Watchman, What Of The Night?

1 Thank you very much, Brother Roy. You may be seated. I was just out behind the curtain here, enjoying that beautiful singing. Did you enjoy that? That was really good. God bless those young children. They're the--the crop of tomorrow, if there is a tomorrow. And I...

Brother Rose came and got me awhile ago on an emergency at the hospital, and I thought, "Oh, I'm sure to be late." But I wasn't after all. But he told me he would fill in, so I know he's good on doing that.

2 Well, we are happy tonight tonight to see the gathering out on this hot night. And we are happy to hear the reports from the last night's meeting. I wonder if there's anybody here that can show, or would raise their hand, that was prayed for by that new ministry last night can show--can know that there's a definite improve in their conditions? Let's see you raise your hands for them that went through, went through the prayer line. Good, fine, that's good. All right.

Someone told me that the man that was paralyzed in the wheelchair here last night, is setting back there somewhere in the audience tonight without the wheelchair. And we're glad to know that. Where are you, brother? Would you raise up your hand, everywhere you are, the brother that was in the... Here he is, setting right here. Thanks be to the Lord. That's--that's fine. That shows what just letting a little faith go to work.

3 Now, the new ministry is to curse the disease that's in there. Have you noticed what the Holy Spirit has done? The first thing when He told me, was prayer for the sick. Now, I complained and said, "It... They won't listen to me, because I am not educated."

And He said, "As Moses was given two signs, you'll be given two." And then, He said, "The first one, the people just lay their hands on yours, and you'll tell them. And they'll even see the reaction, whether it's gone or not."

Now see, that becomes... You have to watch that; that becomes an entertainment.

And then said, "If they won't believe that, then there'll be another sign, which you was born with. You'll see the vision, and know what the people has done, and all about them and so forth."

And I said, "That's what I was here for. I've been told that that was wrong." Then He laid the Scripture to me, and that settled it. But I long for that day to come.

4 How many's in the building tonight that remember when I first come up the West Coast, and oh, down through the south, and--and just had that one ministry of that laying of hands? Can you remember that? Just look at the friends. All right.

Then did I tell you that the Lord told me that there would be another ministry (You remember that?), which would be the discerning of the thoughts of the heart and so forth. Well, them ministries has worked perfectly the world around. See? One went its day, the other one lived its day.

5 Now, a little later on if I get a chance, I want to tell you what happened just recently, bringing in a new ministry. I'll just speak the word. And it brings... It puts it right back into the lap of the people again. If they will come with the right attitude and believe, it's just got to happen. How many's read the book? Of... In the book... All right, there's a few here that's read my life story in the book. When it was a... How that He told me that I was born to pray for sick people. "Get them to believe you, then be sincere when you pray. Then nothing shall stand before the prayer." Did you ever hear that before? Sure you have.

All right, now that... Then these signs and miracles of showing the past, future, and what would be, and what has been, and all about it, was the vindication of the approaching Messiah. And to let the people... It was to show the people that I have told them the truth, that I was called to pray for the sick. That's the idea, praying for the sick.

Now, the second ministry's leaving, and the third is entering in. So I'm so glad about it.

6 Now, tomorrow morning the Full Gospel Business Men's Breakfast, I guess they've announced it, where it will be. Hope you all are along; I'd like to hear some more of that singing. And so, we'll expect a good time down there over a--the cup of coffee and whatever they have, and the fried eggs, and what goes with it. And then, I'll be speaking, the Lord willing, tomorrow morning at the breakfast. If the Lord permits, I want to speak on "The approach of fellowship through the cup." And then... If that be the will of the Lord.

Then tomorrow night, back here again for another service of Divine healing, the Lord willing. And what prayer cards, or whatever... I don't know what the Lord will do, or is... There's prayer cards given out, isn't there this afternoon? I thought there was. All right. We'll see what the Lord will lead us to do about them tonight: whether it'll be discernment, or continue on with the rest of the ministry, or what He will have us to do. But each night we'll be praying for the sick and trusting God to save souls.

7 Now, before we approach the Word, there's many people that can--can take the Bible, and pull that cover back like that, but it takes God to open that Word (See? It... ), God alone. It's of no private interpretation, just read It and believe It. Now, before we approach It, reading It, let's just bow our heads while we talk to the Author a moment.

Who has a special request tonight? You just raise up your hand, saying, "God, remember me tonight." May God grant your request; just look at the hands, in this great day, yet a needy people.

8 O precious Lord, our most gracious and Divine Father, Who brought again the Lord Jesus from the dead, and has presented Him to us in the resurrecting power of the Holy Spirit, living with us tonight, working, confirming His Word, showing the same things that He did when He was here on earth, that we might have the blessed assurance that He is alive and not dead. We do not serve creeds, dead creeds; we do not serve idol gods or dead gods; but our God is alive forevermore, living with us.

Oh, how thankful we are to know in this hour, when darkness is settling over the earth and gross darkness over the people, how that we thank Thee that we have this great Rock of salvation, the sure Anchor of the soul. That we know, we don't have to guess at it, our God lives that made us the promises, and shows Himself alive among us, ready to answer our prayers, and do whatever we would desire in our hearts, if it be found in His Divine will and His promises.

9 Now, Lord, we would pray tonight especially for those that are sick and afflicted, and for that precious and dear man that we just prayed for up at the hospital, laying at the point of death. But when laying hands upon him, we seen life begin to move in him again. We believe with all of our heart that that man shall live, because that You've made us a promise. And we have give our service, Lord, freely and with all of our heart, in faith believing that You'll grant our request.

Now, Lord, we would ask tonight, that You would take the Holy Spirit, and take the Word, and minister us, just as we have need. You know our hearts and what we have need of, and our physical condition as we raised our hands for different things, and we pray that You will answer us. And then, Lord, remember those who are convalescents in the homes, and the shut-ins, and them who cannot come.

Then bless us here together, and when service is over and we start towards our different homes, may we say like those who came from Emmaus, who seen Him do something after His resurrection just like He did before He was crucified. And they said, "Did not our hearts burn within us, as He talked to us along the way?" For we ask it in His Name and for His glory. Amen.

10 Now, to draw a little context tonight, let us call your attention to a Scripture reading in the Bible in the book of Isaiah. Let us turn into Isaiah, the 21st chapter of Isaiah, and read the 11th verse of Isaiah 21:

The burden of Dumah. He call... me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?

The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come.

11 Must have been an awful day, perhaps a hot one. And everything had been so confused, and look like nothing was going right, the city all flusterated; because that from the tower had come warning after warning: "There is an enemy approaching." But the city was so completely given over to sin, till they would not hear the voice of the watchman in the tower.

Though he had said, "I have seen the dust from their chariot wheels, and in the sunlight I see their polished armors and their glittering swords." But they would not believe that, because they were wholly committed unto sin.

12 And when a place gets committed to sin like that, they don't want to hear anything that has any warning or discomfort to them. But just the same, the voice came, warning after warning. And as the evening begin to approach, perhaps the young maidens was meeting out around the public well in the city square to get the evening water. Which was customary in those days for the young ladies to go to the well, and get their water--early of a morning and late of the afternoon--which would be a supply for the day, then a supply for the evening and night, for cooking and whatever they had to have it for.

13 And as these certain young ladies... The scene in the street would be, we would see them coming from different parts of the city. And when they got there, we would hear a little sniggering laugh, and saying, "Did you hear what that fanatic man in the tower said today, trying to scare us into something? He was trying to warn us of an approaching enemy. You know, telling us that we must turn to repentance, and to sackcloth, and ashes."

And they would say, "Now, we are not turning to any sackcloth and ashes, or unto repentance. Because we do not believe his message. We believe that tonight we're to have a party, and we're to wear our newest style clothes. And do you think that we'll let a fanatic stand and tell us how we must dress and what we must do? I don't care how much he says, how much he warns; I'm going to the party just the same."

14 And as much as I hate to say it, this is a day something like that day. No matter what you tell the people, they're still going to do what they want to do. They're headlong, and they are going to plunge right on. Regardless of how much you warn of the coming of the enemy or the approaching of the Lord, they will go just the same as they did; they got their minds made up. Pleasure-mad, and they're going to do just as they want to do. And if you try to correct them, you're a fanatic. Just the same, the voice still calls out! God will have a watchman in His tower that'll not fail but to call out the warning.

There was the young men in the--the taverns. And they would pass the drinks to one another, and say, "Jim, did you hear today? We have an approaching enemy. (making a lot of fun out of it, and pass smutty remarks) We know better than that. We've got the best military system there is in this country, and there's no enemy can bother us. Our forts are all guarded and our walls. And--and that fanatic up there in the tower, I wish they would get him out of there."

You know, it's never popular to tell the truth amongst people who want to live for this present day. They don't want to believe the truth. But the Bible said, "You shall know the truth." I'm so glad of that. "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Now, you can be a prisoner, or you can be a--a truth rejecting prisoner, or you can know the truth and be free.

