Blind Bartimaeus

Thank you so much my dear friends, and you may be seated just a moment, because I know you're tired, standing. I got so much to say to you.

[Bro. Joseph Mattsson-Boze says, “These flowers are also gifts from Mr. Shultz.”] Brother Joseph, I guess the last one pinned a flower on me was my mother years ago, when I was in school. [“You've got one more.”] Thank you. Thank you kindly friends. I just don't know how to express this warm feeling. I didn't think about a little ... a birthday welcome like this. My, it would be good to have a birthday every time I come to Chicago. That's very fine.

To our dear brother, the florist, I think that's beautiful and I.... As Billy said ... over ... I believe it was in Minneapolis, not long ago.... They had him up to speak one morning. They said, “How do you feel?”

Said, “I'm scared.”

So, that's about the way I kind of feel—without words to say. That is very pretty, and Leo, Gene, any of you all got a camera, I'd like to have a picture of that, if any one has a camera. [Brother Mattsson-Boze says, “We will see to it that we get the official picture tomorrow. I tried tonight, but couldn't get it.”]

That's good. That's very fine. That's good. They're going to have an official picture tomorrow. That's fine. God ever bless you, my dear brother. Gifts laying under this, that beautiful plaque there. And I certainly do appreciate those, friends. You didn't have to do this. I'm getting too old to celebrate a birthday. That's the reason I wanted to forget about it. I got it all mixed up.

One of my brethren, Brother Woods, I believe it was, said, Brother Joseph said over at the Philadelphian church, said, “Now let's see, Brother Branham is thirty, isn't he?”

Yes, and almost thirty more. And the Lord has certainly been good to me in these forty-seven years of life. I was born April the 6th, nineteen hundred and nine, in a little cabin up in the eastern Kentucky mountains. And I.... It was His grace that brought me here. He's fed me and kept me ever since, and I love Him with all my heart.

I don't feel I'm an old man. I feel like that I.... To be honest, I feel just.... Feeling in my body, I feel a lot younger than I did twenty years ago. I feel fine, because I was always a little bitty skinny boy until about five years ago. The Lord Jesus healed me of a terrible run-down condition; underfed when I was a child, and nervous. And even in such a condition that Mayo Brothers said there wasn't hope for me.

And He appeared to me in a vision and told me, “It's over.” So, that settled it. And I've been strong and healthy ever since. Every once in a while.... I have a friend, doctor, it's a neighbor boy to me there, he has a clinic. Led him to the Lord, very fine man. And he's over to my house, and I over to his. And then he takes me down there to the clinic and runs me through. And here the last time I went through that clinic for examinations, by God's grace, I was just as sound as could be. The blood, the everything....

And that's the great gift that comes from God. And if He will just keep me healthy, and in my right mind, keep my heart right with Him, I want to serve Him as long as I live on earth. I promise Him that from this platform tonight, if He'll keep me in my right mind, and keep me healthy and strong, so that I can serve Him, and I love Him, and I promised Him, that I'll do everything I can that lays within my power for His people. And that's the way we serve God, as we serve each other. That's the only way we can serve God.

I can be thankful that He's kept me true to moral life, and so forth. There's only one thing that I do, that I know of that's outside of religious work, and I do love to go fishing and hunting. I just love that. And I'm glad He lets me have that, because it's out in the outdoors and clean. And how I love to go out on the creek banks, especially a little later on in the season when it's warm, and fish, and go up into the mountains and be alone up there. Maybe, not to kill the animals, but just to get up in the mountains to be alone, around horses and things.

I've done quite a bit of riding in my days, and I love horses, and riding, and fishing, and hiking, and those outdoor things. I'm trying to bring my boy up the same way. And my little boy, Joseph, and I'm trying to bring him up, if God lets me live, I want to bring him up the same way, to be a good clean outdoorsman, loving God with all of his heart.

And I do believe that my little boy, Joseph, will perhaps, take my place when God calls me from the earth. And I trust that the prophetic, or whatever it may be, the gift of God that has been so solemnly given, will rest upon either Billy or Joseph, one, when I leave, that God will continue the ministry after I'm passed beyond the scene.]

Many of us now is up past the youthful age, and we must pass on someday into a better life, and a better world. And it's not hard to think that. I'm so glad that I know that to be true. That's what my heart yearns, is to get to tell people the Bible truth that I know. That after this life is over, we have a life that's far beyond this. This is only a shadow, or the negative, that after the death develops the picture, when we pass from this mortal to immortality. We change this old worn out body for a body that'll never get old. That's right.

I suppose I have been to Chicago so many times, till I can't hardly think of a text in the Bible but what I've preached on. And I suppose I've said this, a little thing that my.... I've had a message on my heart here not long ago, woke up one night. And oh, I felt so good; I just wanted to preach, and I had a.... Not a very big audience: one person, my wife, had to wake her up. Just burning in my heart, and I preached to her till about two o'clock in the morning; she went to sleep on me.

I was combing what few hairs I had left on my head. She said to me, she said, “Billy,” she said, “you're getting baldheaded, honey.”

I said, “I know, sweetheart, but I haven't lost a one of them.”

She said, “What?”

I said, “I haven't lost a one.”

She said, “Where are they at?”

And I said, “I'll tell you something, sweetheart, you might not know. If you'll tell me where they was before I got them, I'll tell you where they are waiting for me to come to them.” They were somewhere. Is that right? Wherever they was, they're waiting for me.

And a new body is waiting there, some day, not only for me, but all that love His appearing. That's right. Some day, the old mortal will take away, and the immortal will take its place. The sorrows and sickness and heartache will fade away to a new body, health forever, and in the presence of God. Won't that be wonderful? Then we'll all have one big happy birthday, won't we? Celebrate it forever. Until that time, may God smile His richest blessings upon you, upon all my beloved friends, upon my critics, upon all. May God's richest blessings rest on you.

[Bro. Mattsson-Boze says, “We would like Brother Eckberg to sing Down From His Glory.] That would be.... [”That's Brother Branham's favorite song. And we'd like to dedicate from ... Brother Eckberg wants to dedicate that Brother Branham.“] Fine. That's my favorite song.

The little German boys (I don't guess they're here, tonight) they sang it this morning. And it was just.... Say, I'm getting really birthday presents. And to hear Brother Eckberg sing Down From His Glory, that would be marvelous. And the reason I like that, it just expresses Him the way I love Him. All right.

How many loves that song. Let's see your hand. Just remember, that's my favorite hymn. All right, Brother Eckberg.

[“There's also a flower each for Brother Woods, and Brother Billy up there, if the brethren would come up and wear the flowers tonight, please.”]

[“It has been my privilege to be with Brother Branham in several campaigns now. I know that he likes this song, and also Then Jesus Came. Tonight, I'd like to give this as a little present from me. I have received so much blessing from Brother Branham's ministry. Oh, how I love Him, how I adore Him. My breath, my sunshine, my all in all. That's my God.” The brother sings Down From His Glory.]

Did you get that, Leo? Oh, I feel lots better now. I could just listen to that hours after hours. We got some recording boys down here, Brother Leo Mercier and Brother Gene Goad. They take the recordings, and I was just so in hopes they was hooked up and they got it. That's good. Oh, Brother Eckberg, you don't know, when I get real lonesome, or something, I get back in the room and play them over. I'll live it all over again then. That's very fine. The Lord bless you kindly.

Now, when I said, “Brother Mercier,” I seen him duck his head, he's kind of bashful sort of a boy. He and Brother Gene, here, they kind of.... You've met them, they've been in pretty near all my meetings here. They kind of was going to play a FBI trick on me one time, when they first come into the meetings, down in Hammond, Indiana. They seen those things going on; they said, “There's a trick to it somewhere, so we're going to find out.”

So, they slips down in Jeffersonville, and rented them a little place, and said, “I just wonder if that happens down around his home somewhere?” It happens a thousand to one at home, to what it does here. That's right. So, they become what I say, “My students.” And we're very good friends. The Lord bless these boys.

And, now, remember, tomorrow afternoon service, I believe at two-thirty; is that right, Brother Joseph? [“Yes, and would it be possible, Brother Branham, that you could relate some of your visions? Relate this vision tomorrow afternoon?”] I will do it. [“See, there's so many friends who wanted the paper, they would like to read it, but we are sold out completely.”] All right, we'll do that. That will be fine. That's good. All right.

Tomorrow morning, I believe we have a broadcast, isn't it, in the morning? And then Brother Oral Roberts.... Nearly all you Full Gospel people know Oral Roberts. He's having a service at the.... Did you announce that? [“Milwaukee.”] at Milwaukee, and I think it goes on through next week. Doesn't it? [“No.”] Ends on Sunday? [“Closes tomorrow.”] Closes tomorrow.

