The Deep Calling To The Deep

Thank you, brother. Shall we pray.

Our Heavenly Father, we come into Thy presence with thanksgiving in our hearts, because that Thou has redeemed us by Thy unchanging love. And we're so happy for it, today, to know that we're not left alone, once we were alienated from God, we were in the world, cut off without mercy. And how we can remember back at those days, how we used our young lives in frolic; so sorry of it, Lord. We're ashamed of our past. We pray that You'll let us look forward to the future, of making a more example for You, and doing Your will.

We're here, today, by Thy grace, knowing this that many who sit here now, if You shall provide for me to come again next year, some of these will be gone on. They'll have to meet You. Maybe, many of them are young. Some of them may be old; but we don't know what time that You'll call for us to answer there. Be merciful to us, God. And may this day be the time of decision for many people, that they will make their minds up this day to serve You.

We ask this for God's glory, in the name of His Son, the Lord Jesus. Amen.

Our little stay with you here in Columbia has certainly been a great blessing to Billy and I, and Gene and Leo, the recording boys. We're only sorry that we just have these few days that we could be with you. You've been very nice to us. And I'm grateful to you and to our good pastor, and I pray that God will bless this little church, and with every church that's cooperated here. All these brethren, and not only those, but all the churches there is throughout the land, today.

And I trust that by God's help, that next April, I believe, Brother Bigby told me, that he would like for me to return back, having full cooperation and fellowship with all the other churches, all be together, that's cooperating in the meeting. We'd like to bring the big tent, and seating some fifteen thousand, and set it out here for about four to six weeks, so we could teach.

And many times the people in their healing, say, in a few days they do not know just how to stand up against the enemy. They can always have a chance to come back then, and then, be dealt with again, and keep order, the mistake has been and what has happened, along the way.

And we're planning that, if it be the will of God, next year. Thanks to every one of you.

Billy just told me, a few moments ago, I believe, or Brother Leo and them, when we come in the building, they taken a love offering for me. Now you didn't necessarily have to do that. I appreciate it though with all my heart. I never come for that purpose. I come to be of service to you in the name of the Lord. And I never took an offering in my life. I pastored a Baptist Tabernacle for seventeen years in Jeffersonville, without even a salary. I never took an offering. I worked as ... I was a game warden, state of Indiana. And I never took an offering in my life.

I remember one time that.... You know how you get sometime, where you can't make ends meet; we all have those places. I remember, I said to my wife, “I'm going to take an offering tonight.”

She said, “I want to see how you look when you do it.”

So I said to one of the deacons.... Now, not because that they wouldn't do anything for me. But I just ... I could work, was young, didn't travel. So, why just depend on the church? And it was bad times. And so, I had the deacon to go get my hat; they didn't even have an offering plate. And he started. I said, “Now, I've just met one of these conditions where I just have to ask you, maybe, put in a nickel, or ten cents, something another. I kind of got along, hard place, I can't cross over all the way.” And I said, “If you'd be so kind to do that, I'd appreciate it.”

The deacon went to get the hat, there was a little old mother there, that I always admired, a very godly, little woman, old-fashioned mother. And she had a little apron, like the women used to wear in old times, and she pulled out her little pocket book, just about that long, and opened it up, begin to go down in there and getting those nickels.

I tell you, it seemed like I'd have been Judas Iscariot if I'd have took that. I couldn't do it to save me. I said, “I was just teasing you. I didn't mean that.” And the deacon with the hat didn't know what to do.

And there was an old man used to come to my house by the name of John Ryan. He had a long beard. He used to belong to the house of David, or looked like that, but I don't think he did. He had the long beard, a very fine man. Not the John Ryan out in the field, that they took me up to the Jewish synagogue, to question me on. This was another John Ryan. And, he rode an old bicycle down there to my place one time. And he just left it there and give it to me.

I had a dime, so I went out to the ten-cent store and got some paint to paint that old bicycle and sold it for five dollars; didn't have to take up the offering after all. So, I never took an offering in my life.

So, but what you have done is appreciated. My expenses are great, expenses at home is a hundred dollars a day, whether I'm preaching or not. And you can imagine—sending out thousands of ribbons, and things, across the world, everywhere—what it is.

And I have a small office, just about four working. And we send out anointed cloths, and answering the mail, and then, and other places where it comes in through the Christian Businessmen, and different ways. And then we have about ten different offices across the world. And they tape it, and translate it, and break it down, and send it to us, and we send them just masses of ribbons and things to send to the sick and afflicted. Used to, I sent handkerchiefs, but I don't have the capital to do that with. I operate small. So I get hundreds, and hundreds, and hundreds of yards of white ribbon. Take it over when I go home, and go way back in a place to myself and just pray, cut off like that, and send it to the sick and the needy.

And the Lord Jesus has blessed those efforts wonderfully. And if any time you need one, just write me: Post office box 325, Jeffersonville, or just Jeffersonville, Indiana. It'll come to me.

And we'll be glad to send you one, to help you in any way. If you need one, carry it in your Bible, put it in Acts 19, and just leave it there. Like the little baby gets pneumonia, or something, why, just send and get the handkerchiefs, and go get it out of your Bible, and lay it on the baby, and have it there. It's just a token, what it is, of your faith in God, that's all there is to it. So we have seen great things done by it. Great things.

A few weeks ago, I got a letter from Germany that a lady had been crippled with arthritis, for years. So when she got the handkerchief, she couldn't get in the prayer line, over there, so she got the handkerchief and she pinned it on her, got instructions on what to do. And she said, “Now, devil, get out of my body.” So she just got up and went walking on, like it was that simple. She was healed.

People look for healing of the body to be so complicated. It's very simple. Just taking God at His Word, just saying the same thing He does, that's all. “By His stripes I'm healed,” and that settles it.

Now, I've often said this: The night never gets too dark, the rain never falls too hard, but what I would help you, to the best I could. Used to be I'd say I'd come to you, but, my, you can imagine how.... I have four phones to answer, and I've had on the average of sixty long distance calls per hour, day and night, the clock around. Sixty an hour, if you can.... It's long distance, not local, see. You imagine how calls are coming, all over the world. And so, I can't come, but any time I get to a phone, I'll pray with you, and I will be praying with you all the time.

And now, perhaps, I'll be in Africa, and India, and many foreign countries before I see you again. And when the witch doctors are standing out making their challenge, which they gladly do—all the soothsayers, and so forth, are standing up trying to make their challenge, the winds are blowing hard, and the sight is terrible—can I depend on ... remember in Columbia they're praying for me here? Will you do that? Thank you, I'll be praying for you. May God watch between us till we meet again.

Seeing old people and people badly afflicted and age has stricken them, a crowd of this size, perhaps, another year, many of you will go on home to glory. My testimony.... I have to meet with you, up there, at that time. I'll have to stand. And when I get there, by the grace of God, I'll still have the same testimony I have today. And I'm so glad that I have nothing to take back. It's the Gospel of the Lord Jesus.

Now, we're going to read just a portion of His Word. We must hurry right away. We got to drive practically all night, tonight, in order to be home tomorrow. And then, we'll be back at one of your lovely cities in North Carolina, Spindale, beginning Wednesday night. And we'll minister through Sunday. I think that's in a local church. Big part of that will have to be preaching service. And then, we're going from there to Charlotte, North Carolina. And there, I think that's an auditorium. That begins the following Wednesday through Sunday. And that'll probably be all, every night healing for the sick, if the Lord permits it.

So, there'll be plenty of seating room, where people won't have to stand and so forth. I understand they got a big auditorium down in the city. And we'll be ministering at both these places in your lovely country.

This is my first time in life to ever set foot on the soil here, and I have been around the world, and back again. But the first time to ever be in North, or South Carolina. The only two states that I've never been in in my life, until this time. I don't mean this to any harm, to any other people here from different countries, but you know, as I said, the Lord said, one time, when He turned the water into wine, He had kept the best at the last. I don't mean that to any harm, for any other places, because the people have been very nice; but you are a nice people, because you love the Lord Jesus.

Now in reading His Word, today, just for a short message. And put just as much time.... I've instructed the boys to let me stand just as long as I can stand, today, to pray for the sick.

You might wonder, why it is. It's so much questioned that I might tell these fine minister brethren. Wish I had time to go home with each one of you, talk with you. You're a fine bunch of brothers. I don't say that just because you're sitting here. Each night when the anointing of the Holy Spirit comes, I feeled your spirit, and I know you're.... That's when He knows you. And I appreciate you. And I think that the little ... your cooperation together in the name of the Lord, I believe God would add it to the number of the poll here in Columbia, many thousands of people, in the coming revival.

