Divine Love

... as we'd just left the meeting and started over to see a woman friend of ours—Mrs. Doburn—over in Edmonton, Alberta, and was just twenty miles of the Canadian line when we got the news that my brother was dying. So, we turned right around through a snowstorm and started right back home, making us eleven days in traveling.

We got in late last evening, and up late last night, and early again this morning. So, very tired, but as soon as I got to my mother, after we got a place where we could call in again, she said, “Brother Neville has been out there.” That's a real pastor, folks. That's some ... we should appreciate that.

Now, it might not.... Maybe your loved ones has never come to that spot. Maybe ... but in an hour of crisis when you know that something has taken place and know that a friend will stick by you, and run out to my brother. And then when I went.... Soon as I got in, and just changed clothes and took out there, who did I find in the room in prayer, but Brother Neville—out in the room there with Howard in prayer. I'm grateful for that.

And I'd rather say it right here at the platform (as I always said): I'd rather give you a little rosebud now, than a whole wreath after you're gone. Right now is the time to do it. And I appreciate Brother Neville. I know we all do around this church, for being a gallant pastor. Just to show him how much we appreciate him, raise your hands like this to God. Thank you. That's really something that....

I went home, and I told my wife; I said, “Honey, when I went and knocked at the door, slipped down the hall, read the chart, see really what was wrong, and went down there; and I heard something in there, and then I cracked the door. I thought it was someone talking; and had him sitting up in the bed with his Bible, both of them with their heads bowed, praying to God when I went in. Couldn't do nothing but join with them in prayer.

And also my prayer: tell God that I appreciate a real friend and a real pastor. And may Brother Neville long live in this world to serve the Lord, and I believe God'll keep him here for many, many years to serve Him, someone that gallant. It struck my heart deeper than anything I've had in a long time.

Now, usually now with the Sunday school class isn't dismissed yet, back in the ... children, so perhaps maybe we'll pray for the sick. I didn't make any announcement of coming in praying for the sick, but if there's any here to be prayed for, then we'll just have prayer for them.

Now, if Sister Gertie, if she will, come up play “The Great Physician” for us, and we'll ask our dear heavenly Father if He will bless those who are needy of Him today. Then we want to.... All that's sick and needy just gather up around the altar.

If I'm not mistaken, is this Nellie Sanders sitting here? My, God bless you, Nellie. Twenty-five years ago and here.... God bless you, Nellie. I looked over awhile ago and looked at you, and I didn't want you to think.... Look and gazing at someone I sat looking back, and I thought it looked like Nellie.

None of you here probably remember.... I guess some of you.... How many of you remembers Nellie Sanders? Why, certainly, and she's one of the first comers to the tabernacle. She and my departed wife were bosom friends and sisters in Christ, and they....

She married over here, one of the volunteers of America, an officer in this move and he, our brother, has gone on to be with God leaving her with (I think) two boys, I think, some children anyhow. And some of them still in school.

And Nellie is a wandering by herself and just coming into the age of real nervous and upset. She called me when I was in Phoenix, Arizona, in a meeting, for prayer. Many things go back, Nellie, to a time when there was sawdust on the floor, and you and Hope, that Ashcock girl, and a lot of you used to be around here many years ago, twenty-five years ago. It's passing by me. We're going down the road swiftly. That's true. Well, God be with you now.

Those who are sick and want to come up around the altar for prayer. Our pastor and I join together in a word of prayer for you. Come right ahead. Then a little.... Immediately after this a short message just to you, of the preaching service. Wish you could stay. We will dismiss the Sunday school service after the prayer for the sick, and we're.... Go right into the other service, and I've got a couple of announcements to make.

This great Physician now is near,

The sympathizing Jesus,

He speaks the drooping heart to cheer,

No other name but Jesus;

Now, if we could just enter in now to a fellowship of this prayer. Healing for each other, knowing that God is here and has promised to answer.

[Brother Neville speaks to Brother Branham.] Yes, that's all right. We'll go down and pray for her, the lady sitting down, certainly. All right, Brother Neville, would you come help me? Now, if you'll be just reverent as possible. The little fellows are taking their seats, and let's pray now so that when we go down to anoint the sick and the afflicted, we're going to have faith in God to believe. Have faith that God will.

All of you out there in the audience that's well this morning, don't need to come around the altar. Just think now that it was God's grace that brought you here. Now, you pray for these others that are at the altar, here young and old. As our custom here at the Tabernacle, we send the pastor anointing. We pray for them, and then send the pastor anointing. I come along with him laying hands on the sick, while he anoints them. The Scripture, “Anoint the sick in oil in the name of the Lord. Lay hands on them and they shall recover.” It's Scripture.

Now, all of you together as you bow your heads now, while we offer prayer together for the sick.

Our heavenly Father, we humbly come into Thy divine presence just now in the way for the needy, the sick, those who cannot help themselves, and many of them, Father, are past doctor's aid. Nothing can be done, except Thy grace be extended to them. I pray humbly today, God, with all my heart, joining with this little church that the great Holy Spirit that's present now to verify the Word of the Lord Jesus, that said, “Wherever two or three are gathered in My name, I'll be in their midst. If they'll ask anything that's pertaining to any certain thing, shall receive it.” That's Your eternal Word, Lord, that was spoke even before the foundation of the world. It's been given to us by the prophets, and by the Son of God Himself.

Now, our deep desire now, Father is for You to heal the sick, the needy that's here around the altar. I pray that You'll just give each one a special blessing of faith just now. That as we go, Your servant and myself, to anoint and lay hands upon the people, may the Holy Spirit just deep down the faith in the heart and may each one be healed. We ask in Christ's name, for His sake.

Now, with your heads bowed, everybody in prayer. Pastor, now go to pray. [Blank spot on tape.]

