But It Wasn't So From The Beginning
61-0411, But It Wasn't So From The Beginning, Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington, IL, 126 min




If Pentecostal people could only realize that they're not the scum of the earth, they are sons and daughters of God, heirs of all things through Christ. But as long as Satan can keep you afraid to claim your inheritage, then he's got you. See? As long as you are afraid of it... Don't be afraid of any Word that God wrote, for just hang your faith on any punctuation that's in There because It's right. It's exactly right. And then just move on. If you can't see where you're going, as long as you are following the Word, move anyhow.



And what if I had to get up as much money as some of the brethren have to? What if I had to meet the expenses of Billy Graham? What if I had to meet the expenses of Oral Roberts? I could never come to a small place like this and have a meeting. But I like to keep myself where I have no expenses, and then wherever the Lord leads me I can go. See? I am under no obligations.

So what would I do with that where perhaps Mr. Roberts has to meet around seven, or eight, ten thousand dollars a day. Oh, I wouldn't have that on me for nothing. My, oh, my, God knowed better than that. He knowed I ain't... I haven't got that much mental powers to take care of stuff like that. I--I just couldn't do it. I'm so thankful that God has men that He... to do that.

I said, "He will hear anybody's prayer, Brother Roberts."
And I remember Tommy Osborn when he nailed hisself up that night when the demoniac run out on the platform to kill me (You've read the story of it.), Portland Oregon. And then he come to my house, and he said, "Brother Branham, oh, do you think I have got a gift of healing?"

Your pastors has just the same rights to pray for you as any evangelist on the field. And if your pastor's not there, your good God-saved neighbor can do the same, your husband, or your brother, your child, or whoever it is. "Confess your faults one for another; pray one for another that you may be healed." That's true. [James 5:16]

And I went to Brother Osborn's the other day, and over there when I had a meeting in Tulsa, and I looked how God had bless him. And he's a great missionary, does missionary work. And the money that you send to Brother Osborn is certainly used right. He is a fine God-saved man. And I went into his place, and he put his arms around me, commenced crying, showed me where all the places he had been. He said, "Brother Branham, that's part of your ministry." He said, "If you had not have went and done as the Lord did and by... tell you to do..." said, "I am just one of your students," as it was. Think, a man of that caliber telling a little person like me that I--he was my student. That's takes a real sweet, humble, spirit.

So I went into his homes, and how beautiful, and nice, and a big home. I just wept. When I went outside and looked at his great big building there, how beautiful it was put together, everything in a triune block. And I seen that mirror there of the hands reaching down. And when I walked outside and looked, I never seen nothing anywhere in the world like it anywhere. And I thought, "O God, great Jehovah, how thankful I am. That shows the faith of one man that can really get a hold of God and do something like that. How I'm thankful."
Then Satan said to me, said, "He must not think very much of you. What if He come to your place and seen one little typewriter setting up there in the end of a trailer? What kind of an office would that be?"

And I said, "Thank You, Lord. I'll gladly take that way 'cause I cannot have the mentality to operate a worldwide radio like Brother Roberts, and the thousands of souls that he reaches. But in my little humble way if You will just help me, and You be my Portion and I'll just follow you. And wherever You lead me then I--I'll do in the little way, the way... 'Cause we got to have the little stones kinda fits in with the big stones.

And here's my finger; it certainly isn't my mind. It certainly isn't my eye nor my ear. But I hope it never decides not to be a finger, because it's not my eye, or an ear, because I--be hard time doing without it.
And maybe your little church... You say, "Well, Brother Branham, we're just a little bitty group of people." That doesn't matter. You are playing a part in the Body of Christ, so just go, just move the way the Holy Spirit moves you. Your reward will be the same at the end of the day.
Oh, isn't He lovely? Now, in a night or two, the Lord willing, we want to start our healing services, moving on the Holy Spirit and watch what He does. Now, many people are going to ask questions, especially when the boys go to letting these pictures loose of that Pillar of Fire, and there going to be all kinds of questions. So I hope that on the afternoon services and so forth, that they're instructing you what that is (See?), exactly.


But I am so thankful to know that God has without an education, without any abilities, but with a humble gift, God has let me win million or two souls to Him with the way, the best that I have to do. And I have no... I come out, just give up my fellowship from the... Not the fellowship but just the fellowship card from the Baptist church, Missionary Baptist, in order to have fellowship with the Pentecostal people and with all peoples: Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian.