15 And as the night begin to approach, then I can see here that when the evening shadows begin to fall, and the day's chores was over, then they all gathered at this certain place where they were going to have this ball or party. And that was just about all they were interested in. And that's about all that many people are interested in today.

But I'd imagine that watchman got what little group that would believe him and got out of there. I'm so glad tonight, that we have got still some real watchmen that's getting a group ready to get out of here one of these days, 'cause trouble is coming. Making ready, for there is trouble approaching. And loyal watchmen, who are watching over the heritage of God's sheep, warning them, "Make ready for the flight, for it'll be a time when none will escape."

16 You'll never be able to escape hydrogen and oxygen bombs when they strike the nation. There's only one way escape; that's right out of it. There's only one thing can take you out; that's the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ--take us out of it, go up, get out of the hearing of it, out of the seeing of it.

And as, maybe the ball got started good, and the young ladies begin to dance with the men, and--and the married women with some other woman's husband, and vice versa. And the drinks were passed, and they were all having a--a good time. And then, perhaps maybe some modern like Hollywood jokester, or television mimic, got up and begin to crack some kind of jokes about the man in the tower. "Did you hear that today?"

17 Well, they just say that same thing today; there's no difference. The devil always takes his man, but never the spirit; it lives on another man. God takes His man, but never the Spirit; it comes on down living on someone else. So the same spirits still exist today. We're not blind to these things. And it would be good if we would listen to the voice of the One in the tower, the Holy Spirit, that's warning us, "Flee the wrath that is to come. Make ready, because the hour is approaching."

And right in the midst, like King Nebuchadnezzar's big drunken feast, we find out when they're... The mimics were going on with their fun, and pleasure minded people not taking life sincerely, all of a sudden the guards were cut down at the gate. And in rushed the soldiers, spearmen, bowmen, slingmen, swordsmen, chariots running over the city, and into the ballroom. And the young women was ravished; the mothers expecting was... Gambled over the sex of the child would be, and split open while still alive, and the babies' heads bursted against the wall. And the men slaughtered in their midst, and it was all over. Because they failed to recognize and take warning of the watchman's voice.

God said in the Bible, "Take heed to the flock which the Holy Spirit has made you a watchman over. Be sure that they're fed with the right food, making ready for the coming of the Lord."

18 Oh, how it was sad when that great midnight cry came, and it was all over. It reminds me of a story that I read some years ago about a prospector in Arizona. He was one of those gold minded people, and he wanted to get rich all at once, so he goes in to the desert to prospect. While he was prospecting (the story goes) that he--he found a great nest of nuggets, and just overnight, became a multimillionaire with the sacks full of gold. And he packed his burro, and he and his burro, and faithful dog started back to civilization with the sweat flying from his face, his eyes a glittering, and on his road to have a good time the rest of his life.

So when he was nearing to his place where his destination would--was to be, they said there was an old abandoned shack. And he went into this shack, and laid the money out upon the table by a little grease candle, and was looking over the nuggets. Little did he know that there was eyes watching him. And along about the time that he laid down and went to sleep... While he started to go to sleep, the old faithful dog begin to bark.

And he was laying on his pillow thinking, "Oh, tomorrow I'll change these nuggets for currency. And I'll buy great cars, and I'll drink good whiskey. I'll do all these things, and have a big time, and I'll go to every dance," and all he would do, daydreaming that.

19 And his dog kept barking, barking away. He went to the door, and opened the door, and said, "Shut-up!" And the dog whined; he was tied to a leash, and he tried to warn his master. But he went back again and laid down on his bed. And again the dog started barking again.

And he called him time after time, "Shut-up! I don't want to hear you! I want a lovely dream tonight of the good times I'm going to have tomorrow when I cash in my gold."

And finally the dog barked again. He become angry. He reached in the corner and got a double barreled shotgun, went to the door with both the hammers back, and shot the dog down to death. Said, "That'll take care of you. I won't need you any more anyhow." Set the gun down, and laid down on the bed, and folded his hands with his dream, and fell off to sleep.

20 Just in a little while, the door opened easily. Someone slipped across the floor, and plunged a--a saber knife into his bosom, and took the gold, and left with it. Oh, what did he do? He killed the voice that was warning him! Let that not be our stand.

Oh, that voice of the Holy Spirit that warns the church day after day as we see the approaching of the Lord. Let's not still that voice by ignoring it and turning it away. But let's take heed to the warning that it gives us. God has watchmen over His heritage.

21 I can remember 1933, August the 16th at two o'clock in the afternoon--I mean June the 16th at two o'clock in the afternoon. I'd just recently been ordained a Missionary Baptist minister, and holding my first revival where three thousand something people attended. And then, that afternoon, I was baptizing five hundred converts at the--the river's bank at the foot of Spring Street at Jeffersonville, Indiana, where I lived. And the newspaper photographers was out, and many of the church people; there was around seven or eight thousand people on the bank.

And I walked out into the water, and they... The choir was singing that great old song of the church:

On Jordan's stormy banks I stand,

And cast a wishful eye,

To Canaan's fair and happy land,

Where my possession lie.

22 About the seventeenth or eighteenth person... The deacons and trustees that leading out into the water, was a young fellow by the name of Colvin. All the skies were brassy. The corn was all withered up; we hadn't had rain for three weeks or more. Oh, it was suffering, the crops was. And the sky was like brass.

And I took this young fellow, and I said to him, "Do you believe on the Lord Jesus, and have you accepted Him as your personal Saviour?"

He said, "I have, Brother Branham."

I said, "I seen you at the altar the other night. Now, are you sure of this, young man?"

He said, "I am sure."

So then, I took him by the hand, and turned his face to the bank, and announced his name, and asked God that He would bless his life. And I was just ready to baptize him, when I heard something say, "Look up!" Well, I got scared. I thought somebody on the bank was saying... I was just a boy preacher. I'd never been married yet; my to-be wife was taking pictures on the bank, which is my son Billy's mother.

23 And I heard it again. And up to the third time, said, "Look up!" And when I looked up towards the heaven, a place about ten feet square, looked like water in the blue skies moving around. And out of that blue water like, came a Light coming down from heaven. The people begin to scream, and many fainted.

And the voice said, "As John the Baptist was sent forth to warn the people of the first coming of Christ, your ministry will warn them of the second coming around the world."

And immediately after that, of course that article went on the Associated Press, into Canada and everywhere. And it's come to pass. From that revived up come Oral Roberts and all the rest. And a revival has swept around the world and still moving.

Therefore, I feel that the great Holy Spirit today is the same Watchman that was in the tower at the beginning. He's still the warning voice speaks, "Prepare to meet thy God." Every time you see a gray hair, it's a sign you've got to meet God. Every time you hear a ambulance go down the street, it's a sign you've got to meet God. Every time you pass a graveyard, it's a sign you've got to meet God. You must meet Him sometime or other. Prepare now, for the hour is approaching.

24 The watchman... What he--was the duties of the watchman in the Old Testament? The watchman was the man that went up to a tower on the city, way high. He was higher than all the footmen, because it was his position. Now, in order for this man to get up there, he must have a good, clear understanding, and he must have good eyes. He must be alert; he must know the stars. And many qualifications had to be before he could be a correct watchman.

And I'm afraid today, that we put some watchmens in that couldn't see very far, oh, couldn't see all this disaster that's a coming, to warn the people. Then, unqualified, a watchman would soon have the city destroyed, because the entire city depended on the watchman. God's watchman, just like His...

25 In the Bible His prophets was considered eagles. The eagle, how it would... It could climb higher than any other bird. A hawk trying to follow an eagle would just disintegrate in the air. He could never get there, because the eagle is a special built bird for that purpose. If he wasn't, when he went up, his feathers would fall out of him. Did you ever try to pull the feathers out of an eagle's wing? Oh, they're great, tough feathers, because they bear their young ones on these feathers, and they must be way high. And they go... It...

26 What good would it do him to go up, if he couldn't have sight to see way off? That's what I think today. If we educate our ministers, what good does it do to educate them, if they haven't got a spiritual insight to see far off, the coming, and warning of the danger? It's just like giving your canary bird good vitamins to make good wing feathers and so forth, and then keeping him in a cage. What good does it do to give him vitamins? What good does it do to learn of a God that was, if He isn't the same today? What good does it do to learn the Bible, if we're going to deny all the power thereof of it? We must be equipped for such.

27 This towerman, he got up. And then if anything happened, he was supposed to warn the people of any approaching danger. We see our Lord Jesus when He was here on earth, He was the great Watchman of the hour. And we notice that in His earthly journey, He talked more about His second coming than He did His going away. He said more about His second coming, many times more, than He did of His going away. Right in the shadows of the cross, He kept talking about His second coming and warning the people what would take place just before His second coming. He was the Watchman; He was the Chief of the watchmen.

And then, if we see that was so much to Him (just in the shadows of the cross) to dismiss that and to speak of His coming, what kind of a people ought we to be now, when we see those things that He spoke of coming to pass. If it was so great, that even His crucifixion and His suffering, and everything meant so much as it did, but yet, His second coming was so much more, till He ignored His crucifixion and warned the people of His coming.