The reason of weakness: let's see, if I could approach it in a child-like way, so you'd understand, may I say it like this. Most all poets, or prophets, or spiritual-led men, are considered neurotics. Do you know that? Let's see. Let me, one of your great southern writers, Stephen Foster, he was a marvelous man. Many of you taken the history and read of Stephen Foster. He was a wonderful man. And he gave America some of its best folk songs: The Old Folks at Home, Suwannee River, Old Black Joe, and many of those famous old songs, Old Kentucky Home. That's just beyond a little place where he wrote that, that's where I was born, in the state of Kentucky.

But did you notice, Mr. Stephen Foster, he would go up into inspiration and when he was in the inspiration, he'd write a song. Then when he come out of the inspiration, he'd get drunk, see. He just lost himself. There's something like being up, it ain't bad while you're there, not while you're here, it's in between them places, that gets you.

And finally after Mr. Foster (you know his history), after writing all those songs, he got carried away in the inspiration; when he come out, he called a servant, and took a razor and committed suicide.

You're acquainted, probably, with William Cowper. I stood at his grave in London, England, when I was there, praying for King George. And out at his grave, I thought of Mr. Cowper. He wrote that famous song:

There is a fountain filled with blood,

Drawn from Immanuel's veins,

When sinners plunge beneath the flood,

Lose all their guilty stains.

You've sang it many times. After writing that song.... Did you ever read the history of it? He tried to find a river to commit suicide himself, see. He had left inspiration. I stood by his grave and wept. I had a feeling for him. He was considered neurotic, nervous, or mentally upset.

Let's take prophets. The prophet Elijah, after he had called fire out of heaven, called rain out of heaven, the same day. And had closed the heavens for three years and six months. After that, he wandered in the wilderness, after the inspiration left him, he wandered for forty days and nights, not even knowing where he was at. And you know where God found Him? Pulled back in a cave. He asked him, “What are you doing in here?” Inspiration had left him. While he was under the inspiration, all right. But look. He killed forty priests on the hill, and come back down and run at the threat of a woman, Jezebel, because she threatened his life. After standing there, because the anointing was on him, but after the anointing leaving him, it was a different thing.

Did you notice Jonah? After God had performed a miracle, keeping him in the fish, he went into the city, the size of Saint Louis, Missouri, and gave a prophecy as he walked through the streets, “Yet, forty days and this city will perish.” He gave his prophesy in such force, until the people even put sackcloth on their animals. And did you notice, when the inspiration left him, sat under a little gourd tree, he prayed for God to take his life, see.

The thing is.... What does it speak of? That when you're up in there, you're in the inspiration; it's beyond what this is here. While you're there, you feel fine. While you're here, you're all right. But it's coming between the two places, and that's what causes the weakness, when you're leaving that place of inspiration, dropping down to the earth again.

Reminds me, many years ago, when I buried my baby. When we was sprinkling the dirt on the grave and the flowers (“ashes to ashes and dust to dust”), the pine trees a whispering that afternoon, seemed like I could hear a voice saying:

There's a land beyond the river,

We call the sweet forever,

We only reach that shore by faith's decree;

One by one we gain the portal,

There to dwell with the immortal,

Some day, they'll ring the golden bells

for you and me.

And that's right. Keep that in mind. And it won't worry you. While we're here.... My boy, the boys here have been with me a long time, they watch me close, and when the inspiration, it seems to be getting the best of me, see.... If it made the Lord Jesus ... just one vision to say, “I perceive that I've gotten weak.” If it made Daniel the prophet weary for several days, upset at his head, and a mental condition for seeing one vision, what would it do to us? You understand now?

In the book of Luke, the 2nd chapter, the 25th verse, we read this for a text. And pray that God will give us the context for just a few moments, because we'll let you out, you can go to your different churches tonight.

And thanks to all you pastors, to every one here, and I'm sorry for you people, you loving friends, that stand on the outside today. I'm sorry you have to stand, and standing back there, but it's because of the shortage of room. Next time, maybe, we'll have room.

Now, the 25th verse:

And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; ... the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.

And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought ... the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,

Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,

Lord, now lettest thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:

For my eyes have seen thy salvation,

Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;

A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

And may the Lord add His blessings to the reading of His most sacred Word.

During the time of the birth of the Lord Jesus, as we just read of, just now, news didn't get around then like it does now. They didn't have the press, and the radio, and television, as we have today. But, the only way they had of news was from lip to ear. And Jesus had been born in Bethlehem of Judea, eight days before this. But it had never been known around the country; just by a few people: the Magis who come to worship Him, (that's star gazers); either the shepherds on the hills where the angels came and sang to these shepherds, and told them that in the city of David was born Christ the Saviour.

Simeon, an aged man, an old sage, long flowing beard, gray hair, around in his eightieth year, a very high prestige among all the people, as a scholar and a teacher of his day. He had a fine standing amongst the Sanhedrin; but one day while out praying, he was one of the elect, the chosen. And now I want you to see it. God, always at all times, ever since there's been an earth, He has had someone He could put His hand on, and call, “This is My servant.”

Sometimes, it comes to just one person, like in the days of Noah, or the time of Elijah and so forth. Sometime, it's just one person. But He has never been without a witness, as long as there has been an earth. And He never will be without a witness, as long as there is an earth. There's always someone that He can put His hands on, and put His trust in, and say, “This is My servant that'll do My will.”

Wouldn't it be nice, today, if He could say that about us? “This is My servants, who I can put my trust in, and they'll do My will.”

Now what a time. Now, Israel, in general at this time, had gone away from God; they had backslidden. They had got tangled up and left off all the supernatural parts of God, fell away from the precepts, and had taken the doctrine of God, and had made it doctrine of men, instead of doctrine of God. And had left off all the supernatural part of God's Word, explained it all away—“Days of miracles passed”—and had gotten down to a place where there was just a very small remnant left that really believed in God.

And this old priest, this day that he went out to pray, must have been inspired. Do you believe in inspiration: “...sons of God are led by the Spirit of God”? The Bible said they are led by the Spirit. And David said there's something about when your inspiration, or what you're longing for, and when you strike that. I noticed this morning in speaking.... And I'm sorry I kept you people so long in the message.

So I noticed in speaking, when a certain point would be made, the people's face would flush, and some go into tears, and what is it? It's the feeding of the Holy Spirit to the flock, see. Inspiration! Men of God, servants of God, are led by the Spirit of God, divinely led.

Now many people say that is psychology. Recently, I was speaking with a doctor, who told me, said, “Oh, those people get excited.”

I said, “Now, doctor, you know that before anyone can become excited, something had to excite them.” And in this case, if there's nothing.... You can't go down through the alley by a dark shadow, or something, or something there to cause you to get all stirred: “What is that standing there?”

In this case, when you don't see nothing, and it's an excitement—not exactly an excitement, but a glorious feeling, that raises the people up....

Like I heard the little ladies awhile ago singing the hymns, and the people were saying, “Praise the Lord.” What does that? It's not.... It's a give away to an emotion that's inside of you. May I say it like this? As David said, when the “Deep calleth to the deep at the noise of thy waterspouts.” The deep calling to the deep.

Now listen close. Before there can be a deep in here calling, there had to be a deep out there to respond to that call. In otherwise, before there was a fin on a fish's back, there had to be a water for him to swim in, or he would never had the fin. Before there was a tree to grow in the earth, there had to be an earth first, for the tree to grow in, or there would be no trees to grow in the earth. See what I mean?

Recently, I was reading ... or, sometime ago, of a little boy. And he would eat the erasers off of pencils at school. And his mother found him, eating the rubber pedal off of a bicycle. So, they didn't know what was wrong with the little fellow, and they took him to the clinic, and the doctor give him his blood check and so forth. They found out that his body needed sulfur, and sulfur is in rubber.

Now look. There had to be a sulfur to respond to that call, or the call wouldn't have been there. If there was no sulfur to come to that call, the call would've never been there. And then, as sure as there is a faith that believes in God, and wants more of God, there's got to be a God somewhere to respond to that call in the heart.

You here today believe in divine healing, don't you? What does that? See, there has to be a fountain open somewhere, of divine healing, or you would never have that desire in your heart, see. There has got to be a deep to respond to the deep that's calling to the deep. In otherwise, if there is a hunger in your heart to be healed by God, there has to be a God to make that hunger. In otherwise, let me put it like this. Before there can be a creation, there has to be a Creator to create that creation. You get it? Amen.

Then if you desire to be healed of God, then, there's got to be a fountain open somewhere. Now, there's things that you could lay on the psychic side; for instance, I love nature. My mother is a half-Indian. And there's just enough about it, till I was born and raised in the woods. I've knowed nothing but outdoors and hunting. That's the reason I was a game warden, worked in conservation, always in the woods rambling. And many times, it's not for the animals, but it's for.... There's something about nature that when I see a sunset, or a sunrise, I get up early in the mountains, go climb to the top of the mountain, just to watch the sunrise.