And Brother.... Wasn't there someone else here in the city? [“Brother Freeman.”] Brother Fleeman, or Freeman.... [“At the coliseum down here.”] Where? [“The coliseum.”] The coliseum, that service will be going on tomorrow, too. And I've never met Brother Fleeman, or Freeman, I believe it is, but I do know Brother Roberts. And they're both fine brothers. And so you listen to them, if you.... I think Brother Freeman will probably go on next week. And any time that there's any of these brothers along through the cities, why, be sure to, if you can, to attend their meeting.

Something struck my heart just a few moments ago. There's a little boy standing outside, as I come in. He said, “Do you remember me, Brother Branham?”

And I said, “I believe I do, son.”

He said, “In Hammond, Indiana, when I come to your service, I had two ruptures.” And said, “You prayed for me, and those ruptures just dried up.” And he said, “Now I play basketball.

So, the little fellow, he was just a little bitty lad then, and now he's a great big man. I was thinking over here at Milwau... or Waukegan, a little minister, I believe the.... I think his father was a Christian minister, I forget just what.... It might not have been a Christian church. But anyhow the little boy was cross-eyed and he was healed in the service. And he used to follow along. And everywhere I'd see him, he'd say “You remember me, Brother Branham?” And now that lad's way up here, a great big boy. And this little lad told me he was playing music in his church. And so that's very fine. God bless these little fellows. The crop for tomorrow, if there is a tomorrow.

Now, we could just talk so much, and we love to speak to you so well; but now, tomorrow afternoon is the preaching services, and so.... And then, tomorrow night, the services close in this special camp ... this campaign. And we go to Columbia, South Carolina, to begin there. And then to Spindale, and then to Charlotte, and then into Anchorage, Alaska. So, if your people are living in around near, why, send them word and to attend the meeting.

Now, over in the glorious Gospel of Saint Mark, in the 9th chapter, we read these verses, the 42nd and 43rd.

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

And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.

You know, it must have been a bad day. No one had give him anything. So, he was sitting out along the side of the road, and the warm sun had rose up, so he was kind of sitting, dreaming like, as it was, about things that had passed. And he picked up his ragged garment, wrapped it around him and goes over to the side of the wall, and sits down. And the warm sunshine ... he turned himself around, towards the sun, and he begin to say, “Now let's see, as I was thinking: surely, surely, there must be something to it. You know, this has been a very terrible day for me. No one has give me anything, and the crowds has been gathering into the city, and people don't give very liberally here at the gate anymore. And I can't attract any attention, because I have nothing, no more than any other beggar, to attract them by.

“Not long ago, I had some little doves, and they would do little tricks, and I offered them to the Lord for a sacrifice a few months ago, because my little girl was sick and I told the Lord if He would just let my little girl live, that I would sacrifice these two little doves. And He let her live and so I sacrificed the doves.

“Then I had a.... My odds are so against me. Someone has to lead me home now. I don't have no lamb to take me home. I used to have a lamb, and it would take me home. And knowed the way back from the gate, up to my little cabin, or little shack, along the side of the hill, that overlooks Jordan. And my wife got sick, so I offered God this lamb, if He would heal her. And He did.

“And I'll never forget what the priest said to me when I was going into the temple. He said, 'Bartimaeus, you can't offer that lamb. That lamb is your eyes.'

“I'll never forget just how it struck me, I said, 'Well, but, God will provide another lamb for Bartimaeus's eyes.'”

And as he sat there, grouped up, and the sun had passed around a little bit, and he kind of got in the shadows, and pulled back out in the sun, and gathered up his ragged garment. Sat down in another place, and thought he would continue his dreaming, thinking.

You know, I like to do that myself. Everyone else does. Sit down, think of it. Some days when you get the kiddies to run off to school, right quick, and fix hubby's breakfast and kiss him goodbye, and he's gone for the day, and you get the dishes done up, and then, go in and sit down and relax, and just get to yourself and think. You sisters know what that is. And think, “O God, I remember when little Sally was born, and when Patricia was born, how I come near dying, and You helped me. You saved me. I can remember all those things.”

And brethren, you know, sometime when the boss lets you off and you have a Saturday afternoon, and you get the old fishing pole and a can of worms, and get way back, out on the creek bank, somewhere, and sit down under the tree, and throw the pole in the water, and get a forked stick, and hold it up, just fold your arms, and get a straw in your mouth, and dream. That's relaxing, that's good for you. We need more of that.

This blind beggar was doing something on that manner, this day. And he was thinking about.... Now, his mind slips back to a little boy, a little Jewish boy, and how that his mother would get up.... He could see then, he could look around, he could see the blue skies, think, “Oh, wasn't that wonderful? I could look at the skies, and mama used to kiss me and pat me on the head and saying, 'Why, your eyes are as blue as the skies. They look like the stars that's up there.'

“Oh, if I could only see that sky again. If I could only see that mother again. If I could only see the great swelling Jordan again. If I could look upon.... But my eyes are blind, I can't see now. And here I am an aged man, and been blind now for all these years. I remember when I fell and hurt myself, and put my eyes out. Now here I sit.

“You know, I remember when mother used to tell me about long years ago, how that some day there would be a great Messiah come on earth. And when He come, He would be God's great Messiah. And how He would restore the sight to the blind. How the lame would leap like an hart. She told me the prophet Isaiah had said those things—God's anointed prophet. It cannot fail. But oh, that seems to be so far in the future, way past my day.

“And then, I remember her telling me of how that God Jehovah was with His people, down in Egypt. How that they went down there because Abraham, the prophet, had said that they would be down in there for four hundred years, and how God would bring them out, and great Jehovah God stood for His people. How He beat down the enemy, and how He opened the Red Sea, and He healed them when they were sick in the wilderness.

“But, oh, my! What a great mighty Jehovah that was that my mother read the scrolls—the old family Bible—and told me about it, but alas, they tell me, 'Those days are gone. Jehovah doesn't do those things no more. The days of miracles is passed.' My priest told me that the days of miracles was passed, so I suppose we don't have those things no more. But I used to enjoy those stories.”

I can see him sitting there now, and the first thing you know, somebody's coming. Someone clipping along the side of the highway, the old polished stones, over the road there. He slips back out there, and said, “Kind sir, I am a blind man. Would you please give me a coin today?”

“Oh, out of my way, beggar. There's so many of you around the country today, a fellow just simply can't walk, without some beggar trying to beg him. Get from before me.” And pushed him along.

Well, he finds his way back, blindly, hits the wall, and gets down in the corner. Puts his little old ragged coat over him again, and sits there, and the wind kind of blows a little and he shivered, pulled around by the other side, so the sun would hit him, as the direct rays of the Syrian sun would catch him. And as he sits there, he starts back again.

“Yes, yeah, that's true. I haven't got a coin today, but, you know, there's something strange in my heart, today. I feel very strangely. I don't know why I'm thinking about these things, but, you know, I can just imagine hearing my mother read those stories of the Bible. You know, I'm sitting right now, just think that it hasn't been too long ago, that right down those same old polished cobble stones laying out there, not fifty yards from where I'm sitting, the great prophet Elijah, and Elisha, come arm in arm, walking towards the Jordan. Oh, if I could have only been sitting here then. What would I have done? I'd have been more of a pest than the Shunammite woman was. How I'd have fell before Elisha and them, said, 'Oh, great prophet of God, ask Jehovah, just ask Him (that's all I want you to do), and I'll have my sight.' If I could've only sat here, but everything is past, and so far in the future.”

You know, many times, human beings think that. But if God is God, He's just as great one time as He is the other. He doesn't fail. He's just the same. He can't be great one time and not great the other. He has got to be great at all times; in order to be God, He's to be great. He has to act, as I've said many times, on every case like He acted on the first case. If He didn't, He did wrong the way He acted. If He healed the people in the Old Testament, and won't ... and healed them in the New Testament, the same as He did in the Old Testament, and won't heal them today, as He did then, then there's something wrong with God, see.

You and I can.... We can.... We're growing, as I said. And we're being more cultured all the time. Human race are becoming more civilized and so forth, until we get to a certain spot on this tree of knowledge, and then the thing swings back again. It's always done it. And so, they....

But God was perfect to begin with. And He's been perfect all along. And He'll always be perfect. He can't be no more. And then, when a crisis arose back there, and people needed healing, in their journey from Egypt to the promised land, and God made a way of healing for them then, because they had need of it. Their doctors couldn't do no good. And the snakes was biting them, and they were dying. And all their remedies that they put on, wouldn't heal them. And if God provided a healing for them then, and today of cancer, and heart trouble, and diseases that our beloved doctors don't know of how to doctor it hardly.

And I heard a statement, the other night on the radio, of some said that they had never proved that an operation for cancer had ever been successful. That's right. Not one. So, they have nothing to doctor with. Some of them say, “It's a fourth dimension disease,” they call it. But it's a devil. That's exactly. God is still God.

