdom of God, with all that I know how, 'cause it's a portion of your living. I know there's no millionaires among us, and you need every penny that you can get.

That thing's got a weak head, hasn't it? And I'll tell you; I'll just lay my Bible against it. How's that? All right. That'll do for a little while perhaps. I'll fix it for you, brother. We got something here. That's it. How's that? Little brace, or... Sometimes we all need that, kinda get braced up, you know, a "shot in the arm," we call it. And so...

I do appreciate it and will do everything that I can to see that it goes for the Kingdom of God.

3 Now, oh, my, here's some more bandage. Now...?... Really going to fix this guy right up, aren't we? Important fellow... [Someone says, "He must be one of the boys."--Ed] He must be; he surely must be. Oh, I was cutting somebody short, sure enough. I put the book over a microphone or two here. We're robbing one to pay the other. Thank you very kindly, brother. I'm sure ever whose that's running through down there will appreciate that.

4 Today has been a great day for me. We've had much... And I got a few announcements here that I want to make. The first thing is, that you're all invited in the morning to the Christian Business Men's Fellowship Breakfast. We always have a great time at that meeting. That will be held at the Manchester Hotel; I think the Ball Room. Or, and the tickets is on sale. You can see Brother Carlson, or my field secretary, Brother Mercier, or Brother Goad right here. They have the tickets for the breakfast. And if you miss seeing them, come on down; there'll be somebody there to give you a ticket in the morning. [Someone speaks to Brother Branham on the platform--Ed.]... What--what say? Brother Rockwell has them also. Has anyone else that you know?...?... But if you miss it, why, there'll be somebody there in the morning in the lobby to let you get a ticket. And the Lord willing, I'll--I'll be speaking in the morning for this fellowship.

5 I like the Christian Business Men's Fellowship because it stands for what I believe: a interdenominational fellowship. And they do a lot of sponsoring of my meetings around the world. Because in that I get the--all the churches to--to sponsor, because their--their Fellowship, their--their men, their--that's out of their churches, the business men that's in their churches come into this organization. Then sometimes you have to receive me whether they like me or not. They just have to take me anyhow, 'cause their--their brethren is in there.

6 But most always, I thank the Lord, that even in ministers and in churches who see different--some people who doesn't even believe in the Pentecostal experience will come right in and help sponsor the meeting anyhow. I've had--I've been sponsored by Baptists, Methodists, Lutheran, Presbyterian, all different kinds. Down in Mexico I think it was the entire Baptist sponsorship, down in Mexico City. And then lot of the--lot of the places is the Lutheran. In Sweden right now, I think it is, or Norway, the Lutheran church is--wants to sponsor a complete, complete nationwide campaign. Down in Puerto Rico one of the Billy Graham's group that sponsored him, the one that was his interpreter came to the meeting, and the Lord did a great thing. Just there two nights. And now they got the entire association of ministerials all over the island ready for a full island meeting.

7 When I was leaving that morning, there was--the fellow that was the head of that big airport out there run up and threw his arms around me, started weeping, a little sort of a man in stature; he said, "Brother Branham, when you were here about a year ago for a night or two," said, "I was setting way back in the audience. And you called my name and told me I'd had migraine headaches for many years." And said, "'THUS SAITH THE LORD' tonight they're over." Said, "I've never had one since." See? And said... And He was the head of that airport, some great official out there. I wouldn't say the head of it; he was one of the main men out there.

8 In the interviews this morning, the Lord gave many visions. And I had--certainly had a group this morning. The mornings we use in interviews to catch the cases that cannot--just the emergencies and things like that, where they've got to have something from the Lord, a Word of the Lord. And so then... The Lord has been awfully good to us in those things. And one man was telling me; I don't remember the case, and wouldn't know it unless I get it back on the tape; somebody from down in the South, I believe Alabama, somewhere... The accuracy of the Holy Spirit telling the lady who she was, what her name was, what she'd done, how she'd got hurt as a little girl, told her the city she was from and all about it, and when It went to regard her name It called her 'Miss,' and she was a middle-aged woman, but she's never been married, just the accuracy of the Holy Spirit, how It does that.

9 Then this morning in the interviews, there was... I suppose they're here; it's a couple missionaries that were somewhere in a meeting... I didn't get their name down here, but they were in the interview this morning, and said about sometime ago they were in one of the meetings, and the lady was suffering tremendously with something, and--and her husband also, and said It told her who she was and what she was suffering with, told her husband what was wrong with him and all about the things that they'd done in life and where their calling was; and they was going to minister to people that wore little caps on their head (which was Jewish), and they was going overseas, and everything would take place; and she said, "Everything just exactly the way it was was right."

And said then coming back she'd taken sick, and she said that she--the doctors wanted to operate on her for some kind of attack in the gall or something. And they wanted to operate immediately but she come back to this side--if I get this story right, and said, she prayed, "Oh, Lord, I'm going over" She'd get one of the magazines where it was to be at. And she said, "Lord, last time I was up there I got card number three. Please, Lord, let me have card number three again."

10 And said... And said the Holy Spirit seemed to tell her... She was a Christian, I think formerly a Lutheran, and a nurse out of a hospital. And said the Lord told her, "You'll have card number three." Said that night when my son came to give out the cards... so it'll be double when we're calling them meetings that no one will know, Billy has to get up before the crowd and take the cards and mix them all up together so that the people will know.

Then another thing, no one knows where we're going to start the prayer line. I come, and wherever the Holy Spirit leads me, I start from there. So he said he got up, mixed up all the cards and came down. She said, "I want one." He handed it to her, and just passed on by. She looked at it, it was--it was ninety-eight, I believe it, or ninety-seven, I believe, yeah, ninety-seven I think it was. And she said, "Oh, Lord, You promised me number three. And now, You give me ninety-seven," or something, ninety-seven, ninety-eight, ninety-seven I think it was. Said, "You give me ninety-seven" and said, "Now, You promised me number three." And said she begin weeping, and she didn't know what to do; said, "I'll never be called on ninety-seven."

For the time she was in I might've started from one. Said that night coming to the platform, said, I looked out over the audience real stern and said, "I'm going to start tonight from one hundred and come backwards." Number three... Is that lady in the building? What?...?... Oh, here she is right in front of me. Oh, Lord bless you, sister. The Holy Spirit's always right, isn't He? That's right. The Lord bless you.

Well that's fine. You see, when the Holy Spirit promises you anything, if it's the Holy Spirit, you'll get it, just as He said. No matter what takes place, you'll get it.

11 Now, to this convention, Brother Sullivan, Brother Boze, Brother Winston, and all of the ministers, and all the people, I want to thank you for your fine cooperation of--to me, one of the outstanding conventions I've ever preached at in all my life has been this one. I've had more freedom to speak at liberty without any binding, just felt just exactly at home like I was standing at the Tabernacle in the pulpit in my own church. And I felt better and--in this convention than I have in any, and I--I--as far as I can remember. It's been a one that I'll never forget. The Lord bless you for your prayers and cooperation.

And I certainly appreciate it. It's my--looking forward to being with you again next year, if the Lord provides, again wherever it will be held. I don't know, the Lord will provide that. And I want to say that, I certainly appreciate this and I appreciate this convention, because...

Now, I have been accused of being against denominational churches, but that is wrong. I am not against nothing but sin. See? I--I--I just... I'm not against any denomination or any people. I'm just as much Methodist as I am Baptist, Pentecostal, anything else; I'm your brother. I--I--I--I just... Don't make any difference.

12 Now, sometimes I rake hard on denomination; it's because of their selfish attitude, when they pull themselves up in a little shell and say, "We got it. None of the rest of you can have it." You cannot organize Pentecost. And when we try to make an organization out of Pentecost, we displease God. We call ourself the Pentecostal this organization, the Pentecostal that, but that's wrong. Pentecost is an experience, and it's no organization. And so... But sometimes different groups to make their groups big and... It's just a worldly expression. But in every group that I've ever come into in my life, I've found genuine Holy Ghost filled men and women. Yes, sir, of all of them.

13 And may this convention ever hold its standard of independent. So that you--all the groups can come together, the free Pentecost, and the free Baptists, the free Methodists, and oh, the Oneness, Twoness, Threeness, and all--all the rest of them, and--and riding on a one-hump camel, a two-hump camel, or three-hump camel, whatever you want to ride on, come on.