28 Let's hear some of the things He said: He said, "As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the coming of the Son of man." He said, "For in the days before the flood, they were eating, drinking, marrying, giving in marriage, and knew it not until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the whole world was destroyed."

"Knew it not..." Why didn't they know it? Is because they failed to hear the warning voice of Noah, and called him a fanatic, because he had a true message of God. It was supernatural. It had never rained; God watered vegetation through the earth. But Noah said, "There's coming a rain, and all that's not in this ark will perish." He stood in the door of the ark and proclaimed the message of destruction, and was laughed at, and scoffed at, and made fun of.

Today the true messenger of the covenant stands at the Door-- which Jesus is the Door of salvation, and the only Door--and claims that He is the only way of escape, just before judgment. And the people had said...

29 There were scoffers in that day, and there'll be scoffers in this days. And how they were pleasure crazed. You see what the world is today--pleasure crazed. He said there would be... The sea would be roaring. Look at it today: tidal waves, never heard of them before in history. Here they are breaking on the shores and killing people. Earthquakes in divers places... I just don't have the right statistics, but I forget how much that the earthquake has come to a place where every so many hours, there's so many earthquakes all over the world. Just coming all the time, for the little shell that we live on is becoming thinner and thinner all the time.

30 And men go right on living, saying, "There is no such a thing as hell," look up in the face of God, and deny there is such a thing as hell, and setting on a pot of it. Falling volcanics... And the earth all out of cater... Science says the earth, out in the sea, it's becoming more shallow; at the North Pole, it's becoming deeper, because the earth is a spreading out. Oh, it's just about ready to be delivered. And people see these things...

And He said there would be an unrest in the last days, no peace, unsettled. Look at today, at every nation scared to death. The radio and television screens are set everywhere, I... of the... I mean, radar screens setting everywhere, watching somewhere for a missile to be let loose. And the first missile lets loose, it's going to be explosion all over everywhere, because every nation is ready. The little nations can't be ignored any more, because they got the same thing the big nations got. And it's ungodly men, and it's ungodly nations. And what will happen...

31 What would happen if one would get away by mistake? They start flying, and pass through one of those radar screens. Brother, they'd just start pulling levers, and missiles would be going. Did you read Tommy Hicks' "March of Time"? Where he had that picture of all those missiles setting for miles, ready, trained all over the earth. The other nations has got missiles setting, trained all over the earth. And one of these days, something's going to happen, and they'll all let loose the same time. What will happen? The world could not stand it. Watchman, what of the night? Is the hour today--what of the night? Seeing these things come to pass...

32 Oh, how we need today a reawakening, a revival of awakening. But we cannot have it, because that hour is done lived a past. The nations has sinned away their day of grace. I do not believe we'll never have a great universal revival any more. It'll be amongst the Jews, but no more for the Gentiles; there's not a Scripture for it. And many of the things that you are looking forward to, was promised to the Jews after the church has done gone home. So we are looking for the coming of the Messiah at any time. We don't know just what time it'll take place; but it behooves us to be ready and listening to the warning voice. Oh, how I thank God for His goodness and His fellowship.

Yeah, fearful sights, sea a roaring, man's heart failing for fear, perplexed of times, distress between the nations. All these things were to take place, and we got it. And He said, "The church would be heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God (Look around you), lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, and despisers of those that are good. Scoffers..." Oh, listen to the Holy Spirit from the tower of glory tonight, broadcasting by the radiant power of the resurrection to every believer's heart. Be ready, for the hour is at hand. Heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God...

33 Now, we are teaching now what the world is going to be: unsettled peace, nation against nation, kingdom against kingdom. All these things was to be taken place in the world, and we see it. A pleasure mad people, a people who did not love God, who loved pleasure more than God, and yet they would have a form of godliness, but would deny the power thereof; from such turn away! A form of religion, calling ourself a religious nation, having a form of godliness, but would deny the power thereof... "The power thereof" what? The power of God! What is the power of God? It's the resurrection of Jesus Christ, that God brought Him from the grave, and presents Him tonight alive in our midst. The power of God, sure...

34 Now, to the church He said, "You'll get a warning. As it was in the days of Sodom--and the days of Sodom and Gomorrah--so shall it be at the coming of the Son of man."

He said there would be a certain thing take place, just before the coming of the Son of God, as it took place with Abraham up there, and down with Lot: how them ministers went down and preached repentance to Lot. And Lot tried to cause his children to repent, and his loved ones, and they laughed at him and made fun of him.

"Now, Lot, you said all the days of miracles is passed, and here you come along today saying we better flee the city." They laughed at him, as someone was telling some kind of a story.

That's what it is today. I different with Brother David when he said that, "The church... Formal church would be revived again." No, sir. They'd never stand for it. No. You might put a preacher for a president in every county in this nation, and the people would go headlong just like they want to go. They won't listen to it at all. You can't...

35 My mother used to have an old southern proverb: You can lead a mule to water, but you can't make him drink. Anybody... A mule, that's the most dishonorable animal I know of. A mule is just one of the most stubborn and ignorant things that I ever seen. And you can call him, and he will just stand there and stare at you. And you say, "Come here, boy." And he will stick them big ears out and just look. Talk to him, and tell him the truth, he will wait and get a chance, if he's dying, to kick you. That's right. He--he just ain't got no sense. And that's just the way it is with a lot of people today. You can talk to them about the coming of the Lord, they stick out their ears and stare at you, knowing no more about what you're talking about than a mule does. That's exactly right.

You know why the mule can't understand? He's not thoroughbred. God never created a mule; that was a mistake of man. Man bred the two together. A mule cannot breed back, and have another mule. It takes the mare horse, or--and the--and the little donkey to make that. And he cannot cross hisself back; he's finished. He don't know his stock; he don't know where he... He don't know who his pappy and mammy is.

36 And that's the way with a lot of these people that call themselves Christians today. They're not thoroughbred; they don't know what it means. They're going to a church, but they don't know who their papa and mama is. I'll tell you, it's mighty sweet to have a real good thoroughbred horse. He's gentle, kind, come up and rub you, and everything. And a real thoroughbred Christian, borned of the Holy Spirit, knows what they're talking about. They know Who papa and mama is; they know they're borned of the Holy Ghost; they know what to do. You can talk to them; they got sense to listen.

The other one stick out his ears, going, "[Brother Branham brays like a mule--Ed.] Haw-haw. The days of miracles is passed. Haw-haw. There is no such thing as Divine healing." Bray on! That's right. But the horse understands.

37 Now, it's the day that we're living in. And watchman, what of the night? He said there would be a time that it'd be like it was at Sodom and Gomorrah.

Now, Isaiah wasn't out of order. Isaiah was in the order of God when he said, "The night cometh and... The morning cometh and the night also." The morning cometh, but the night also comes. Now, we all know it by--by the sun leaving the earth. It leaves the moon to take care. The moon shines in the absence of the sun, because the light that we walk in is the light of the sun reflected from the moon.

Now, that's what the church is supposed to do: reflect the Presence of God while the Son is gone. Then when the sun comes up, the moon's gone. But just before day, did you ever notice? The moon gets real pale, and it goes out. And I'll tell you, the church is already turned pale; it's anemic. It got away from the blood, got away from salvation, and the Holy Ghost, and the teaching of the Word, and it's become anemic.

38 It goes down, then what happens? The sun is approaching, then the darkest hour of the night is just before dawn. Science claims it's the night, the sun approaching, pressing--coming on, and pressing, congealing the night together. Because it knows it's just got a little while and day will break. And just before daybreak, what comes out? The morning star. What does the morning star mean? He stands alone; he's God's watchman. He stands in the tower alone. The rest of the stars is faded; the moon's gone. And just before the break of day, the sun begins to shine against that morning star, and it reflects the true light of the true sun that's just about ready to shine.

39 What is it? The morning star, the Church of the living God today, who's the watchman on the tower warning the nations and the people. It stands alone; a man that stands for God, stands alone. But what's he doing? He's reflecting the same Light of the Son that went down years ago and is rising again. What is that true Church's ministry? The ministry of that Church will be the ministry of the Son, because it's a reflection of the same Son power, and the same Son light, that the world will know when the Son rises, what It will look like.

Oh, for a church today. Someone who will stand in the tower. "Watchman, what of the night?"

"The morning star is shining." It's ready to reflecting the light the sun's a shining on the star. Now, it isn't the church; it isn't the person. It's the sun that's a reflecting on the star that reflects the sunlight to the earth. Now, it's not the church, it's the Holy Spirit, the coming of the Son of God that's reflecting in the Church that's proving His power. He's doing exactly the same thing. The same ministry He did when He left the earth, He's here tonight doing the same thing, reflecting His coming! Reflecting what? Not the paleness of the moon, but reflecting the same signs. What comes to pass? Not the moon, the star--the morning star hails the coming of the sun.