And if our doctors cannot find anything to help us with, don't you think that God is obligated? The same kind of a crisis arise.... Dr. Moses, back there, and none of the ... was taught in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and none of their doctors that they had with them. You mean to tell me.... Those shrewd Hebrews have always been a smart people, thrifty; and they had all their remedies and things with them, that they tried to treat a snakebite. As many serpents as there was in those days, but their snakebites ... their remedies for snake bites would not work. So then, God was obligated to act. And He'll always act in a crisis. And the way He acted then, He's got to act the same now, or He did wrong when He did that, see. He's got to act in the same way. Oh, there's nothing wrong with God, friends.

If I'd say this with all my heart, as a Christian minister: Tonight, if every soul that's in the United States would turn to God, with all their heart, with all their soul, and believe Him that way, I'll say that the cancer, heart trouble, and everything, in America, the problems would be settled right there. That's right. But when you got so much mixed up....

And just think what a little teeny ... one fortieth, oh, my, one percent of one hundredth would be about the people who really believe in divine healing. And then, think of the battle you've got, in the opposition. And in there, you got people who think that it's fake. You got people who think that it's some crazy something. And all these other things you've got to come back with. So you see, we're on the small side, as far as eyes is concerned, or our mental conception, but in the eyes of God, we're in the majority. Because one is a majority with God.

Notice. But when....

He thought if Elijah would have come down that road, then he'd have run out there and stopped him and said, “Elijah, great prophet, you and Elisha, will you ask God? And I believe God would give me my sight back.” That's the kind of faith to have. “But, I can't do it now, because it's all passed. They tell me at the church that it's all passed.”

Then he hears some horse coming ... or, a little donkey coming down the road, clicking his little heels as he's walking along ... with the hoofs, rather, on the street, as he's clicking along the side of the cobblestones. And all at once, he runs out into the road, hollers, “Would you please help a blind man? I have a wife and baby at home, and I have nothing to eat for them. Would you please help a blind man?”

A fellow stops and says, “Out of my way, beggar. I am on my way.... I am the head of the ministerial association of this city down here. I am on my way to stop a fanatic. All this fanaticism of a prophet in this day. Oh, I tell you, it's ridiculous to what our country is coming to. Such fanatics, a soothsayer, a fake, is entering this city today, and the ministerial association has to get together with all the medical science and stop this nonsense. So, out of my way!”

And the boy pushes him out, said, “Yes, holy father, we will take you straight on into the city to your destination. I am the servant of the Lord.” And clicking on down the street.

Poor beggar turns back, sits down by the side of the wall again. No one to help him. No one to encourage him. Then he starts dreaming again, as it was. Said, “Just think, less than a mile from here, Israel, my people, crossed this river of Jordan in the month of April, when she was swelling. And Jehovah God moved back the waters and let them cross on dry ground. And down, less than a mile from where I'm sitting, there's a pillar of stones, pile of stones piled up, as a memorial that Jehovah did this. Surely, He's still Jehovah. How could a mighty One like that cease to be?

“And think of it, within five hundred yards of where I'm sitting, the great Joshua was walking one day, and he come over to kind of look around the walls of Jerusalem, because ... or, the walls of Jericho: they had all closed up, by the fear of our people. And he seen a man standing with his sword drawn, and Joshua the mighty warrior, running, drew his sword to meet Him. He said, 'Are You for us? Or are You for our enemy?'

“And the man said, 'Nay, I'm the Captain of the host of the Lord.' And Joshua, the prophet, the warrior, the mighty man of valor, threw down his sword, took off his helmet, dropped his shield to the ground, and fell to the man's feet and worshipped Him. None other than the Son of God.”

Notice, little did blind Bartimaeus know that not over two hundred yards from him, that same Captain of the host of the Lord was coming on his road. That's right.

And that's the same way it is here tonight. Many of you, maybe, helpless, hopeless, as far as the world is concerned. But that same chief Captain is right here. That's right.

After a while he hears a noise coming. He listens. What's happened? Maybe there's a fire in the city. Maybe there has been an accident or something. And he hears ... don't sound like an accident, it don't sound like a fire. Some of them hollered, “You faker. Out of our city.” Others are hollering, “You are Beelzebub, you fortuneteller. Get out of our city, we don't want You here.” And others are hollering, “Hosanna, hosanna, to He that cometh in the name of the Lord.” Some blessing, and some cursing. And what's happening? Overripe fruits are being throwed.

And he says, “Could someone tell me what's going on?” No one seen, they was piling over each other, he raised up, said, “What's going on?” And somebody pushes him down.

“Sit down, beggar!” On they went.

Some of them said, “We challenge You. We dare you to perform a miracle in our sight. We want to see it done. We want to see it with our own eyes. You, who raised the dead, we got a whole cemetery full up here. Ha, ha, ha! Come up here and raise them. Sure! Come up here and raise them. Oh, You, who destroys the temple and raises it up in three days. Hey! Miracle man! Say, my Uncle John down here, he's been crippled for five years, fell off his horse and hurt himself. Come down and heal him. Ha! We'll believe You.” Those who could see, there was One who kept a steady look towards Heaven, walking on. He didn't even hear it. He was too big to hear it. That's right. Big men don't notice nonsense like that. They just ignore it. They know the resource where it comes from. They just go on. Jesus had one thing to do, He had a job to do. That was do the will of the Father and that was all was in His heart and mind.

Any other man that's anointed of God is too big to listen to criticisms and things like that. They have one job to do: that's obey God. God will take care of the rest of it. Just watch, watch what happens to that type of crowd. What if they could rise out of hell tonight? What would they do? I imagine there would be an old-fashioned altar call, sure enough. But they can't. Their attitude towards the Son of God then, sealed their destination. And your attitude towards Him tonight, will do the same thing for you. Right. You either bring Him in or seal Him out. And watch Him as He marks ... walks on. The whole world, every sin that was ever committed from Adam to the last mortal that'll live on earth, laid on His shoulders.

Screaming and crying, everybody yelling, yelling, one thing and another. He walked on towards Calvary. He was going up to Jerusalem, right then, to be offered up. He knew it. He knew what He was here for. He had tried to tell His disciples, but they couldn't understand it. He said, “Oh, You talk in riddles, we don't know what You're talking about.” No one seemed to understand Him. He was misunderstood.

And everyone that tries to live before God right, is misunderstood. That's right. People misunderstand you. They think there's something wrong with you. Sometimes they're considered neurotics, when they really try to live true, live loyal and true to God, because they don't drink and take a sociable party. And that's what's the matter with our country today, we got too many social parties of them things. What's the matter with the Christian church of America? We got too much of that going on in it, under the name of Christianity.

Oh, friends, this might be our last night on earth. How do we know? This might be the last hour that we'll ever have a time to make a decision. That's right. You must think of that. You don't know just what minute or hour you might be called on to answer at the judgment. And then you're not going to be judged as a sinner. You're going to be judged as a rejecter of what you've heard. Faith cometh by hearing.

And I can see the blind man and the people running all over him; Jesus walking on up the road. As He went out the gates, the people hollering and screaming and going on, about fifty or a hundred yards from where the blind beggar was sitting. And he kept crying, “Well, what's going on? What's happened? Are they going to crucify a criminal? What is this man they're saying ... trying to threaten Him and telling Him, if He can heal the sick, to do certain things; and if He can raise the dead, to go up to the graveyard and raise them all up. What are they hollering at that about? Who is the man anyhow?” Nobody seemed to answer.

Finally, one young lady, Rebekah, perhaps, (Zacchaeus' wife) after that morning, her husband being converted, she reaches down and she said, “Kind sir, maybe you don't know; you're a poor man. I feel sorry for you in your rags.”

“But, kind lady, tell me what's going on?”

“Have you ever read in the Scripture where the Messiah would come?”

“Oh, yes! I was just thinking about that. The Son of David.”

“Yes! Yes!” Rebekah said, “That's Him, the Son of David.”

“Yes, I've heard that He would be on the earth some day. Oh, when He comes, what joy there'll be when He comes. A mob like this won't be howling around.”

“But, sir, you're mistaken. There goes the Son of David. That's Him!”

“Oh, you mean the world is treating Him like that?”

“That's Him!”

“Is angels following Him? What kind of a company has He got?”

“He walks alone. He's a man rejected. His message has been turned down. But He's healed the sick. God has proved to be with Him, by signs and wonders with Him. He's the Son of God.”

Then I can see the old beggar scream to the top of his voice, “O Jesus, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.” The last opportunity He'd ever have. The first time it was presented to Him. “Have mercy on me! Have mercy on me!”

Somebody pushes him back, said, “Oh, shut up!” Shoves him back like that.

He said, “Have mercy, Thou Son of David! Have mercy!”

How could He hear Him when there's about five thousand or six thousand people maybe, screaming, “You fanatic. Come on up here in the graveyard, raise up our uncle. He died twenty years ago. Ha! Oh, You who raised Lazarus from the grave. Nonsense. How easy, we know that You took him down there, and had the disciples to fix that all up. It's a phony. There's nothing to it. Oh, come up here and raise the dead up here for us. We'll believe You then.”

And that was not just the sinners; it was sinners, of course, but that was rabbis and priests who ought to have known better. That's right.