I remember one day, while I was herding cattle on a range. I've done quite a bit of riding, and on the Tripod Ranch, in Denver, Colorado, out of Denver, about a hundred and twenty miles, on Troublesome River, Hereford Association where we graze there. I was up one year on a hunting trip. And the foreman of the range and I—we all knew the country real well—and we were elk hunting. And he had taken one section, going to what they call the west fork of the river, and I took the east fork, and about five days later we were to come together. I was at least seventy miles from any civilization.

Way back in there, by myself, with a pack horse.

That year, why, they'd had no snow, so tracking was bad. And along in October, the rain will rain awhile, and then there'll come the snow, and then there'll come sunshine and dry it all off. And it's just kind of spasmotic, the weather is. And I was way high, up around the timberline this year. And I was walking along there, and the elk herd was high, the snow hadn't drove them down, and I set down my rifle. And was standing there, and there come up a rain, a real hard storm. And I was near a blowdown.

And I was standing behind a tree until the storm passed, and when the storm passed, it was cold; it turned cold during the rain. And the sun setting in the west, peeping through the crevice of the mountain. And slipping against the side of the hill, it formed a rainbow, of the evergreens where it had froze; the ice had froze on the evergreens, up that high, about ten thousand feet where I was at, just at timber line. And the evergreens had froze.

And, as I was standing there, and the rain was over, and the storm was gone, I turned around, way back there, I heard a great big bull elk begin to bugle. I heard another one answer, over one side; the storm had scattered the herd. Now that might not mean much to the city man, but to me, to hear those large, princely beasts bugle, it sends a thrill through you that you have to know it. You have to be born to love it.

Then way back over on the side of the hill, an old gray wolf sat down and hollered and the mate answered at the bottom. The deep was calling to the deep of my poor Irish heart. I thought, “O God, why do I ever have to leave here? Here's where I was born for. Why do I have to go down and toil among the sick and the people? Let me live here where I'm free. I was born for this country.”

But as Peter said one time, “It's good to be here. Let's build three tabernacles.”

But at the bottom of the hill there was sickness to be taken care of in that day. So is there today.

While listening to that, I looked around, and I looked, and there was in this rainbow, see, that all-seeing eye, like Jehovah, looking through this crevice; this rainbow was a covenant. I tell you, friends, so many people say, “Brother Branham, I wish I could see God.” That's all I've seen for about thirty years, has been Him. You just look around. How could that flower put forth its color? Where did it come from? See? God is everywhere. Get Him on the inside, you can see Him on the out. He will declare Himself.

An old fisherman said one time to me, up on the Ohio River where I live, he was coming down the river. He said a little boy was with him. And the little lad was curious. He had went to church and he said to his mother, “Mother, if God is so great, could I see Him?”

She said, “Ask the pastor.”

The pastor said, “No, son. No one could see God and live.”

And he went and asked his Sunday school teacher; she said, “You ask the pastor.”

Said, “I've ask him.”

He said, “Well, why is He, Mother, then if He's so great that someone can't see Him.”

So one day, being up at the river, way up around the Six Mile Island, above Jeffersonville, the old bearded fisherman: gone on to glory, a personal friend of mine. He had the little lad with him, and coming down the river, there come a rain and washed all the leaves off—dry summer. And when he did, a rainbow come across the western skies ... or, the eastern skies, rather, as the sun was going in the west. And the old fisherman, boating along, with the tip of the oars; only an oarman ... or, a seaman can appreciate that rhythm of the row of the boat.

And his wife had been gone on to glory, long ago, and he kept watching around over his shoulder to that rainbow. After awhile the little lad sitting in the stern of the boat, looked at him, and seen tears running over his very frosted beard, and his white hair hanging under his hat.

It aroused the little lad, so he run up to the stern, towards the middle of the boat, and fell down at the old man's feet. And he said, “Sir, I'm going to ask you something that my pastor can't answer, my Sunday school teacher, neither my mother.” He said, “I have a strange feeling just now, and I'm sure you do too.” He said, “Can anyone see God?”

The old fisherman pulled the oars in his lap, threw his face in his hands, and the tears run down his cheeks, put his arm around the little lad and said, “Son, all I've seen for fifty years has been God,” see. There was so much God in the old man's heart, He could see God. You can see Him if you look.

I remember, on the instance, standing there (if you'll pardon me for leaving my subject).... I remember standing there, watching, seeing that rainbow. And I ... well, you might say, “I got worked up emotionally.” Maybe I did. But I got to crying. I couldn't help it. Not because I was sad; because I was happy, hearing the wolf holler. Oh, it sent a thrill. That all led me up to see the rainbow. And I remember in the rainbow, He gave a promise. He was to look upon the Bible as jasper and sardius stone, at the end of both rainbows, the Alpha, the Omega, how His promises through Christ would never fail. He had anchored me in His kingdom, not by my own works, but by grace, He had called me. By foreknowledge, He had elected. There He had brought me in, “and all that comes to Me,” He will receive, raise Him up the last day, those promises.

I got to weeping, then I got to shouting. Don't know whether you believe in it or not, but I did it anyhow. You say.... “Well,” a fellow said the other day, said, “I don't believe in divine healing, Brother Branham.”

I said, “You're just a little late, brother.” Yeah.

And I begin to run around and around that tree just as hard as I could go, giving vent to my feeling. Now, you can call it emotion, but to me it was the deep calling to the deep. I was screaming to the top of my voice. Honest, I believe, if ... they'd have thought they had the Salvation Army out there, if someone would have heard me. But there was nobody to hear me, but the Lord. And He was the One I was blessing anyhow.

And around the tree I went, around and around, again and again. And I guess if someone would have come by, they'd have put me in a straight jacket and thought I was crazy. But I was just screaming to the top of my voice. And after awhile, a little pine squirrel, a little insignificant pine squirrel (I don't know whether you have them here on not, a little bitty fellow, the noisiest thing in the woods) jumped up on a stump, in this old blow down, and begin looking at me, going “Chatter chatter chatter! Chatter chatter chatter!”

And I thought, “What you talking about?”

So, the little fellow all excited. I thought, “Well, maybe, I excited him because I was screaming and hollering. And he looked curious and throwed his little eyes, sideways, and this way looking at me. But he was watching down in this brush pile like, where these old tops had blowed in.

And after awhile, I thought, “God, You know, You're just everywhere. You're out there in that wolf. You're over here in this elk herd. Here You are in the pine trees whispering to me, giving me music. There You are in the rainbow, there You are in the sunset. Everywhere I look, there You are.

I said, “Now, why did You interrupt me with this, this little pine squirrel?” And I noticed the little fellow very excited. He kept looking down that brush pile. And after awhile, a great big eagle that had been forced down in the storm, jumped up on a limb. Well, I thought, “God, You're somewhere, You've stopped this for some purpose. So why? I'll just study You.”

And I noticed that big eagle, those great big velvet gray eyes like, as he rolled back and forth watching that pine squirrel, and watching me. And I thought, “Well, now, Mr. Eagle, you're God's creature, so what ... what did you appear here for?” And the little pine squirrel acted like he was going to tear that eagle to pieces. Now he couldn't do it, he was only about that big. The eagle just picked him up and flew away, if he wished to. So, but, oh, how he was just a jumping up-and-down. And I watched.

And the big eagle watched me, and then he looked at the pine squirrel. Then he looked at me. And I thought, “Well, one thing I can admire in the eagle, he's brave.” I know that. That's one thing's godly about him. Christians are not cowards. They believe God. They stand on what He says. And God's not a coward. And He can't use cowards in His army. You got to be brave and stand right up to it, believe Him, take and trust in His Word, not knowing where you're going, but you know you're going His way.

And then I noticed this eagle. I thought, “What makes you so brave?” I said to him, I said, “Did you know I could shoot you?” And he didn't pay any attention to me. But he looked like he'd watch that squirrel, and then watch me. And I thought, “Well, what makes him so brave?” And I kept noticing, moving his wings, seeing that his wings was in operation condition.

I said, “I see it, Lord.” He trusts in a God-given something that was give to him. God gave him two wings to take him away from danger. And as long as he can feel those wings are in running order, what does he care about danger? I thought, “If an eagle could do that with two wings, what ought a man to do that's born again with the Holy Ghost?” What ought trouble to harm him? As long as you can feel He's around, there's no condemnation. What was diseases or anything else amounted to? What does criticism? What does people.... You expect it. Sure, that's what you was given. That's what the eagle was given his wings for, to fly away from trouble.

Well, finally, I said to him, “Do you know I'm quicker with this gun, than you are with your wings?”

He just as much as looked at me and said, “Try it once!” Because he knew the only thing he had to do was get in that timber, and he'd be lost from me. So I grabbed my gun like that; he watched me, moved those wings. I thought, “Oh, big bird, I wouldn't shoot you. I admire you.”