40 Oh, you morning stars, rise and shine! It's time to shine; the coming of the Lord is at hand. Reflecting His Presence, reflecting the oncoming Son, giving the same signs, Jesus said it was, "As it was in the days of Sodom; it'll be the same thing in the coming of the Son of man."

The same ministry that the Son went down in (the same Light He went down in) is coming again in the resurrection power, and the Morning Star is reflecting that Light. Then we cry, "Watchman, what of the night?" Hallelujah!

"The morning cometh, and the night also." Now we're in the dark time, the Laodicean church age: man, lukewarm; not able to stand the things of God. They pull themself off, separating, like it was in the days of Noah. But the morning star shines right on them just the same. The power of God, the Holy Spirit...

41 Jesus said, "The works that I do shall you do also. Greater than this shall you do, 'cause I go to My Father." He promised the power. He said, "A little while and the world won't see Me no more (it'll be dark), but ye shall see Me, for I will be with you, even in you to the end of the world."

Then God's light will be reflected in His church, and more powerful then ever, just before the coming of the Lord Jesus. "Watchman, what of the night?"

As coming of the Lord draws nigh:

The nations are breaking, Israel awakening.

The signs that the Bible foretold;

The Gentile days numbered, with horrors encumbered.

"Return, O dispersed to your own."

Build your hopes on things eternal,

They will never pass away.

Covet not this world's vain riches

Which so rapidly decay,

Build your hopes on things eternal,

They will never pass away.

Hold to God's unchanging hand.

If by earthly friends forsaken,

Still more closer to Him cling.

42 We're living in the last days. This message that the Lord gave me on the river to send across the world, He forerun it by putting it in every newspaper on the Associated Press: "Mystic Light Appears Over Minister. Voice Speaks From the Light." And now, as across the world, sign after sign, wonder after wonder, not one time does it fail. Perfectly, thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of times has it happened without one failure anywhere. The scientific world took the picture of It. What is it? It's a big Pillar of Fire. What Pillar of Fire? The One that led the children of Israel through the wilderness.

43 Now, if anything's got a nature, it'll bear its nature in the person. Now, when this Pillar of Fire was made flesh and dwelt among us, when God was made flesh in His Son, Christ Jesus, we all are aware that He was God. Now, notice when He was here on earth, look at the ministry He had when He went around.

Now, they said, "Oh, you mean to tell me that Abraham saw Your day? And You're yet not fifty years old, and You saw Abraham?"

He said, "Before Abraham was, I AM." Who was the I AM? Was that Pillar of Fire that led the children of Israel, that was in the burning bush talking to Moses. Yes, "Before Abraham was, I AM."

44 Now look at the works He did. Now, He said, "A little while, and the world won't see Me no more, yet ye shall see Me. For I'll be with you, even in you to the end of the world. And the works that I do shall you also."

The world, the church, the--the so called church, and the outside world, they won't see it. They say, "There's nothing to that. Don't believe that kind of stuff. There's no such a thing as the baptism of the Holy Ghost; no such a thing as speaking in tongues; no such a thing as gifts of prophecy, all these Divine healings. That's nonsense; it's not so."

But God promised in the last days that He'd pour out both former and latter rain upon His Church. The days of the prophets, the days of the apostles, He'd poured out both former and latter rains in the last days. And we got it! The Lord is here, showing just exactly what Jesus said would take place before His coming. In the last days, these things would take place.

Now, we know that. We are aware of that; we're living in that hour of the approaching of the Lord. We see His signs everywhere.

45 And God, when He came down and was made flesh, and dwelt among us... You say, "Well, after He--He was here on earth?"

He said, "I came from God, and I go back to God." How many knows He said that? Sure He did. Said, "I come from God, and I return to God."

After His death, burial and resurrection, Paul was on his road down to Damascus, and a great Light (Pillar of Fire) met him in the road, and blinded his eyes. And he fell to the ground, and he heard a voice saying, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?"

He said, "Who are you, Lord?"

He said, "I'm Jesus." Amen. A Pillar of Fire! And here today... Not because It was taken with me; not because It was even taken on this pulpit once, not because it was taken, or not because the scientific world knows it, but the church knows it: That Pillar of Fire is with the church today. If that's the same Pillar of Fire, then It'll do the same works that He did when He was here on earth. And when He was here, He said, "I do nothing till the--I see the Father doing it first." Is that right?

46 He told Philip where he was at under the fi--the fig tree. He told Peter what his name was. He told the woman at the well of her sins; He told all these different things. The woman touched His garment; He perceived that she had faith and told her her disease had been healed. That same Jesus, that same God... By scientific shows, we've got it here on picture hanging in the Washington, DC in the Religious Hall of Art: The only scientific picture ever taken of a supernatural Being. Amen!

Where's it at? Amongst the Pentecostal people. What's it doing? Showing the Abraham church, that's the church it's going to; the rest of them won't receive it. What is it? "Watchman, what of the night?" If that is the same Light, It'll produce the same Scripture; It'll produce the same signs; It'll produce the same power. It's the same Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever. And we're living it, and we wonder, "Watchman, what of the night?" Morning star is shining over us.

47 Don't build your hopes on things of this world. Keep your minds off of this... Just say, "Well, I'll believe I'll turn over a new page, and go join church." Don't you do that; you get borned again. Don't care what takes place, how many friends you lose, what your neighbor says about it. Why, they're going to say it anyhow. Any man that... "All that lives godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." So don't pay any attention to that.

Just go on and say, "God, give me the Holy Ghost upon Your grounds, the way You want me to have It. Pour It out upon me; give me faith. I want faith. I want to believe in Divine healing; I want to believe in the power of God." And He will do it.

48 Some time ago in London, England, I was with a little Limey soldier. He was taking me around, showing me the different things and sights, while we were there on a visit. And then when we went out to a certain grounds... I'll never forget it. In England (the British Isles) just every little piece of ground's taken up, nearly, with houses; their population is so great. And I seen a beautiful place--oh, there was quite a few lots in it--right down in a nice green, grassy place, and trees standing around. And I said, "Sir, why don't the people build houses here?"

"Oh," he said. "Reverend Branham, they would not... No one would build a house on that ground."

Well, I said, "Why?"

"Well," he said, "some two hundred years ago, there had a great plague in this country of black fever." And said, "People died like flies." Said, "They hauled them away in wagon loads, and come back and get the rest and back. And they didn't even have time to bury them; they just put them down in this valley, had a ceremony, and just covered them up. And went on, and on, and on, till thousands was put in this valley and buried here." Said, "They were all covered up, their bodies are all gone. But that fever was so great," he said, "till there's not an Englishman would ever build a house on the grounds of where that thing ever was."

I thought, "Yes, you're very careful where you put your little earthly abode here. But when it comes to salvation, you'll build your house on any kind of a little old creed or anything."

Why don't... It's dead, been dead a long time ago: "Having a form of godliness and denying the power thereof." Why don't you build your hopes on things eternal? They will never pass away! Build it on Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; all other grounds is sinking sand. Build upon the lively Stone, not something that's dead and been dismissed from God years ago. Build your hope in something now, where God's a living now.

49 As I preached not long ago (I believe the last time here) upon the return of the queen of Sheba, how down in that great land where she was at...

Well, she said, "Why, all these gods that we got down here, we hear about them, but none of them's living. They don't do nothing. We hear up in Israel, they've got a God up there that lives right in a man. And he's got a powerful discernment, that can tell the thoughts of the heart; the wisdom and power of God is with him. And if that God is better then our god, I want that God, one that's alive!"

50 That's the way with me tonight. I want the God that's a living God present tense now! Oh, I'm so glad that He is alive forever more. I see His approaching; I see the time appearing that when He's fixing to come to the earth. I see every sign in the world pointing back yonder: That in the world system, nation's against nations, how the world's a going, how they have a form of godliness. I see the world; I see the nations; I see the church so-called, a form of godliness.

Then I see the Spirit filled Church with its sign reflecting the coming of the Son, the Morning Star putting off its rays. Oh, how happy I am. I'm glad that God has a Church that can put off the rays. It's reflection, let Christ reflect Hisself in you.

51 In the old days when they made gold, the beater beat the gold and beat the dross out, until he seen his own reflection. Then he knowed all the dross was out of the gold. Sometimes you say I preach too hard; I've tear down people.

A man told me not long ago, said, "You're going to ruin your ministry by rebuking things the way you do." Said, "Let somebody else do that."

I said, "Who's a doing it?" That's right. "Who's going to do it?" Right, I--I want to...

I said, "It... I... It might hurt them a little bit now, but they'll thank me when that time comes."

How can a man who preaches under the inspiration say anything but what the Holy Spirit says to him? What little ministry the Lord's give me, I want to make it reflect the Life of Jesus Christ just as hard as I can, letting His signs and wonders be made manifest. Yes. Happy along the road, though it gets weary.