14 You know, Jacob dug one well and the Philistines drove him away from it, and he called it, I believe, "Malice." We'll say that. I don't remember just what it was. He dug another well, and the Philistines drove it away from--drove him away from it, and he called it "Strife." And Jacob dug another well, and he called it "There's room for all." That's the well; that's the independent, to where there's room for all, everybody, whosoever will, any church, any creed, any denomination. We're here to represent the Pentecostal blessing that comes to the Methodists, Baptists, Catholic, Jew, whatever you are. Comes to yellow, black, white, brown, all races, all creeds, all peoples at any time that you're ready for it. May it always remain that way is my prayer.

15 Now, don't forget; tonight ends the convention. And the brethren will be going home, many of them, I suppose. Now, I did not know that I was going to be praying for the sick at--at night. So I thought I would hang over two more nights in order to pray for the sick that come to the convention. But I noticed on a little circular down there, that I found sitting in a filling station window, that said, "prayers for the sick each night." I found that when Brother Joseph and I yesterday was walking by. So then last night we started praying for the sick. I didn't know that I was to be pray for the sick. So then, if you're here, and you're not in no hurry to get home, you're certainly welcome to stay with us for Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.

16 We're going to close Sunday afternoon, because we do not want to hold the people from their churches on Sunday night. To your denomination and to your own choice of church, that's your duty to stand at your post of duty, exactly; for your pastor and uphold him as a man of God. If he doesn't see the Light yet, don't fall out with him. Love him and pray for him. That's the thing to do to get him into it. That's right. If you're... If you with a church that doesn't believe in the Pentecostal blessing, that doesn't hurt a thing. You go right on and keep... You receive the Pentecostal blessing; then tell your pastor about it and tell him how sweet it is, and the first thing you know he will be like Brother Collins the other night, the Methodist preacher, when he got the Holy Ghost. He had to go get his brother, and sister-in-law, and all of them; they got the Holy Ghost. So, that's just the way it goes. See?

17 We don't never want to take anybody away from a church. We don't want to say, "Let all the one church join this other church." That's not it. Stay right where you're at. That's all right. As long as they'll receive you and you got the blessing, you stay right where you are. But try to have fellowship with one another. That's what it is; it's a fellowship for brethren, brethren, to be in fellowship. I believe everybody believes that, don't you? Sure. That's fine.

18 Now, I was going to announce what I was going to speak on tomorrow morning, but I--I had better leave that alone, 'cause I--I--I say I'm going to speak on something, then I go there and get something else. See? I just have... I, if I could preach like I do when I'm cutting my grass or going on a hunting trip somewhere... Get up in the mountains, and walk up top the mountains, and stand up there and look out across and feel that breeze high in the mountains, and hear the coyote holler, whew, my if I could preach like I could right there, sit on that rock, and get off the rock, and walk around the tree and preach, and carry on. If I could preach like that up here, I'd be a--I'd be a pretty fair preacher, I mean.

19 When I get out in the yard cutting grass, and I just have to stop, sometimes stop my old mower and run into the garage and say, "Lord, help me. I don't want to act like that out there in the yard. People think I lost my mind." But then when I get up here I forget all about it, what was I thinking about. You see? And then I just have to depend on Him. So that's the reason sometimes that I can't say what I'm going to speak on, but the Lord will help me do something anyhow.

20 Now, let us turn tonight to--for the text, if I should call it that, in I Samuel the 7th chapter--or the 8th chapter and begin with the 4th verse: I Samuel the 8th chapter and the--beginning with the 4th verse. Let us read.

Then all the elders of Israel gathered to... themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,

And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.

But... this displeased, displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord.

And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.

21 If I was going to title this, for a few moments, and then we're going to take up our cards for prayer for the sick right where we left off last night... And then tomorrow night, tomorrow afternoon there will be prayer cards given out, another prayer line tomorrow night. And Sunday at two o'clock [Someone says, "two-thirty."--Ed.] two-thirty; prayer cards will be give out at two then, Sunday afternoon for Sunday afternoon service, having prayer for the sick.

I want to entitle this subject tonight, "The Rejected King." And I wish we had chairs to accommodate or seat somehow the ones that are standing all around tonight of this building. But I will try to hurry so that you won't have to stand too long. But if you'll just give me your undivided attention for a few moments...

22 In the day of Samuel the people were a great deal like they are in all days. They had come to a place that they wanted to be like the other people. And that is just simply a nature with people. People want to impersonate each other. If you'll go out and buy a certain kind of clothing, or a certain automobile, paint your steps a certain color in your house or on your steps, porch steps, watch the neighbor; they just can't stand it. They've got to be the same. You go to church and wear a certain kind of a hat that's a little different, next Sunday you'll have a lot of your sisters with that same kind of hat, if they can find it. Somehow another they just want to act like one another. And that's a good thing if it's used right, if it is used in the right way.

23 Now, but these people in the days of Samuel the prophet, they wanted to act like the Philistines, and the Amalekites, and the unbelieving. And they, because that they seen their people was a little more fancy... And they were a nation of called-out and chosen people, and they're not supposed to act like the rest of the people. God's people is never to act like the world, or look like the world, or be anything to do with the world. You are a separated people, the church, a called-out, a peculiar people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, altogether different and set aside, and all your actions, and habits, and ways from the things of the world. Now, may the Lord help us as we study.

24 Now, these people seen how the Philistines were doing, how the Amalekites, and the different ones were acting. And they came to Samuel and said, "We want to be like them." And it's about the same today. You just let the world start a certain fashion or--or some fad and you find all the people, even to many of the Christians want to do that same thing. They want to act like it.

You let the boys start cutting their hair a certain way, and all the boys want to do it. And they got to a place now, they let their hair grow out real big, and looks like a duck or something setting on top of their head. And I tell you; I believe that I--I--if--if I was a woman, a girl, and a boyfriend of mine did like that, I'd set him down and shave his hair off. It looks to me like that a woman would want a man.

I'd tell you, maybe the woman is so masculine till she wants something feminish, but that certainly looks like a woman to me. They have all that big bush, like a duck or a crow or something setting on top of their head, the big, long thing sticking out in the back and... I never seen such an outfit in my life. And I seen some preachers like that. What in the world is this thing coming to? After while they'll have a beatnik pastor, if you don't watch out what they're doing. Well, that's the truth.

25 Oh, the Church has to act just like the world. It must be... Now, that was rude, and I--I don't mean it that way. You see? But I'm just trying to make a p... I'm trying to drive a nail down so tight it won't come out, till it clinch on the other side. If it hurts, maybe I'll back up just a little bit. But it's got to be clinched to make it hold. Is that right, Brother Wood? He's a contractor. You got to make it hold by clinching it.

And I--I think a man ought to be a man; and a woman ought to be a lady. And I think that a Christian ought to act like a Christian, and associate with Christians. And the church of the living God ought to be together with one heart, and one accord, and have nothing to do with the world, when it comes to their ways and habits.

26 But we find it today just like it was then. They come to Samuel, and they said, "Now, you're getting old. Your hair's getting gray. And we--we just don't know how much longer you're going to stay around. And now, we want you to make us a king just like the Philistines has got, and like all the rest of the world has got. Make us just like them." And it displeased this holy prophet of God. Any prophet, if he is a prophet, he's for holiness, and righteousness, and the things of God. And he can't stand still; he's got to bring it out. Sometimes it cost his life, but he--he--he will bring it anyhow, because God is in the person. And the pastor or prophet that really for God, if it hurts, it just... He--he don't mean to hurt the people; he loves the people, but he's trying to save them. See?

And why, this kinda upset the good, old prophet, that they thought he was to old to go on. We find out he lived for many, many years later. But he was a--he was a servant of the Lord. And in doing that, they rejected their real King which was God. And that displeased the prophet. And he didn't want them to do that.

27 Now, Samuel, in our message, represents the Holy Spirit. Now, Samuel was the mouthpiece of God. And today the Holy Spirit is the mouthpiece of God. And today, instead of having all of our different fandangles in church, God wants us to let Him rule, not popes, bishops, and general overseers, and doctrines, and denominations and everything; He sent the Holy Spirit to rule the church.