Heaven and earth are full of Thee,

Heaven and earth are praising Thee,

O Lord most High.

Our heavenly Father, we thank Thee for the Sunday school lesson now that's stirred our hearts. May we gird ourselves this morning and go from prisons of unbelief and be free. As we walk, we know the Angel of the Lord will go before us, confirming the Word of God, and free everyone of us from the prisons of fear, and sickness, and distress, and disease, and afflictions, for God has promised to. Every one that's shut up in them kind of conditions this morning, may the light of God shine in upon them just this very day and may they go from here a well person.

Thank you for the message and for your Word, for the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Grant these blessings, Father, and now be with us in the preaching service of this morning for the little short message coming up. We ask in Christ's name. Amen.

Now, for just a couple of moments. Those who have to go now, let's just stand while we sing a hymn, and those.... “Take The Name Of Jesus With You.” Those who have to go can be dismissed. Those who can stay for another thirty minutes, we'll be glad for you to stay. All right.

Take the name of Jesus with you,

Child of sorrow and of woe

Come right around and shake hands with somebody by you.

It will joy and comfort give you,

Take it, then, where'er you go.

Precious name, (precious name.) O how sweet!

Hope of earth and joy of heaven.

Amen. Be seated, and the Lord bless you all real richly, good. I just noticed we got some of the “Herald of Faith” here, the little program, little paper of Brother Joseph Boze in Chicago, a very fine brother. He always.... We have to trade fellowship one with another. We have a good time every time we go to Chicago. Just with him a few nights ago again. And they're free. Just come and get you one after the service is over. It's laying down here.

Now, we're happy to see many of you still holding out to Christ. And now, just for a few moments of your time, I would like to speak just something because of being here with you. I'm tired. My voice is low, and I've had some big meetings. In Indianapolis was a great heavy meeting, and that night we were so happy to see hundreds walk down through that tabernacle (around ten thousand people seated) come down to give their hearts to Christ on this night. And Russell Ford and them, how they was thrilled. And the work that Brother Cadle started years ago, still going on.

You know, I'd like to have a place liken unto that some time. It's one of the greatest places I ever had seen, just how it was fixed, and there's just something about it. I guess I'm sentimental. When I see a great work that someone has started, I have a feeling for that.

Now, being hoarse, and we've been up in the mountain trying to get to a sick woman, a friend of ours way up in Canada. We was just ready to cross the border when I heard the news that my brother was dying and returned back, and we drove for day in and out and night in and out. We've been ten days sitting in that car. So you can imagine how I'm feeling this morning.

But I'm thankful to you all again for praying for my brother, 'cause he, looks like, is on his road to recovery again. God giving him another chance, and so I thank you, and I'm praising God for all things.

Many big decisions yet to make. A worldwide tour coming up, Africa shining me in the face; and places everywhere till I don't know which way to turn, everywhere, everywhere. And there's about at least ten or more great outstanding conferences setting right now, and each one calling to go to. I got to make some kind of decision the next twenty-four hours for the next move, so pray for me. And I need your prayers.

I hope shutting that fan off didn't bother you all here on the front too much for a minute. I've been exposed to so many things in my life of traveling for the Lord in all kinds of conditions, and diseases, and leprosy. And I've hugged lepers, and shook their hands, and every kind of a disease, and went into their isolation wards and camps and everything around the world nearly, and I'm not a boy any more. I guess you know that, and I'm getting up towards....

Then right here, Brother Bosworth the other day there almost ninety years old, and when I was in Indianapolis, he had a blood clot run into his heart. He had death struggles in his throat, unconscious. Mrs. Bosworth called to have prayer for him. I went over there, and we announced it, and started praying. Next day he called me up and said, “I'd like to be in a meeting with you some time.” Then I feel like that here at forty-seven years old, I ought to be ashamed of myself, but I just.... It's just the human part, I guess.

Oh, how valuable it is and how wonderful. Nothing like being saved, to being saved; but you don't realize, friends, I'm sure that the devil keeps that away from you as much as he can (he does for me) to realize what the value of a soul is. Did you ever just imagine what it is, and what eternity means, and how long you're going to be that way? Do you realize this is the time when you make your decision for eternity?

Last Sunday, a week, we had here, I believe I preached on the assurance, the power that God had promised and ordained you and called you before the foundation of the world and put your name in His book. You had nothing to do with it. God did it. Isn't that wonderful? The Lamb was slain before the foundation of the world, and why? It never happened till four thousand years later, but God when He spoke it, He had to do it, 'cause He has to keep His Word. And the same time that the Lamb was wrote down, you were wrote with Him. Our names were written in the Lamb's book of life, not the night we come to Christ, but before the foundation of the world, says the Bible. So that's the assurance, and brother touched on that this morning in this marvelous Sunday school reading.

Now, let's just read for a Scripture somewhere just for a little.... I want.... Just something that's on my heart. I just like to speak it for a few moments, and then we'll dismiss and expect the services again tonight.

And now, I got a message on my heart coming down the other day that I want, if God willing, if I'm back here next Sunday morning to bring it to the Tabernacle for the first. Just something that's on my heart of the time I went into a place to eat, and I thought, “Well, am I going crazy? What's the matter with me?” I can't stand these musics, all this here stuff that they have today, these silly women singing, “Down Out Of The Ivory Palace,” and all this. I said, “It must be something wrong with me.”

And the Holy Spirit said, “Oh, no. Oh, no.” If you've the love of the world or the things of the world, the love of God is not even in you.

So I thought, “Well, I don't want to get adjusted then to this world. That's....” And then the Holy Spirit begin to reveal this message to me. I wouldn't have time this morning. I'm too tired, besides. Maybe the Lord willing next Sunday morning if we're still around.... I've got some trips to make this week, but if I'm still around next Sunday morning, God willing. Brother Neville will announce it on his broadcast on Saturday, and we'll be in and try to bring this message. And I want you to try to bring someone. It's a Gospel message of the day, hour and season.