“Thou who destroys the temple, and raise it up, perform a miracle in my sight. We want to see You do something. Oh, we've seen you take that little old businessman this morning: he's cracked in the head since You talked to him. But let me tell you something. Let me see You do a miracle and we'll believe You.”

Jesus walked right on. Jesus will never touch, or pay any attention to anybody like that. And if you got that kind of an attitude, just know where you're standing and what crowd you're associating with. That's right.

God, when they put a rag around His face and hit Him on the head, and the Roman soldier said, “Now You who can discern the thoughts, You who are a prophet, tell us who hit You. We'll believe You.” He never opened His mouth, said a word. Sure! He only did as the Father showed Him. He knowed one thing that He had to do: go to Calvary. And He was on His road. Praise God! Marching to Calvary to die for them horrible, ungodly sinners You and I. On His road to Calvary.

Seemed to be not much interested, but one old blind man. And the others mocking, saying, “Say, let me see You do something. Hey! You miracle worker. Let me see you perform something!”

You know what kind of spirit was in them? What Jesus told them, said, “You're of your father the devil.” Scholars, educated, smart men, priests, rabbis, holy fathers. “You are of your father the devil.” He said it.

Why? When the devil met Him when He was first anointed the Son of God, in the wilderness and God came into Him, the devil said, “If You're the Son of God, perform a miracle here before me and let me see You do it. You're hungry, make these stones bread.” He could have done it. Certainly He could. Said, “Perform a miracle, let me see You do it. I'll believe You're the Son of God.”

He said, “It's written in the Bible.” Father's Word says, “Man shall not live by bread alone.”

Said, “Come here and I'll show you something.” Took Him up on the pinnacle of the temple, said, “Oh, you're a fundamentalist, are you? You like the Scripture. Well, let me show you what Psalms says. Now, I want you to jump down off the top of this temple, and go right down to the ground. And just before you get to the ground, before all the people, then, come right back up again and sit up here. Oh, what an outstanding miracle that'll be.” That's as bad as dripping oil off a hand. It's not Scriptural.

So, the first thing you know, he said.... You know what he said? He said this, he said, “It's written here in the Scripture, that He shall give the angels charge over thee, 'less anytime thou dash thy foot against a stone, bear thee up.” But He hadn't dashed His foot against any stone.

Finally, He said, “Get thee hence, Satan. It's worship.... It's written that thou shall worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shall ye serve.” Yes. He did what the Father had showed Him to do.

Now, then He goes on up. He starts on, got, maybe, a hundred and fifty yards. Poor blind Bartimaeus, he was in terrible shape. He hollered, “Oh, have mercy! Have mercy!” He's still walking on. He couldn't hear him naturally with His ears, it was too far from him. If you'd measure the distance from the gate to the side there, you'd find out (All right.) of where they mark and said he was sitting.

Now, way away from the gate—and Jesus going up the road, and all that clamor going on like that—but something happened. I can see blind Bartimaeus. He said, “Oh, Jehovah, it was You awhile ago was speaking to my heart. It was You that was telling me these things and was bringing all these things to my mind. It's You that I've served all my life. It's You that I love. I've looked for this day.”

“And to them that look for the Son of God shall He appear.”

“I've looked for Him to come. And there He goes, the Messiah.”

Now, he didn't say, “Now wait a minute. Let me check all this up.” He believed, that's all. He said, “I believe that's the Messiah. That's Your Son going up the road, the Son of David, according to the flesh. Raised up to sit on David's throne. The Bible said that these things would happen when He was here.” And he believed it.

“And the Bible said, 'The things that I do shall you, also.' And I believe it. The Bible said that these signs shall follow them that believe. And I believe it.”

Certainly. God said so; that settles it.

Then as He moved on, after a while, not the beggar's voice, but the beggar's faith—the same one that touched the hem of His garment, the same type of faith that touched His garment—touched Him again. And he stopped!

Just think, that a faith of a blind beggar, begging for a farthing, a fourth of a penny. Would have been happy to have it. With old ragged coat on, robe wrapped around him, or whatever it was, rags, little old skinny arms, laying down there half starved. But the Prince of Heaven was on earth. The great I AM that had condescended down and come down, and was made flesh and dwelt among us. “What is man that thou art mindful of him?”

And here, beyond the great polished, robed, high-hatted scholarly priest making fun of Him. And the great people, so-called in the world then, making fun of Him and laughing at Him, and daring Him and threatening Him. And a poor little old insignificant beggar was going down in the history of time as immortal.

Bartimaeus' name will be there as long as there's a Bible there. Amen. Why? Because he was smart? No, sir. Because he was educated? No, sir. Because he was well-dressed? No, sir. Because he was scholarly? No, sir. But because he believed! Yes, sir. Never questioned. He believed. Not him that doeth, but him that believeth on Him that justifies the ungodly. Not by works are you saved, but by faith, through grace, are you saved. Not what you are, who you are, but who you believe.

If you believe He's raised from the dead, and believe His words to be true, then He's still Christ to you, as He was to that blind beggar.

Look at that poor colored woman, they was just telling me, walked across the platform night before last, blind, a woman leading her. She walked off the platform, and last night was in the church not being led. Jesus Christ was leading her then. Sure.

How about down in Mexico? It's hard to tell how many. The people are simple. They just believe. They haven't got D.D.D., Ph.D., LL.D. and “I'm this, that, and the other.” The only thing they want to know, “If you can prove it to me that there is a God, I'll accept it.” And when they see the power of Almighty God do something, the whole group accepts it at one time. They picked up loads, after loads, after loads, of canes and crutches, and clubs, that the people had walked on with nothing but just congregational prayer.

When they had an old blind man standing there on the platform, got himself up there, and walking along—they had to bring him over—and when Jesus Christ opened his eyes, hundreds times hundreds of them threw their crutches in the air, and begin leaping and jumping for joy. They didn't argue. They believed.

That's what we need here in the Lane Tech tonight, is faith, not theology. But to believe the risen Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He's alive on earth tonight. Not to try to figure out how He does it, not to try to figure out how it could be. You can't figure God out. You've got to simply believe it. Don't care how scholarly you are, and how many D.D.'s you got on your name, or whatever it is. You cannot explain it. It's got to be an act of faith on your part, because God cannot be explained. Amen.

How can He do it? The mind: When they see something, when they seen Jesus discern a thought, they said, “Oh, now wait a minute. There's something wrong there.” So they tried to trick Him to find out what He was doing. How He did it? What He held up His sleeve? What kind of chemical He had to do this with, that He dropped out of His sleeve, and turned the water into wine? They wondered what it was. What did He have on His hands when He did these things? Some kind of magic. They tried to comb it through. They thought His disciples was His helpers to do it. He had twelve men, what for? See how that carnal, ungodly mind works?

That's what people get who try to figure out the Bible. You just believe it. When God says it, just say, “That's right.” What is confession? Say the same thing. If I make a confession, I say the same thing.

If the Bible said, “I'm the Lord that healeth thee,” I say, “Amen. That's right. You're the Lord that healed me.”

Said, “He was wounded for our transgressions, with His stripes we were healed.” I say, “Amen. He was wounded for my transgressions, with His stripes I'm healed.” That settles it. That's confession.

Said, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever.” I say the same thing. That's all. That's confessing, confessing every word. Not just part of it. If part of it's wrong, all of it's wrong. But every word is God's holy eternal Word. And there's not one precept shall ever fail. It'll work when faith is put with it to work it with.

Now, critics will rise, like they did then, and so forth, but it doesn't matter. God's work will move right on.

Here a few days ago, a certain minister was in Florida. And he had a woman to take the brace off of a child. And the child did not respond to the prayer of a minister. Why? When it was all found out, it was a setup of the devil, to trick the minister, of a bunch of atheistic people who're supposed to be religious, to trap the minister.

I was in Minneapolis at the time. Ask. I told them that to begin with. Said, “Don't worry. I've told you all along we're heading for trouble, but blessed is he that endures to the end.”

Must I be carried home to Heaven on a flowery bed of ease, while others fought to win the prize and sail through bloody seas? No! I must fight if I must reign. Increase my courage, Lord. I do not ask for everything easy.

And as this minister.... As soon as the newspapers could catch it, it swept the nation over: “A minister peeping behind bars!” How the devil wanted to criticize Jesus Christ through His ministers. How the devil wanted to make a public show of that. Then they blocked divine healing, which could not be trusted.

There's an old saying down in the South, where I come from: “Sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.”

And at the same time, when that minister's picture was going over the world ... or, over the United States (on the Associated Press, of course, it went over the world).... While it was gone over the world that divine healing was fogy and there wasn't nothing to it, at the same time, hundreds of people were killed by doctors, and not one word was said against it. A man, during the same time, died in my meeting from a shot the doctor had give him that evening, in the spine.