But we, like the people of old, we say, "Well, let us be like the rest of them. They've got a great organization; let's us build up our group, because we believe this." Now, the Holy Spirit never would've stood still for that. No, sir. The Holy Spirit wants us to have no fences, no boundary lines; He wants us to be one in Him. We are children, brothers. God doesn't separate His children, said, "I'll give this one corn bread and beans, and this one ice cream and pie." He doesn't do that. Let this one starve to death and the other thing, He feeds them all at the same table. And the Holy Spirit should lead the church.

28 But they didn't want it that way. They--they wanted a king; they wanted to be like the rest of the world. And when the Pentecostal church... The Holy Spirit first fell about fifty something years ago; if they would've just let it alone and let God add to the Church daily such as would be saved, it would've been like it was in the apostolic age. But we had to draw fences. We had to be like the rest of them. We had to... If the Methodist is a denomination, we must be.

And here come somebody along, said, "Jesus is coming on a white cloud."

"No, He's coming on a white horse. All right, we'll just separate. I'll get me a group, and you get you a group." There you are. What difference does it make? He's coming anyhow. And it don't matter how He's coming, the thing of it is, are you ready to go with Him when He comes? That's the main thing. Doesn't matter how He comes, what form He comes in, let's just be ready to go. But they'll split hairs on little bitty things and form another organization. And that's just the way the world did it.

29 And good old Samuel, he took it to the Lord. And he said, "Lord, what can I do about these matters? The people are determined that they must have it just that way. And we--we must--we--we don't know just what to do about this."

And the Lord said, "Go right ahead and give them their--give them their king, because they're not rejecting you; they're rejecting Me to be their Judge."

See, people don't want the Holy Spirit to judge them. No, no. You don't want that. They want--they want some creed to judge them, but they want some church to judge them; but they don't want the Holy Spirit.

30 And He said, "Go ahead and make them a king." So they searched out through the country. And down in the tribe of Benjamin they found a man by the name of Kish, who had a son named Saul. And they chose him: great, big, handsome-looking, intellectual, giant of a man, head and shoulders above any other man, way up high, intellectual, educated, smart, shrewd, nice-looking. Well, that was just exactly what they wanted: something they could showoff with.

That's just about the way the churches is getting. You want some great big organizations, some great big fine church, bigger than the little mission down yonder. That's just the way it goes. And many times they leave the little mission where the Spirit is leading to go join to that, because you say, "I belong to the First Church." See? The same old devil, just exactly, the same misleading of the people... The biggest church, something to showoff, something big, oh, people like to say that. They like to get to a place where they got the finest pastor. Why, they got a pastor that's got four degrees out of Princeton or some great university. He's so smart and everything like that. He might have all those degrees, but in God's sight he might not even be enough to make a hog caller. That's exactly right. We're all low.

God--God chooses men and He is our King. God, the Holy Spirit was sent to govern the Pentecostal believers, the Holy Spirit believers. The King, God, was sent to do that.

31 Now, they chose him, and he was a great man, fine fellow, just exactly what they wanted; that was the guy. Now, they... Before they a--anointed him king, they made him chief captain just to give him a tryout. He was a failure to start with, to begin with. It wasn't in God's program. But however, when they chose him, finally was going to make him king, Samuel told them; he said, "Now, go on. First, if you choose to be--have a king and reject God, you know what's going to take place. Here," he says, "what's going to take place: He will call all your sons and daughters to be his servants. You'll pay a tenth of all you got to feed his army. And your fine vineyards and all your fine cattle will be taken over and everything. And that's the way it'll be. He will have to have armor-bearers; he will have to have soldiers. Your daughters will be cooks and confectioneries to feed the soldiers. And that's the way it'll be."

"Oh, that's all right, but we want him anyhow. We want him anyhow."

32 Then he called them to a place before anointing Saul king. He said, "I want to ask you something." In other words, let me put it like this. "Have not I been with you since a child as a prophet? Have I ever took any your money? Have I ever begged you for anything?"

"No."

"Have I ever spoke to you in the Name of the Lord but what it come to pass?"

"No, that's right, Samuel. All that you have done has been of the Lord."

"Well, then, why don't you let God be your King?"

"Oh, we know that you're the prophet. We know that you're the servant of God. We know that you speak the truth, and we know that you're right, and you've been the right kind of a judge and everything over us by the--through the Holy Spirit; but still we want the king."

33 Oh, brother, when people get their heads set on something, they just go on, on anyhow. There's just hardly anything you can do. They've just got their mind made up; they're going to do it whether it's right or wrong. Well, you can stand and preach to people that it's wrong for their women to dress immoral, for men to go and women to go to dances, for this rock-and-roll stuff; they'll take right out of there like a hog to its wallow and a dog to its vomit. That's exactly right. Pay no more attention to it than nothing in the world, because they are determined they're going to do it anyhow. They say they want it anyhow.

34 All right. So they... After all the warnings had been given... Then finally they wanted a king anyhow, so Saul was anointed king. The first thing taken place, the enemy slipped in on one side and put the right eye out of a lot of the people of God (You know the story; it's found here in Samuel 8, 9 and 10.), put their right eye out. That's just what the enemy wants to do. That's what the enemy's trying to do tonight: put the right eye of God's people out. You noticed it was the right eye, the one that's spiritual. If he can put the spiritual sight out of your eye, where you see the natural things and not the spiritual things, he's got you whipped right there. Long as you can have churches, and big places, and fine intellectual-dressed people and so forth, as long as your eye looks like that and don't see the spirit side, the enemy's got you under his control, 'cause you don't know where you're going. Amen.

35 Brother, listen. What we need today is an old-time, backwoods, sin-killing revival, the Bible Holy Ghost back into the church again with the power of God over the audience, and the people filled with the Holy Spirit. That's what we need today. And if that would take place, every wall of denominational difference would be broke down. The Oneness, Twoness, Threeness, Church of God, Pilgrim Holiness, Nazarenes, all of them together would be shouting and eating off the same apple. Why, they would--they would be so brotherly and sisterly, there would be not even one thought of it. But see, we want to pattern after something of the world.

36 That same thing got into our nation. Our nation used to be governed by real true politics, Christians who'd go together and pray and come out anointed, and try to govern our nation. Now, it's just as honeycombed as it can be with everything, crooked... They tell me that communist is all over the country, free-thinkers, and all them kind of a stuff of organizations rising up. And it's just in such a state, there's no stop to it. And it only shows one thing: that the true King, the Son of God, is coming to take over and reign, just as certain as we're in this convention tonight.

37 Oh, if people could only remember, no matter how long you stay here on earth, still you've got to meet God. You take and make God your King, your supreme Lord. Many people likes to see--receive Jesus as Saviour. "Oh, yes, I don't want to go to hell, so I--I'll take Him as my Saviour," but not your Lord. When He's Lord, He's got rulership. He comes right in and governs you and controls you. But you say, "Lord, you can be my Saviour, but don't go to meddling in my private business. Now, don't--don't--don't go to getting all these things." You don't want your private life, you don't want to surrender it all to God. And that's true, friends. And whatever you do when you leave this convention, you leave this meeting, you go home with one determination: that you're going to seek God day and night and live in His Presence. Get away from the things of the world.

38 Oh, yes, they wanted this king. And when they got the king, then the enemy begin to put the eyes of the people out. And then they couldn't see where they were going. That's the first thing the devil does when he can get a servant of God; he blinds him to the fact that he's lost. That's the first thing the enemy done when they got Samson, another judge. They put his eyes out where he couldn't see where he was going. As soon as the enemy of the Philistines come in upon Israel, they put their right eye out so they couldn't see good where they were going.

The... When the enemy comes in to a church, he puts their eyes out to the real facts that the Holy Spirit is the One Who rules and governs the church. All discipline is brought by the Holy Spirit. Amen. Oh, I wished I could say the words that would make it go home to the right place (See?), that it never would leave, clinch in there. God gave the Holy Spirit to rule and govern the church: the Holy Spirit.

39 Now, now, when this taken place, they put their right eye out... Did you notice that cunning little thing that Saul done? Oh, he was a slick article. Because... What did he do? He sent out all around over the country, pieces of--of ox that he'd killed and said, "Let all the people follow me and Samuel." Oh, my. "Me and Samuel..." See, he put Samuel, used Samuel's good reputation to deceive the people.