When I predicted six months ago that this was the closing year for America, and we will see whether it is according to the Gospel or not. This is the time when she's gone. It's either going up or down this year. That's right.

Now, you young children, I want you to bring you a piece of paper and write it in the flyleaf of your Bible, that when Brother Branham's done passed on perhaps, you see whether I was right or wrong. And you'll know whether the Lord still speaks or not, see.

Now, in Romans the 4th chapter, I want to read just for a portion of Word to continue on.

What shall we say then that Abraham our father ... pertaining to the flesh, hath found?

For if Abraham were justified by works, he has whereof to glory; but not before God.

For what saith the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.

But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justified the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

And may the Lord add His blessings to the Word.

Now, the little subject if we should call it so, that I wish to speak to you about is Divine Love, and when divine love has been projected and comes to its destination, sovereign grace takes its place, see. Now, can you think of that? Now, ponder over it so we get real close now, see. When divine love is projected and comes to its destiny, then sovereign grace takes over.

Now, it's a strange thing that how that people.... The type of people and what we do in our associations.... Now, we all have to face these facts: that there is people that you just love to be around; and there's people that's fine people, and you love them, but yet, there's something about the person that you just can't hardly stay around them.

Now, we want to talk of facts. Now, the reason that is, is because of the atmosphere that the individual himself or herself creates: because you are a miniature creator, because you're sons and daughters of God. No matter how far you've stooped in sin, you're still sons and daughters of God, because you're fallen, degenerated in your soul and mind, but God is your Creator; and in your fallen estate you are a lost, undone creation of God dominated by the devil. That's right, but still you're sons and daughters of God.

He's not willing that any of you should perish but all might come to repentance, see. And He's done everything that lays possible, for only God Himself could do this, to give the opportunities to the creatures of His to accept and to be what He wants you to be, back in your right estate again.

And no person.... Now, here it is and it's pretty sharp. But no person is in their right mental status until they have accepted the Lord Jesus. That's a deep word, but that's the truth. No person is mentally right until they have accepted Christ Jesus as personal Saviour. That sounds strange, but it's the Bible. Certainly, that is true.

He is the one, and in your created being.... Now, you'll be crazy to the world when you do that, because you have to come out of the atmosphere you're in, into this other atmosphere. When you do that, God lifts you right up from the world, and you live in a heavenly atmosphere, see. And then to the world, you're just contrary to what that is, see. And this is contrary to the world, see. Now, what you want to do is be lifted up by Christ into an atmosphere to where you are happy, peaceful, and then in there you create a situation.... And now many times we in churches.... This may seem strange, but if you'll just watch it.... Now, this is for the church. It's for the people.

The people get one another's spirit, instead of getting the Holy Spirit. You go into a group of people, and you watch the way that a person acts, and then find people that come into that congregation, the first thing you know they act the same way. You always.... You take a good woman and a bad man, and he'll either become a good man or her a bad woman. In the atmosphere that you live in, you project to your associates what you are.

Then what type of people ought we to be if we're a Christian? What type of an atmosphere should we live in? In a consoling, soothing, healing atmosphere we should live in, with our hearts constantly in prayer with a deep love for every person we come in contact with.

If I say this to the little churches that prayed for me for the world missions.... That's my success in praying for the sick. If I can't get right down into the feeling of the sickness with the person, it usually doesn't do any good. You've got to come right down till it's just ... and you feel it yourself.

Here sometime ago an old Mexican man down there on the platform, when he run to the platform, much faith, he fell down, grabbed out his rosary. I told him, “It's not necessary,” and through the interpreter, Brother Espinoza.

So he raised up. He put his arms around, and begin going some way. He was blind. I looked at him. I looked at them old wrinkled-up feet, probably never wore a pair of shoes in his life. I looked at my shoes, see if they'd fit him. I'd give him my shoes. He was blind. And I looked, he was a wider across the shoulders. Big man, weighed two hundred and something I guess. He couldn't have wore my coat. And as he was standing there and the gray hair, I thought of my daddy. I thought, “If daddy would've lived to be about this age, he'd've been about the same aged man as this—around sixty-five or seventy years old.” And I entered into a love of that man.

Till, way that I thought, “Maybe never had a decent meal in his life, maybe he never sat down at a table in his life and in all this, and then walking around in darkness.” Then something come into my heart. “God be merciful. He's a man. He's a brother.” Then when that strikes, there's Something anoints. There's a creation moves around, and it's projected to this person.

In a few moments I heard him hollering something over my shoulder, and he was hollering, “I can see. I can see.” What was it? Divine love, sympathy had been projected by the Holy Spirit into this man, and by that at the end of the road where he couldn't.... Nothing could be done, and love had taken its place, and love had met love; then sovereign grace went to work, and God through sovereign grace restored the sight to the man, see.

First you have to enter into that spot. That's the way you have to do to a sinner. Many people pray for sinners. That's all right, but that's not the way to win a sinner. It's your business to win the sinner. You don't win him by praying for him. You win him by talking to him and introducing to him, Christ. That's your business. That's your duty is to win sinners by talking to them, and projecting to them the love of God through the Word of God that wins the sinner.

Someone say, “I never did go to church. I sure like that woman. I like that fellow.” See, because you're winning them. If you stayed home and just prayed for the sinner, never went to contact him, there's very little can be done. But you've got to pray and then go. That's right. Go and do it.

Now, the projecting of this love. Here a few days ago I was listening to a testimony of a great plow manufacturer standing on the platform. Well, there sat businessmen from around the world, sitting on the platform, and this plow man. He got up. He said, “Well, I didn't know why I had to be operated on.” I love the man, and he's a great follower of Brother Roberts, my friend. And so when....