I admire anything that has got courage. Anything I don't like is a wishy-washy, so-called Christian. That's right. I like a man or a woman, say “It's God's Word. I believe it, I humbly accept it. And I believe it and live by it.” God grant the day when men and women will be just what they profess to be. If I wasn't for Christ, I'd be here, today, against Him, but I believe Him. I'm ready to die for the hope that lies within me; of Him.

And then, I noticed him a little while, and he got tired listening to that little old squirrel. So he just gave one or two big jumps like that, and flopped his wings about twice, he was through the timber. And then something took place that I shall never forget. How that big kingly bird, he never flopped no more, he just spread out his wings. And he knew just how to set them. And every wind wave would come in, he just lifted up, up, up. He left that little old earth-bound chattering chipmunk, or pine squirrel, sitting there on the log. And he knowed just how to set his wings. He didn't flop and try. He just set his wings. And when the waves of air come in, he just rode up. And I watched him go up, up, until he was just a little spot. He couldn't hear that chatter no more.

Tears begin to run down my face. I said, “O God, that's it.” If people only knew how to ... not jump from pillar to post, not run from one campaign to another, but just set your wings of faith in the waves of the Holy Spirit.

Ride away on past this little old day that chipmunk, sitting around, little earthbound creature, saying, “The days of miracles is passed. No such a thing as divine healing. They expected the Holy Ghost, just way long ago. Can't be today.” Just set your wings and ride away from it.

The deep speaking to the deep.

It's a strange thing among animals. You Southerners here.... Way in the North woods, I used to go and hunt. And watch how God gives animal instinct, while we're on it. You here, you turn your radio on, and the commentator says, “Tomorrow it's going to be fair weather.” And watch that old sow go get the shucks from off of the north side of the hill and bring them around over on the south side of the hill. Don't you pay no attention to that commentator, she knows more about it, far more, than he does. It's going to turn cold.

You watch when them rabbits get right down beneath that sage, get back in the brush piles, watch for snow and bad weather. They know far more about it. They've got a God-given instinct to take them away from danger.

Not long ago, standing in my first, one of my times.... I usually go early in the north woods, where I hunt much. And up there, the ducks come out of the south here from Louisiana and Texas, and they go up in the north to make their nest, in the slimes of the north, up there, where ponds.... There is a bunch of slime, and the old mother duck goes in there and lays her eggs, and the little ones are hatched out.

When fall of the year comes, along September, those little ducks are pretty good size, fowlers then. They're able to fly. And over the snow-topped mountains, there'll come a snow one night, and the next day the cold breeze will come down across that mountain. And the first cold breeze hits that lake, a little drake that was born on that lake—he's never been nowhere but right there—He'll run right out in the middle of that lake, pull that little honker of his up in the air, and honk four or five times, and every duck on the lake will come to him. They know he's a born leader, though he's never been off of that pond, he was born there that spring. And he'll rise from that pond; and go just as straight to Louisiana as he can go. Why? Every one of them will follow him. It's instinct.

And if God has give a duck sense enough (Oh, I wouldn't say it like that.) but, instinct to escape the cold weather, how much more does He give a man the baptism of the Holy Ghost, to shield himself, and to keep away. But the thing of it is, ducks know their leader. But man don't know his Leader. He'll be led by men and not by Spirit. The Spirit leads men. Jesus is our leader. The Holy Spirit leads us. But we reason it out, and say, “Well, it might have been in that day.” He's the same Leader today. He's traveled the roads, He knows how to go.

Oh, how wonderful it is to watch nature.

I can imagine seeing this sage as he was out—our character this afternoon, Simeon—in prayer. And the Bible said that it was revealed to him by the Holy Ghost that he wasn't going to see death until he seen the Lord's Christ. And, he believed it. That's the beauty part. He believed it. And he wasn't ashamed, or neither did he regard his prestige as a teacher.

No doubt but the old man, then, probably—as we would say today, “with one foot in the grave,”—eighty something years old. And he'd go around and say, “Brethren, you know the Holy Ghost told me that I wasn't going to die until I seen the Lord's Christ. It's at hand.”

You know what the other priests would have probably said, the unbelieving? “You know, the old man is just a little bit gone off in the head. Now look at him. When David looked for Him, all the prophets looked for Him, and this old man, almost dead now, and us, in this kind of a time, and then saying, 'He will see the Christ.' There's something wrong with him.”

There was. He believed God. He wasn't ashamed to testify. He said, “It was revealed to me by the Holy Ghost, that I'm not going to see death, until I see the Lord's Christ, and I believe it.” And he wasn't ashamed to tell it. Now, there's not no two Holy Ghosts; there's only one.

Now, let's give a little drama now. It's on Monday morning, and the women are all coming in. There was around two million Jews in Palestine, at that time. Perhaps, maybe, two hundred babies was born every day, male babies, maybe more. But then, according to the Jewish law, the mother was to come after eight days, and bring her male child, and was to offer an offering of purification for herself. And the child must be circumcised in order to be an Israelite with the covenant with Abraham. As they kept watching for the coming of the Messiah.

It's Monday morning. Oh, it's busy in the temple; hundreds are coming and going. And Simeon, he feels strange. He goes over in the prayer room to pray awhile. Do you ever stop and talk to Him when you feel kind of strange like that? He goes over in a prayer room to talk to God awhile.

Along this long line of mothers standing over on the right hand side of the temple, just under the big olive wood cherubims with their locked wings, along there stands two hundred mothers, we say. And some of them are standing with lovely little babies in fine needle work: little pink shawls on, and little blue shawls, detecting what they thought about the baby, and the little fine needlework; and the things that they had; the mothers had little dainties.

Let's look along that line. But one of the most curious sights I've seen, stands along there. There stands a little girl, about eighteen years old, and I mean people were keeping their distance from her. I hear a woman say, “Don't stand around where she's at. That baby was born without a father—holy wedlock. That baby was born before ... was to be here before they were even married.”

But the little mother holding the baby in her arms, a peasant's offering. You know a rich child could offer a lamb, but if they were poor, they could offer two turtledoves. So, the mother, perhaps, had two turtledove to make the offering.

I look at the nice little needlework on every little baby's jacket. But this young lady there, with her little blushing cheeks, a veil over her face, she wrapped her baby, not in needlework but in swaddling cloth.

You know what swaddling cloth is? It's the wrapping on the back of a yoke of an ox where he's plowed. They didn't have anything to wrap Him in, and so they just took the wrapping off of an ox in the stable, and wrapped Him up. That was the King of heaven.

And here He is with His darling mother. And the church persecuting and making fun. “Don't stand near her.” But in her poor little mother heart, she knew who that baby belonged to. And no matter how much a born-again Christian is laughed at today, in their heart, they know what they got cradled there. Don't make any difference what the world says. They know.

I can see her as she pats His little cheeks. Although he's got wrappings off of the back of an ox, yoke on Him, but it's her baby anyhow. No matter what they say, she knows in her heart the Holy Ghost said that. She holds Him in her arms. She's just as proud of Him, as they move up. And everybody is keeping their distance. And as.... One saying, “I wonder what's the matter with it? That must be an extremely poor child there. Look how it's dressed.”

And then we think that dressing means something, when the King of glory was wrapped in swaddling cloth. But we have to have the very best of clothes, our hair all fixed up pretty before we can sing in the choir, and.... Shame on you.

And she holds Him to her bosom. She kept her head down. She wasn't noticing what people were saying; she was interested in what God had said. That's the way every believer is. Not what people are saying, but what God has said.

As she moves on up, as the line moved up, there is a greater than Solomon. There's the cornerstone of the temple. There's the Lord of glory in His own temple. Look how He's looked at. Could you expect much better today? Certainly not. The world is crueler today than it was then. But there she goes.

Now, if God has made a promise.... Listen! I want you to get it, and soak way deep on the left side under the fifth rib. If God has made a promise, God's duty-bound to keep that promise.

Now, God promised Simeon, by the Holy Ghost, that he was going to see the Christ. God's duty-bound to that promise. God makes a promise, God keeps it.

Now here's Simeon over there, perhaps, reading Isaiah. “All we like sheep have gone astray. The Lord hath laid upon Him the iniquity of us all. Surely He has borne our grief and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him, smitten, stricken of God, but He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquity, the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, with His stripes we were healed.” “Lord, who is this person that the prophet speaks of. Could that be the Messiah that You told me I would see?” And He's sitting out in the temple, in His mothers arms.

Just then the Holy Ghost said, “Simeon!”

“Yes, Lord.”

“Stand on your feet, start walking.” Amen. God keeps His promise. “It's time to move, Simeon. The time has come. You've been longing, the deep's been calling to the deep. Now the deep is in the building to respond to that call.”