And many times today... And our leaders does the same thing. They put in our churches. They say, "Why, so-and-so, our founder, he believed; he did this." Yes, he was a good man. But, brother, something's happened since then. That's right. What happened? You Methodists that used to lay under the power of God all night long, when Asbury, and--and--and John and Charles was here in the United States, they were called holy-rollers and put out of the--of the real churches, the big churches. Laid out there in the schoolhouses, and the people, they'd preach under the power of God until the people would fall out in the floor; and they'd throw water in their face and fan them, back and forth. That's--that's... I seen them do it.

40 John Wesley preaching Divine healing, one of his little books... A man from the Anglican church turned a fox and a fox hounds loose amongst his congregation, and John pointed his finger in that man's face and said, "The sun will not set on your head three times, till you'll call for me to pray for you." And that evening the man died with cramps in his stomach, calling for John to come pray for him.

And today you talk about a healing service amongst the Methodist people... Some Methodist man was writing a thesis on a book right--here sometime ago about Divine healing. He said, "There's only one fault the Methodist can find with you, Brother Branham."

I said, "What's that?"

He said, "One thing, that all that come to your meeting nearly is Pentecostal."

I said, "All right. We'll just change it. You Methodist sponsor me and I'll come to you." I said, "Will you start it in your city?"

"Well," he said, "of course, I--I..."

I said, "That's what I thought." See? Just exactly.

41 God will send His message to somewhere. "It will not return to Me void; It'll accomplish that which I have purposed." God is able of these stones to rise children to Abraham. But they refer back to some great fellow, Moody, or Wesley, or some great person like that, where they sprung up from. Now, that's the same trick that Sal--a--Saul done. "Who will not follow Samuel and I? Who will not follow Samuel and I? Let it be." Well, that's just a smooth trick they--they try to pull.

42 But Samuel still--he'd told the people not to do this. But they did it anyhow, because they--they wanted to do it; they said they would do it anyhow. And I was just looking here on the Scripture where It said here that--that Samuel when he almost persuaded the people that they were doing what was wrong... And then, they went ahead and wanted to do it. Then when they got--this thing taken place... Then Saul won this victory, and he sent out and told all the Hebrews what they should look for, what the Hebrews had done. And it really wasn't Saul that won the battle; it was his son, Jonathan that won the battle.

43 Then we find again that when this man, Saul, the first thing you know, he got great then, stuck out his chest, certainly, "We built this big thing; we done this." And when he done it, then he got to a place he didn't want Samuel's advise any more. He done it the way he wanted to do it. And that's what's happened today. The people has got to a place that they don't want to do it the way that God wants to do it. They want to do it the way they want to do it. That's what's the matter today. God wants Divine healing amongst His people. The big high fellow says, "Now, wait a minute. The days of miracles is past."

44 Now, what caused Saul to do that? When he got to a place that he took over the leading of the people instead of letting the--the Holy Spirit... Now, Samuel told him. He said, "Now, if you'll go ahead and have your king, and you'll all live right, and keep God's commandments, and do what the Lord says, and follow the Spirit, Saul will be able to preach us some mighty good messages." And he did. They had no right to disbelieve Samuel, because Samuel always prophesied the truth to them. He told them what was the truth. But he said, "Now, if you'll just let Saul and all of you follow the leadings of the Spirit, keep the commandments of the Lord, everything will be all right."

45 If that taken place tonight in every church in the United States, there would be a revival start in this nation. I'll tell you whiskey joints would be broke up. It would be--it would be one of the most grandest thing that this nation's ever knowed. If every preacher of all denominations would just follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, in the stead of some creed of their denomination, what some bishop said or somebody else said, or somebody else said. What somebody else said has nothing to do into it; God sent the Holy Spirit and He's our Guide; He's our Leader. But when they even see the Holy Spirit moving, they get scared of It. They don't know what It is. It's a Stranger to them, because they're not taught in that line. They're taught just up on a certain thing that the church believes, and they go on right like that, and go through life calling themselves Christians, and go on with the things of the world. And then when they come to die, they say, "Why, my faith saves me."

46 I said to a man sometime ago. I said, "Sir, didn't the Lord ever condemn you for that smoking?"

"Oh," he said, "no."

And I said, "I have seen you drink, myself."

He said, "But looky here, preacher. I want to tell you something."

I visited another man in the room. He said, "My faith saves me."

I said, "But, mister, let me tell you something now. Faith without works is dead." And I said, "The Holy Spirit don't live a life like that." See? And I said, "You may be disappointed." I said, "Now, the faith's all right. But if the works don't follow the faith, then the faith's no good."

47 And when you die it, remember, it doesn't change your spirit. It only changes your dwelling place. And whatever type of spirit you got in you, that's the place it will go to. And sin can never enter heaven. So if you... You say, "Well, I confess mine every night. We got a prayer book and when we go to church we confess all of our sins." And turn right back around and do them again? Turn right back the next day, "God forgive me for drinking, forgive me for committing adultery, forgive me for lying, forgive me for stealing," turn right back and do the same thing. "Forgive me for getting drunk last week; I didn't mean to drink that much," turn right back around and drink it again.

Well, that's not... That shows that s--s--something hasn't changed inside. You're trying to paint the outside, kinda whitewash it. But what it needs to be done is put in the Blood of Jesus Christ and washed white instead of whitewashed. That's--that's what the--the world needs today.

48 But then, we find out then that because that Saul took upon himself... Samuel was a little late one day to offer the burnt offerings, which was only legal for him to do, under the inspiration of God. And Saul said, "Why do we have to wait on him?" He went and offered it hisself. He started leading the people himself instead of letting God lead the people. There's where he made his mistake. That's where every church that's ever been organized yet made their fatal mistake.

I've never seen an organization... I've--I've took history; I've read all the way from the Pre-Nicene fathers, and Josephus, and all the early historians; and I've never seen one time where a church ever come into a great, spiritual revival and fell and got away from it that ever rose again. I want you to show me where it was at. God... If they won't follow the Light, God will lay it right up on the shelf and let somebody... "God's able of these stones to rise children unto Abraham."

49 Luther was the Light of his day. But they got a group in there in that Lutheran church and twisted the Scriptures around to make it fit their own theology. And the first thing you know, the Lutheran church was on the shelf; the revival was over. God raised up the Methodists. The Methodists come out with sanctification, had a great revival, world sweeping, one of the greatest the world's ever had in the days of--of John Wesley. And a great revival swept the land. But time John, and Charles, and Asbury, and all those died off, we got a new group in there that begin to think a lot about, "Well, we oughtn't to do this, a--a Blood religion and all this kind of stuff..." And the first thing you know they begin to bring in all kinds of creeds and things. And now look where it's at: laying on the shelf. Oh, yeah. And the Pentecostal has done the very same thing that they did, just exactly: going the way of all flesh.

50 Yes, you want to be like the world. Don't be like the world. We are different. Servants of God are different. They're borned again; they're new creatures in Christ. You have no right to take the things of the world and mix it with Christianity. The Christian robe's not made up of church-made theology. The Christian robe's made up of the baptism of the Holy Ghost and nothing less than that, and a life to follow that baptism of the Holy Ghost makes you live right, do right, act right, talk right, live right. That is true.

51 But then when Saul wouldn't wait on the Lord no more, Samuel turned right away from him. Remember, and the first time, not the second time, but the first time that Saul took upon himself to take over the service of the Lord, Samuel turned his back on him and walked away from him. And the first time that the church lets their leaders take over to lead the people, the Holy Spirit gets right away from them. And the very first time that you go being led by man instead of God, the Holy Spirit will get away from you too. Let the Holy Spirit lead. That's what we need is leadership. And God gave us a Leader, and we don't hear It.

52 Here not long ago I was reading in a--Brother Gene brought it to me, I believe, in one of the magazines about geese leaving Canada. And they have a--a leader. And if this leader isn't a real good leader, they haven't picked a good one, he will take them anywhere, take them over the mountain-way and they'll all die. Here some time ago a bunch flew--an old gander that didn't know where he was going, didn't know his directions, his instinct wasn't just right, he flew a bunch of geese all the way to England. They've never been able to come back. They--they--their nature is to migrate every year. And they just get together and squawk and holler and carry-on over there in England, and they don't know how to get back home.