Now, the... That Light... Let me just get to it just a moment 'cause many times... It was taken in Germany just recently. They asked if they have cameras. And Germany has the--the lens. We all know that. And I was at a ministerial breakfast with the many... There wasn't any Pentecostal; they were all different one, the Anglican and so forth. And they asked if the... I guess there was as many at the breakfast as there is setting right here, if their camera could take it. I said, "I do not know. That belongs to God." And many of them had claimed they had seen the Light. And so then I said, "Well, you have..."
"Could we take the Light, or take the pictures?"
I said, "You're welcome." They had some kind of a great camera that made a roll as it turned, oh, a magnificent big camera.

And I said, "This man standing here with his collar turned around as a priest..." We was in Lausanne, I believe at that time, instead of Germany. I said, "He is not a Swiss; neither is he a German." I said, "He is an Italian. And he's a leader of two thousand communists." And I said, "Now, to get away from it, he's trying to run a little orphanage up in the mountains. The reason he did not eat his breakfast, because he has a stomach trouble."

Now, let's just think for a moment while we're just a few, and I just got a short message tonight to speak to you. And then I would like to ask this. Just... Let's just think of it as--as believers. If God is God then He cannot change can He, brethren? He's infinite, therefore His decisions always must be perfect. Whatever God makes a decision on, it can never change, because He said He was God and changed not. Let's ask this question. What could this Light be? It...

Now, we find out, and these well-trained ministers... And you know of a night when I stand in front of men like this who are really trained and smart men to the ministry, and to the Gospel, and to the Bible, and me stand here knowing with a grammar school education, it... if... I have a complex truly. Many men setting there tonight, far beyond able--or more able then I to be here at the platform. But to see them take a seat and set down behind me to pray, it certainly softens my heart.
Now, but just as clergymen, and brothers, and sisters together, we realize that we find that in the wilderness journey according to the 13th chapter, I believe it is of Exodus, the last few verses, "I send My Angel before you to keep you in the way. Fear Him, because My Name is in Him. He will not pardon your transgressions." [Exodus 23:21]

He said, "Before Abraham was, I AM. I'm the Rock that was in the wilderness." He was the Pillar of Fire. He was the Angel of the Covenant. So He was Christ in the wilderness. We all believe that, do we not? Now, when that Pillar of Fire, a Light... [John 8:57-58]

Jesus said in Saint John 5:19, "I do nothing... I see the Father doing it first, and whatever the Father shows Me, that I do. And Father worketh, and I worketh hitherto."
Now, we find out that that Light then was made flesh and embodied. Now, He had... Jesus, the Son of God, had the Spirit without measure. Is that right? But we have It by measure. But It's the same Spirit. [John 1:14], [John 5:19]

Like if I would go out here to the ocean and get a spoonful of water out of the ocean, well that wouldn't be the ocean, but the same chemicals that's in the spoon is in the entire ocean. What's in the ocean is in here. But this is the same quality but not in quantity. So we, with the Spirit of Christ, become part of Christ. That is true. [Acts 2:4], [Luke 6:38]

And he said, "Who are You, Lord." [John 13:3], [I Corinthians 15:4], [Acts 9:3]

Now, if that is the same Light, the same Spirit, It'll perform in the church the same thing that It did when It was in Him. For He said, "A little while and the world seeth Me no more, yet ye shall see Me, for I will be with you, even in you to the end of the world. Now, and the works that I do shall you do also. More than this shall you do, for I go unto My Father."
In other words, the body of flesh, the Son, could not come into each one, but the Spirit of God that was in Him can come back, because it's God condescending from a Pillar of Fire. Anyone touched the mountain must be killed, thrust through with a sword. Then, become a man, lived among us, touched Him, believed Him... He was crucified for our sins and raised for our justification, then through His righteous Blood we are cleansed, that God could come into us and fellowship. God making His Own way back to fellowship with Adam's children as He did with Adam before the fall. And we are redeemed from all the curse of the fall and now have the earnest of our salvation. [John 1:14], [Acts 12:7], [John 14:12, 19], [Matthew 28:20]

Jesus, when He went to His own country, many mighty works He could not do because of their unbelief. And we've got to believe the things that is sent to us. And I know, Christian brother, sister, there's been many things that's been said that wasn't so. But just check it by the Scripture and see if It's right. Then if it's the Scripture and God witnesses it, then that's true. That's God speaking that it is true: first by His Word, then by a vindication of it that is the truth. [Matthew 13:58]