He said, “When I found out that I was getting sick and having stone trouble—kidney stones.... I went to eat dinner with Brother Oral,” and said, “Brother Oral got up, and said, 'Now, brother, I see that you're in distress,' so he said, 'I'm going to pray for you.'”

And he said, “Well, praise the Lord. I just wanted you to say that, Brother Oral,” and said, “Oral come over and put his hands on his kidneys, and said, 'I rebuke this kidney stone and to leave this man immediately.'” And said, “When he did it,” said, “I got relief.” And said, “Just a little while it come back again.”

Said, “I went again to Brother Oral.” And said, “He prayed again, I got relief; but every time it come back, it come worse.” And he said “Then the next thing I thought of, 'If I could go down,'” he said, 'to Brother Branham and could stand before him, and the Holy Spirit would come to him, he would tell me then why that I didn't get healed when Brother Oral prayed for me.'“

So he made his way out, and he come to Louisiana. I was in services there, and I stood before him for twenty minutes. The Holy Spirit was mute, didn't say a thing. I prayed for him, and he said he felt better, and he come on down. Then he went.... Getting nervous, excited. He went from place to place. Everybody, pray for him, pray for him. And he loved the Lord, but finally got to a place, he was ... shipped him off to Mayo's. Mayo's looked him over and said, “You got one chance out of one thousand of living. It's set up an infection. Your whole body's poisoned and uremic,” and I forget what all. Said, “You got one chance out of one thousand.”

So he said, “I took it.” He said, “I prayed, 'O God, You know I love You, and I've went to all Your servants.” And he took the chance, and they put him to sleep. And said, “When he woke up in the room,” he said, “There's a light shining in the room, and the glory of God was all around him, and the doctors was astonished. They come in and said, 'Well, what's happened here?'”

“Why,” he said, “I feel like going home.” What was it? See, he'd built his hopes upon: “If anything ever happens to me, I'll go to Brother Roberts. If that fails, I'll go to Brother Branham,” and yet he loved the Lord Jesus.

God had to let everything else fail, till laying there on his bed, even when the doctor said, “We can't do nothing.” And then when divine love had come to its end, sovereign grace stepped in and took its place. It'll do it every time. If your motives are right, your alternatives are right. If you'll have divine love and believe, walk forward, doubting nothing, when it comes to look like the end of the road has come, then sovereign grace takes its place.

How I've seen it work. How I've noticed it in my own life, and not by just a theology, or not by some kind of a.... somebody else's experience. I'm so glad today that I can talk from a personal experience to know that that is the truth. Why do we fear then? As long as we know the love of Christ is resting divinely in our hearts, that we've passed from death unto life, all demons out of hell hasn't got a chance to move in. Even yourself, if you'll continue in that love and faith. It's just like a little baby. You take a little baby.... I'll show you so the little fellows can get it.

Here's Mrs. Kelly sitting here before us. When a drunken soldier, I believe it was, ran into them out there, and she was picked up for dead, nearly put her in the hospital unconscious. When everything had failed and she was out of the way, and yet with the love of God and her husband standing over her, went in there that day, and then sovereign grace was projected after divine love, and here she sits this morning, among us alive today. See, it's something that happens.

When you get to the end of your road, when you get to where you can't move, then it's time God will move in by sovereign grace the thing that you seek. You take a little kid, a little baby. They have little cramps and spasms, and they'll scream, and kick, and holler; and the first thing you know, they'll hold their breath, and you'll see a mother grab it, and pet it, and throw it up in the air, blow in its face. Let it alone. There's never been in all medical history one ever died like that. They won't die. He's just having a tantrum. He's trying to get sympathy. He's trying to get some humoring, and it's just a temper spell; and after he gets his temper spell to a place he's held his breath where he can't go no farther, then nature steps in, and he relaxes and starts breathing again. All your picking up and screaming just makes ... hollering and blowing in his face makes him worse.

That's the way it is with us when we travel from church to church, from pillar to post, from healing service to healing service. Brother, take love and start forward till you get to the end of the road. God will project by His grace, when you come to the end of the road, when love has met its fill, God's obligated to help. When you've come to your end and man's met their end, then grace takes over. It's God's nature to do so. How I've noticed it. How when I get in certain....

And excuse this personal testimony now for a minute. You've read the book out there that day in Portland, Oregon, when that maniac run to the platform, was going to kill me. All of you have read that perhaps from the book. What taken place? God sent me to preach the Gospel. That I was doing. Thousands of people were gathered. The streets was standing full and sixty some odd hundred in the inside and it pouring down rain and the people standing there. Their hearts were longing, hungering. That's when no one else was on the field; tinsel was on the meetings, and they'd have to pull you through crowds and everything else and police escorts to get you in.

I'd been to a room and there led two little officers to Christ over in the dressing room, two young boys on the police force in their early twenties. One of their mother's had been healed the night before, and they both bowed there, and I led them to the Lord Jesus.

Walking out on the platform to speak faith, all of a sudden a maniac who had hit a preacher down the street that afternoon, broke out of an institution—broke his collar bone, broke his jaw. He had a mania to kill preachers. He run in and thought, “This is my chance.” Up to the platform he come, weighing about two-fifty or two-sixty, nearly six foot ten inches tall, swinging his hands back and forth. He said, “You hypocrite, you snake-in-the-grass.” There it was, God's service in order, people being healed, thousands being saved and blessed, ministers inspired. This great revival just in its beginning then and start breaking forth across the world. Sitting up there, sat T. L. Osborn (Amen.), who has won tens of thousands of souls to Christ, sitting there pastoring a church with eight or ten in his congregation, watching down out of the balcony.