A Mr. Moore, friend of mine, one of my campaign managers, his wife, going through menopause, a doctor, (nothing against the doctor, or his medicine, certainly not), but give her a shot in the spine, and they called the minister home, during the time that Mr. Cole was peeping through the bars. And, the doctor had to put his mouth against her mouth, and blow breath into her lungs till he got her to a pull motor, and called Eisenhower's heart doctor to find out how to counteract that shot. And now, hundreds of times....

Standing in a room the other day, waiting for a patient—not this one. But medical men coming out of the operation, not knowing that I was back in that corner behind the door, praying, said, “Well, we did it, didn't we?”

“Yeah!”

Said, “I hate it, but there ain't nothing we could do. That operation was too high.” There you are! Patient died just in a few minutes, from a wrong cut.

You didn't see that in the paper. Certainly not. It was a mistake in the name of medical science. Which, I'm not condemning medical science, it's all right. But what I'm trying to say, “Why hammer on Christ, and let the rest of them alone?” If one can't be trusted, then the other can't be trusted.

Watch the resurrection! And weigh all that comes out of the graveyards. Say, “How many of you died trusting God? How many of you died trusting medical science?” And see how it would outweigh. Certainly.

But just as soon, they're looking for every little thing. “This is not right. This is phony. This is that.” Just because it's Christ. The world belongs to the devil. And the Bible plainly says that every kingdom on the earth is ruled by the devil. Jesus Christ recognized that and said so. So we're no exception.

Just look at the wickedness. Just look what's taking place. Them trying to find fault, trying to.... And they never.... Let that poor old blind woman give her testimony of the glory of God. You see a little bitty place, if you paid for it, in the back of the paper, about that big. Sure, she's a colored woman to begin with, see. She'd be way back in the back of the page somewhere.

But let me tell you, sister, if you're sitting here, your name might not be on “Who's Who” but I believe it's on the Lamb's Book of life. I'd rather have it there, than all the pomp of the world. For one day, we've got to leave here. What good does that do then, unless we're recognized there?

Just as impossible it is for an automobile to run without gasoline, it's more impossible for you to ever get to Heaven without being born again. It just won't work, there's nothing to work with it.

So, the blind beggar screamed. No matter what they said.... Some of them said, “Oh, that fogy. That faker, there's nothing to Him. Your priest will put you out of the church.”

“I don't care. Jesus Thou Son of David, have mercy on me! Have mercy on me!”

“He can't hear you now, He's too far.”

“But oh, Jehovah!”

Jesus stopped. Something touched Him. He looked around. He looked over there, and He seen a pair of little bony hands up in the air. Said, “Bring him, here. Bring him, here.”

Said, “Son, thy faith has saved thee.”

I can see him say, “What?”

“Thy faith has saved thee.” Turned around, went walking on. That was enough.

I can see old blind Bartimaeus sitting there said, “Who was that said that? They said, ”My faith has saved me. But yet I can't see. But He said, 'My faith has saved me.' And who was it said that?“

Look what said it. Who was it said, “Ask the Father anything in my name, I will do it.” Who was it said, “That the things that I do shall you also.” Who was it said, “These signs shall follow them that believe.” Who said it? Who said that in the last days they'd be heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God; trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, and despisers of those that are right; having a form of godliness.

Oh, pious with a face long enough to eat oats in a churning. I don't mean that by no joke, because it's not a joking place, but that's true. Walk along very religious. That's all it is, is religious. But as far as salvation, some of them knows no more about it than an Hottentot would know about Egyptian knight. That's right. There they are.

“Oh, you know our church doesn't teach that.” But the Bible does. God said so.

He said, “Let every man's word be a lie and Mine be true.” To me, that's the truth. If God said it, that settles it.

“He said I would receive my sight. Now,” said, “my faith.... Yes, I believed Him. I didn't have one speck....”

Somebody said, “Uh-huh! There's no difference in you.”

“Get away! He said I would receive it, and I will. Oh, glory,” he says. “I can begin to see my hand. Where'd He go?” Here he come down the road, rejoicing, praising God that he had received his sight.

What was it? That priest was right, you know, he said, “God will provide a lamb.” ... or, when he said, “You can't offer that lamb, because it's your eyes.”

And blind Bartimaeus had said, “God will provide a lamb for blind Bartimaeus' eyes.” He had. God had provided a Lamb.

And that same Lamb is provided for every person here tonight, and for every person on earth tonight.

“Receive thy sight. Thy faith has saved thee.”

The word “save” there is the word “sozo”: physical or spiritual. You can't separate it. As long as God is saving the soul, He's got to save the body, just exactly.

“Wounded for our transgressions, with His stripes we was healed.” Same blood, same man, same day. Can't separate it.

Now, is your spiritual eyes open? If not, He's passing this way. Shall we speak to Him now as we bow our heads.

Pianist, if you will.

Our Heavenly Father, we commit these words to You, and may You water it day and night in every heart. Maybe, not the way they were framed and put together, but as a little boy one time, saying his ABC's on his knees: The minister asking him, “Sonny, why are your saying your ABC's on your knees for?”

He said, “Well, I don't know how to pray. My mother is gone. I heard her pray. So, I knowed the alphabet, and I just said it, and maybe God would pick out the words ... the letters, and form the words.”

God, that's the way I present it to You tonight. I can't speak very much, but, God, I just.... Maybe You can pick it out and give it to each heart just the way we meant it. May You open right at this time, many spiritual eyes, Lord, that's never seen the light of day, and the light of God's glory, and an experience of being born again. Grant it, Father.

And while we have our heads bowed, the organ playing, I wonder if there would be someone in here just now, without God, without hope of eternal life. Would you slip up your hand to God, and say, “Remember, me, God. I need Thee.”

Now, would you just, while the rest of them have their heads bowed, raise your hand, see? God bless you. Someone else, just raise up your hand, say, “God it's me.” God bless you, lady. God bless you, over there, lady. God bless you, little lady. Someone else? God bless you, brother. Bless you, my brother. That's fine. Right now. You've got to make a decision. You can't go out that door the same person. You're in the presence of God. You'll either go out that door a better man or woman, or a worse by rejecting. This might be the last time you'll ever reject it. It might be. I hope not. But it may be. But now while He's knocking, and giving one more.... If you feel something at your heart, saying, “Yes, you ought to raise your hand and accept me. You know why.”

Then that's He.

You've got an interview with Jesus just now, like blind Bartimaeus had. He wants to speak to you. Will you raise your hand, saying, “Lord, I feel You at my heart's door.” I now raise my hand and say, “Receive me, Christ.”

Up in the balconies, up there, is there anyone up there along the right side? In the center? Anywhere? Will just raise your hand say, “Me! Lord, I need You. And I want You to remember me, just now. As a sinner, I raise my hand, asking for pardon of my sin, while You're coming this way.”

Someone else down on the bottom floor here, somewhere? Someone that hasn't raised their hand? Several has raised. God bless you, sir. God bless you, lady. God bless you, young lady. That's good. And God bless you, my brother. Someone else just raise your hand, say, “Jesus, now while we're in prayer....”

..................come home,

Ye who are weary, come home;

Won't you do it? Solemnly, everyone praying now. Decisions....

.......tenderly Jesus is calling,

God bless you, lady. God bless you there, my friend.

Calling, O sinner,.............

Won't you do it? God bless you. Someone else now. I'm watching. God's watching. How much more is God's eyes watching. Won't you come home? God bless you, lady. I see your hand, with the red. Way back in the back, God bless you, I see you back there, my brother. Someone else? Just softly, quietly, while we're waiting. God bless you, lady. You're making your decision.

Remember, everyone that raises their hands because God has said so, it's “Thus saith the Lord,” that quick you receive eternal life, and cannot perish.

If you believe me to be His servant, believe that. If you believe His Word! He said, “He that heareth My words and believeth on Him that sent Me, has everlasting life. And no man can come accept the Father draws him first.” It's God's invitation to you to Christ.

Just think, each one of you now, just for seriously for a moment. That organ music, one of these days, no doubt, before long, will be playing while you're a corpse—while your friends are walking around looking into the casket, and you're going out the door. I don't say that to scare you. No, no. I'm just letting you know that that's coming. To every person in here, young or old, now is the time to make your decision. You're invited.

Would there be another, just before closing?

Ye who are weary, come home. Why worry and be tossed about? Say, “Brother Branham, I belong to church, but really, I've never been born again. I want now.... I just got a letter in a church I ... really to know Christ, I don't. But right now, I feel like I ought to do it. I ought to come to Christ.”

I'm not saying leave your church now. I'm saying come to Christ. Would you raise your hand, while the Christians are praying? God is watching for every hand. God bless you, lady. That's good.

Someone else? O sinner. God bless you over there, my brother, I see you with your hand up. Over to my right, I see you, too. God bless you back there. All right.

Come Home. Just think that one more little call. There's at least three people sealed into the kingdom just then. How important is this? You'll never know. What's one of them in the sight of God? Ten thousand worlds wouldn't pay for that soul. Just waiting a moment, I want.... I know I'm taking much of your time, but this is more important than even the prayer line. Is there another just before closing?