Gracious Lord, we are approaching Thy throne of mercy, Lord, not Thy throne of justice. We could not stand it, Lord; for we do not plead for Your law; we do not plead for Your justice; but we ask for Your mercy. Be merciful unto us, Lord, and remember that we are dust of the earth and we're subject to all kinds of mistakes. And we pray that You'll forgive us as we humbly confess our wrongs.
We pray for every person in Divine Presence tonight that You will be that a Saviour to them, and a Healer, and their Joy and their Peace and their Buckler, and their Shield, and their--their Stay. Grant it, Lord. [I Corinthians 12:8-10], [I Corinthians 12:13]

O Lamb, come tonight in our midst, and take the Book, and open the Seals thereof, and loosen the Word to us. And feed it to us as our great Shepherd, and we Your sheep, so desiring sheep food. Grant it to us, Lord, for we know it is Thy Word. Thy Word is Truth.
We pray that the great Angel of God, the Angels up and down this aisle will convince every unbeliever tonight that they're wrong. And every man without the Holy Spirit, boy or girl, or a child, may they receive the Holy Spirit tonight.
Heal the sick and the afflicted; get glory to Thyself. And bless our feeble efforts as we offer our service. In the Name of Jesus Christ and for His glory we stand. Amen. [Revelation 5:2]

"But It Wasn't So From The Beginning."
If you notice, every thing that we have today begin in Genesis. Genesis is the chapter of the beginning. "Genesis" means "the beginning." It's the seed chapter to the Bible. You can really take history, like Hislop's "Two Babylons" and different ancient writers and can almost trace the true church and the cults and everything today, right down from Genesis how it comes up; right from Cain and Abel, bring them right straight up: one, the worshipper and antichrist, and the other one representing the Christ and bring them to Calvary. [Matthew 19:8]

And just about the time the Christ poured out His Holy Spirit, It had come on the scene, the antichrist come on the scene. Just about the time in this last days when the Holy Spirit begins to reveal Hisself, the antichrist reveals himself. And about the time the coming of Christ, the anti-spirit comes also; the antichrist spirit. So we see they work one with another. Jesus said, "So close till it would deceive the very elected if it was possible." [Matthew 27:4], [John 13:3], [Matthew 24:24]


Now, we find out in the beginning...
I was coming down the road this afternoon and I find out that this city is the home of this famous Funk hybrid corn. Hybrid corn, how it was... I seen it all over the nation, Funk's, I believe it is, hybrid corn. And I was coming down 150 this afternoon, and I--or today, about noon. And I seen said, "Bloomington, Illinois, the home of the Funk hybrid corn. And I thought, "Well, now that's a--a great thing. It's a beautiful corn, but it is no good." It's not a bit good. Anything that's hybrid is not right. It's a perverted thing. And--and it isn't its original. And anything that's not original is not right. God made every thing right at the beginning.


So that proves science, moving in their own field, has disproved their own argument. That's right. That's true, 'cause you cannot interbreed anything like that and--and get another crop out of it. You farmers know that. Your hybrid corn cannot be planted back. You have no crop. It's no good. Finally it plays itself completely out. Nothing hybrid can last--can last.
But it's been man's idea since the very beginning of time to try to outsmart, or do something greater than his Creator. He wants to be... He wants to show his Creator that he's smarter than He is. What does he do? Just... God lets him go, and finally he kills himself.

He bit off gun powder, kills his brother, his comrade. He bit off automobile, science. What does he do? Killed more than all the wars put together. He's got hisself a hydrogen bomb now. Wonder what he's going to do with that? [Genesis 2:17]


And God never does destroy anything. Man destroys himself by his knowledge. God doesn't destroy anything. It's man, by his knowledge, destroys himself. So therefore, if you would take time, go back in the Scriptures and chase the lineage of Cain and then the lineage of Seth; you will find out that the--the lineage of Cain were the smart men, the scientists, the workers of wood, the workers of metal, scientists. And they all perished in the antediluvian destruction. But the lineage of--of Seth were humble: farmers, sheep raisers.

I'd would rather have a man with my child, leading him to God that didn't know the difference between split beans and coffee, and--and knowed God in the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, than have all the theology that you could talk about. And taking him some big plush seat somewhere and kneel him down, and say a few things; I'd rather have him out there in a corn field or in the broom sedge batch by a stump somewhere praying him through to God. That's right. Go back to the original. We never know God...
A few years ago, they thought they could educate people. And what have we got now? A bunch of educated heathens. It's exact. And they're far harder to deal with than the uneducated heathens.