And that maniac run to the platform to disturb the meeting of the Lord, and he said, “You snake-in-the-grass, you hypocrite, imposing yourself as a servant of God; I'll show you tonight you're no servant of God. And I'll break ever bone in your measly little body.” And he run up there and pulled back his big fist to hit me. I turned around. Preachers scattered, everything. Stood and he hocked and spit in my face. He said, “You snake-in-the-grass. I'll show you how much servant of God you are, you deceiver.”

I never said one word. I just looked up at him, and all at once the Holy Spirit, something another.... What would you think if a man spit in your face? Why, if there's any temper about you, it'd rise. Sure it would. And here come two cops out (them two cops I'd led...) with the things in their hands to beat the man down to take him off, but I couldn't let them do it. God had brought love in my heart for that mortal being.

I thought, “It's not the man. It's the devil that's got him in that condition. That man would be a normal man; He wants to love and live like other men does, but it's the devil that's got him like that.” And a love begin to sway out to that man, and the first thing you know, that man dropped and fell across my feet there. When divine love had been projected, sovereign grace stepped in and took its place. It'll do it every time.

Here not long ago when.... I might've told you this before. Last year ... year before last, it is now, I was mowing my yard there, trying to get my yard mowed down, round and round. And I had to stop and change clothes, run in and pray for somebody, come out. Well, and my yard was growed up before I ... in the back, before I could get the front mowed; it was growed up and so I....

One day I was back in the back with my old mowing machine mowing along on it, trying that little power mower. And I forgot that there was a nest of hornets in the corner there, and I rammed that mower into that. And at the back yard I had my shirt off, no shirt on. I hit that fence with that mowing machine, and with no shirt on, and a moment's time I was covered all over with hornets. You know what they are; a big nest of hornets, they'd kill you. Great big fellows just a buzzing.

Oh, I thought.... First it scared me. Then all of a sudden, something begin to happen. It begin to quieten down, them hornets still buzzing around. Now, this sounds like a kid, this sounds like juvenile, but God of heaven knows whether it's truth or not, of Whom I stand.

Then instead of trying to fight, and beat, and smack them hornets, there was some kind of a godly love come up over me. And I thought, “Poor little fellows, you got a right to build a nest. That's the way God made for you to protect yourself, and I disturbed you, and I'm sorry that I did it. If I had it to do over again, I wouldn't disturb you. I didn't mean to do it.” But I said, “I'm a servant of the Lord, and His sick children's here to be prayed for. And I got to hurry and mow this yard. Now, you little creatures of God, in the name of Jesus Christ go back to your nest. I'll not bother you.”

And what was it? It was at a place where I could've been stung to death. And the love of God, a submitted heart, the projecting of love came forth, and sovereign grace taken over. What could tell those hornets? Speak, [unclear words] and every hornet took his circle in its flight and lined up like a military does its soldiers and went right straight back into their nest.

What was it? I couldn't speak to the hornets. I have no way of speaking to them. How could I keep them from stinging me? I was at the end, but I had love. God gave love to those hornets, and I spoke to them in my voice and the Holy Spirit and sovereign grace guided those hornets right back into their nest.

Not far down the road, an old Guernsey's there at Henryville one day; this big old bull out here killed this colored man at Burke's farm out here, killed a colored man. Almost killed that West boy the same way. They'e sold him out there on the farm. I didn't know. I was patrolling. Supposed to pack a gun; I didn't have it.

One day crossing, I thought I was going to go over there, pray for some sick person. I went across that field not thinking about that bull being in that field. And I got way out in the middle of the field, what happened? First thing you know, I was by a little clump of bushes, this big spotted bull stood, long horns like that, and he let out a roar. I knew that was that killer. I looked back. I was too far from the fence, about two hundred yards; he wasn't standing thirty or forty feet from me. There he stood, threw his horns down, let out a great big bawl. I didn't have no gun, an oak tree to get into. I couldn't go back to the fence.

I thought, “Well, this is the end. Bill Branham, here's where you meet your doom to be mauled to death, going to death out here in the field.” I stood there, but all of a sudden something begin to pour down from heaven like the glory of God. Something come into my heart right there. I just loved that poor animal. It's not that poor animal. It's the devil that makes it do it.

And I only know one thing.

Here it is; I want you to hear it. There's only one thing that will conquer the devil. That's pure, divine love. Love will conquer everything. God so loved the world.... It conquered the sin question. It conquered the sickness question. It'll conquer the difference in the church. It'll conquer everything there is unrighteous to be conquered. It'll do it, if you'll just let it do it.

Friends, when this great animal started towards me, and instead of hating that animal, Brother Mike, I loved him. And I thought, “You are God's creature. Who else could make you but God? And you were laying there peacefully, and I come on your territory with signs up all over the field. I never thought of it. I just cut off my regular territory to go over and pray for a sick man.”

And there I seen that fellow coming, his head just a swaying like that, and he was making for me to kill me; and I knew it, but divine love begin to come. I thought, “Poor creature. A dumb brute don't know no better. There you lay, and I disturbed you. So now, I am God's servant. You are God's creature. In the name of Jesus Christ go back and lay down, for I'm on my road to pray for one of God's sick children. Go back and lay down.”

And that bull come to me just as hard as he could. No fear. I wasn't a bit more afraid than I would be of Brother Neville sitting right here. Just the fear of holy love in my heart.

What did it do? It created an atmosphere. When that bull run right into that atmosphere, not over ten feet from me, he stopped and throwed his feet out. He looked right and left. So depleted with the most meekest look on his face, and turned around, and walked over and laid down in that pasture within five feet.

What is it? When divine love is projected, sovereign grace takes over at that time. That was the same God that could stop the lions from coming to Daniel, when they come with a roar, and old Daniel standing there wrapped in the love of love. The lions went over and laid down. It was peaceful. I tell you, my brother, when God can wrap you in divine love, there's peace in the valley for you then. There it is.