That's likewise, today. You who believe in divine healing, been taught so, felt that it was a God that could heal, because you seen Him heal others. He has led you here today, like He led Simeon. Men are led by the Holy Ghost today, just the same as they were led then. And the deep called, and there had to be a deep to respond. And in the responding, He came into the building. It's God's duty to push the one into the presence of the deep to respond to the call that's in the deep. Amen. For the Creator, Himself, had created that in his heart, and there had to be Creator to respond to His creation. Amen. So the Creator was in the building. He was in the world. The world was made by Him, the world knew Him not. He was the Creator, and He's still the Creator. There He was in the building.

Simeon raises up under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, and he starts walking. “Which way, Lord?”

“That's not up to you, Simeon. Just keep walking.” That's the way God does it. Just keep walking.

“How am I going to get out of this chair? How am I going to come out this cot? How am I going to do this?” That's not none of your business. Just keep walking. Keep moving. “How am I going to get well?” I don't know. “The doctor said I'll die.” Just keep walking. The promise is unto you.

“How can I live the Christian life?” Just keep walking. Keep Calvary in front of you, and keep moving. She moves on.

And in a few moments, we see him come out the door, led by the Holy Ghost. Here he comes milling through the crowd, not knowing where he's going. But God is duty-bound to His Word. He's got to drag him, leading, right to the fountain of His promise. And you who believe in God, come out here in the way you have today, if you believe in divine healing, the same Holy Ghost has led you to this meeting. He has give you the promise. What are you going to do about it?

Simeon walks on. He hikes this line of women. The Holy Ghost said, “Turn this way, Simeon.” Here he goes, down along the line of women, but what's fixing to happen?

“That's none of your business, Simeon. Just keep walking.” And he walks on down. And here within fifteen feet distance of everybody else, everybody by-passing this little bashful girl with her baby in her arms, with swaddling cloth wrapped around Him. And she'd wipe the tear, and then “goo” Him the little cheek.

The Holy Ghost said, “Simeon, the promise I made you: Don't look for big things. You're standing by it. This is it.”

Simeon reached over, and when he made a move, something happened in his heart. He reaches over to the little mother, picked up her baby, and said, “Lord, let Your servant depart in peace, according to Your Word, for my eyes have seen Your salvation, which is sent for a light to the Gentiles, for the rise and falling of many of Israel.” Led by the Holy Ghost.

See, the people didn't pay any attention to that. They said, “The old man is crazy.” They'll say the same thing about you, but make your choice who you're going to believe. Follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Just a moment before closing. Way back over in the corner, was an old woman sitting over there. She was blind, a prophetess: the spirit of prophecy was upon her. And she prophesied and she, too, was watching for the consolation of Israel. Why? She was a prophetess. You can't be in spiritual contact with God and ever doubt anything He said in His Word. She was waiting and she was blind. And the Holy Ghost said, “Anna, stand on your feet. That One that you've looked for is here.”

And here she comes, led by the Holy Ghost, milling around the crowds, blind, didn't know where she was going, but led by the Holy Ghost. She come and stood there where Simeon was, said, “Let me have Him.”

If the Holy Ghost could lead a blind woman through a milling crowd, how much more can It lead you to the fountain of life. The same Holy Ghost that led her, and led Simeon, because they were looking for God's promise, has led you this afternoon, because Jesus Christ said when He was here on earth, “I do nothing of Myself; I only do what I see the Father by vision do, then I do it likewise.”

And He said, “A little while and the world will see me no more, yet, You shall see Me, for I will be with you, even in you, to the end of the world.”

Then you are, “ye!” The world is at the jamboree, the world is on the beer joints. But He said, “Ye shall see Me, the world won't see Me no more, but ye shall see me to the end of the world.” That's why you're led here this afternoon, by the same Holy Ghost. And He is here. And may you make your decision to embrace Him into your heart, as Simeon of old, and may you with strong arms of faith, cradle Him into your bosom today, and take Him as your Saviour and healer, is my prayer.

Shall we pray.

Our dear Heavenly Father, pages turn over in the Bible now. This meeting will soon be history. Maybe, not of the world, for why keep the history now? Soon You're coming. But the history of the meeting will be on the pages of the book of life: people's decisions and how they acted, concerning You.

May everyone this afternoon be like Simeon of old: sit quietly, look to You, and say, “Father, Thou has led me, and I'm here by the leading of Your Spirit. And I now believe on You.”

And, Father, I pray that You'll let everyone make their decision and come to Thee, now.

While we have our heads bowed, is there a person here would say, “Brother Branham, I raise my hands to God today to say that I haven't lived a right kind of life, but I now want to accept Jesus as my Saviour. I want you to remember me in a word of prayer.”? Would you raise your hands, inside or out? Anywhere. Put up your hands, way up high. All right. God bless you. God bless you. Someone else? God bless you, up in the balconies, I see you. Anybody here that's been backslidden, say, “God, I....” Oh, sweet thing, I just noticed just now, the little girl, bless her little heart.

Would you raise your hand, say, “God, be merciful to me. I want to live a closer life to Christ, from this day on.” Would you raise your hand to Him? Right in His presence. God bless you. Many are hands up. And outside, I see your hands from the outside. All right.

Jesus said in His own Word, Saint John 5:24, “He that heareth My words and believeth on Him that sent Me hath everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but is passed from death to life. And no man can come to Me, (accept Me, by raising hands, or whatever way it is) except My Father draws him first.”

Heavenly Father, I give this audience to Thy hands, and let the Word of God sink deeply into their souls. May every sinner be saved, and backslider come back to church and to God. Grant it, Father ... or to God and then church. Grant it, Lord. May the sick be healed today. And may You send Jesus to fulfill Your Word, Your Scripture. And may He, today, while this little group of sincere people are gathered together, while thousands are out amusing themselves with the pleasures of this world. Surely, Lord, Moses was sent only to Israel, the message of true believers. And I pray, Heavenly Father, that You'll bless these handkerchiefs that are laying here also, to the sick and needy.

Now, appear on the scene for us, Father, and declare Yourself the risen Lord. Bless this people, Father. May everyone now take the words that's been said today, though mixed up as they were, and may You just separate them and place them rightly into their hearts. And may they go away from here, saying like Cleopas and them, his friend, “Did not our hearts burn within us, as He talked to us by the way?” For we ask it in the name of Thy loving child, the Lord Jesus. Amen.

To every person that raised their hand, and to those who did not raise their hand, I'm going to ask you if you'll do something for me, not for me, alone, but for yourself, and for God mainly. As soon as the service is over, the prayer for the sick, will you come up around the altar here? And you're a Christian when you raise your hand and in your heart accept Christ. You become a live person. God's Word is true. “He that heareth My words, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath (That's present tense) eternal life.”

Now, but what you need, you need the baptism of the Holy Spirit to put you in the body of believers. You believed unto life, but now, God baptizes you with the Holy Ghost in the church for service. Now, that may be just a little contrary. If it is, I didn't mean to say it, but I sometimes, don't say.... Well, anyway, you come to Christ. Just believe the Lord Jesus Christ with all your heart. And, believe with all your soul.

And the pastors where you belong now.... If you don't belong to any church, look sitting here behind me. If I lived in this city, and was like you, around where these ministers are, they believe in this type of ministry or they wouldn't be here to represent it. They believe it. Now you go to them, and shake hands with the pastor, and say, “Pastor, I want you to baptize me. And I want you to instruct me how I must receive the Holy Spirit. I want to become a real true baptized saint of God.

And they'll instruct you, they know how to do it. And you go to them. Won't you do that for me now? And when I come back, I want to shake your hand, and say, “Oh, Brother Branham, I'm so happy. I was once burdened and out in the world, and so many things was so wrong with me, but now, it's all over and I'm happy and free. I belong to this fine church down here, and they are teaching me divine healing, and the powers of God, and I'm just enjoying myself so much.” I want you to do that. Tell a pilgrim on the road with me now to glory, we are brothers and sisters in Christ. We're not here to harm one another. We're here to help one another. We're here to go along.

Now.... [Blank spot on tape.]

Sitting in a wheelchair, a young fellow, a little boy sitting here. My! I wonder: Back in the audience, there may be people back there with more serious things than that. Maybe, with heart trouble, going to die in the next few days. Maybe, someone with cancer, passed going. Oh my, if something isn't done, they're going to die. The doctors has looked and said, “I can't do no more; it's between you and God now.” And the doctor has done all he can do, then I come to try to help you to get to God, see. Not to take you away from your doctor, not to take you away from your church; but to help bring you to Christ, see, so you can believe. And He has done so many things, Christians, I just believe He does all things well. That's why I'm here to help you.