If God only requires a man to go to church, build an altar and worship, Cain was just as justified as Abel was. Both boys built an altar; both boys worshipped; both made sacrifices; both believed in God. But what happened? Cain's was refused because he did not come God's provided way. "And there is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof is the ways of death."
No matter how much you try to go to church, how many churches you belong to, that doesn't have one thing to do with it, doesn't mean one thing to God, doesn't even mean you have even started on the first base of salvation. Salvation does not come by denomination or by education. It's comes by an experience of being borned again of the Spirit of God with the Spirit of Christ living in your body. Now, that is true. [Genesis 4:3-4], [Proverbs 16:25]

And I wished I had time just to go to you what's happening on perversion. You know what's causing cancer? Perverted food. That's exactly. What... They say... Scientists claim that in twenty years longer if they keep letting women eat chicken and things that's--these hybrid chickens and so forth that they will not be able to have children any more. The race will become distinct, because the woman cannot give birth to the baby.
What has happened by perversion? We are supposed to eat the grain of the stuff in it's origination. But what it is, the world, now the nation, in... It's just in a great big perversion condition. They--they have took chickens and interbred them, and so forth, and made hybrid chickens, till the poor chicken can only live a year. His meat is so soft, and he's made him so he don't even have any wings, or hardly. Why, he's in a terrible condition. And they--they--they eat that flesh into you, hybrid cattle and everything. But that's not... Them chickens cannot breed themselves back, neither can the cattle. They're hybrid. They cannot. They're finished. Exactly right.

Take a mule. A mule is the most dumbest thing I know of. No matter what you ever do, you can't teach him anything. Why? He's a hybrid. That's all. He a... You'll never learn him nothing, or teach him anything. He just set there. And you could call him. He has no affections. He will stand there with his ears out and, "Haw, haw." He don't know. He's just a donkey. He's a mule.

And that's the way some of our religions are getting. That's right. They don't know the Bible, and they don't know God. The only thing they know that there's just some kind of a place that you go to church. Somebody took them in as members. They brought their letter from some other church, and they took them in this church. They'll set in the meeting for few minutes till you say something they don't like, and they haven't even got good decent raisings; they'll get up and go out. That's not even American.
My mother raised me with better gumption than that. If I went into a meeting I'd have--be a gentlemen enough to set still and listen, or I wouldn't even go in the first place. That's right. That don't even show good raising.
No wonder we got juvenile delinquency; we got a lot of parent delinquency caused it. That's right. [Hebrews 13:8]

But oh, I love a good pedigreed horse: nothing prettier. He's pedigreed. He knows who his papa was, who his mama was, who his grandpapa was, who his great, great grandfather was. He's pedigreed.


Let's go back to Calvary and get the real stock of the Holy Ghost in us then you know where you stand, you know Who your Father is. And every time the--the Bible says anything, you punctuate it with an "Amen." Bible said, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever."
The old donkey, say, "I don't know about that."
But the horse--real genuine pedigreed say, "Amen." Yes, sir, pedigreed. His siring come all the way from Pentecost, all the way down. So he knows where he's standing. He's a real genuine article of God, borned of the Holy Ghost, washed in the Blood of the Lamb. [Hebrews 13:8]

I said, "That's exactly the truth, but why did you get away for? How did you ever come to lose?" I said, "What they taught back there, if that was the first pope, Peter was, then why don't you today?"
Said, "Well, we have remissions of sins. We believe... Jesus said, 'Whosoever's sins you remit, they're remitted.'" [John 20:23]

He said, "Why, it proves that the Catholic church is a great church. Look at the great storms she's withered."
I said, "With the--with the state and everything else behind her, and all the dignitaries, that's no mystery. How did the Pentecostal revive it with everything against them but God?" Amen. But we still stand with the baptism of the Holy Ghost. [Revelation 2:6, 8, 18]

And if the Life of Christ is in you, It'll do the same thing. That was God's example church, was Pentecost. If we claim to begin from there, then what's happened? What along the road taken place? We'll get to it later if you'll just bear with me a little bit.
Now, notice, now we find out that in this great church, this great age of perversion, the homosexuals... I picked up a magazine, or it wasn't a magazine, it was a newspaper in California a few weeks ago when I was there in Los Angeles. And they said that homosexuals had increased forty percent. Think of it: forty percent to what it was a few years ago. What is it? Perversion, men, women, everything is becoming perverted. It isn't back to the original any more. The regular, natural of life is changed in men. His mind is changed; his spirit is changed. He's changed everything from the original. Oh, isn't it a pitiful thing? It's such a...