53 Puts me in the mind of some of these cold, formal morgues that we've got today: get so far away from God you don't how to get back. You'll never come back by creeds. You've got to have inspiration to lead you, brother. And that inspiration comes by the Holy Ghost. Yes. Led of the Spirit, Sons and daughters of God are led by the Spirit of God. They love the Spirit. They don't try to say, "Now, wait a minute. My church, they don't say 'amen.' My church, they never raise their hands; they're very quiet. Why, we'd give our pastor chills and fever if somebody hollered 'amen.'" Well, you ought to chill him up once in a while then. Just find out what would take place. That's right.

54 What we need today is a good old heartfelt religion. Let me tell you something. If a baby is born and that baby don't cry, it don't whine, it don't open its little mouth and say a thing, why you... nothing happens, what's the matter with that baby? He's born dead. I think we got too many stillbirths today yeah, ah, in the church.

Fellow would come up and say, "Do you believe God, the Father, All Mighty, Creator of heavens and earth, Jesus Christ, His Son?"

"Yes, I do."

"Will you promise to do so-and-so for this church?"

"Yes." Take his little salt shake and a few little drops of water, give him the right hand of fellowship, put him in the church. That's stillborn babies. Yeah. That's right. What'd happen to a baby when he's born, if he don't cry as soon as he drops into the earth, what's the first thing you do to him? Is pick him up, turn him over your arm and give him a little--what does you call it? You paddle him. That's right. Give him a few raps like that. [Brother Branham smacks his hands together--Ed.] And the first thing you know, "Wha-a-a," how he will go, and you got a baby living.

55 And that's what it needs today in the church, is not somebody say, "Now, I--I know it might not be all right to do that little sissified thing." You need a man behind the pulpit that'll tell you, that'll tear you to pieces till you get to squalling out once in a while, and let God come in, and let something take place. Then you're born. Not somebody that baby around your sins and say, "Oh, well, that--our--our forefathers believed that." Our forefathers... Our Bible said it's right. That's what's right's our Bible.

And the same Holy Ghost that fell on the day of Pentecost (which we all know that that was the birth of the new church), if that same Holy Spirit don't bring the same experience to you, then you got a different Holy Spirit than what that was. Exactly right. If it don't make you live a sacrificial life, and a life full of joy and pleasure, and the baptism of the Spirit leading you into signs and wonders and miracles and things, there's something happened. Jesus said, "These signs shall follow them that believe."

56 Look how they've perverted it today, when men lead. "Here's a good church member. Oh, I know he does this; oh, I know he does that. But he's a deacon in the church; and he does this and that and the other. But I'll tell you; he's certainly--when we come time for we--us to have our missionary program, he never fails to put in a five hundred dollar check. And if we got a repair to do, oh, he's a fine fellow." Then stand there with your collar turned around and preach his funeral someday over a half-mast flag, say he's gone to heaven. Ain't that the sinful thing. Let me tell you something. What we need today is new birth, new life, new creatures in Christ Jesus. What a difference.

57 A man said not long ago... A preacher told me that he had to take a member in his church secretly, said, "He's a good man." But said, "He just couldn't stand out before that audience and--and be brought into church." Said, "I--I had to take him into the prayer room in the back and take him into the church secretly. So what do you think about that, Billy."

I said, "I'd have turned him right straight towards the audience and kicked him just as hard as I could. That's the way I'd have took him in." That's right.

58 I was going down to the river here sometime ago to baptize a woman. And there was a whole group going along with me. And so, the woman going along there, she said, "Brother Branham."

I said, "Yes."

She said, "Well, I finally decided for you to go down and dunk me."

I said, "What's that?"

She said, "You're--you're going to fix me up this afternoon and dunk me, aren't you?"

I said, "No, ma'am. Before I do that," I said, "you got to get your heart right with God. I wouldn't baptize you on no conditions; you're still alive in the world yet. You got to be dead. We only bury dead people, those who are dead in Christ and ready to rise to new life again. And a person make a remark like that against baptism isn't a fit candidate for water baptism." That's right.

59 Well, there's where we go. We find out the spirit... Saul said, "I'll do it myself. I know how to do it. I know about it as much as that old fogy, Samuel."

And Samuel had proved that he was a servant of God. He proved that the Holy Spirit was with him, for he said, "I'll take you to record this day. Have I ever spoke to you anything in the Name of the Lord but what come to pass? Have I ever come and begged and bummed money from you and all these great things?"

"No," they said, "you haven't done that, but still we--we want to have it the way we want it." See? And that's, then you see what they were getting then.

60 Now, we find out then, when a man rejects the leading of the Holy Spirit... You know what God did for Saul? He give him an evil spirit to lead him. Now, how about that? He give him an evil spirit; God gave him an evil spirit to lead him. So when a man rejects the leading of the Holy Spirit, or any person rejects the leading of the Holy Spirit, you got a devil on you to lead you. That's exactly the Bible.

Oh, God, I wish we could have a revival. I wished there could come a time that when the Holy Spirit could really get into the hearts of the American people again, that they would see it's Him. They want to look, say, "Well, now look. I can't cooperate in this meeting because my church don't..." What difference does that make? What's that got to do with it? "Well, I'll tell you; they--they believe in this, and we don't believe that." As long as they're preaching the Bible, and the whole Bible, and the full Gospel, and nothing but the truth, listen to it. Long as they're led by the Spirit, believe in it. And God will make Himself known.

If a man is led by the Spirit of God, God will make Hisself known to that person. Yes, sir. God promised to. So in doing that, we know then that--that the Holy Spirit leads the people and God takes care of it. Amen. You believe that with all your heart? Certainly, we do. All right.

61 Then I'd like to say another thing. That evil spirit begin to lead Saul; and it led him. And today when the Holy Spirit's rejected, It wants, It... What will It do? You'll get an evil spirit to lead you.

Now, listen. I don't want to hurt you, but I want you to get this. See? Just as it was in them days, so is it today. They don't want the Holy Spirit to lead them, so they get a evil spirit. What takes place with an evil spirit? The evil spirit is, wants to lead--wants to lead them then. And now what? They don't want, they didn't want God to be their Judge. And people today don't want the Holy Spirit to judge them. That's the reason they turned Samuel down, because his judgment was of God; it was Scriptural. And they don't want to be led by the Spirit. And they turned it down for an ecclesiastical man. And what did they get? A evil spirit to lead them.

62 Now, the people today don't want to be led by the Holy Spirit. They don't want the Holy Spirit to judge them. Now, that's true, friends. They don't want the Holy Spirit to judge you. Then people said to me... A woman said to me not long ago; I was preaching real hard, and I was bawling the sisters out for cutting their hair, and telling them that the Bible said she was a prostitute if she did so. She--she was unfair to her husband and he had a right to put her away. That's just exactly what the Scripture says. Any woman that'll cut her hair off of her head, she dishonors her husband (the Bible said), which is her head. And you can preach to them... That lady met me outside and she said, "Let me tell you something right now, preacher. You're sure going to ruin your ministry."

I said, "Any ministry that the Word of God will ruin, ought to be ruined." That's exactly right.

She said, "Well," she said, "everybody will walk away and leave you."

I said, "As long as He stays with me, that's the main thing." You see? Let Him stay.

63 And, sure they don't want the people... You don't... 'Cause they want to be like the world. They don't want... Women don't want to dress like the people of God: decent, moral. Why, here a few weeks ago, I went to a Pentecostal meeting. Now, you Baptists get ready to shout, and Presbyterians. I went to one of the leading Pentecostal churches of the United States. And my associate and I was sitting there. They were--I was going to have a Sunday morning service.

And when--they knowed that I always against that kind of stuff. And then when they let Sunday school out, I was setting out there in the parking lot, here come the Sunday school teachers... No, now, that ain't--that ain't the Methodist; that's Pentecost. Real short, bobbed hair and makeup all over their face, looked like they'd been eating red beef steak and got it all over their fingernails and--and all out like that, all that paint, and manicure on, walking out there, and here come men my age with that slick top hair cut, duck-tailed in the back like that.

Brother, if I had a congregation like that, I'd sure tear them to pieces, brother; it sure would be. Yes, sir.

64 Oh, they wasn't going to stay and listen to that holy-roller preach. And then claim to be Pentecost... When I got up there, and the Sunday school teacher come out, said, "Good morning, Reverend Branham." And all the--that red stuff on the face and this black pencil over their eyes, and--and all--all the--and dressed so sexy like. And they say, "Well, now wait a minute. Brother Branham, that's the only kind of clothes you can buy." They still sell goods and sewing machines. So there's-- there's not a bit of excuse for you. That's right. If you're led by the Holy Spirit, straighten up.