God bless you. Good. God bless you. Someone else? Is there someone in the balcony. I don't believe we've had one hand up in the balcony. Are you all Christians up there, friend? I hope you are. If you're not, you're invited to be now.

You remember, at the judgment bar, I'll stand by your side, be judged with you. I'll be judged whether I asked you; you'll be judged whether you accepted. That may be soon. I don't know. All right.

Everyone in the kingdom now and everyone in. Our Heavenly Father, to Thee be praise now and forever more. I quote Your Word, Lord. As Your servant standing here between the sinner and the Saviour. As a minister of the Gospel, I love Your Word. I believe it's true, Lord, every word. I've found it to be true, every word. And now, I'm quoting this to You, Father. You said, “No man can come to Me, except My Father draws him. And He that will acknowledge Me before men, I'll acknowledge him before the Father, and the holy angels. And he that heareth My Word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, has everlasting life, and shall never come into judgment, but is passed from death to life, already.

Now, Father, it is written, again, by the beloved Son of God, He said, “You ask the Father anything in My name, I will do it.” It can't fail. And I'm asking God in the name of Jesus to accept each one of these children that's raised their hands to come to Jesus, tonight. Hide them in Calvary, Father. May they, from this night on, be Thine forevermore. I commend them to Thee, Lord, and commit them to Thee. In the name of Thy Son the Lord Jesus. Amen.

The Lord bless you each one. I feel the Holy Spirit is here tonight. And now, we're just a little late, but we're going now to pray for the sick people. The full Gospel is to pray for the sick, help the weary, and preach the Word, do all the whole Gospel.

Now, how many believes that Jesus has risen from the dead? Let's see your hands. That's fine. Wonderful! That's so good of you. I appreciate that. That's witness. Now, how many knows this? That He has risen from the dead, the Bible said, that He is the same today that He was then. How many knows that? That's wonderful. God bless you. That's good. I'm so glad to see you, by doing that.... You can't do that 'less something is in you making you do it. That's right. That makes me know that this is a blessful place, here, tonight. We're sitting together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. It's a wonderful place to be. I love it. I'd rather be here than anywhere I know—among God's children.

Now, let us just draw the curtain now, to all critics and everything, and look at the Word. If Jesus has risen from the dead, the Bible said He ascended up to the throne of God. We all believe that. And He sent gifts back to men. And then, He sent back, and put in the church, first apostles, prophets, teachers, evangelists and pastors: All for the perfecting of the church, drawing it together. And now, in here ... He claimed that in His church, He would be the same always.

And He said, “A little while and the world wouldn't see Him any more, never no more.” But He promised the church, that they would see Him always, even to the end of the world. Is that right? They promised ... He promised the church that He'd be with them, doing the same things that He did then, among them, unto the end of the world. How many knows that? [“Amen.”]

Now the Messiah is here. We just have to yield ourselves to Him, and He'll work the works of the Father through us. Now when He was here, He didn't claim to heal people. He said, “I don't do no healing. I only.... The Father that dwells in Me does the works, and I don't do anything until He shows Me. First, the Father shows Me what to do, then I go do it.” How many knows He said that? Saint John 5:19. He did. “I see a vision first, then the Father does it.”

But when talking to a woman once, and He told her where her trouble was.... She was a sinner. She was living in adultery. And when she did that.... Why, she said, “This is the sign of the Messiah.” Is that right? Saint John the 4th chapter. Said, “Well, we know when Messiah cometh this will be? But who are You?”

He said, “I am He!” See?

And did.... Now you said, “That was a sinner that said that. That was a sinner acknowledged by that sign, that He was the Messiah. But not one of the Hebrews.” Oh, yes. Yes.

You know what Nicodemus said when he come at night? He said, “Rabbi, we know, we Jews, we know that You're a Teacher come from God, because no man could do the things that You do, except God be with him.” That's right.

Philip, when he went and got Nathanael, and he came to Nathanael, and Nathanael came to Jesus, and Jesus said, “There's an honest man, no guile in him.”

And he said, “When did You know me, Rabbi?”

He said, “Before Philip called you when you were under the tree, I knew you ... saw you,” rather. “I saw you.”

And what did this staunch Israelite say? “Thou art the Son of God.” Is that right? [“Amen.”]

Well, if He's risen from the dead, He'll do the same tonight. But when the world say? What did the unbeliever say? The great church, the big church, what did they call Him? A devil. Is that right? They said, “He does this. He's a spiritualist. He's a Beelzebub. That's what He is, because there's a lot of devil powers working almost the same thing.” The same thing in that day, just the same, like the witch of Endor and so forth, just the same. They said, “That's what He is. That's the class He belongs into.” But they wasn't spiritual enough to discern right from wrong, see.

And that's the way it is today, the same thing. And as He said, “They call the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more are they going to call you, now, that's going to see Me to the end of the world.” Is that right? How much more are they going to call you then?

But here's what He said. “Woe, unto them.” That's right. “It would be better that you'd never been born in the world, to even offend the least of My anointed.” Is that right? Now, not to do anything, but just to offend them in any way, just to say something against it.

The Bible said, “You'd better have a millstone at your neck, and drown in the depths of the sea, than even to bring an offense.” Is that right?

What did Jesus say when they told Him He was Beelzebub? He said, “Now just a moment,” in this word. “I'll forgive you for that, I'm the Son of God, I'll forgive you. But when the Holy Ghost comes, and begins to do the same thing in My name, whoever speaks a word against that, will never be forgiven in this world, or the world to come.” Did He say that? [“Amen.”]

Why? Because they said, “It's an unclean spirit.” Said, “I'm the Son of God. I'll forgive you. But when the Holy Ghost comes down, and gets into the church, and I send My church forth, and they begin to do that, if you speak one word against it, it'll never be forgiven in this world or the world to come.”

So, we better be careful what we say and what we do.

Now, Heavenly Father, all glory be to Thee. We commit the service now to Thee. Thou art God. We are Your servant. We pray that You'll let people know tonight that You're living. Father, many times I've come through Chicago, I guess maybe too many times. But, I love the people. They love me. They love You, Father, because, that's why they love me, is because they love You. And that's why I love them, is because You love them, and love me.

And I pray, Father, that somehow tonight, that You'll appear here, and show the people—not that we have to be shown—but will just let Your lovely Presence be with us. Won't You do it, Lord? Come down now in a form, like You did to them at Emmaus. And when we go home, may the people say, “Our hearts burned within because of His Presence.” We ask it in Jesus' name, that He will confirm His Word with signs following. Amen.

Now, prayer card.... What say? [“R.”] R. Brother Woods has just told me that he give out prayer cards, R. Was that one to a hundred? One to a hundred. All right.

Well, whose got R-number-1, then?

[Break in tape.] Now, prayer card.... When the Spirit of God is on me, I feel strong. A couple hours later, I'm all right. It isn't when you're in, or when you're out of it, it's coming between the two, that's what it is, when you drop down.

See, like Jonah, when he was in the belly of the whale, God sent His anointing to stay alive three days and nights, and come out and give a message to a city, oh, almost the size of Saint Louis, Missouri. And they always [unclear words]. And then when the Spirit left Jonah, he wanted to die. How many knows that?

Look at Elijah, when he called fire out of Heaven, rain out of Heaven, and done the things that He did that day; and when the Spirit left him, he was forty days and nights out in the wilderness, and God found him pulled back in a cave. How many knows that's right? He was about beyond himself.

You notice what God did? Wasn't it lovely there, for His servant? He woke him up. He laid down, put him to sleep and let him rest. Then He woke him up, and an Angel was standing there with food, and fed him, and put him back to sleep. And then woke him up again, and fed him again. And he went in the strength of that food for forty days, see. He knew when that great anointing left human flesh, that he would wander. And He found him, pulled way back, and Elijah, when he come to himself, he was back in a cave.

Just think of that, how that is. No one can understand God, can they? Tomorrow I want to explain some of these things to you, that'll give [unclear words]. It just comes on my heart, now, to Brother Joseph asked me to say it. Tomorrow afternoon, if you wish to bring your pencils and so forth, to write it down, or something, that's perfectly all right.

Now, that.... Thank you, kindly, that's very nice.

Now, I want to say this to ... the man's not present, but the custodian here, he was just ... he's a fine fellow. He met me out there, and said, “Hello, Brother Billy, I'm so glad to see again.” Just makes you feel like coming home. Very fine. God bless this school, the Lane Tech. Yes, sir. May it stand long and send many fine students out into the world to help our people, is my prayer. No, they have been nice to let us have this. And we appreciate it. Yes, sir. May the Lord bless them.

And now, to those who are out in the audience there, how many is in the audience, anywhere tonight, that isn't in the prayer line; but yet, you're sick and you want the Lord Jesus to heal you. Will you just raise your hand, anywhere?