In them churches, there are fine people. But it's the system that binds them. It's not the church itself; it's the people in the church. It's the system behind it that binds them, puts them into a place, breaks out fellowship, won't let them go on with God. And it's a pitiful thing. But that's what does...
That's what God hates. Not the people in there, but the system that's binding them is what He hates, is that organization that tells them if they go to another church they're going to be excommunicated. And the people don't know what to do. They'll pay for it someday.

That's exactly what Satan tries to do all along. That's what he does tonight. That's what he does in Bible schools; that's what he does in these theological seminaries. He gives some of the Word and then adds some man-made word in it (It's exactly right.), which makes it a hybrid religion. Oh, we have the prettier churches, sure, best dressed crowds, highly educated, with great preachers with all kinds of college degrees and things like that. But what can we do? We can't go back to the original again, because you can't bring yourself back no more than a mule can go back. You got to be borned again as individuals by the Spirit of God of Pentecost. That's right. The blessing that fell...

But Eve tried to take some of the things that Satan told her, some of the things that God told her, and acted on that very act. And there's where she lost. That's where she become hybrid. Then the seed of Satan come on; it's still going; the seed of Satan. That thing is such a... Hybrid is such an evil thing in the sight of God. [Revelation 22:17]

Today, we have so much fussing and stewing about this segregation of white and colored and everything. Why don't they leave it alone? Let it the way God made it. Tell me what real good, smart, intelligent, beautiful, colored woman would want to have a baby by a white man to make it a mulatto? Not sense. Many thing the colored people has is far beyond the white man.

What good would a white woman want to have a baby by a colored man making him a mulatto child? It's not sensible. If God wanted a man brown, black, white, whatever color He wanted him, that's God's creation. That's the way he wanted it. He wants white flowers, blue flowers; God's a God of variety. He likes big mountains, little mountains, deserts, plains, white, black, short, fat, and indifferent. God's a God of variety.

But he has to cause great fusses now calling our... causing riots, and big fusses, and everything else across the nations, and across the world just because he wanted to stick his head out about something. That's the ignorance of the man. That's right; hybrid again. Instead of leaving it the way God wants it, he wants to make his own way. He has to do something about it, you know. He has to make his own self a name. God be merciful to him. It's a pitiful thing.
All right. Now, the Word that God told Eve then Satan come around and admitted that part of that Word was right, but said, "Surely this part's not right."

Here not long ago I was invited to speak at a school. And when they found out I had a seventh grade education, said, "Oh, we couldn't put that before our students." They couldn't put it before the students. [II Timothy 3:4]

When I got to Africa amongst my colored brethren, what did they know? Reading, writing, and arithmetic, they had no business for that. That's the reason when they seen a real true moving, God come into the midst of the people, thirty thousand accepted Christ at one altar call: Durban, South Africa. The book gives it there. See? That's right.
Bombay, India, there's probably five hundred thousand people that attended the meeting. Hard to tell how many come at one time. It's not reading, writing, and arithmetic. You don't get men to God with that. It's the Gospel. The Gospel never come by word only, but through the power and manifestations of the Holy Ghost. Jesus said, "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel. These signs shall follow them that believe." Takes more than just teaching a word; it takes a manifestation of that word to make these signs follow (That's right.), God manifesting Himself. [I Corinthians 2:4-5], [Mark 16:15]

Say you love humanity and keep those things from them, be like giving, trying to give milk to a dying baby and take it away from him. It's not right. There's something wrong. Reason they do it is by hybrid, because they accept it their church will put them out for it. Right, hybrid... Yes, the Word... And don't mix the Word with nothing.