They don't want the Holy Spirit to judge them. They don't want... There's no excuses. God won't listen to your excuses. He wouldn't listen to Saul's, and He won't listen to you. You've got to compare with what the Bible said.

65 I think any women ought to be clean; she ought to look her best; any man ought to too, look pretty and clean, but be decent. You know if you dress yourself just in that old clothes that people wear, them old shorts and... Woman said to me sometime ago, said, "Brother Branham, I don't wear them shorts," said, "I wear slacks."

I said, "That's worse, worse." You know what God said? "It's an abomination in the sight of God for a woman to put on a garment that pertains to a man." And God is God and never changes; He's the infinite God. If it once made a sickening stink and smell before Him, it still makes a sickening, stinking smell to see a woman put on a garment pertains to a man. He made men, men and made women... [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]... if he doesn't preach it that way. That's what the Bible said. It's exactly right. And oh, they don't want that.

66 One lady said to me, said, "Why, do you think it's wrong for a woman to wear some, this makeup?"

I said, "Yes, sir. I do." I said, "Face... God never. If He'd have maybe wanted you to look like you was a barn, He'd of made you a barn," I said, "all painted up like that." If He wanted you to smoke, He'd a put a smokestack on top of you, some flues so that you could've breathed it out. But He--He give you lungs to breathe good fresh air. That's what He did it for.

67 But they, oh, no, but you... They don't nobody, don't want the Holy Spirit to judge them. Now, if you get the Holy Ghost and can still live that way... You come to me and tell me you got the Holy Ghost and living like that, I--I can't be your judge, but according to the Word you've missed the line somewhere, brother. That's right. That's exactly what the Spirit says. See? That's right. We need back holiness again, brother. We need... Come back to God. Yes, they reject It, certainly they do. They don't want to do it--know how that they--don't want to come under the jurisdiction of the Holy Spirit. They don't want the Spirit to--to guide them.

68 Let me tell you something, ladies; I'm not making fun of you. This is no place for that; this is the place for judgment goes forth. And judgment has to go right. And judgment's by the Word of God. Looky. There was only one woman in the entire Bible that ever painted her face (That's right.), one woman. And she never painted her face to meet God. She painted her face to meet a man to try to vamp him (That's right.), Jehu. Jezebel, you know what God did for her? He fed her to the dogs. That's right. So you see a woman wearing makeup, you say that's "Miss dog meat." That's exactly what it is 'fore God. He fed her to the dogs. So that's all she stood for were dogs. He fed her to the dogs. How many knows that's the truth, say "Amen." That's exactly right.

69 So you see, how those heathen traits get into the church is because some lukewarm son of Kish stands behind the pulpit and is afraid of his meal ticket to preach the truth. Brother, let me tell you we need men behind the pulpit, not a bunch of theological sissies that's afraid of something to say to the people. We need men of courage, good men, filled with the Holy Ghost, that stands there that will not preach sissified stuff, and creeds, and denomination, but will preach the Gospel and shuck the hide off of them. That's exactly right. Right.

70 Your little old kid, say, "Now, Junior, honey don't you do that." Get you a stick and skin him. That's what you need. Look what you raised up out of that "Junior, honey." Little Martha you know will stomp her feet and tell her mammy, "You go shut up; I ain't going to do that." Oh, boy. Good thing they didn't have my daddy. That's right. Yes, sir. All this stuff, see what you got? A bunch of juvenile idiots. Just exactly what you got. Insane, just exactly. The insane asylum's filling up with them. Beatniks, that's what caused, "Junior, dear." The Bible said if you spare the rod, you spoil your son. That's exactly right.

And God knows what's truth and what's best. Samuel tried to tell Saul that. God knows what was best. But Saul said, "Well, the people want me." That--that's it. Long as he get somebody to follow him, that's all he wanted. He used Samuel's name and get somebody to follow him; that's all he wanted.

71 No, they don't want that real, true Gospel. They don't want that real truth, don't want the Holy Spirit to--to guide them. They'd rather have the intellectual pastor. See? Now, here's the kind of man they want, somebody... They don't want... They want somebody that'll in--not tell them it's wrong to do this, and wrong to do that, and quit doing this, and quit doing that. No, they don't want that. But they want a man that's got a theological seminary experience, that they can say he's got several degrees, and he stands up very nicely, and he dresses very nattily, which is perfectly all right. But when he gets there he kinda does their own interpretation of the Bible of, not according to the Bible but according to some theological seminary's experience instead of the baptism of the Holy Ghost down in him to make him shuck the hide off. That's exactly right.

72 Tell me a prophet in the Bible, that was a true prophet, that didn't shuck the hide off. Tell me one ever come to pass. And they didn't want to believe them then, but God give them signs and wonders to follow them to make the people, to a-vindicate that their ministry was right. It's always been that way.

The Holy Spirit today comes right down in the church and said "These signs shall follow them that believe. In My Name they shall cast out devils, speak with new tongues, take up serpents, or drink deadly thing, lay hands on the sick and they shall recover. When the day of Pentecost was fully come, they was all in one place and one accord. Suddenly there came a sound from heaven like a rushing, mighty wind; it filled all the house where they were sitting. Cloven tongues set upon them like of fire. They was all filled with the Holy Ghost, and begin to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." Out into the streets they went screaming, and dancing, and acting like drunk people, just as...

And remember you Catholic people, the blessed, virgin Mary was among them. And if she couldn't go to heaven without getting that kind of an experience, how are you going to make it? Think of that. Yes, sir. There she was all full of the Holy Spirit like they were drunk: men and women all together. Anything short of that, you're short of Pentecost.

73 Now, what do they do today? Take you, bring up some old wore out letter from four or five different churches that's had it, and place it down there, and set you in a church, and call you a member. Oh, there's Saul. See? That's exactly the way he did it.

But Samuel wanted to be led of God. These people go to church on Sunday morning, a pastor to interpret the Word. They go right back out there and do what they want to through the week. He tells them; they go home after he's give the interpretation of a few things of the church and they say a few creeds. They go home kinda half satisfied, consoling themselves, "All my religion is done. It's all right till next week. I'll go down again." Take the communion on Sunday morning, some bread and grape juice, and so forth, and whatever they do, and let it go like that. Oh, brother.

74 But now, what did Saul do? He certainly made a great army; he certainly did. He brought Israel to a great army. He made them all with fine, polished spears. He trained them with them spears to fight just as--like real, gallant men. He made them all big shields and everything. They were real polished and trained all to the very minute. Well, they were getting along fine. The rest of the nation looked out and said, "You know, Israel's coming along pretty good." But one day, one day--God don't let it go too long, until one day there came a challenger by the name of Goliath, folded his arms, and Israel shook till their shoes were trembling on the ground. That old "head-and-shoulder" above all the rest of them shook with them too. There he stood; he never seen such a thing. The Spirit had to take over, the God of Israel had to show Its power.

75 Oh, yeah. There'll be a Goliath somewhere. We've had one not long ago. We've got some today; I don't understand why. We've got the greatest intellectual, the best dressed crowds; we got the best theological seminaries, some of the finest trained men that ever come out. They've trained choirs till they can sing "How Great Thou Art" till Archangels couldn't compare with them hardly. Oh, they're trained in the very best of schools and everything like that, knowing all about it. But when it comes to the time of the Supernatural, they know nothing of It.

God sent a challenger out to show which was right, to show that that thing was wrong. And brother, I say this with godly love and respect. One of our sons of Kish, head-and-shoulders above all the other evangelists, was called by a Mohammedan the other day and challenged to the Word of God, and trembled in his shoes, and left the ground. Oh, my. What's the matter? It was something besides theology; it had to bring the supernatural power of God and do it. He knowed nothing about it. Same as it was in the days of Saul.

76 But listen, you true believers in Christ, you true Christians that believe in God and the supernatural. All the time Saul was training this big army and all these intellectuals coming up, God had a little David out there somewhere feeding his father's sheep on sheep food, the Word, not on theological weeds. Right. He happened to be standing by when that happened. Oh, my.

They wanted to give him a seminary experience. Saul said, "Come here, maybe my armor would fit you."

He said, "Take the thing off of me."

"Well, I'll make you a Bachelor of Art and give you a Doctor's degree."

And he said, "I don't know nothing about it. Take the thing off of me. But let me tell you something; I've got this slingshot."

