Chapter 10 - Beginning of the New Ministry

After the visitation of the angel, Brother Branham returned to his home. On Sunday evening he spoke in his tabernacle at Jeffersonville. The people of his church believed in him and loved him. It is to them we go at this time for the continuation of our story of the course of events which were now unfolding rapidly and would soon plummet Brother Branham onto the stage of a nation-wide ministry.

*****

Many visions had been given to Brother Branham during the last year he was with us, and all of them were proven true before our very eyes. But the special Gift of Healing, which he had received during the visitation of the angel, he proclaimed only a few days before he left us to go to St. Louis. We at Jeffersonville believe that William Branham is a prophet sent from God. One of the wonderful things about our brother is that he is humble. We have known him since he was a school-boy, and it is true that he has always lived a clean, moral, quiet life, and has always seemed to be a little different. Many here have watched these scenes in which God has been unfolding His mysteries, some of which have been more or less hidden since Apostolic days.

After his conversion when he began preaching here, we erected a large tent for him and people came from far and near. At his very first campaign some three thousand people attended to hear the story he proclaimed of Jesus of Nazareth. We realized then that God gave him some special phenomenon, but we did not know just what it would be. Many signs and wonders followed him in the early days of his ministry, such as could be understood only by spirit-filled people. We are still wondering what the outcome will be as the effect of these things spread across the world, growing greater and greater as the days go by.

It was on Memorial Sunday night in the year 1946, speaking in the tabernacle, that he told of his meeting with the angel, and how the angel told him of the Gift of Healing that he was to take to the peoples of the world, that many thousands of people would be coming to him for healing, and that he would be standing before thousands in packed auditoriums.

Now for a carnally-minded person this seemed absolutely impossible, as this boy was a humble worker, a very poor peasant type, and uneducated. But we had seen other visions of his come to pass, and he spoke this with such certainty, and openly declared it to every one, that we were sure this would come to pass also. He also stated that the angel had declared to him that he would be able to discern disease by supernatural power, and then if he would stay humble that he would be able to discern the thoughts of people's hearts and tell them of their past lives, and that many would misunderstand him. The angel further told him that this was the Spirit of Christ working through him, that he had been called from birth for this purpose, and that the last days were here; that this was the sign of the last days, and by this gift God was calling all His people together into unity of the Spirit.

A Man Sent From God - Page 83

We knew that these signs were scriptural and we recalled the manner in which Jesus Christ, when the Spirit was upon him, told Nathanael that He saw him under the fig tree before Philip called him, and by this sign Nathanael knew Jesus to be the Son of God, the Messiah of Israel. Also when the woman of Samaria was told by Christ of her five husbands she ran into the city saying, "Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?" And also Moses, the great deliverer of the Children of Israel, was foreordained of God and was born in peculiar circumstances. Satan tried to destroy him and later he was given two signs on the eve of the deliverance that the people might recognize him as being sent of God for this deliverance. Now again the angel said that these signs were given to him that the people would believe on Jesus Christ, the one he loved. Also they were given for the purpose of bringing together all the church that people should no longer be separated by creeds and denominations. Certainly Brother Branham's heart goes out to all his brethren who have separated themselves one from another. He believes that God will bring together all those of His church into the unity of the Spirit and then Jesus shall come for His church.

We believe that our brother's life could be compared to Moses of old. Our brother is very humble and does not profess to be a great person. He takes no glory to himself, but gives all the credit to Jesus Christ who saved him and called him.

Telegram Arrives While Service Was In Progress

On this Sunday night after the appearance of the angel to Brother Branham, while he was speaking in the tabernacle at Jeffersonville, someone came in and handed him a telegram. It was from St. Louis and it asked him to come and pray for a girl, whose name was Betty Daugherty, that was dying. The news of what had happened had gotten as far as St. Louis, and now he was asked to go on this call. He was working daily for a living, and had no money to go on, so we took up an offering for this purpose. We got enough money to pay his way over and back by train coach. He borrowed a suit of clothes from one of his brothers, and a coat from another brother, and at near midnight we put him on the train at Louisville, Kentucky, where he started for St. Louis.