So then he took Him up on top the mountain, He said, "Now, if You be the Son of God," tempted Him by the Word, said, "It's written in the Bible, 'He will give His Angels charge concerning you, less any time you dash their foot against a stone, bear thee up.'" See, part of the Word...
But He didn't dash His foot against a stone. So He said, "And it's also written." Amen. [Matthew 4:3, 6]

When he whitewashed the Word of God to Eve and she believed it... But when he come to try to whitewash it with Jesus, he failed. Yes, sir. He failed because He stayed with the Father's Word, said, "It is written, Thou shall worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve."
What did he do? Satan said he left Him alone, 'cause He took the Word of God. It wasn't no hybrid to Him. He was the unadulterated virgin born Son of the living God. He wasn't whitewashing Him, whitewashing the Word, wasn't hybreeding Him. No, and He--He had been borned of God. He came from God; He went to God; He stayed on God's Word. He never varied from It one bit. When He come, He performed the signs of the Messiah that the Bible said He would perform, and the unbelieving, hybrid church in that day didn't believe it. [Acts 24:14], [John 13:3]

Now, we notice the things that He found. When He come He found the church... Listen, and let this soak in good and deep. When He came, what did He find? He found people looking to the church for salvation. And what were they getting? A bunch of creeds. And that's the same thing that's existing today: a bunch of man-made creeds.
Salvation comes through the Blood and that only. And if you've got salvation, Jesus Christ said, "These signs shall follow them that believe. And the works that I do shall you also." That's salvation; that's the evidence of it. It'll be the same. [Matthew 19:8], [Mark 16:17], [John 14:12]

And I want you American women to let this soak into you. You have to put on these little old dirty clothes to get out and mow the yard when the men is getting off from work, and let your daughters do the same thing.

But now, that--that today... And they were supposed to be civilized.
I seen a lady come in the other day down at the--this Cliftons' Cafeteria. Gene, you were up there. Brother Arganbright was going to buy me a suit of clothes. And I was waiting for him 'cause I needed one. And--and he was going to buy me a suit of clothes. And I was waiting there at Clifton's, and I was waiting for him to come in.
And I seen a--a woman come in and I said, "My, that poor thing." I looked at her, and I thought, "You know..." I--I--I'd seen glaucoma; I'd seen ophthalmia; I'd seen leprosy; but I--I never seen anything like that. There's something wrong with the woman's eyes." And I thought, "Well, I believe I'll go over and ask that sister, tell her that I am a minister, and--and ask her what's wrong, and if I could pray for her."

Now, women, if you are going to wear that stuff... Which you oughtn't to do it, you oughtn't to do it, but why don't you try to look like a human anyhow, not some kind of a something that fell out of a corpse out of an undertaker's establishment or something. I--I... At least try to be human with it.
And I don't believe in wearing it at all. I don't believe you're supposed to. There was only one woman in the Bible ever painted her face to meet a man. No woman paints her face to meet God. You paint your face to meet men. And her name was Jezebel. You know what God did to her? He fed her to the dogs.
So when you see woman wearing paint, you know that's Miss Dog Meat; God gives her to the dogs, that's all she's good for is dog meat. [I Kings 21:23]

What we need is Gospel from the pulpit, "straighten up," all the way from the pulpit to the janitor. That's right. We need the old fashion Saint Paul's revival and the Bible Holy Ghost. God doesn't change at all. He's... That was His decision; He wanted men to look different from women, women from men, dress different. And that's the way He made them. When we do anything contrary to that, we're going against God's will, and God's laws, and God things, and there is nothing to do but pay for it. And we're going to do it too. [I Corinthians 11:5]

You'd be better off if you had your tambourine with no socks on down here on the corner somewhere in a street meeting than you would be in some of the great big morgues that we're getting, with the temperature in it ninety below zero, spiritually speaking. That's right. It's exactly right. We need Pentecost. I love good, old fashion Pentecost, real Spirit of the living God. It's true.

I used to chum with an old Methodist preacher. He used to sing a song.
We let down the bars,
We let down the bars,
We compromised with sin.
We let down the bars,
The sheep got out,
But how did the goats get in?
I tell you brother, your answer, when you sang the song. You let down the bars. That's what's the matter. That's what's the matter with us Pentecostal people. That's one thing about it. I don't have any great big meetings to sponsor. I don't have to have a lot of money. Nobody hires me; nobody pays me; so I can just preach what's in the Bible. Right. Nobody can tell me anything what do...?...
We let down the bars,
Compromised with sin.
Let down the bars,
The sheep got out,
But how did the goats get in?
We let down the bars,
We compromised with sin.
We let down the bars,
The sheep got out,
But how did the goats get in?
I tell you brother, your answer, when you sang the song. You let down the bars. That's what's the matter. That's what's the matter with us Pentecostal people. That's one thing about it. I don't have any great big meetings to sponsor. I don't have to have a lot of money. Nobody hires me; nobody pays me; so I can just preach what's in the Bible. Right. Nobody can tell me anything what do...?...
We let down the bars,
Compromised with sin.
Let down the bars,
The sheep got out,
But how did the goats get in?
Just let down the bars; they'll come in anyhow. See? That's right. Oh, we get... We used to say, "The old, cold, formal Methodists." And now the Methodist says, "Old, cold, formal Pentecostals." That's right. It's the same way. Oh, shame on us. What we need is a revival. Revival don't mean bring in new members; it's revive what we already got. That's right. [Matthew 15:6]