A while ago, when those sinners raised their hands, accepted Christ.... And listen, sinner friend, as soon as the healing service is over, may the [unclear words] our dear brother, maybe he might ask you to come just stand around the altar and pray. I wish you would do that personally. Just come and pray, and say, “Thank you, Lord Jesus, You've accepted me.” But say, “Thank You, Lord Jesus, for saving me.” And just have a good prayer, here, see. And tell Him how You love Him. Then go out and serve Him with a heart full of love and gratitude. He'll bless you. Don't you believe that? All right.

Now, you just be in prayer.

Down in the pit, down in here, you, any down in there, wants God to heal you, just believe with all your heart, and God will surely grant it to you. Anywhere.

Wished I was the healer. No, I take that back. I'm glad I'm not, because it's hard tell what I would do with it. It's best for Him to have it, not me, see. But you know what He's done? He has done your healing, and handed it to you, if you could just have faith enough to go get it. It's there. When you ask anything, believe you receive it. You shall have it. So that's very fine.

Now, brother. That's all right. Now, we love the Lord Jesus. It happens to be, tonight, a man is to start the prayer line off tonight. And we're happy to have this man standing here. He comes to proclaim that he's got faith in God. And he comes not for that, and then he comes this way, knowing that he believes me, as His servant. For what if he would be standing here as a hypocrite, or any ... and penned it. You know what would happen? Perhaps, what he come saying, he'd take.

How many knows that those things happen, that's been in my meeting? Oh, I've seen them stand in the prayer line, they'd have to pack them out. I've seen them drop on the platform where they were standing. I've seen epileptics [unclear words] and run through screaming and jumping, throwing their hands and everything else. I've seen them walk right there, and drop there cold dead as could be. That's right. We're not playing church.

You remember that night over here in Toronto, Canada, when that minister come to the platform, and he thought it was a mental telepathy? So, he said, “What it is, if the person writes what they got on the prayer card”; now imagine, writing their sin on.... All right. Said, “Then he transfers it to ... the usher picks up the prayer card, holds the prayer card, and meditates and transfers it to them.” And he come in the prayer card, in there, with a whole lot of stuff on his prayer card, he had: TB, and a lot of things.

He come up there, I said, “There's nothing wrong with you.”

He said, “Oh, yes, look at my prayer card.”

I said, “It has nothing to do with it. You're here trying to find out something. You think it's telepathy. Now the disease that you put on that prayer card, is on your body.” That's right. And when he did, I got a letter here about two years ago, from him. He said, “Oh, Brother Branham, come to me.”

I said, “You see that man sitting up there in the balcony with the red tie on? A blue suit? You and him sit together, last a table, had a green cover over it. And a woman sit over in the corner. And you said that you'd come prove that it was mental telepathy.” And that man said, “That's the God Almighty truth. That's right. That's right.”

And the man grabbed me by the pants leg, he said, “Pray for me, Brother Branham.”

I said, “That's between you and God now. It's out of my hands. He's done spoke it. That's you now.” And the man is laying bedfast to this day.

How about up here in New York, when that guy stood there trying to hypnotize me, make me bark like a dog? They had been around there hypnotizing. And the Holy Spirit looked around and said, “You son of the devil,” said, “cursed be you.” And he's paralyzed. That's right. Find out sometime, you see.

How many remembers reading the book, that maniac that come to the platform that night? Ask the police force up there, see what happened, see. It's God, friends. Wake up, and believe.

Now, this man standing here, I've never met him in my life. He's a stranger. Now, remember, I'm full of mistakes, I'm a man. But, He can't make a mistake, see, He can't, He's God. I'm just His servant and I can make all kinds of mistakes, but not Him.

Now, this man standing here by my side, I've never seen him. I guess we're strangers, are we? We are strangers to each, never seen each other in life. Now, just so that you would know: no contact with the man, none whatever. Almighty God knows that. And now, if the Holy Spirit will reveal what's wrong with the man, or what he's here for, or something another. I don't know. And you think I would say that standing here? Then, will you all believe that Jesus raised.... Well, what will it be?

If Jesus was back there in the New Testament, and when they seen Him do that, they said, “This is the sign of the Messiah.” How many knows that? Now raise your hand. The Bible said, “That's the sign of the Messiah,” when He talked to the woman and to the man, both man and woman.

Now, if He does the same thing, tonight, isn't that the sign of the Messiah?

Now, I don't know him. But I just want to talk to him, like our Lord talked to the woman at the well. Well, now, sir, lots of times in the old countries down there, and people who can't speak English, and so forth, I have an awful time with them. But, when someone can answer me back, well then, it's good because it's English speaking, you see, and I can talk back to them.

You know our lovely Lord Jesus, that you and I together, are to stand in His presence, some day, and give an account for everything that we've done in this life, that's right, unless it's confessed and under the blood, when we go. Then we'll go in the rapture. Praise be to God.

Now, the Lord Jesus whose presence is.... He's omnipresent, He's everywhere. He's always everywhere. But, of course, you are a Christian, you're a Christian man. And, of course, I don't know what's wrong with you. I have no way of knowing that. But, unless God would tell me what was wrong. And if God can tell me what's wrong with you, then that ... you'll be the judge of that, you know whether that's right or not.

But if the audience can still hear my voice, the man is here for somebody else. [“Thank You, Lord.”] And it's a woman, and she's not here at the building, either, 'cause there's no response to it in the building, nowhere. She isn't here, sir, the person that you're standing for. That woman, I see you toget.... It's your wife. That's right. And I see her at the table, and not able to eat things. She's got a stomach trouble. And I see you taking her, time after time, in and out of the hospital, or doctor.... It's a hospital in the front; back and forth to the hospital. And the doctors don't even know what's wrong with the woman.

Now, here's what's wrong with her. It's a gurgitation of nerves that's in her stomach that's causing this serious trouble that's she having. And if you'll go tell her, and that hand that you're holding to God, lay upon her, when you get there, and speak the name of the Lord Jesus, and tell her not to doubt, she won't have to go to the hospital no more. Almighty God, grant this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. God bless you, my brother. Now, you let me hear from you. God bless you.

Do you love the Lord Jesus? That should be convincing to anyone that it's not me. It's Him! If you can believe, all things are possible.

This is not Joyce Simms, sitting here with the white dress on, is it? A little white coat on, a young lady, that's sitting next to that man? No. No. That's the lady next to her there, that's trying to get a prayer through to God. That is right, isn't it, lady—you with the blue coat on? Uh-huh!

Well, you believe and the arthritis will leave you. You can go home and be well. Amen. Amen.

Have faith in God.

What done that? Jesus Christ. What done it? She just started to believe. And all at once, I seen something here stand before me. It was a woman that looked like she was laming and having it in her hands and shoulders, and things. And I seen her the way she was trying to hold her dishes when she was washing them. And I wondered where it was at. And I looked around and I seen a lady, and it looked like Mrs. Simm's daughter that lives in Zion. But I know if it was, I'd see some other time, because I know her. But the light stood over this other lady.

Now, it's gone from her. Her faith did it, exactly.

How do you do, sir? Now, sir, you and I are strangers to each other. But Jesus knows us both. And some day we're going to have to stand in His Presence and give account for all that we have done, see. If you'll believe with all your heart. Wish I could do something for you, to help you in your trouble. I'm a man, as you are; and one of God's creatures, just as you are. And if I could do anything to help you, I'd be glad to do it, see. I can't do it.

And now, if you're seeking healing for you, or somebody else, or something, that I don't know. You know I don't know that. But, one thing that I could say to you, whatever your desire is—and feeling your welcome spirit, being a Christian, believer—then if you will accept that Jesus has did for you, what you're asking Him to do, see. You will believe it? [“I will.”] You will? God bless you.

Now, you've had trouble for quite a while. You was hurt. And it was the insides of you, [“That's right.”] tore loose. And you had some sort of an intestinal trouble [“That's right.”], throwing up. And I see you a larger man than what you are. You've lost lots of weight. And then you've come down from many pounds, you've dropped down. [“Every word is true. And I've never met this man before.”] Not only this, but let me tell you something. I see a dark shadow follow you till about five or six years ago, and you become a Christian at that time. [“That's right. I accepted Christ in Moody church, six years ago, or about five and a half. In the twinkling of an eye. If my wife was only here, she could tell you. The drink and the tobacco habit, which I'd had for twenty years, fell away like that.”]

Well, go believing and your sickness will do the same thing, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. God bless you, my brother. Amen.

Darkness, then light: death to life. Believe the Lord Jesus. Amen. Do you believe Him?

I can't heal your nose, sister, trouble you have in your nose, you're praying about it, sitting on the end of the seat out there, looking this way. But, Jesus can. He has. Do you believe He has? Then raise up your hand. All right. Go, and it'll leave now. God bless you.