Now, I can't heal you (blank spot on tape) this boy here, any of you out there that's suffering, and sick. Wished I could do it. If I could do, I'd sure do it. You believe that don't you? But I can't. I'm just a man. But, by the grace of God, He has given me a gift to see visions. And that was only done, not because I merited it. I wish I could trade for any good preacher, to go out and preach, and just walk out right now, and make my altar call. You don't know the sorrows that go with this. You just don't understand

Five years ago, six years ago, I was strong, shoulders straight, once had the bantam weight championship of the three states. Full head of hair, not a wrinkle in my face. Look what five years has done for me, see. What will another five do? But here's what it is: when the end comes, and I've done fought my last battle, preached my last sermon, and I stand where the breakers are dashing against my soul, and I know I'm going; I want to put the old sheaf back in its shield, take off my armor, say, “God, send out the lifeboat, I'm coming home this morning.” He'll be there. Don't worry.

And I want to meet you, sit down by the evergreen trees, where the angelic choir singing all the time, for there's no night; it's all day. I want to meet you there, and say, “Oh, Brother Branham, you might have went through a lot of toil and things, but I heard you one day. I watched Christ work by you, and I believed and here I am. I'm so happy.” Oh, how good that'll be then.

Say, “Come over to my house, over here on the hill, visit with me just a thousand years.” You see. That won't be very long; just a thousand years, that's.... You see.

That's what I want to do. That's why I'm gradually dying, as I am. But it's for His glory. And I love to do it. Wished I had a thousand lives I could live for Him.

Now, Billy, I forgot to ask.... Where's he at? Prayer cards? How many? One hundred, one to a hundred? [Blank spot on tape.] Now He said, “A little while and I'm going to be the vine, and you're going to be the branches.” Now the vine only energizes the branch. The vine doesn't bear fruit. The branch bears fruit. How many knows that? You don't pick it off a vine, you pick it off of the branch. And who is the branch? The church is the branch.

Well, now if the line ... if the vine has a certain life in it, won't that same life be in the branch? Is that right? It's got to be. Wish we had time to preach that unconditional covenant to you for a few days, and show you just how God gets into that branch; and what kind of fruit it is.

Notice, but when He was here on earth, He was the vine. And when He's gone away, He's still the vine and made up the branches. Now, He doesn't have any eyes on earth, but yours and mine; no hands, but mine and yours. We are His mouthpiece, earpiece, and eyes, and so forth of the earth. Is that right? Because His literal physical body sits at the right hand of God the Father on the throne of God in heaven, as a mediator, or an offering, a sacrifice. And there's no other mediator between God and man, but that man, Christ Jesus. You get that? No other mediator, no saint, nor nothing else, no man, nobody but Jesus Christ Himself. He's the mediator between God and man. The Bible says that.

Now watch. What kind of works did He do here on earth? Let's follow Him see what He did then. One of His first miracles performed, after laying hands on some sick, one of His disciples (Now, this is for the newcomers.) went over and ... by the name of Philip went over and found Nathanael praying under a tree, several miles from him, brought the man back. And the man said, when Philip saw him, he said, “Come see who we found! Jesus of Nazareth.”

And this man from the Orthodox church, raised up, and said, “Could any good thing come out of Nazareth?”

Said, “Come see!” That's the best answer I know to give anybody. “Come see! Find out for yourself.” If you don't believe Jesus has raised from the dead, come find out. I've challenged that before hundreds of thousands of heathens, witch doctors, devil workers, fire eaters. Never has He failed, and He never will. He can't. He's God.

Then, said, “Come see!” So they went along the road talking. He said, “I tell you,” as he went along, “you know the Messiah was supposed to do signs and wonders.”

“Yes, this is Him.”

“What? Wait till I get there and see.” So he walked right up in the crowd, standing like you are there. Jesus praying for the sick. Jesus looked around and said, “Behold, there's an Israelite in whom there's no guile.” Well, how did He know he was a believer? That astonished him.

He said, “Rabbi, when did You know me?”

“Oh,” He said, “before Philip called you, when you were under the tree praying, I saw you.”

And the Jews was standing there, the priests, and the Orthodox from the big church, real scholars and educated men out of the seminary. They said, “That's the devil. That's Beelzebub. He's the chief of all the fortunetellers. And that's what's doing that.”

Jesus said, “You can speak that against Me, it'll be forgiven. But when the Holy Ghost comes and does the same work, you speak one word against that, it'll never be forgiven in this world, or the world to come.”

But what did the man do.... Nathanael, when he heard that? He said, “Rabbi, Thou art the King of Israel, You're the Son of God.” He recognized that that was the Son of God, by doing that sign.

If that would be the sign of the Son of God then, and He's raised from the dead, would not that be the sign of the Son of God today, after He promised He would do the same thing?

When the woman at the well was told of her sins.... She's just a woman. Jesus went to talking to her. He talked to her lengthy. And He said, “Go get your husband.” He found her trouble.

She said, “I don't have any husband.”

Said, “You got five.”

She said, now listen. “Sir, I perceive that You're a prophet.” She said, “Now we know that when the Messiah cometh, He'll do these things. He'll tell us all things. But who are You?”

Jesus said, “I am He, that speaks to you.”

Look, if that was the sign of the Messiah for the Jews, it was the sign of the Messiah also, when He was here on earth, for the Samaritans, there's only one left for the sign, that's the Gentiles. Jesus was killed before, and sacrifice was made before the Gentiles, and Paul and Peter, and those come along, vindicating with the same sign of the resurrected Lord Jesus. If that was the sign of the Messiah then, it's the sign of Messiah today.

Now how many newcomers, first time being here, if Jesus will come to this platform and do the very same things that He did back there.... And look. Now, you say, “Jesus healed everybody.” You're mistaken; He didn't heal everybody. Certainly He didn't. He went through a pool of people. The Bible said in Saint John 5, a great multitude, thousands of lame, halt, blind, withered, twisted, waiting for the moving of the water. And Jesus went right through that crowd; He had seen a vision where God had showed Him someone laying on a pallet, went over there and healed him, and turned around and walked away. Is that Scripture? Certainly is.

And the Jews questioned Him. They're questioning Him today. But watch what He said, Saint John 5:19 now. He said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, the Son can do nothing in Himself, but what He sees the Father doing that doeth the Son likewise.” Is that right? Saint John 5:19.

Now, He'll do the same today. Now, let me say this one more thing. If there would be a chance, (I speak in the name of Jesus Christ) you not understand me, you'll have to take my word. But if the Holy Spirit comes today, and performs the work that He did, do you realize that unclean spirits and things will leave people? Do you realize that you're an open sepulcher for them? Do you know diseases goes from one to another?

You remember the other night, when we talked what it was? It's spiritual. Cancer is about a live matter. It's a life. Certainly, it is. It's got a master behind it: the devil. Jesus said so. All kinds of diseases, demons. And if you are unbelieving, or a critic, I ask you, as a friend of Christ's, don't stay any longer in the meeting. I'd go out, because you.... I haven't time to explain it to you, but there's hundreds of people today that's been in the meeting, and stricken down with cancer and paralyzed, and some of them insane, and in the institutions and so forth. For spirits has left one to the other: noted men. I have the names with seals on it, by notary public, and so forth, that it's true.

So now, don't be critical. Believe. And if you can't believe, then, I believe that after you heard the message, and may sometime the Lord Jesus bless you and bring you to another meeting. Now we shall pray.

And now, Father, dear, all the words I would say through the evening, wouldn't amount to as much as one word You would say. My word is just the servant's word, You Word is the word of a Master. And Father, dear, I have tried to say to this, Your heritage, that You have died for them to save them, and to heal them. And if they will only believe you, and believe that You're alive today and not dead, and You're here, raised from the dead, and performing the same things that You did, no man can never raise above that, to do what God anoints and shows what to do. Then, Father, I pray that this city, and these people that You have given to me today, to teach to, that there'll will never another doubt in their heart, but they will believe in You today, with all their hearts.

And these newborn babes that's just come to You, God, speak to their hearts definitely now, to let them know that the Jesus that they just accepted is the live One, the One that'll never die no more. And will come some day to take all that has their name on His books, to a better world, where we will live, eat, drink, build houses and inhabit them, and enjoy ourselves together with Him forever and ever.

Now Father, will You anoint Your unprofitable servant, as I yield myself to Your Spirit, may You use these unworthy hands, unworthy lips, unworthy eyes for Your service. But, God, I am so unworthy. But if You look for worthiness, where would You find it? It's not on earth, Lord; there's no one worthy. But it's the grace of Jesus the Son of God, who has granted this to the people, knowing that the Scriptures must be fulfilled. These, I commit into Your hands, Father. May You reap the results. And help Thou me in Jesus Christ's name. Amen.

[Blank spot on tape.] The Lord be with you. Usually the meetings have me in such a condition till I hardly know where I am. I've enjoyed being here. God be with you till we meet again. Pray for me.

Now we will pray for the sick.

You bring the person [Blank spot on tape.] Starting this prayer line, are you all strangers to me? How many here is strangers to me? Let's see your hands, everybody. You're every one strangers. There's only one person in the building I know, and that's this boy sitting here, and this one standing here, and my boy is here somewhere. He's around here somewhere, my boy. And I know this is the pastor standing here, Brother Bigby. Outside of that, they're strangers. I don't know you, but God knows you.