52 I remember when I was state game warden of Indiana; I used to patrol through a country. There was an old spring, way down in southern Indiana, down along Green--Indian River. I used to like to drink from that old spring. I... The reason I liked it, it was so happy all the time. I'd go by that spring, and it would just bubble, bubble, bubble, bubble, bubble.

I thought, "You're so happy; what makes you so happy?" I said, "You know why? It's because a, maybe, a--a rabbit comes by and drinks out of you, and that makes you happy."

"Nope." It could talk, it'd say, "No, no, that isn't it, Brother Branham."

I'd say, "Well, maybe it's because cattle drink from you."

"Nope, that's not what makes me bubble."

I said, "Well, maybe it's because that I drink from you. Every time I come here, wintertime, fall, spring, summer, you're always bubble, bubble, bubble, bubble, just spurting out fresh cold water all the time." I say, "Well, what makes you bubble then?"

He'd say, "Isn't me bubbling; it's something behind me, pushing me, making me bubble."

And that's the way the church is: born of the Spirit of God. It's something behind them, reflecting Jesus Christ. Amen. Not them bubbling; it's something behind them bubbling them, pushing, raising up glorious praises to His Name, not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, for it's the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes. Amen. I love Him with all my heart. Do you love Him likewise? Let us bow our heads just a moment for prayer.

53 Heavenly Father, as the day is growing dim now, the signs of His appearing is at hand. We see the church, that little handful of elected, called out, predestined before the beginning of the world, names are put on the Lamb's Book of Life before there was a foundation of the world. The Holy Spirit has sought through the nations and around the world, until It's called this little group. "All the Father has given Me will come to Me. All that comes to Me, I'll give him Everlasting Life, raise him up at the last day." We see that little group gathering itself together out of every denomination, out of every church, out of every village. God's getting His little group ready, letting the Morning Star shine upon them, as we see the approaching of the Lord Jesus.

Seeing the ministry come from, "Just shall live by faith," Martin Luther; sanctification by John Wesley; the baptism of the Holy Ghost by the Pentecostals, and the restoration of the gifts. And now, coming into that Morning Star begin to reflect, and all the churches pulling out of every church, every nation, every people, a Bride for His Name.

O God, their hearts are filled with joy; they're happy. They'll set in hot buildings; they'll walk in cold weather; they'll walk through the rain, sleet, snow, anywhere; "For where the carcass is, the eagles will be gathered. My sheep know my voice."

54 And I'm so glad, Lord, to be numbered with them; I'm so happy tonight, to know that there is a Church. You said there would be a Church would be there without spot or wrinkle. Father, O God, let our names be on that great Book up there. May we appear without spot or wrinkle. Cleanse our heart from sin, and that's unbelief, Lord.

We realize that sin is unbelief. No matter how we live, if we still disbelieve all the Gospel, we're sinners because we're unbelievers. Let all sin be taken from us, Lord, all of unbelief. May the power of God settle in this church tonight, as the Morning Star, we pray, will come down in the form of the Holy Ghost, and will reflect the very ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ. And then they'll see why the watchmens on the wall are crying out, "The morning cometh!" Hallelujah! "The morning cometh, and the night is here also."

55 O God, when we see the church cooling off, going after big buildings, and fancy things, and--and things of the world, having a form of godliness, no power, denying the power, getting away from it: even the Pentecostal Church cooling down, becoming to a place that just the joy is when the music's playing. God, where's the all night prayer meetings? Where is the great times of love for one another? How... What's happened, Lord? I pray that the Morning Star will reflect the Light so much tonight, until every soul here will see the Kingdom of God coming in power, and know that we're fixing to enter in to that. Grant it, Lord.

Save the lost. Lord God, if there's any here tonight that belongs to You, may they hear Your voice. May they hear it, Lord. It may be a poor excuse that we have to sing the hymn, or to preach the Word; our voices are not much. But You have to use man's voice, because that was Your ordained plan at the beginning to speak. "He that receives you, receives Me. And he that receives Me, receives Him that sent Me." God, let it be so tonight, that the Watchman on the tower, climbed the ramparts of glory, setting at the right hand of the Father tonight, making intercessions, may He come tonight in the power of His resurrection. May He come into our midst tonight and do the same thing He did before He was crucified, that this little faithful group of people, way down here in this sinful world, might see the reflection of Jesus Christ manifested in the church. And they're... [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.] power and glory, and ready for the translation that's soon to come. Grant it, Father. We commit it to You in the Name of Jesus Christ, Thy Son. Amen.

56 Whew. Oh, I feel religious; I feel good. You feel good? Oh, there's just something makes me feel good. All right, pianist, give us a chord, "I Love Him." How many loves Him in here? Raise up your hand. Oh, good, that's fine, brethren. Fine.

I love Him, I love Him

Because He first loved me

And purchased my salvation

On Calvary's tree.

Now, let's bow our heads just a moment, and hum it in the Spirit. Now, Paul said, "If I sing, I sing in the Spirit. If I worship, I worship in the Spirit." Now, just let everything be gone; the good Holy Spirit, His Word, scours out our soul. The sharp, rebuking message is over. Our... We have no condemnation. Then let's just raise our hands while we sing it.

I love Him... (Just worship Him.) I love Him

[Brother Branham hums rest of song--Ed.]

I love... (Yes, Lord, we love You.) I...

(With all my heart, Lord, I love You.)

Because He first loved me

And purchased my salvation

On Calvary's tree.

57 Oh, isn't He wonderful? Isn't He good? Oral Roberts says, "He's a good God." He really is. He's a good God, then He's the God of wrath; He's the God of judgment. I'm so glad that there's a fountain open in the house of God tonight for a cleanliness: all the unclean can be clean. Aren't you glad of that? So glad, so glad, my brethren, my sisters, so glad that it is. Oh, my. I just love to feel this kind of a feeling.

I remember one time when I was a young boy. There was a--a minister's sister. I had a date with her.

And she said, "Where will we go tonight, Billy?"

And I said, "Well, let's just go out and ride around somewhere."

She said, "Let's go to a movie."

I said, "I don't go to movies."

She said, "Well, there's a dance down at the Odd Fellows Hall."

I said, "I don't go to dances."

She said, "Now, you said you didn't smoke; you didn't drink; you didn't dance; you don't go to movies." Said, "What do you like to do for a pastime?"

"Oh," I said, "I like to fish, and hunt, and things like that." But that didn't interest her.

And she said, "Where do you get any joy?"

"Oh," I said, "the joy of the Lord is my joy." See?

And a few nights after that, I was in the tent meeting. Started... And the girl was there. And I made an altar call, and souls swarmed up around that altar. I seen her setting back there crying.

I said, "Come here, Helen." And she came up to where I was. I said, "You want to know what joy I have?" I said, "This is worth more to me than all the movies and all the dances." I said, "It's the joy of the Lord; it's a peace that passes understanding. I know that someday I'll meet these people in glory. They'll all be saved and be over there; and that's the joy I have."

She took a hold of my hand. She said, "Billy, let me have that joy too."

I said, "Just take your place right here. No matter what Elsworth said, stand right here." And there was bracelets on her hands, and rings, and things. Raised her hands in the air, and began screaming and shouting and praising God. God saved her and sanctified her that night. And oh, I know her brother come to me, and was just bawling me out about it.

Said, "You made a fanatic out of my sister." And she come walking up... We were standing on a street corner, and she got out of the car, and come walking up there.

She said, "I believe it the way Billy preaches it." Amen. That old fashion Gospel, she said, "I've got a peace in here I never had before, and I been a church member since the cradle roll." See?

58 Oh, it does something to you when you really get saved, really get something in your heart. Oh, that little song the Pentecostal people used to sing... Well, I can't sing, but let me try it.

There are people almost everywhere,

Whose hearts are all on flame

With the fire that fell on Pentecost,

That cleansed and made them clean;

Oh, it's burning now within my heart,

Oh glory to His name!

I'm so glad that I can say I'm one of them,

I'm one of them, one of them,

I'm so glad that I can say I'm one of them; (Hallelujah)

One of them, one of them,

I'm so glad that I can say I'm one of them.

Though these people may not learn to be,

Or boast of worldly fame,

They have all received their Pentecost,

Through faith in Jesus' name;

And are telling now, both far and wide,

His power is yet the same,

I'm so glad that I can say I'm one of them.

I'm one of them, one of them,

I'm... that I can say I'm one of them; (Hallelujah)

One of them, one of them,

I'm so glad that I can say I'm one of them.

Come, my brother, seek this blessing

That will cleanse your heart from sin,

That will start the joy bells ringing

And will keep your soul on flame;

Oh, it's burning now within my heart,

All glory to His name,

I'm so glad that I can say I'm one of them.

(All together!)

One of them, one of them,

I'm so glad that I can say I'm one of them; (Hallelujah)

One of them, one of them,

I'm so glad that I can say I'm one of them.

59 Aren't you happy about it? I'm so glad that I'm one of them. Now, just shake hands with somebody setting next to you, say, "I'm one of them." Just turn around, shake hands, say, "I'm one of them." Hallelujah.