How do you do? Do you believe all that you see here, the Bible, and the Bible is the Word of God, and it's alive, and it acts all the time, just the same? Do you believe that? [“Yes, I do.”] You do? Well, we don't know each other, as far as I know, we don't know each other. Of course, now, we see that you got glasses on; there's something wrong with your eyes. Like if I'd say, a person sit in a wheelchair is crippled, anyone would know that, see. And they know there's something wrong with your eyes, from your glasses. That may be what you're here for, I don't know. God does. But, if the Lord Jesus, to you and to I, will act in the same way He did to the Samaritan woman, would you be willing to go and say, like—not come see me, you see. She said, “Come, see a man who told me,” what was wrong with her. But you'd say, “Jesus Christ was the One that done it.”

Would you Do that? You would? You say, “The Messiah surely is alive today.” We'd say that wouldn't we? [“Yes, I would.”] All right. May the Lord grant it, sister, your desire. Now, I shall take up my parable to go to meet Him, to see what He'll tell me.

Yes, you've got weakness, ladies trouble. And you got a growth, and the growth is in your mouth. And they don't even know what it is. That's right. Is Messiah alive tonight? [“Yes, He is.”] Then come here. He said these words, “If they lay their hands on the sick, they shall recover.”

Now, Father, this I do, to my sister, in the name of Jesus Christ, that You'll heal her body, and make her one of the testimonies in her neighborhood. Amen. God bless you, sister. Believe with all your heart, and receive. All right.

“If thou canst believe,” said Jesus, “all things are possible.”

You're a wonderful set of people. I don't believe you can find any more faith. Here's what I mean to, as what we would call (I'll explain it tomorrow), the levels of faith, you see: what human faith is, and what divine faith is. One of them is a human faith, and the other one is a divine faith; but humanly speaking, you're one of the finest audiences as I ever spoke to. That's right. If you could only break through that little crust there. It just.... The divide's right there. Just a little ravel, if you could just go over it. You'll go from the tributary out into the ocean, see. You know what I mean? Just believe. Just don't try to make it so Orthodox: what all you have to do, and what all.... No, just be like a little girl, or a little boy, that's reaching up to Daddy's hand to get the lollipop.

He said, “Here, son, this is yours.” Just like that, believe it. It'll happen.

How do you do, lady? Are we strange to each other? And God knows us both, doesn't He? [“Yes.”] And if He can.... If you knowing that I don't know you, and know nothing about you, well, then Something would have to reveal to me, or I ... the only way I would know, is that right?

I seen a white woman standing here at this time. Sitting there suffering with the gallbladder trouble. Do you believe Jesus Christ makes you well, sister? The little red coat on, got your finger up like that. You believe? That's a horrible thing, isn't it? Causes those conditions there. Now, if you can believe, you can be made well, and God will bless you, and heal you. May He grant it, is my sincere prayer. Your faith come to Him.

You're all upset about something. That is right. And you've got a nervous condition, all upset and nervous. Then I see a couple, it's a man and a woman, and that's your father and mother. And you're wanting me to pray for them. Now do you believe? [“Yes.”] Then go find it just the way you believe it'll be. It'll be that way if you believe it. [“Yes.”] God grant it to you, my sister, through Jesus' name.

If you can believe. I would ask you—it's getting a little late—but just be reverent just one or two more people if you will, or something, see. It don't necessarily have to be, but just each one, it's ... it doesn't, it should help everyone of you. Remember, that's just God's attitude towards everyone of you. Don't you believe it?

Now looky here. Can't you see this? Oh, I wish you could. You can see something physically. Was you the one was prayed for just here, sitting right here, the man on the front seat? The lady right behind you, she has her head bowed. She's been praying for a long time. She made contact with God just a few moments ago. You look in her eyes, there'd be water in her eyes. Certainly. She believes that God is going to let her get well, with that heart trouble, make her well. Don't you, lady? That's right.

See what I'm saying? See, you don't need to be up here. You don't need a prayer card. Her faith touched Him just the same as the blind man. Said, “Believe; all things are possible to them that believe.” If you can believe, all things are all right.

The lady hasn't raised her head. Her faith pulled several times. I looked at it, then I seen the light move and stand right over her. You realize I'm looking at two worlds now: at you and another one, another dimension. There it stood over her. I want her, while she has got her hand up.... You was pressing hard tonight (wasn't you, sister?), trying to humble yourself to receive healing. And you was praying, “God, let this be my night.” If that's true, then you wave your hand back and forth. If that's.... See, there she is.

How would I? I could hear her way back in a distance, like it was in another world, a praying that same prayer, that I just told you. There she is. She's healed now, see. [“Oh, praise God!”] Her faith did it.

“If thou canst believe,” the Bible said, “all things are possible.”

My colored brother over there, got a rupture, haven't you? If you believe that Jesus Christ make you well, (sitting over there on the end of that little row), and believe that Jesus Christ has healed you, you can have it.

The lady next to you is praying for her eyes. She's got trouble with her eyes. If you believe that Jesus Christ will make you well, you can have what you ask for. Would you believe it? Would you accept it? Then God bless you. All right.

God bless you, lady.

Here's a lady. Are we strange to each other, sister? We're strangers to each other. Here's a woman ... looks ... young lady. I never seen her in my life. But do you know, God knows who she is and all about her? You know God knows the hour she was born? You know God knew her before she was born? That's right.

Now, if you'll just wait just a moment. Don't move around. I know it's hard. Tomorrow you have to get up early, go to church some of you. But, just let me have this one patient, while you sit real quiet, if you will. Let me talk to the lady. Now be real reverent, so that you'll know that Christ's attitude is just the same to each one of you.

Now, lady. I wish to just take some time to talk to you. And really, the way the gift of God was supposed to be, was not to come out like this, and weakening myself down. Soon, I'll have it fixed different, where I can get to a place to where it won't be this way. Yet, it'll be far beyond this, far beyond. For God has did this for His people.

And, I want to ask you something. Now, don't be afraid. That isn't to hurt you; that's to help you, see. You're conscious that something is near you. That's right, isn't it? Yes, that's Him. Maybe it wouldn't be good for me to talk too long to you. May I say this: that your trouble that you're here for is a gland trouble. That's right. And that's in your face. It's true, isn't it? That is right. I see somebody near your house, near your dwelling. See, they call you Irene. [“Yes.”] That's right. Martin. [“Yes.”] That's right. You live on a street called Evergreen, or something like that. [“Yes.”] That's right, isn't it? About 1820. [“Yes, oh, yes.”] Now go believing, sister. God grant this woman's request in Jesus' name. Amen.

“If thou canst believe, all things are possible.”

What if I didn't say one word to you, sister, just say, “I'll put my hands on you and pray for you.” Would you believe? [“I will.”]

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that You'll grant this woman's request and make her well, for Jesus' sake. Amen. God bless you, sister. Go receiving that what you've asked for.

Would you believe with all your heart? Gets pretty hard to get up sometime, but arthritis is a bad thing. It hurts, and aches, and draws, and pains, and.... But did you know, Jesus is the only cure there is for arthritis, or anything else? You believe that? With all your heart you believe it? Well, then, may the Lord grant it to you, is my prayer.

Our Heavenly Father, I pray that You'll heal the woman. And let Your mercy rest deeply upon her. In the name of the Lord Jesus. Amen. Now do you believe? With all your heart? Of course, you don't feel it now, it's gone now. But, and it'll stay gone. Just keep praising Him, and it'll stay away from you. God bless you.

Anyone else out there? Receive the same thing if you just believe. Have faith in God. Don't doubt.

You have a ladies trouble, don't you, lady? Right there. Do you believe with all ... that's right. If you believe with all your heart, you can have your healing. God bless you.

It's just moving from one to another. I wish you could really believe.

How do you do, sir? Now be reverent. There's something here, maybe.... No, I thought the man was deaf. But he isn't, he just can't speak English. He's a Fin, Finnish. Fin, [“Finland.”] Finland. [The man and Brother Branham speak to each other in the Finnish language.] Now, the man cannot speak English. He's Finnish. But, I'll make signs to him what's wrong, if God will tell me. You, preacher! Now, it's over. [Brother Branham speaks again in Finnish.] Let us say: “Praise the Lord.” Do you now believe?

That's Him. He's here. Who? Jesus, Son of God, King of kings, Lord of lords. Will you believe? Do you believe that He'll hear my prayer from right here, out to you? How many will believe that? Just hold your hand.

To my dear ones in the line, raise your hands too. Dear God, if we have found grace in Your sight, tonight, if we have found that which You require us to find, dear Lord Jesus, I don't know what else You could do for people. But, just to do as You are. And, Father, You've sent Your Son, He died, He made the atonement, He ascended on High, He sent gifts back to men, giving the promise that the very same things that He would do, that we'd do until He come again. And here He is today, here He is tonight, here He is in this audience. Why, He's moving around among the people, all over the audience.

And dear God, even people of any language of any nation, God, I pray that as You see these hands raised up in the air of these dear people, that Your Holy Spirit will just now come trinkling down through those fingers of everyone, and heal them and make them everyone well.

And I condemn the devil that's held them, and rebuke him, and say for him to leave the people, just now, in Jesus Christ's name. Believe with all your heart, and receive your healing.