"Well, that's no comparement."

"But looky here. One day a lamb was out there feeding, one of my father's sheep was out there feeding; and a lion come in, and got it, and packed it off. And I took this slingshot, and I trusted in the God of Israel, and I went after him, and I knocked him down, and slew him, and brought that lamb back." Said, "A bear come in and got a kid and started off with him, one of my father's, and I put the rock in a slingshot; just a little, bitty thing, but I--I went after him. I wasn't trusting in the slingshot, but I was trusting in the power of the God of Israel." Amen.

77 What is that? F-a-i-t-h i-n J-e-s-u-s. That's right. Trusting in the power of the God of Israel. "And I knocked that bear down, took the lion, the little sheep out of his mouth, and took it back." He said, "And how much more... I--I'm a deliverance minister. I know what I'm talking about."

Listen, they've got some little David's in the world today. They not be--be recognized by Sauls, that's true. But there's some little Davids in the world that's pastoring and feeding God's sheep, sheep food. And one day a great big cancer come in and got one. The doctor said, "Why, he's gone."

But that little David said, "I don't know. I ain't got very much, just a prayer of faith, but I'm coming after you, because you're my Father's sheep. I got faith." Hallelujah. "I'm coming after you." There was a paralytic stroke hit one. He said, "I don't know how I'm going to get it, but I'm coming after you. You're one of my Father's sheep." Hallelujah. Don't reject the King of Israel. Glory. Whew. Hallelujah...?... [Congregation worships--Ed.]

78 He didn't have very much, but he had faith in the God of Israel. I tell you; they had rejected; they had all their choirs and trained scholars and theology; but when it come from the supernatural, they were stunted. They didn't know nothing about it. Why didn't David know this gallant man? Because he was feeding in another pasture. That's right. He was training under another atmosphere. One day a--a sickness come in and got one of Father's sheep and was going to take it to a premature grave. These little Davids said, "I don't know how I'm going to do it."

They said, "Aw, nonsense, that little slingshot."

"I might not know how to do it, but it's a promise, and I got faith in it, so I'm coming after that lamb." And he brought it back. Hallelujah. Oh, who I... What we need tonight is to get away from all this man-made theology and bring the King back in a faith in the Son of God...?... all this stuff. Yes, sir. Don't you worry.

79 They were afraid to publish the meeting in South Africa. Joseph Boze did it. When ten thousand Mohammedans set there and seen a little old twisted boy all twisted up like that, and wobbled up to the platform not even in his right mind. But when they seen the Holy Spirit tell him who he was, what happened, and what done it; and when he got through praying, he straightened right up like a man like that, ten thousand Mohammedans laid their trophies to the ground and accepted Jesus Christ as personal Saviour. Yes, sir. Look at Tommy Osborn, Oral Roberts, men who feed the flock on sheep food. The days of miracles is not past as says the theologians. If the days of miracles is past, the day of God is past. God is a miracle. Certainly, there you are, sheep food.

80 Oh, my poor dejected friend. The devil might've took you, sister, out yonder to a place where you never do desire to let your hair grow. Might get you to a place where you think that some pastor is nonsense when he's preaching you pure holiness, the way you should dress. Some of you men out there that goes around and does these things you ought not to do... And you men that'll let your wife do a thing like that, and smoke cigarettes, I got little respect for you even as a man. Now, that's exactly right. You know, a man's the head of the house, as long as he takes his place. But we--I--I don't--I like to see a man a man. A man's not judged by how many muscles he's got; that's beast. A man's not judged by the brawny muscles, but he's judged by the bags in the knees of his pants where he's been praying. That's what takes a man.

81 A man is character, not beast, but character. I've seen men that weighed two hundred pound, didn't have an ounce of man in him, grab a baby out of a mother's arms and ravish her. Any man would give a woman a cigarette is little and low down. And knowing that that's one of the greatest fifth columnists that's breaking the backbone of our nation. And these cigarette factories and everything out here putting out cigarettes and whiskey, and--and then they take and write off all their income tax on these advertisements to put out more tommyrot on television and pattern these women... Oh, God, what's the matter with our country? It's rejected the leadership of the Holy Ghost, that wouldn't stand a minute for stuff like that. No wonder sickness and diseases is on the rampage.

82 What we need today is a God, the rejected King, the King of Israel to ride in among us like this. He might've took you like that. There might be sick people here tonight's going to stand in this prayer line. They might stand here, cancer might've took you. The devil might've packed you out of the reach of a doctor, your beloved physician; and he's took you to a place where you can't come back. That may be so. But let me tell you something, brother. When I bring you in this prayer line tonight, I ain't got nothing but a little bitty slingshot called F-a-i-t-h. I'm coming after you. That's right. I'm coming after you. I've seen Him bring others back; He will bring you back too. Yes, sir.

83 God that can heal these people, other people, can heal you. You believe that? Yes, indeedy. The same God still lives and we're coming after him tonight. And with the power and faith in Jesus Christ we'll knock that devil down to the flat and bring him back. Why is it? It's the Father's sheep, God's little lamb that Satan stole away and said, "I'll--He's got a lot of influence. I'll take him away from the church; I'll take her away from the church." Come on, David, let's go. Yes, sir. God promised us the victory. How much more will this uncircumcised, unbelieving Philistine ever stand and defy the Word of the living God. Yes sir.

84 I'll be like the Hebrew children, "Our God's able to deliver us, but nevertheless, we won't bow to any images," of formal denominations or nothing else. I'll come; that's all I can do. I can't say I can bring it back, but I'm coming, trying. I'm going to meet him in the Name of Jesus Christ with a commission of an Angel Who come to me and said, "If you'll get the people to believe you and be sincere when you pray, nothing shall stand before your prayer." It's done for tens of thousands times thousands. And you poor, little sick sheep tonight, I'm coming after you now in the Name of Jesus Christ. I'll--I want to bring you back away from them old places to the shady, green pastures and the still waters, where you can lay down and put a straw in your mouth and look up towards God. Say, oh... I got peace like a river, peace like a river. Yes, that's what we want to do. Oh there's more; there's pastors.

85 How many preachers in here that believes in deliverance for--for the sick and the afflicted? Just looky here. You're coming back, little lamb, tonight, 'cause we're coming after you. Yes, sir. That devil of a lion called cancer, that devil of a lion called anything he wants to be called in the medical name; whatever he is, he's a devil. And we got commission from Jesus Christ, "In My Name they shall cast out devils." He better get going, 'cause there's many here, and we're going to catch him tonight. We're coming to bring you back.

86 How many has those prayer cards now, raise up your hands. Where's Billy? Get in here, ever where he's at; Billy Paul, some of you. I want you that's got the prayer cards to stand right down here. Line up just exactly the way you was last night. Just those with prayer cards first, please, that's holding prayer cards. Your--all right. [A message in tongues and interpretation of tongues--Ed.] Amen. Come, believing; have faith. How far down the line was you here, sister? That's right...?... your prayer line in...?...

87 One time, David... Now, just you with the cards that was here last night. I don't... They didn't give out any tonight. We're going to give them out again tomorrow evening. You with the cards stand up here just a moment. And you that's in your seats just set real still, just a moment; we're coming after you too. That's right. We're coming in the Name of Jesus. You that's standing outside, we're coming after you, coming in the Name of the Lord Jesus. I'm getting tired of this negative and halfway profession; let's get to business with God. God promised it. God don't keep His Word, He's not God; He does keep His Word so He is God.

88 One time when they were standing, David was speaking; Israel was trembling; the enemy was as the gate. Listen, how Scriptural. And while David was yet speaking, not knowing what was taking place, the Spirit fell upon a man and he prophesied and said, "Go down and lay at a certain place, for an ambush." And the--the enemy beat his ownself to death right there. That caused a confusion, and they whipped their own selves; and they only went in and got the spoils.

Listen, you that's setting out there in the audience. You don't have to be up here; just have faith and believe God. You know what will take place? God will cause the enemy to leave you right where you're at. Confusion will come in; he won't know where he's at.

A man speaks out and says, "Hear the Word of the Lord. The mouth of the Lord has spoken tonight," and so forth like that. It's telling what to do, to obey the commandments of the Lord. "These signs shall follow them that believe. In My Name they shall cast out devils, speak with new tongues, lay hands on the sick, they shall recover." All these things is promised. It's God's business, and He is the King. Amen. Don't you love Him, praise Him? How many loves Him?