Well, I thought then, "Well, what are you jumping about then?" And I thought, "Well, it's having a revival. That's what it is; it's having a revival." Well, if it didn't have a revival, it would get full of trash. But every time the wind hits it and begins to blow, it jumps and goes on, and splashes all the dirt out on the bank, all the old sticks and dirt out on the bank.

[Tongue and interpretation is given--Ed.]
Amen. Now, that there might be some who would not understand that, that's apostolic gifts. While... Just to quieten this to you to a moment. Let me just call your attention to something right here just a moment.

And another man had come over here. And down through there stalked a young fellow, walking down which was the interpreter of French for the U. N., United Nations, had just drifted into the meeting. And He said, "Here's what she said, exactly the same thing."

"Because thou has chosen the narrow path, the harder way, thou has walked of thy own choosing..."
I can understand that. Moses walked of his own too; he didn't have to do it. I could've maybe had a big meetings, big things, and great--a lot of flowers and things too. But this is the way I have desired. See?
"Thou has walked of thy own choosing. Thou has picked the correct and precise decision. And this is My way. Because of this momentous decision, a huge portion of heaven awaits thee."
That's in the vision here which you'll get (See?), that he knowed nothing about it then.
"What a glorious decision thou has made. This..." (Now, here's what I don't understand.) "This is that which will give and make come to pass the tremendous victory in the love Divine."

I'm away... Get away from hybrid religion. Come into the true genuine Pentecostal. That's right.

It reminds me today of Jesus one time and His mother. In closing, listen. His mother and father, they went up to the--or His foster father, up to the Pentecostal feast which was their customs to go up each year at the feast of Pentecost. And after the feast was over, they started home. And they went three day's journey and missed Him: three day's journey, oh, just thinking, maybe, "He's around with the group."
Listen, I don't want to hurt your feelings, but that's what the church has done just thinking maybe, "He's along with us, so what difference does it make? Oh, He's--He's along with us." But what did they do? They went back and sought Him them three days among their kindred and did not find Him.
And now, here we're at the end time when Billy Graham, great evangelist, Jack Shuler, the Methodists, a bosom friend of mine, old Dr. Barr, them: great men has shook the nation with revival. And where is it? We drink more whiskey each year than we did the year before.

But here, "We just thought Christ was along." What have we done? Now, in the last days when these things has showed up we begin to wonder, "Where is He at? Where's He at?" We have searched through the Baptist revival; we don't see Him like He was on--back there. We look through the Methodist, and we don't find Him. We go back another day to the Lutheran; we don't find Him. We go back to the Catholic; we don't find Him.
Where did we lose Him at? Where Mary and Joseph found Him, that's where we'll find Him. They left Him at the feast of Pentecost. There's where we'll find Him again, right at the feast of Pentecost. Hallelujah. Glory.
You may think I am crazy. Maybe I am. If I am, leave me alone. I feel better this a way. I got more assurance this a way.

Let's rise and shake ourselves. Let's go back to Pentecostal feast and get away from all this educational program.
I'm not trying to support my ignorance, but I'm trying to tell you the Word of God. Peter couldn't write his own name, but it pleased Jesus to give him the keys to the Kingdom because of his revelation. That is right, my brethren. That's true. [Matthew 16:19]

All you people taking your letter from the Methodist going over to the Baptist, He won't be there. You're taking it from the Baptists, and all of you going back to the Catholic. You'll never find Him there. Go back where the church left Him at the feast of Pentecost when the Holy Ghost came from heaven like a rushing mighty wind, filled all the house where they were setting; and cloven tongues set up on them like fire. There's where you'll miss Him. There's where you left Him. That's where we must go back and pick Him up.