Here some time ago I was coming up from over in Dallas, Texas. I was flying by plane, coming home (We'd had a meeting over there.), and on my road, it got into a storm, and the plane was forced down at Memphis. And while I was in Memphis they put me up over there at that Peabody Hotel, oh, great swanky place. I kind of felt so out of place. I was up there that night, and stayed all night.

They called me the next morning, and said, “Reverend Branham?”

“Yes.”

Said, “The limousine will pick you up now at exactly seven o'clock. The plane will leave at seven-thirty.”

I said, “Thank you, sir.” Hung up. I got up, prayed, and I thought, “Well, I got time maybe to run to a post office box. Got some mail here I answered last night.” I got up and started down the street, going down the street singing:

There are people almost everywhere,

Whose hearts are all on flame

With the fire that fell on Pentecost,

That cleansed and made them clean;

Oh, it's burning now within my heart,

O glory to His name!

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

Going down the street with this bunch of letters in my hand, going towards the post office, I felt something strange. You know what I'm talking about, don't you? Just like everything just settled down. Oh, what a feeling. I thought, “Oh, my, isn't this wonderful?”

Now, Doc used to sing a little song, “Let Me Walk With The Heavenly Dove, Fill My Way Each Day With Love.” I used to think of that and this love begin to pour out, a extra. We got love, but we need the abundance of love, the overflowing of love. You say, “Oh, I love sinners.” But oh, brother, sister, do you love them well enough to go out and talk to them and woo them to Christ? See what I mean?

You say, “I love the Lord,” but can you trust Him when the doctor shakes his head? Can you trust Him when everything else is gone? You need an overflowing baptism of love, divine love. When it seems like when you pray and your prayer is not answered, do you still love Him? Is there something that keeps urging you on. That's God's sovereign grace has to take over. It's got to. It's God's nature. God can't do nothing else but do that.

When God seen the sin of this world, and seen that man was dying without hope and could not be saved, and yet He knowed that man would love Him, it strained God, and it proved His nature. God's nature is love. God is love, and it strained God's nature until He had to provide a way of escape for those who were to escape. And He sent His Son into the world made in the likeness of sinful flesh to bear our sins and sickness at Calvary. God did it.

The love of God going out called for sovereign grace. And God never said, “If you'll do it.... If you'll do this, I'll do this.” God, without any conditions He sent His Son to die in your place and settle the sin question. Had nothing to do with what you think about it. God did it anyhow. Amen. Divine love puts you in strains, sovereign grace has to take its place. That's all there is, when divine love just sits at the right place.

Listen closely. That morning when I got out of the plane ... I got out of the hotel, started walking down the street. I was going along singing. All at once something seemed to pour down on me: a great shower of love. I thought, “Oh, if I could just only.... Oh, I believe the way I feel, if I could just see somebody to pray for.” That's the way you feel. When there's something in your heart pouring.

The other day.... May I stop just a moment again? The other day little Sarah got sick. When we started off, oh, it was so hot, and I'd been up every night, getting about two hours sleep. Delegates from all over the different parts of the world; had to meet this one, that one, and praying, preaching three times a day—oh, wore out. I was just going, and then I got out, and I had to wait. And there was those few miles out of the city, and I was so sleepy (even early of a morning) till I had to lay down on the side of the road and sleep. Lay down a few minutes; I got up and started again. And I just couldn't hold my eyes open trying to plow on to get to this woman across a hot, burning deserts in Nebraska.

Going through there, and I thought.... Oh, my, little Sarah just a heaving and a gagging. Poor little thing had been sick all night. The next morning she was so sick, we just had to stop the car; and just white in her face. And I was so tired and worn. I thought, “O God, oh, this situation is terrible. God, looky here. I can't drive. I'm so tired, and I've been out yonder with your people trying to do the best I could, and little Sarah's so sick.” Well, we went....

And I went over there and put my hands on her. I said, “Dear heavenly Father, You give me this child. This is Yours. I only raised her.” I laid my hands upon her. Something begin to move down in my heart. That ended the vomiting. She never vomited once more from that day to this.

The second day Becky started real sick like a virus and vomiting. The little thing vomit all night. Next day Meda said, “We'll get some Pepto-Bismol.” Poured out a couple of spoons to give it to her. The little thing just vomited it right up. We got into the Tetons. When we hit out of that hot country starting up, she wanted to see the beautiful mountains. She couldn't do it. She was so sick.

I said, “Honey, look here, I want to take.... Daddy wants to take your picture so you can see the mountain there.”

She said, “Oh, daddy. I just feel like I'm dying.” And so we give her another Pepto-Bismol. We offered prayer that morning.

Said, “Lord, have mercy.” And oh, that didn't do no good. So got up there, and I got her out. I said, “Honey, get out in the fresh air.” Cold, she had a little jacket on, snow laying around on the ground.

So I got out and she was trying to.... She said, “Yes, daddy.” Go.... And water just come out of her little mouth. I looked at her little eyes setting back, and her mouth just as white around as it could be.

I walked over there and looked up towards the mountain. I said, “I look unto the hills from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord.” Till all at once, something begin to purge down in me. Oh, I wish I could have it all the time. I walked over there to the side of the car, opened the door, I said, “Looky here at daddy, honey.” Oh, my, that settled the vomiting for all. Five minutes from then she was running around playing with Sarah. What is it? When divine love is projected, sovereign grace takes its place. It has to.

Down the street that morning, walking in Memphis (back to my story). I was walking down the street in Memphis, singing to the Lord, and all at once something said, “Stop.” And I stopped. All at once it said, “Turn and go back the other way.” Well, that was towards the river.

I thought, “Oh, my.” I walked in the park. I thought, “Well, I just.... Something I just....” You know, you impress, you know, a lot of times. And a lot of times people make mistakes by following impressions instead of divine leadings. So I started on. I thought, “That was just ... that I felt.” And oh, farther I got, the worse it got.