Now, I wish I could do something for you people sitting here. I see, maybe, if you don't have prayer cards, or either, if your number wasn't called, you don't have to have prayer cards. Let me show you. How many here doesn't have prayer cards, and wants to be healed? raise your hand. See, you don't have to have prayer cards, you have to have faith. Now Jesus is the same. The only thing that I do, is just yield myself to Him, His Spirit.

[Blanks spot on tape.] It's not my Gospel, it's His. It's not my word at stake, it's His. So, I will not fear, He'll do all things well.

Now here's a lady standing here, if you wish to, you can come up just a little closer, lady. You and I being perfectly strangers to each other, I suppose. First, time we've ever met, or been this close together in life. If that's so, raise up your hand. Now, the woman is standing here for some purpose. I don't know. God knows I don't know. But He knows this woman. And now, what if it was exactly the same thing, if this woman was just like the woman that came to the well where Jesus Christ was sitting up against the side of the well? What would He do to this woman?

Now, what if the woman's sick? She might not be. But what if she is sick? If Jesus was standing here with this suit on that He gave me, could He heal the woman? Be careful! No, He couldn't. He couldn't do it twice. He's done it once when He died at Calvary. Do you believe that? See? You wasn't saved last week. You wasn't saved five minutes ago. You were saved nineteen hundred years ago, when Jesus paid the price for it. You accepted it five minutes ago, see. Same thing with healing.

Now, but if He being the resurrected Son of God, and He was standing here in a corporal body like mine, He would say to the woman, the woman, say, “Oh, Jesus, I want You to heal me.”

You know what He'd say? “I did that when I died for you. Don't you believe My vicarious suffering and death at Calvary? That I was wounded for your transgressions, with My stripes you were healed?” That's all He could say. If He done anything more, He'd break the Gospel. Is that right, ministers? He'd break the Gospel. He couldn't. It's already finished.

Everything a Christian has, it's his faith resting in the finished work at Calvary. Everything was finished and completed, and we rest our faith in the finished work. Any gift that says anything different from that, don't believe it, it's not of God, because there's where the price was paid. There's where everything was finished. Right there.

But now, He set gifts in the church. Now, if this woman.... Me talking to her, just to carry a conversation like Jesus....

[Blank spot on tape].... The Angel of the Lord, I seen it here this morning on something. Have you got one here, sir? One of the pictures? Have you got one, Gene? That's just a portion of it on there, sonny. That was taken, it's just the end of it. One's that we've got, the pictures on hand, we won't sell on Sunday, that's all. But we got it here, it hangs in Washington, D.C., and copyrighted and it was taken in Houston, Texas. It was taken again in Germany, was taken again at Little Rock, Arkansas. And it's been taken many times.

And that same Angel of God is not five feet from where I'm standing right now. That's right. That's the reason I feel satisfied He hears me, see. I wouldn't make a challenge like that, if I didn't know He was here. But making a challenge like that, with the purchase of Christ's blood before me, you have to know what you're speaking of.

Now, if He speaks, then that's Him. You can doubt me, it's all right. But if you doubt Him, you'll repent for it, or never see Him. That's right. And if you made fun of it, or criticized it, there's never forgiveness in this world, or the world to come, said Jesus. Now that's a serious thing to think.

Now, sister, me, not knowing you.... The reason I called you “sister,” because you are a believer. Your spirit, as I witness to you, feels welcome, so then you're not a critic. You are here for help. And I don't know you. But if Jesus Christ will tell me what you're here for, will you accept it, just like the woman at the well? Said, “Why, You must be a prophet. And we know that when Jesus comes ... or, Christ, He will do these things.” Then, if He's raised from the dead, as I said in my sermon, then He's here ... or, the Bible says, rather, that He's raised from the dead, to do the same things. Then you know the resurrected Jesus is here.

Will the rest of you believe with all your hearts? Would you believe on the stretcher, lady? Will you believe on the wheelchair, sir? Will you believe over here? All of you?

The woman now, perfectly strange, we don't know one another. And I'm trusting in Him. Now, I go to meet her, in the way of faith, in the name of Jesus Christ.

If the operator will watch the microphone, I don't know just how loud I'm speaking at times, whether the audience will hear it or not. That's between God.

The woman is aware that something's going on. She knows that she's in the presence of Something besides a man, her brother. It's the presence of God, because between me and her now, stand that's fire whirling around. The woman is very conscious of it. If she can raise her hand at this time if you are conscious of that. The lady is suffering (I see her) with a mental nervousness. She's all upset about something. And I see her getting something on her arm; oh, it's a blood checking, it's a high blood pressure she's got. And she's got.... I see them look over the heart, with a grommet looking over the heart, here. It's a heart trouble. Got a heart trouble, too. And then, there's something that's looking in the throat. It's a growth on the inside of your throat. That's “Thus saith the Lord.”

Now, you know whether that's true or not. You're the witness of that. Is it true? Now, do you believe that Jesus.... Now you know Something has to come here to tell me that. Is that right? Do you believe that it's the Son of God in His resurrection power, to fulfill His words. Do you believe that? Then will you accept Him now, as Your healer?

Then, Lord God of heaven and earth, I now condemn the disease of this believer's body and ask for her healing in Jesus Christ's name. Go home and rejoice, sister. Be happy, and be over your sickness. Amen.

Do you believe? Well, let's settle it. You know there might just that one woman. You say, “Maybe she come with me.” I don't know the woman.

[Blank spot on tape.] Now, the man before me is a stranger. I don't know him. I've never seen him. Is that right, sir? If it is, raise your hand. The man is a stranger, not a stranger before God.

Now, sir, you're here for something [unclear words] is in your heart. And I don't know, but if God will reveal it, will you accept it? [“Yes.”] You're very seriously sick. There's a dark shadow over you. There's two of them. One of them is a spirit of epilepsy. And the other one is a condition of the stomach, that's causing hemorrhages to break forth. I see a doctor examine you, look at that stomach, and he says that it's even as bad as cancer in your stomach. That's what he told you. [“Yes.”] That's exactly. Are you a believer? [“Yes.”] Will you accept it? [“Yes.”] Then go, in the name of Jesus Christ. God bless you, my brother.

Have faith in God. Don't doubt. Believe. All things are possible.

Now, I cannot heal; it's your faith in God that does the healing. The lady before me being a stranger that I never seen, I suppose. Are we strange? Perfect strangers. Have faith in God. Don't doubt. Now, it's people out there, see. Their faith operates it, the same as you. I'm singling you out, if I can, you see, because you.... But their faith is the one, just like your faith will have to operate. It's not me, I'm not Him. I don't know you, see. It takes your faith in me to believe that, see. Just like their faith is believing and it's just pulling everywhere. But, maybe, if I can just keep your spirit in line....

You're very weak. And you've been somewhere to a place where they had you in bed. It's a hospital. You just come from the hospital for sinus. That's right. It's left you in an awful weak condition. That's “Thus saith the Holy Spirit.” Do you believe now? Do you believe that God.... You're supposed to go back, but you won't have to if you believe with all your heart. Will you believe it? Come here.

Lord Jesus, I bless this daughter of God, and condemn the enemy in Jesus' name. May she receive her healing. Amen. Have a good courage, sister. Believe on Him now, then worship Him in the Spirit. Amen.

Now you're just believing everywhere. Would you bring the ... doctor, or whoever?

Nervous aren't you? You're looking just straight at me, your arms folded. But you're suffering with a nervous trouble. You was praying (wasn't you?) that God would make me speak to you? You promised God, if I would speak to you, you'd believe Him. Is that right? Is that your prayer? If that's right, raise you hand. How did I know your prayers, see? All right. You're healed.

I wonder now, if you'd do a favor for me? Do you believe now that the nervousness is gone from you? There's a lady sitting right next to you with cancer. That's right. Is that right, lady? Now you lay your hand over on her.

Dear Heavenly Father, in the name of the holy child Jesus, stretch forth His hand, today, Lord, in power and faith, and condemn that blackness over her. And may she be healed through Jesus Christ's name. Amen.

If thou canst believe.

Oh, I challenge your faith.

Now, now, I take every spirit under my control, in the name of Jesus Christ. Do you believe on Him? Don't you doubt. Get all that funny feeling away from you. That's the only thing keeping you from being made well.

You believe God will heal you with that gall bladder trouble, sitting right back there? Do you believe with all your heart? Will you accept it? If you will, you can have it, all right. God bless you. Raise up your hand, that's right. He healed you then, see.

You don't need your prayer ... you don't need any prayer card. You need faith. I seen the woman when she was trying to eat, and it was coming back up in her mouth, and she was ... gall and stuff in her throat. That's right, isn't it lady? Raise your hand. It's all gone now. Your faith.