Healing Of Betty Daugherty

On the way over he seemed to be very calm, knowing that God would not fail him. When he arrived at the station in St. Louis he was greeted by Rev. Daugherty, a pastor in the city, who had sent for him to minister to his little daughter, who lay dying with some unknown trouble. The best physicians of the city had been called and they were wholly unable to diagnose her case. Brother Daugherty said with a weary "We've done all we know to do; our doctors have done likewise. We have prayed and prayed, and many ministers and congregations of the city have fasted and prayed, but seemingly to no avail." Then Brother Branham walked with the father to his home where the dying child lay. He was greeted by the mother and grandfather of the child. Many friends were in the house praying at that time. He looked at the pathetic sight, and the tired parents looked upon him so earnestly as if to say, "Can't you help us?" Tears rolled down our brother's cheeks as he moved slowly toward the bed. What a sad sight to see a little curly-headed girl, nothing but skin and bones, clawing at her little face like an animal. She was screaming at the top of her voice, which by then had become very hoarse because this had been going on for three months. Brother Branham knelt in the room and prayed with the rest of them. But after prayer was made, seemingly the child was no better.

Brother Branham then asked for a quiet place to pray by himself, so he could see what Jesus Christ would have him to do. He realized that of himself he could do nothing. You will recall reading in the Fifth chapter of John when Jesus healed the lame man at the Pool of Bethesda and left the multitude of lame and blind and halt without healing, He said to the Jews, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, the Son can do nothing of himself but what he seeth the Father do, for whatsoever things he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise." This is true in the ministry of our brother. Often he sees the thing by vision. It is first shown to him by God and then he merely acts out the drama that he has seen.

Deliverance Comes!

They took him down to the church. For some three hours, Rev. Daugherty, his father and Brother Branham prayed. After this they returned back to the home to find the scene the same as before. Brother Branham then went into a room by himself to intercede for the child. Then he would walk up and down the street, and finally he sat in the pastor's car that was parked nearby. After a while the car door came open and Brother Branham stepped forward toward the house, this time with a stem look. Something had happened! He was met at the door by the father and grandfather, who, taking one look at his countenance, knew something had happened. He asked them, "Do you believe that I am God's servant?" "Yes," was the cry of the family. "Then do as I tell you, doubting nothing." To the mother he said, "Get me a pan of clean water, and a white cloth. Your child shall live for God has sent his angel to me and told me that your child shall live."

While the mother was getting the water, the father and the grandfather were asked to kneel, one to the right and one to the left of Brother Branham at the foot of the bed. When the mother returned she was asked to stroke the damp cloth over the face, then the hands, then the feet while Brother Branham was in prayer. Then he said, "Father, as thou hast showed me these things so I have done according to the vision that thou hast given me. In the Name of Jesus Christ, Thy Son, I pronounce this child healed." The evil spirit left the girl immediately. She is a normal, healthy child living in the same community today. People of the city flocked to Brother Branham but he withdrew himself, promising he would return later, which he did, within a few weeks.

Testimony Of The Father-Rev. Robert Daugherty

"Our little girl, Betty, had been sick for three months. We had two noted doctors of the city, but seemingly they could not find the cause of her sickness. We also had many outstanding ministers of the city and country around, praying for her. She steadily grew worse. Then we sent to Jeffersonville, Indiana, for a man by the name of Rev. William Branham, who has the gift of Divine healing. Brother Bill, as he is called, came to us at once. After hours of praying, he came in and told us that the Lord had showed him a vision of what to do for our little Betty. She was mere skin and bones and shook all the time as if she had palsy. Brother Bill asked us if we would believe God and would obey what He said to do. After he had prayed and called over her the Name of Jesus, our little girl was immediately healed. That has been about 10 months ago. Our little Betty is now in perfect health and is as fat as she can be. I will be glad to write to anyone in question of her healing, or any of the healings that took place during the revival which Brother Branham held there in St. Louis in 1946."