Oh, one of them, one of them,

I'm so glad that I can say I'm one of them; (Hallelujah)

One of them, one of them,

I'm so glad that I can say I'm one of them.

I'm one of them, one of them,

I'm so glad I can say I'm one of them; (Hallelujah)

One of them, one of them,

I'm so glad that I can say I'm one of them.

60 I'd rather be an old-time Christian than anything I know. I'm so glad that the Morning Star is shining over us; I'm so glad I'm walking in the Light as He is in the Light. We have fellowship one with another, and the Blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanses us from all unrighteousness. I'm so glad to be one of them; aren't you?

Looking for the coming of that glad Millennium day,

When our blessed Lord shall come and catch His waiting Bride away;

Oh! my heart is groaning, crying for that day of sweet release,

When our Saviour shall come back to earth again.

Oh, I'm so glad that He's coming again. And I shall see Him, I shall see Him. Like some people didn't...

61 Years ago there was a writer, Fanny Crosby; she was blind. She didn't sell her birthrights, like many fine singers today in the television and movie world, sold out their birthrights for just a--a few boogie-woogie songs or rock-and-roll. But Mrs. Crosby was a different woman.

They come to her one day, and said, "Why don't you write modern poetry? Why don't you write songs that'd... for the entertainment world?"

She said, "I give all my talents to God." Oh...

Said, "Well, you believe there'll be a heaven then?"

Said, "Yes."

Said, "And you think you'll be there?"

"Yes."

Said, "Now, what... When you get there, if you remain blind," said, "how will you know Him?"

She said, "I'll feel the nail scar in His hands." She turned, went walking back, walking back in the room. And when she did, she raised her hands and begin to praise God. When they walked outdoors, she--song struck her. She said:

I shall know Him, I shall know Him,

And redeemed by His side I shall stand;

I shall know Him, I shall know Him

By the prints of the nails in His hands.

62 And today, brother, sister, she's walking the streets of glory with far better sight than anybody on this earth ever had. She sees Him, knows Him, and standing redeemed by His side. Oh, if I'd ask her tonight, "Fanny Crosby, what does Christ mean to you?"

She'd sing this song for me, she'd... Something like this... Let's see, one of her famous old songs I was thinking of awhile ago. She said, "Nothing in this world I have, all is in Him..." What was that song now, that I was thinking a few minutes ago, that she sang? That was such a beautiful song, I was sing... However, I remember singing it (I'll think of it in a few minutes.) that she said that, "He means more than this world to me. Whom have I on earth beside Thee; whom in heaven but Thee."

Pass me not, O gentle Saviour,

Hear my humble cry;

While on others Thou art calling,

Do not pass me by.

Thou the Stream of all my comfort,

More than life to me,

Whom on earth have I beside Thee?

Or whom in heaven but Thee?

63 I'm so glad that that could mean that to a blind woman. What could it mean to you and I, who can work, and labor, and serve the Lord Jesus in the way that we do. God bless you. Now...

[Someone speaks in tongues. Another interprets--Ed.]

64 Amen. Brother Fred and Brother Norman, the brothers that I was setting with this morning, if that wasn't the very same thing that I was talking of this morning. I said America's harvest... When I started years ago to--on the harvest with the gifts and so forth, it's went over; it's combed the nation; the harvest is already reaped in. Now we're going back across the field over stubble, just picking up a grain here and there wherever we can. Is that right, brethren? That's saying the same thing here; the Holy Spirit turns right back around and speaks the same thing tonight. Amen.

Oh, God is--is soon... Oh, if they could rejoice when the--when the harvest begin, what ought we do now when the harvest is over? Winnowing time is here now, separating the chaff. See? This is the time. Then how can you hold your peace without blasting it out just exactly... This is winnowing time. Yes, sir, when you--you beat the husk off of the wheat. That's exactly right. This is the time when it's coming. Amen.

65 If anybody here that hasn't got a Pentecostal experience, and wants the Holy Ghost, here's the altar, right here now. We'll come right here and pray for anybody that doesn't have the Holy Spirit. Anybody that wants to receive Jesus, I invite you here to the altar.

If you've noticed in the times past, I'm not too much to persuade people. It doesn't... I know it's good, sometime people go back and talk to one another, but I seen people led too far away from God by... If the Holy Spirit won't raise them from their seat, then they're hopeless anyhow. They never last. See? That's right. If the preaching of the Word...

And Jesus turned around and said to that Syrophenician woman, "It's not meet for Me to take the children's bread, and give it to the dogs."

She said, "That's the truth, Lord; that's right. But the dogs is ready to eat the scraps around the master's table."

He said, "For this saying..." This saying...

66 Now, this is the church--want you to notice. The thing is, the ministry will continually get greater. You see? The--the gifts that the Lord has given, is to vindicate that I'm telling you the truth. It's God's a vindication that it's the truth. Then, what was the truth?

I said, "He said I was supposed to pray for people; I was born for that purpose." I said that years ago.

These gifts... I just put all the ministry right on the gifts. See? And the people--American people especially--are wanting to be entertained. They've got... They did the same thing with our Lord. But just as soon as I begin to tell what I was, tell my truth, my doctrines of the Scripture... Which I'd ask any man to correct me in them. See? That's right. Nobody's never done it yet. And I'm just as humble, would be willing to accept it any time.

67 But as soon as Jesus begin to tell them the truth about the Gospel, what happened? The seventy went away; the others went away. And Jesus' popularity continually fell, until finally they crucified Him. But His ministry growed deeper and deeper, lasted... Made this bread (as I talked of the other night) into the fish; turned right around and put sockets... A--a man's eyes that doesn't have sockets, put eyeballs in.

Now, there was a crowd followed just for the fishes and loaves. They say, "We'll see what He does tomorrow." But their hearts were far away.

And at the end time, how many did He have to go up to receive the Pentecostal blessing, out of the tens of thousands He ministered to? A hundred and twenty, out of the tens of thousands. Now, that Spirit in the world today, performing the same ministry against the same opposition, It'll do the same thing. That's right. But His ministry grows deeper and deeper all the time, greater. Now...

68 Now, if there's no one ready to come... Maybe after the prayer service for the sick, you'll come.

Now, we got... (Where's Billy? How many cards? Huh? One to a hundred?) One to fifty. And what's the letter? A, A1 to 50. What we had the other night? I believe we begin with fifty the other night, didn't we? Fifty? Well, let's say, start somewhere else; we took all them up then. That's right. I think we taken a few at one time, a few another night till we got them out.

Now, let's begin somewhere between one and fifty tonight; let's begin at twenty-five. Start... That's the middle of them, then we can divide it up the same way. All right? Let's start from... Well, the reason I do this, maybe the Lord will give us a line of discernment. Let's see what happens.

Now, who has prayer card (What was it?) A? A-25? A-25, that man there? All right, come right over here. A-26, 27, 28, 29, 30. Let's see, that's one, two, three, four. All right, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40. All right. All right, now what have we got now? A? A was... A-30 to 40, all right: 40 to 50, let them stand: A-40 to 50. That's 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50. Let them stand.

69 If you can't get up, just raise your hand. We'll have one of the ushers to bring you right up here (if you're crippled or something) where we prayed for the cripples, and the afflicted here last evening.

So glad to see you back there without your wheelchair tonight, brother. I heard you got up and walked out last night, pushing that old wheelchair. God bless you. That's fine. A veteran (I believe) from the war, and--and how God blessed him. Put His power and Spirit upon him, and he walked under the power of the Holy Ghost--crippled, paralyzed. And God done great things for him.

70 Now, let's see... Was it one to fifty he said? And we got up to fifty, all right.

Now, how many in here does not have a prayer card, and you want God to heal you? Raise your hand. You're not going to be up here in the prayer line, just... All right, you look this way and believe with all your heart. Remember, He's still the High Priest that can be touched by the feeling of our infirmities. Is that right? Well, if you touched Him, how would you know you touched Him? He'd have to act the same as He did.

71 All right, how many in the prayer line out there, is strangers to me? Raise up your hands; you know that I don't know you. I believe every hand that I can see. How many out there are strangers to me, and I don't know you? Raise up your hand.

Now, if... Many of you are sick. What if--if our Lord Jesus... Let's take a Scripture tonight. What if our Lord Jesus come here, and had on this suit that He gave me. And you'd come up here, and say, "Lord Jesus, will You heal me?"

You know what He'd say? You have an idea? He'd say, "My child, I've already did that." How many knows that?

If you're a sinner, if you'd say, "Lord, will you save me?" He's already done it; you just have to accept it. He was wounded for our transgressions; with His stripes we were healed. Is that right? It's a past tense. Now... But if you wanted to know...

72 What if a man sit here with a long white robe on, and hair hanging way down like this? He might not have looked like that. That's just what the artists painted a picture of; He might look all together different from that. But what if he stood here, and had nail prints in his hands, prints of scars in his forehead, and sit here and said he was the Lord Jesus. You know, right quick I'd tell you he was wrong? That's exactly right. When Jesus comes, time shall be no more. That's right. It could not be the Lord Jesus.