What did that? The same, like the woman that touched the hem of His garment. Well, you say, “She touched His garment.”

But the Bible said, “He's a High Priest that can be touched by the feeling of our infirmities. Tell Him what's wrong with you. Just breathe it out to Him, and say, ”Lord, heal me.“ Watch what He will do. That settles it. He's raised from the dead. He's a living Jesus.

No doubt in my mind, but what there's more people, millions in the world, more worthy of the task of proclaiming Jesus Christ than I am. That's true. Why, I'm nothing, the least among you. I was born out of season, amongst you full Gospel people. I was a Baptist. And you know more about the Scripture, maybe, than I do, but I know the Author of it real good. And I know that He's here. And I know who I believe. And I want you to believe me. I'm here to help you.

[Blank spot on tape] ... mercy.

His divine love for you is the One.

[Blank spot on tape] ... hanging up to your jaw, like that, sitting down there, praying. Got a stomach trouble, and wants God to heal you. I ain't reading your mind, but that's the truth. You're praying for God to.... You said, “Lord, just speak to me.” Is that right? If it is, wave your hand, the lady there with the stomach trouble. You're healed! That's right. You're stomach trouble is over. Go eat you a hamburger. It's all right. Your faith has healed you. I had nothing to do with it. I don't know you, never seen you. But your faith touched Him, and He spoke. I saw a vision break over you, seen you trying to hold your food in your mouth with your hand. It's a peptic ulcer. But it's over now, you're going to be well.

Wonderful. [Blank spot on tape] ... sir, the man just pulled himself in front of you. You got a hernia. But do you believe God is going to make you well? I wasn't reading His mind. It was his faith that did that. God be praised!

If thou canst believe all things are possible. But you must believe.

How do you do, lady? Do you believe me to be His servant? You know that I don't know you. But Christ knows you. Now it's going to be your attitude towards Him. And He said, “If you get the people to believe you,” not believe me, as Him, but, believe that I am here under His orders. I never come myself, He brought me here. I can't do nothing for you. The only thing I can tell you is what has been done for you. And if I tell as a man, then you still could believe that by your preacher, because you're a Christian, and have the Spirit of God. But, you're wanting help. Just a little boost in faith.

Now, if God will explain to me what you're here for, will you accept it and believe it? You will? The first place, as the woman is leaving me, I see her at a table. And she's refusing to eat, because she has stomach trouble. And she is at a place where there's somebody looking through, or into her bowels. It's a doctor. And he says, she's got a ... something wrong in the colon. He calls it a stoppage, or a block, or something in the colon—the doctor did. I see it on the paper there that he was writing on. That's right. That's “Thus saith the Lord.” There's two of them consulted that. That's right. Two of them. Do you believe me to be His prophet? [“Yes.”]

Now, here's another thing. I see someone standing by you. It's a child, little fellow about ten years old, [“Yes.”] and he's here with you today. And he suffers with a migraine headache. That's right. Amen. Now take that handkerchief in your hand, and lay it on him and it'll leave him. Go in peace and may the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God grant these blessings. Don't fear, mother. Believe. Amen.

Have faith. Have faith in God. Don't doubt.

How do you do, sir? We're strangers to each other. [“Yes.”] You believe? Oh, my! Do you recognize...?

Something happened. If I can only find it. To you again, sir; of course, you're wearing glasses, your eyes are bad or you wouldn't have glasses on. Of course, a man of your age, it actually has to have reading glasses after you pass forty years of age. Your eyeballs actually get flat. You have reading glasses after that, but your eyes are bad.

But I see someone appear by you. It's a woman. You're standing for someone else. [“Yes.”] That's your wife. [“Yes.”] And she's not here, and she's suffering with arthritis. That handkerchief that you wiped the tears from your eyes, go lay it on her, believe, and as you believe [unclear words] in the name of the Lord Jesus. God bless you, my brother.

Don't fear. Have faith.

Sir, you're praying for your wife, too. She's a crippled woman. She's not here. But you believe that Jesus Christ make her well? If you do, you can have what you ask for—the elderly gentleman. Have faith in God. You do? [“I do.”] Then you can have what you ask for. God bless you. Maybe you [unclear words].

Something has happened to you too, hasn't it? See, you hear me now. Your ears come open. I trust you find your wife well. May the Lord bless you, my dear brother.

Let's say, “Praise the Lord.” The Alpha, Omega, beginning and the ending; the fairest of ten thousand; the lily of the valley; the lovely One; the Son of God; the all-sufficient One; He that was, which is and shall come; the root and offspring of David; the morning star; His presence is here. In Him dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily; in Him there's no disappointment; in Him lays life; in Him lays healing; in Him lays everything. He is, not was. He is and will ever be the same. God be praised. Hallelujah!

Is this the woman? Excuse me, lady. Feeling terribly weak, have.... Do you believe? If you believe with all your heart, you'll quit drinking. You believe it? All right. He's an alcoholic, but He'll quit. Take your handkerchief, put it under his pillow—the one that you got in your hand, when the Holy Ghost struck you.

The woman next to you there, with that rupture, she'd like to be well, too, wouldn't you, lady? Certainly. The man that just jumped and shook his head, he's bothered with nervousness; he'd like to get well, too. The man raised up his hands, had eye trouble for a long time, he wants [unclear words] don't you, sir?

You can't hide your life. He's here.

Lady, dost thou believe?. I don't know you, never seen you, but God does know you. Look at me. Believe. You've been away for an examination, or something. And they examined the chest, and they found infection. That's right. Chest x-ray. And you got to go back. I see a man appear. And that man is relation to you by marriage. He's your brother-in-law. He has kidney trouble, and stomach trouble. That's “Thus saith the Lord.” Now, it's your faith. Do you believe? Then go and receive what you've asked for, and lay the handkerchief on the other parties body, in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Have faith.

Lady, the thing that you have is killing more people than any: Heart trouble. But, how many people out there has got heart trouble? let's see your hands. You can be healed the same time she's healed, if you'll believe it. Do you believe it? Then raise your hands, and hold your hand.

Dear God, in the name of the Lord Jesus the Son of God, I condemn this enemy. You can puzzle the doctors, but you'll never puzzle God. Come out of her in the name of Jesus Christ, may you go. God bless you, lady. Have faith now and believe.

Do you believe? [“Yes.”] Oh, my. There's some suffering there: cancer, but God can heal it. It's no job for Him to heal cancer if you'll believe. Every person with cancer raise your hand now. Be ready for the healing.

Listen, sister. I have never in my life—God knows, and my hand on my Bible—ever seen anybody stand here, but what something happened to them. He promised it. Now, by God's grace, I tell you this now: by your faith coming here, the cancer is gone from you now. But, now, if you'll just keep believing, it'll.... I want to ask you something. As soon as I spoke, you come up here, a strange feeling struck you. If that's right, raise your hand. That's when the cancer left you, see. Now, it's gone now but it'll work in dry places and try to return. Ask your pastor, he's been instructed, as he did the other night. Now go believing with all your heart, and be well. And to confirm this, I lay my hands on this mother in the name of Jesus Christ, and ask that the power of the devil will stay off of her. Amen. Go believing now, having faith. Amen.

Lady, do you believe me to be God's prophet ... or, God's servant? I'm not beside myself, but if God will tell me what's your trouble—I'm just getting so weak, I can't look much more—will you believe? Then go eat your dinner, your stomach trouble left you. That's what it was.

Have faith in God.

What if I told you your back trouble left you when you was standing right down there? Would you believe it? Then go. Have faith and believe.

You're up for an operation, take that tumor out. But God can heal it if you believe it. You believe it? Then receive your healing in the name of the Lord Jesus [unclear words]. Grant it.

Go ahead and eat; your stomach trouble is gone from you. Hallelujah! Glory! He's great. Christ the Son of God lives. Amen.

Little laddie, bless your little heart, honey. Just a baby boy. Come here to me. Oh, bless his little heart. Honey, boy, do you believe Jesus Christ the Son of God, if He was here, He'd lay His hands upon you; you'd get well, wouldn't you? You'd quit that old coughing, wouldn't you? That old asthma would leave you.

It would leave you, too, if you'd believe it. You come here today in an ambulance, a big white Cadillac ambulance, suffering like that. Lady, don't you believe? If you want to, you can rise up out of that cot, and push the thing home and go home and be well.

Watch her obey God. How many of you believe? Then stand on your feet. I challenge every person, in Jesus Christ's name, no matter what's wrong with you. O God, I plead for mercy.

Satan, you're a loser. You're exposed. You bluff, you can't hold God's people longer. I challenge you in the name of Jesus Christ, you unbelieving spirit, come out of these people, and get out of them. I adjure everyone of you, in the name of the living God, Jesus Christ, to rise to your feet and be made whole.