I stepped up in a little side place, looked around. There was some fishing things laying there. I thought I'd act like (people passing by) that I was looking at these fishing things. When I got ... everybody kind of left the walk, that group from where the light turns. I said, “Kind heavenly Father, what were You wanting me to do? Was that You moving on my heart? I just feel like I'm bursting on the inside.” Just something pouring like.

Something said, “Turn and go back.”

I said, “Where to?”

He said, “Turn and go back.”

Don't make any difference where to, just keep on going. I turned and started walking back down the street. I walked. I looked at my watch, it still urging me. It past time. Went a little farther, past time—seven-thirty, left at. Eight o'clock. I thought, “Oh, my, my, my.” I'd done got way back down where it was kind of like colored houses, a lot of little colored houses down there, way down.

And I was walking along there. The sun's way up high then, early spring, clouds all gone. I thought, “Well, I missed my.... I missed my plane,” but I thought, “O God, it's all right if I miss the plane, just as long as You.... Where're You leading me to, Lord? I don't know where You're taking me. Where am I going?” None of my business, just keep on walking.

I just walked on; after awhile I looked hanging out over a gate like this, there was a typical old Aunt Jemima hanging across the gate, and her big, fat cheeks. She had a man's shirt wrapped around her head like this and tied in the back. I was walking along like that, and I got up to her, tears running down her big, fat cheeks like that. She looked over at me, said, “Good morning, parson.”

And I said, “Ma'am,” said, “good morning.”

She kind of grinned and looked at me, tears in her eyes. I thought, “She called me 'parson.'” That's what they call a preacher in the south, you know. I said, “How did you know I was a parson?”

She said, “I knowed you was coming.”

“What?”

Said, “I knowed you was coming.”

I said, “I don't understand, Auntie. Would you tell me?”

She said, “You know, did you ever read that story about the Shunammite woman who didn't have any children, and she asked the Lord to give her a child,” and said, “and Elisha come and blessed her, and she got a child?”

I said, “Yes, ma'am. I remember that.”

She said, “I's was that kind of woman.” Said, “I didn't have any children, and I prayed to the Lord; and I told the Lord if He would bless me, and give me a child, then I would raise it for Him.” And said, “He give me a child,” and said, “I've washed over the washboard (There was a little old haunt there on the side.)” said, “I've washed over the washboard and raised this child.”

And she said, “When he got big, parson, he taken the wrong road.” And said, “he got out with the wrong company, and he's laying in here dying.” And said, “The doctor man was here day before yesterday when he went unconscious and said he could never do no more for him. They give him six-o-six, silverstan, and everything else, mercury and penicillin. Nothing....” Venereal, syphilis can eat the valves out of his heart. And said, “There's nothing that can be done for him.” And said, “He was laying in here dying.”

And said, “Oh, Lord, I didn't want to see my baby die like that.” And said, “If I could just hear him say that he was saved....” And said, “I prayed, and I prayed for two nights.” Said, “This morning about three o'clock,” said, “the Lord put me to sleep, kneeling on my knees.” Said, “I dreamed a dream, that I saw a man come with a light suit on, wearing a little western hat sitting on the side on his head.” I said, “Lord, I was the woman, but where's Your Elijah?”

Said, “Here he comes.” Said, “I got right up out of that bed, and I've been standing right here ever since waiting for you.”

That's the way I dress just exactly. Oh, brother, when divine love is projected.... That mother with her baby, nearly a hundred and eighty pounds, but he's still her baby, laying dying in disgrace. No matter how disgraceful he was, it was her baby. She loved him. That's a mother's love. No matter how much disgrace he'd brought, she still loved him.

And if you can't forget your baby, no matter what done, how much more can God not forget you. He said, “Your names are engraved on the palms of my hands. A mother may forget her suckling babe, but never will I forget you.” No matter what you've done, how far back you've gone, how much you've got into, God still loves you. God loves you; keep that blood moving on. Don't let it fail.

There she stands, she said, “And I just couldn't do it.” And she said, “Parson, I dreamed a dream, and I saw you coming,” and said, “when I looked down the street, and I saw that little light suit and that little hat sitting on the side of your head,” said, “the Spirit said to me, 'There he is.'” She said, “Won't you come in?”

I thought, “O God.” I thought, “Maybe this is where You led me to. This is the reason I was supposed to come.” I didn't know. I opened up the gate, and it had a chain and a plow point on it. I don't know whether you ever seen one or not. I opened up the little old door and went in.

Brother, I've been in king's palaces. I've been in the richest homes there is in the world. I've been in some the multimillionaire's was worth twenty ... as much as twenty-eight million dollars. I've walked on their rugs, when it was chenille from one side to the other, when I could lay down and sleep easy on their doormat in the lovely homes, but there was not even a rug on the floor. And a little old poster iron bed sitting there; a little old blanket pulled up over this boy, and a sign on the door “God Bless Our Home.”

I knowed I was in the presence of a Christian home. I knowed I was somewhere where love was made, not no pinups on the wall, not no vulgar pictures, but the Bible laying open on the little old marble top table laying there. And a big boy laying there in the bed, covers in his hand going, “Ummmmm, Ummmmm.”

I thought, “Oh, my.” Felt his feet; it was sticky and cold. Death was on the boy.

And he kept saying, “Oh, it's so dark. It's so dark.”

And I said, “What's he talking about?”

She said, “Parson,” said, “him been thinking for a lot of ... many days now, that he's out on a big sea, lost.” Said, “He don't know where he's going.” And said, “I was hurt in my heart.” Said, “He's going away, and he's lost out on the sea, and he don't know where he's going.” Said, “Parson, I've prayed. I've done everything. I've done everything. I don't want him lost, parson.” And said, “That's when I was praying.”