But then, if He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, how could He be here? In the form of the Holy Spirit, where He sanctified us, to move into us, and to perform His works through us, 'cause that's His agents. "The works that I do shall you also." Is that right? Now, He might declare Hisself... How would He declare Hisself then to know that He was the same Jesus? Because that it would... He would... He'd be able to do the same work that He did before He was crucified. And that was, that He--He did what the Father showed Him. Now, if...

Is there anybody here that's never been in one of the meetings before? Raise your hand. Never been in one of the meetings... Well, God bless you; we're glad to have you in tonight.

73 Now, you out there, you just look up towards heaven, and say, "Lord, this man doesn't know me; I know he doesn't. But I'm sick. Now, let me see if that message he preached tonight, 'As it was in the days of Sodom... '"

How that that Angel come up there, and set down to Abraham: Three--two Angels and God. How many knows that was God? Abraham said it was God; he called Him "Elohim" the Lord God. He ought to know; he was the one talking to Him. Elohim set there with dusty clothes, and said... After the other two preachers went down into Sodom, one stayed with Abraham. Now remember, he was a stranger.

And he said, "Abraham, where is your wife, Sarah?"

How did He know he was married? How did He know he had a wife, his name was Abraham, and her name was Sarah? And the Bible says... Said it was in the tent behind him.

And he said, "I'm going to visit you according to life--time of life." (Like he promised.) And Sarah, inside the tent, laughed to herself.

And the Angel said, "Why did Sarah laugh?"

74 Is that right? What kind of a telepathy was that? Now, Jesus said that same thing will take place just before the whole world burns like Sodom and Gomorrah burned; fire will fall from heaven. And He said that same thing will take place, the same works.

Now, watch--Martin Luther was the first in the reformation. He preached justification, wide stretch. Then along come Wesley; the Pillar of Fire moved. Wesley... Luther couldn't move, because he was organized. The Pillar of Fire went out; Wesley followed It--sanctification, the second work of grace. He built a great church; saved the world at that time, the Wesleyan revival. The what? The Methodist people? You built an organization; you ended your doctrine with a period. "We believe this and nothing else."

75 When the Holy Ghost begin to move out again, the Pillar of Fire, the Pentecostals saw it as the baptism, and the resurrection of the gifts. The Wesleyan couldn't move from that: Church of God, Pilgrim Holiness, Nazarene. They couldn't do it. They'd already settled for sanctification. But now come the baptism; the Pentecostals saw it.

Do you know what Billy Graham said the other day? "The Pentecostal church is the most powerful growing church that there is in the world today." That's right.

The "Sunday Visitor," the Catholic church said just recently that last year (or the year before last it was) that the Pentecostals registered a million five hundred thousand converts--above any other church there was in the world. Why? Men that don't even know their ABC's, preaching the Gospel, the power of God, that's right; God promised it.

76 Now, watch--we'd getting so organized, and so forth. "And we just have this. And He's coming on a white horse, and not a white cloud, or..." so forth, till the Holy Spirit's pulling right on out from that now (That's right.), coming out, and bringing the church, not into a latter rain or something, He's already in the latter rain. He's just forming the church together, just like the big pyramid down yonder in Egypt. The headstone never was put on top of the pyramid, because the headstone was rejected. That's right. The cornerstone was rejected in the building. So, what is it? The church... Every stone has to heap and shape itself, just exactly like that headstone, that when it comes, it'll make the complete Pyramid--the body of Christ.

And now, the Spirit of God in the Church today is just exactly like It was when It was in Christ Jesus. Jesus said in Saint John 5:19: "I can do nothing till My Father shows Me. The Father worketh, and I worketh hitherto."

Now, if He will come tonight and perform the same thing out there, in here, and around, how many will believe Him to be the resurrected Son of God, and the Watchman is in the tower, showing His signs and wonders of the coming.

77 Come here, sir. Now, here's a man. He just raised his hand that he and I were strangers. I've never seen the man in all my life, until I seen him setting right there just awhile ago, when he got up to come up here. I do not know him; I've never seen him. I don't know what he's here for; I don't know nothing about him. Now... Now, if I would go over here, and lay hands on him, say... I'd say, "Mister, are you sick?"

"Yes, sir."

Maybe he is, maybe he isn't; I don't know. But say he is, and I lay my hands on him, and say, "Jesus Christ makes you well. Go in peace."

He could believe that. That's Scriptural: "They shall lay hands on the sick." Now, that's the way Brother Roberts prays for the people. All right?

78 Now, someone said to me, "Brother Roberts would pray for five hundred, while you pray for fifty."

I know, I'm not a Oral Roberts. Oral Roberts is not me. See? We both have our different ministries. God puts it together to make us a complete body. See? Brother Roberts is a man of God, and he prays for the sick. So is the other brothers; they're all men of God, and they have different ways of praying for the sick. This is the way the Lord gave me.

Now, He told me to pray for the sick, just merely pray for them; lay hands on them. But said, "These signs... This sign will be given you. And that will be the thing that will cause the people to believe."

Now, if I'm truth... telling it truth, the sign is a Bible sign (All that knows that.) promised in the last day. Now, I've talked about it, preached about it, talked about it; you've heard about it. Now, will it work? That's it. If that works, they're... Anything else will work. Did it work for you when the Holy Ghost came? Did you believe there's... the promise of the Holy Ghost? Did you get it? That's right. It worked fine. See? God keeps every promise. Now, He keeps this promise: Now "As it was in the days of Sodom. The works that I do shall you also."

79 Now, here's a man that I've never seen. I know nothing of him. God knows that's true. And he don't know me; I don't know him. Only he just knows me, that... He's seen me, but I know nothing about you.

Now, if the Holy Spirit is still the Holy Spirit, and I can submit myself to the Holy Spirit by Divine gift, to just relaxing myself. Just like you have to to receive the Holy Ghost, to speak with tongues and things, you had to relax yourself, just let Him take over. Now, if I can relax myself, that He can come in and speak to this man, and tell him something about him--what he knows what is truth or not. What has been, he will know whether that's right or not. Well, if God knows what has been, can tell what has been, surely he will believe what will be then, what He says will be. See? Now, that makes it positive.

80 Now, if anybody's in doubt, you're welcome to come here and take my place. See? You're welcome. Now...

Now, I wouldn't say that for nothing, if He hadn't made me that promise. And around the world before a half a million people at a time, I've seen Him, and He's never failed before witch doctors, and everything else. And I know that He's God; therefore, I have confidence.

81 Now, if the Holy Spirit would speak through me and say something to this man, would it make all of you believe it, you--all of you believe that He is the Holy Spirit here?

Now, Heavenly Father, I realize that I'd be just as much mute as this microphone. This microphone can't speak itself; but it's made to carry my voice. Lord, make me just now to carry Your voice, the voice that You would speak. I don't know the man; he doesn't know me. But You know him, and You know me. So just make me, Lord, by a Divine gift that was ordained before the world began, that this ministry should be in this day--just like all ministries are ordained for that. God places in the church apostles, prophets, teachers, pastors, evangelists, so forth. God does that; that's His ordained gifts.

Now, Father, I pray that You'll let the people see. Then before I ever get back to this city again, if You come or many of these go on, then Father God, at that day there'll be no excuse. Now, I have spoken of You. Speak Lord that I have told the truth. I submit myself to You with this audience, taking every spirit in here under my control, in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

82 Now, just be reverent. Don't doubt; believe all things. Now, just a word, 'cause I been preaching. Wasn't aiming to do it this way; I was just going to pray for the sick. But when I seen a bunch of people that hadn't been in the meetings before, I thought it would be a good thing if I did it.

I'm talking to you just like our Lord talked to the woman at the well. The Father sent Him up there; He knowed He went up there, but He didn't know what to do. The woman come out, so He begin to talk to her. Then when He contacted her spirit, He saw what her trouble was. Now, if the Lord Jesus is here... My spirit don't know you. I don't know you; I've never seen you. But if the Lord Jesus does know you, and if His Spirit can contact you, and then use me to talk, He can say the same thing like He did to that woman there. No matter what it is.

83 Now, if the Lord will reveal to me something that you're here for... And of course, we know you're over-weighted, but something besides that. See? That would be... Would it make you believe? Would it give you faith in God to make you believe? And the audience said it'd make them believe. Now, may the Lord grant it.

Now, if the audience can still here my voice, I see the man moving back. Yes, he's got a hernia; he has a hernia that's bothering him. That is true. You believe? Now, I couldn't see that, but he's got it.

You say, "You might have guessed it, Brother Branham."

Just a minute, we'll see if it is. I believe... I'll try to keep that on my mind. I saw a rupture, or something or other--a hernia, I believe it was, hernia. And you have heart trouble also? You've had a... You've had a automobile accident also. That's THUS SAITH THE LORD. And you're not from here. No, sir. You're from the city called San Francisco. That's THUS SAITH THE LORD. Jesus Christ makes you well; go on back rejoicing. Your faith has saved you, if you'll just believe.