89 While they're gathering, let's set real still in our seats now while they're fixing the prayer line. Let's sing this song. All right. "I Love Him." All right.

I love Him, [Brother Branham speaks with someone--Ed.] (...?... around, preachers...?...)

He first loved me;

And purchased my salvation

On Calvary's tree.

I want to ask you all in the prayer line a word. All of you in the prayer line, sick, needy, have you prayed over this sincerely? Have you prayed over your sickness? If you have, raise up your hands. You prayed over it. You believe you prayed through on it, it's God's will to heal you? If you have, raise up your hands. If you prayed through on it, it's going to happen. There ain't but one thing to do then, is cast it away from you when you come by. Oh, my.

90 I'm afraid the audience is going to think that just the evangelist is the only one that has power to do this. I want a bunch of preachers, come here with me, you deliverance ministers that believes in this, come here and stand with me a minute. Come here, brethren. Just stand, make a little line along here. Come on, brethren, many of you. Come up here and stand along here so you'll see that it's preachers also. I'm not--it's not only me; my brethren here, they--they have--they're just as much ordained to do this as I am or anybody else. They're servants of God. That's good.

91 Now, now, I'll tell you what's let's do. The people says, brethren, that they have all prayed up on this; they're all ready. Then if they prayed up on it, prayed through on it, there's only one thing left; that's cast the enemy away when he comes by. Don't have to pray for them; they've already done the praying. Is that right? See? So that you see it ain't a hocus-pocus; it's not that. It's the power of God in His Word. These men are anointed men; they're men of God, and they pray too. I tell you what. If they've prayed upon it, there's no need of us praying. Just lay your hands on them and cast the enemy away from them.

92 Look, little sheep, we're coming after you. Are you ready go back? Let's go back to good health tonight. Everybody real reverent. How about forming a double line right along here and let's pass these, everybody through and pray, and just cast the enemy away. Just say, "Satan, we'll..." [Brother Branham speaks to someone--Ed.] What say? All right, we'll make a single line then. All right, you brethren move right there. I want each one of you man to lay hands on these people as they come by with me. I want everybody out there to pray while this line is passing through, and I believe you'll see the glory of God.

93 Will you bow with me and pray with me? Each one of you Davids out now with your slingshot, come on. Now, I don't believe in any crooked shooting. If you haven't got your line, your sights lined up, zero them in right now. Let's--let's go for the--let's go for the kill. Looky here, God's little sheep. It's not God's will that any of them should be sick, and they've prayed up. The only thing they need is a little help; that's all they need. "In My Name they shall cast out devils." Amen. You believe that say, "Amen." Satan, you might as well turn them loose; they're on their road.

94 Let's all bow our heads now, and let this audience--these people walk right through here. And when you come by, each one of you, when the first minister touches you, raise up your hand; praise God it's over. Come right through here, and you'll go down off this platform the happiest person you ever did. We've come to get you. Are you ready to go? All right. Let us all pray now with our heads bowed. Come right up. That's the way...?... people that come up. See?

[Brother Branham and the ministers pray for those in the prayer line--Ed.]

In the Name of the Lord Jesus, may this devil go out. Amen.

In the Name of the Lord Jesus, may this devil go out.

Come out, Satan...?...

In Jesus' Name may the devil go out.

In Jesus' Name may the devil go out.

In Jesus' Name may...?...

Be in prayer everybody, now pray, pray. This is somebody; this is sheep going by now. Pray and just set still; set real still and pray.

In Jesus' Name may she healed. [Brother Branham continues to pray for the sick--Ed.] Grant it, Lord.

Lord, I'm coming after her in the Name of Jesus, may the devil...?... [Brother Branham continues away from the microphone--Ed.] We're coming after you, Satan. Turn him loose.

95 Do you love Him? Now, be real reverent; just get your seat a minute. I believe solemnly with all my heart and all that's in me that Jesus Christ the Son of the living God makes every one of them well. Do you believe it with me? I believe the prayer of faith that's prayed over them. The reason I did that, so that this congregation and your congregations here... These men of God who stands here, ministers anointed with the Holy Ghost, they have just as much right, just as much authority to pray for the sick and to cast out a devil as anyone else does in the world. Now, do you believe it? All right.

96 Now, how many's in here that's sick and hasn't got a prayer card and you want God to heal you? Raise up your hand. Still a great bunch. If thou canst believe, all things are possible. Do you believe it? These are handkerchiefs? I pray over them, just a moment. I'm waiting for the Holy Spirit to do something. I thought maybe He would show me someone out in the audience, that you'd see each one that come by, that these men, they may not be able to see--see visions; they wasn't born for that purpose. But they got the same Holy Spirit, same God. See?

But I haven't got no education; some of those man are smart. But don't think they're the sons of Kish though. They're man who believe in Divine healing, believe the God of heaven. They're gallant men; certainly they are, and they--they believe in this. They wouldn't stand up here to show you they believed in it. I want their congregation before this audience breaks, and some of you be going home, I want you to know that your pastor has the same authority.

97 Now, I want to show you that this is truth, that God made the promise; He is still God. Now, you pray and believe. You out there in the audience, see if the Holy Spirit's anointing, see if He's still here. Amen. Oh, I love this. Oh, isn't He wonderful? I just know He's in--with us. You just pray and say, "Lord, help Thou me. Help my unbelief."

I see a little woman setting right down here shadowed with death. She can't live unless God helps her. You're aware of that aren't you, sister? You. Cancer... Little white rim of flowers around your hat, you have a prayer card, lady? You don't. You haven't had one. All right, sir, you don't need one. That's the truth. That's what you're suffering with; there's a dark shadow hanging over--over you. Do you believe me to be God's prophet? Then, Satan, in Jesus Christ's Name turn her loose. I come to meet you. There he goes. The shadow went away from her. Something happened to her. Now, the same Holy Spirit can tell her those things; don't you know He's healed her? Do you feel you're healed, sister? Stand up to your feet. Amen. There you are. There you are. If you'll just only have faith and believe, all things are possible to them that believe. If thou canst believe... Is that right?

98 I see a little lady setting right back in here looking at me. Never seen her in my life, but there... Can't you see that Light hanging over that woman right here? She's praying; she's suffering. She's got high blood pressure; she's got tumors. She's not from here; she's from Chicago. You want to go and get well now, sister? All right. Stand up to your feet, little red-head there. Go home; be made well; Jesus Christ healed you. You got it too, sister, on your trouble to. God bless you. Go on home now and be made well; Jesus Christ heal you.

You believe with all your heart? Somebody pray, somebody just say, "Lord, let me touch Your garment." I don't know these people. Yes, you, you're not sick, but you're praying for your friend, that man. You got a prayer card? No, you don't have one. You believe me to be God's prophet? You do. I wouldn't know that, is that right? You believe that paralyzed condition will leave your friend? You believe the fellow will get well? You believe it? Raise up your hand then and shake it to God. All right. May you receive just what you asked for.

99 How about somebody over in this direction? You believe with all your heart? Somebody over there suffering, don't have a prayer card raise up your hand. Just say, "I believe." What about it, mister, do you believe, believe me to be God's prophet? You got a hernia, rupture. Do you believe that God will heal you? You're not from here either, are you? Toledo. That's right. I don't know you. Is that right? Raise up your hand, if that's--that's truth, all that's truth. All right. If you believe, go home and get well. I challenge you in the Name of Jesus to believe the King is here.

This little lady setting out here on the end, praying. She's not praying for herself; she's praying for her mother setting back from here there. That right. Bleeding ulcers, been in the hospital. All right. Have faith now and God will make you well. Amen. You believe with all your heart? Have it. Amen. Sister, go home now and be well. See, that's what it takes, somebody to pray.

100 What was that then; what did He say that was, ulcers? That's a cancer demon passed by. Now, just a moment. Somebody's praying. Oh, laying back on that stretcher... He heard you; He heard you. That cancer demon passed through here just then. If you believe with all your heart, believe me to be God's servant; I tell you in the Name of Jesus Christ rise out of that stretcher and go home. She's a doing it? You believe with all your heart? How many more believes? Raise up to your feet; stand up on your feet. There she is, perfectly well. You believe with all your heart? Stand up to your feet and receive the Lord Jesus, every one of you.