I said, “Auntie, what's wrong with the boy?”

She said, “It's a venereal disease. The doctor man done said he's dying, nothing more could be done.” And said. “He's unconscious. He's been lost on this sea for two days.” She said, “Will you pray for him?

I said, “Auntie, my name is Branham. Did you ever hear of me?”

She said, “No, sir. I don't believe I ever did, parson.”

I said, “Well, I'm going to tell you a story.” I said, “My ministry is praying for the sick.”

She said, “It is?”

I said, “Yes,” and I said ... told her about the plane coming down and everything.

She said, “Is that the truth, parson?”

I said, “Yes.”

She said, “Well, I knowed He wouldn't let me down.”

I said, “You offer prayer, Auntie.” And she got down there, and you talk about a prayer. Oh, brother, how that old saint could get a hold of God, and there she prayed till the tears rolled out of her eyes.

I looked up and he kept going, “Ummm.”

And I said, “Now, Auntie, I'll pray. You go along with me.” I put my hands over on his feet; I said, “Heavenly Father, my plane's done gone as far as I know, and here this poor old mother was crying for her baby; and as far as I know, this is where You led me to. I pray that You'll be merciful to him.”

And just about that time I heard him say, “Mammy. Ohhh, mammy.”

She raised up and wiped the tears out of her eyes. She said, “Yes, honey. Mommy's baby feeling better?” Begin to pat him on the head.

He said, “Mama, it's getting light in the room. It's getting light in the room.” Sovereign love ... or, divine love had been projected to the heart of God. Sovereign grace had to answer in its place.

I think of a poor mother there holding on with her prayer to God, and all this, and then what happened? God through His grace, God in His mercy would bring an airplane out of the sky and hold it on the ground to answer the prayer of that poor, ignorant, colored woman. When divine love was projected, no matter how poor she was, how black she was, how yellow she was, what else she was. When divine grace is projected, sovereign grace has to take its place. And that love of that old mother there how she cried.

And the boy a few.... About two years after that I went down, in some train going down, I got off, and went up there to get me a hamburger. They wanted about seventy or eighty cents for it on the plane ... on the train, and I could buy it for about twenty cents in the little stand. I got off the train and started down. There was a redcap said, “Hello, Parson Branham.”

I looked around, and I said, “Good morning, son.”

Walked over and said, “Don't you know me?”

I said, “No. I don't believe I do.”

Said, “You remember about two years ago when you come down and prayed for me and my mammy.”

I said, “Are you that boy?”

Said, “Yes, sir, Parson Branham.” Said, “I's not only healed, but I's saved now. I's a Christian.”

Sovereign grace! Yes, sir, brother. I'm telling you; when grace.... When God sees love projected, grace has to take its place.

A few weeks ago at my house, you remember it, many of you, well, when that old opossum, laying across there. And this young girl down here had drowned her baby. And when God gave her a baby, and she didn't want to raise it. And she wrapped it in a blanket, and throwed it out there, and drowned it in the river. I said, “That is a mother that's lower than a dog. An animal wouldn't do it.” And that the sovereign love of God could be projected to an animal, how much more it can be projected to a man or a woman. That's right.

And this old mother possum making her way up that lane. You know the story, and how she come in and laid there at my steps for twenty-four hours, me not even knowing nothing about it. Brother Wood and them, sitting back there and Sister Wood with mercy for the thing, said, “Brother Branham, why do you let it suffer, and them poor little baby possums drinking that old milk from her and her laying there dead?” Said, “Why don't you kill them, Brother Branham or destroy the old mother?”

She wasn't quite dead. She was.... You could punch her and you'd get a move out of her. And there she laid there all night.

And the next day little old Becky there, she come out. She said, “Daddy....” Next morning about daylight, she said, “What are you going to do with that opossum, daddy?” Said, “I just been thinking about it all night.”

I said, “So have I, Becky.” I went down in the room. I said, “Go on back and go to bed, honey. It's too early for you to get up.” I sat down there in my den room, and I thought, “Well....” Begin to rub my forehead. I thought I had to do something for that old possum. I don't know what to do.

Then I heard a voice, insomuch that I wasn't even expecting it. Right there where them apples come down that morning for Brother Hall, when he was healed with cancer, there where the sick and afflicted's been healed, I was sitting in the little den room. I heard a voice say, “I sent her to you. She's laid like a lady for twenty-four hours for her time to be prayed for, and you've never said a word to Me about it.”

I said, “Well, I didn't even know it.” I said, “Well, You mean that You sent that possum there?” I thought, “What's the matter with me? Am I talking to myself?” I caught myself talking back to Him.

I walked out there and little Becky was still looking through the door. I walked over to that old possum, had dew all over her and everything else. I said, “Heavenly Father, if You sent that poor ignorant possum, if You've sent her here, somehow I've put in my heart a love for her, being a mother, that I couldn't kill her, couldn't kill her babies. And sovereign grace to teach a lesson to people, that they ought to know, has brought her here, then, God, I pray in Christ's name that You'll heal her.”

And that old possum with her legs blowed full of maggots and so dragging it behind her, swelled twice the size, stood up on that leg, and picked up those babies in her pocket, walked down through there just as normal as any beast you ever seen walk, to the lane, as if to turn around and say, “Thank you, kind sir.” As far as I know, to live happy with her babies today. Why? When divine love is projected, sovereign grace takes its place.

My brother, sister, you've only got one thing to do in your life: that's love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, with all your mind, and believe every word He said is the truth. And when you come to the end of your road, where you can't go any farther, then divine, sovereign grace will be projected. How could I talk, here laying yonder, when Mayo Brothers had give me up, sitting on the side of the porch, over there, with Brother Cox sitting by me. Wanted to know what [unclear words]. I couldn't even....