84 Now be real reverent (See?); believe. I don't blame you. Praise the Lord. Sure, God's a object of worship; certainly. I mean just remain in your seats; have faith. Don't... Believe... Don't disbelieve at all. Just believe with all your heart. Now, some of you out there, get to praying, believing. Just bow your heads, and bow your heart instead of your head.

Now, this man here is a stranger to me. I believe you raised your hand down there that we were strangers one to another. Then I don't know you, never seen you. And God knows you; I don't. Now, if He will tell me something that's wrong with you, or something you have done, or something that you're going to do, or something you're planning to do, or just something you know that I know nothing about, would it increase your faith, sir? Would it do that to the audience? All right.

85 Now, here's two men that's never met, never met before in life. Now, this is just the same as when Simon Peter came to the Lord Jesus. And his name was Simon, so He told him his name was Simon. Said, "You're the son of Jonas." And when He had told him, talked to him, Peter believed. Now, the Lord God knows this man; I don't. But if the Lord will reveal something, he said it would make him believe, have faith. When it... You said it would make you believe. Now, may the Lord grant it, just as I humble myself.

Now, my precious friend, we are here in the Presence of God. We are here for no other purpose but the glory of God. Now, if you'll just have faith, and don't doubt, and believe. Yes, you're suffering with some kind of a trouble like rectum fistula. That's your trouble: fistula. That's what you want healing for. There's something strange about you. You are a preacher. That's right. And I see you--you used to preach right here. But you don't... You're not here now; you're near a--the city called Eureka, something like that. That's right. You believe God knows who you are? You are the Reverend Howard Call, THUS SAITH THE LORD. Have faith. God bless you.

86 You believe with all your heart? Just believe; that's all you have to do. Have faith in God; don't doubt. Now, lady... Now, you see, right now look here at my hand. See? It just...

Lady setting there suffering with sinus trouble, bothered, praying also for a sister, and that sister is in a state hospital. But you touched the hem of His garment then. What did you touch, lady? His garment, the High Priest. Now, those things are true. Now if it is, raise up your hand if you want to accept it. All right. God bless you. There you are. See, woman setting there not even in a prayer line. What did she do? She touched the hem of the High Priest's garment; that does it. Have faith in God now. Just set and pray like she was.

87 Now, you are a stranger to me. I do not know you. I have no way of knowing you; we're just two people that's met here on earth, a man and a woman, like--just like it was in the days of our Lord when that little well, they met... the woman at Samaria. Now, if the Lord will reveal to me something that you know I know nothing about, then it'll make you believe, will it? All right, may the Lord grant it.

Now, you're real weak from some reason; you've had an operation. And that operation was a cancerous condition; that was on the thyroid. That's THUS SAITH THE LORD. Now, believe with all your heart. Satan, I condemn this condition in my sister. Come out of her in the Name of Jesus Christ. Go and be well now. It's all over. Go and praise God.

88 How do you do, young lady? I do not know you. I'm a stranger to you, but God knows both of us. Now, just a minute... Somebody, somebody in the building... There's another woman standing here then. See? Now, be real reverent.

Oh, isn't it wonderful to be in His Presence? He... Friends, can you wake up to realize the fact that the Word of God's made manifest? Now, have faith. It's somebody here.

Now, to you again. I... If I could help you any way, I would do it. But I can't help you, only... If Jesus was standing here, He couldn't help you. You'd have to have faith in His--what He's already done, because the whole plan of salvation, every redemptive blessing, was completed in Calvary when He died. Do you believe that? You are a Christian; I can feel your spirit, that you're a Christian. But you're not standing here for yourself; it's for somebody else. That's your husband. He's not here, he's sick at home. He's bothered with something that's crippling him; it's arthritis. He has a skin disease. The man used to be a Christian; he's backslid now. You have a daughter here with you; she's got kidney trouble. And--and you've got domestic trouble in your home. That's THUS SAITH THE LORD! That's the truth, isn't it? You believe with all your heart, and these things will be corrected? Then in the Name of Jesus Christ, go and receive it. Amen. I challenge you to believe it to be the truth.

89 Now, just visions like that... Now, the whole audience is... I've been meeting after meeting, so the whole audience looks like, just looks like kind of bright like, a glow, glimmer over the top of this audience right now. That's the Presence of the Holy Spirit. See? I'm getting into such a place now. And see... You've entered into another world, another dimension, another realm. And I'm--I'm as weak if I'd preached since noon today. That's right. I have to stop just a little bit, because you kindy rest yourself. Now, this is several... This...

What we'd say to this woman here: We are strangers to one another, but Jesus knows us both. Do you believe that? All right, you believe it.

90 Now, when Moses went down to Egypt to perform a sign, to show the people that God had sent him, that sign was a vindication that He was God's servant. Is that right? He was telling them the truth, how to escape the wrath of that nation. The wrath of God was coming upon the nation. The Passover had to be done. And now, Moses went down there, and performed the sign that God told him to do: Turned the stick into a snake and then picking it back up again, and performed his sign with the leper hand. And all Israel believed him without one murmur. See? They believed him.

But wonder why it is today people don't, when Jesus said this would take place. Here He is, right here tonight. I--I had no choosing in this; those things were foreordained of God. Do you believe that? Sure, they were ordained of God. Man can't make himself. "Who taking thought can add one cubit to his stature?" But this is not a easy way; it's a hard way: suffering, suffering beyond known. You can't tell the public; they wouldn't understand it. You can't explain it, because you don't know it yourself. You just have to go ahead and do your ministry; when it's all over, you go home.

91 Now, I'm talking to you just like our Lord did the woman at the well to find your trouble. I'll find it by His grace. You have TB, that's right. You also have a cancerous condition. You have a blood disease that the doctors can't do nothing about; it's incurable. That's exactly... I see a kind of a--a stout looking doctor, shake his head as he looked at the thing, said, "There's nothing can be done for it." That's right; that describes him. Now, how would I know in a--right in the room, the laboratory, where he was standing? See? Now, you have a lot of complications of things, other things that's wrong with you; you're really sick. You're not from this city. No, you're from a larger city than this, and the city lays east of here. It's Salt Lake City. That's right. If God will tell me who you are, and you all the way from there, if God will tell me who you are, would you believe me to be His prophet? You will? All right, Miss Harvey, you can return home and be made well. Jesus Christ makes you well.

92 You believe on the Lord? All right, come. Now, somebody thinks that you're--that you might be reading her mind. Come here, lady. Put your hand on mine. God will tell me what's wrong with you, you believe it? Your heart trouble's healed. Go on home and be well. Now, what about that?

Come, lady. Now, this woman has the same thing, because there's a light come from this woman to that one. Just keep on going; you're healed too. Jesus Christ makes you well. God bless you.

Come up, ever who you are, down there; come this way. Now, if God will tell me what's your trouble by looking this way, will you believe me to be His prophet? Back trouble. Go on your road and rejoice. Say, "Jesus makes me well." Believe it with all your heart; have faith in God.

93 Now, when you get up of a morning, you're real stiff too. Arthritis is what you want prayer for. Now, if you'll believe on the Lord with all your heart, tomorrow night you can run up that step. Go believe now, run up the step. Believe with all your heart. That's got to be you to believe.

All right, come, sister. You believe God can let me look at you out there, and tell what's wrong with this woman? Well, would you believe with all your heart, sister, too? You would? All right, go and your asthmatic condition will leave you. You believe that? All right. Go, believe on the Lord Jesus with all your heart.

94 Now, this woman coming here, you want to know what she's got wrong with her? It's stomach trouble. Go get you a hamburger; God heals you and makes you well. Have faith.

God can do for you what Asthmador won't do. You believe that? Then go on your road rejoicing, that old coughing... Come out of him, in the Name of Jesus Christ. God bless you; go believing.

What if I told you, you was healed when you got to the top of the steps, would you take my word for it? Go, rejoicing, saying, "Thank you, Lord." Go and be made well. Believe with all your heart.

You're a mighty healthy looking woman to be bothered with nerves, but that's what your trouble is. Go, it's all over now. See? Menopause, just a change.

Now, you believe the asthmatic condition leaves you too, a lady's trouble and asthmatic condition? Go on your road rejoicing, saying, "Thank you, Lord. He heals me."

95 How many out there wants to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ? How many believes that this is the Holy Spirit, that I'm your brother? Then the Holy Spirit's here. See that woman healed? You can be healed too. How many believers is here? Raise up your hand. Then the Bible said, "These signs shall follow them that believe. If they lay hands on the sick, they shall recover." Lay hands on one another; put your hands over on one another. Pray for one another.

Lord Jesus, come in Your power. I give to You this audience. Satan, you've lost the battle. Come out of this audience. Leave this people in the Name of Jesus Christ. Praise be to the living God.