Now, let's--let's reason something. If that Vine, which is Christ, Saint John 15th chapter. You believe that, don't you? Well, if that first Vine brought out a--first Vine brought out a branch and it was a Pentecostal branch, and behind this branch they wrote the Book of Acts... Is that right, brethren? If that Vine ever puts forth another branch, it'll be a Pentecostal branch that'll write a Book of Acts behind it. [John 15:5]

If you say, "But Jesus, You know, I belong to the holy..."
"It wasn't so at the beginning." That's right. He'd say the same thing.
"Why, we believe that the days of miracles has passed."
"It wasn't so at the beginning."
"We don't believe you have to speak with tongues."
"It wasn't so at the beginning."
"We don't believe in Divine healing."
"It wasn't so at the beginning."
Go back to the beginning; go back where the church started. And it started on the day of Pentecost with the Holy Ghost pouring down upon the people, and filling their heart, and filling their souls until they died as martyrs, burnt the earth up with their message of salvation. Get away from our man-made creeds and get back to the Bible. Yes, go back to the beginning; that's where we start. [Matthew 19:8]

I was in Phoenix the other day where I saw several fruits growing on one orange tree. There was a lemon, and a grapefruit and a tangerine, and all kinds of fruits growing out of the--out of a orange tree. And I said to Brother John Sharritt, a Pentecostal brother. I said, "Brother John, what... Is--is--isn't--isn't that the... What kind of a tree would you call that?"
And he said, "That's an orange tree."

"Oh," he said, "they were grafted into it?"
I said, "But I want to ask you something. Now, when blossoming time comes, does that grapefruit blossom?"
"Yes, sir."
"Does the lemon blossom?"
"Yes, sir, right by the orange."
"But what kind of fruit does it bear 'cause it's living in this tree? Does it bear the same kind of fruit that... Does it next year it'll bear oranges?"
He said, "No, sir."
"What will it bear?"
He said, "Grapefruit. The lemons will bear lemons."
I said, "Living in this tree?"
He said, "Yes."
I said, "Hallelujah. I see it now."

That Vine ever brings forth another branch, it'll be a Pentecostal branch with signs following the believer. Right. Back to the original. These hybrid things won't work. I know they're sticking in there, called "Christianity," but they're not Christianity. The fruits... "By their fruits you shall know them." And why can't they? They'll never go back. They can never be an orange because they're hybrid, yet, they wanted the name of Christian. But they're hybrid. [Matthew 7:16, 20]

You say, "I'd do so-and-so."
"But it wasn't so at the beginning." [Matthew 19:8]

I remember reading the books on Pentecost years ago when they used to stay all night long around the altar and pray for days. God would slay them under the power of God.
And to you Methodists, back in the old days, you talk about Divine healing, you ought to be ashamed of yourself to deny Divine healing, when John Wesley, in his own commentary, own book, wrote that he was riding his horse, and his horse fell and broke its leg. He got up and anointed the horse with oil in the Name of the Lord and got on and rode away. There's a--a...

I rode in his saddle, or set his saddle where he had his little desk behind. I sat at his--his place where he converted the rooster fighter that time on this chair. I had his robe over my shoulder, knelt on the floor where that godly man died, and offered prayer, and thanked God for a man like John Wesley. He would turn over in his grave tonight if he knowed the Methodist church getting formal and back to the traditions of men instead of staying with that Word.

You Methodist women wearing shorts, and smoking cigarettes, carrying on. Old John Smith, that great Methodist, when he come, preached a short sermon for four hours and you can't listen to twenty minutes, when he was eighty years old. And said, "It grieves my heart to see even the Methodist sisters wearing rings on their fingers." What about shorts now, smoking cigarettes? Shame on you.
And you Pentecostals are getting as bad. Come out of it; don't be a grafted vine; go back to the original beginning and receive the Holy Ghost like they did on...?... Amen. Don't let the bishop get a hold of you; let Christ get a hold of you. I'm glad God got a hold of me before the church did. I'd have been an infidel.
I got two little girls at home. One of them's named Sarah, and the other's named Rebekah. Rebekah is kind of a long-legged lanky girl, and Sarah is a little bitty short fellow. They're both daddy's girls 'cause I love children.

The little hallway runs out to the children's bedroom; wife was still asleep. I was setting there that morning, and after while I heard the--something scrambling in the children's bedroom. I looked down through like that.
Rebekah is the oldest and so she jumped up and looked around to see it was daylight. And oh, they both love daddy. And here they... Rebekah come. Well, that woke Sarah up.
Now, 'Bekah has got the longest legs and she is the biggest, so she could outrun Sarah. And so... Put me in mind of the big churches, been organized for a long time, you know.
So she run out and she straddled her little legs across mine, throwed both arms around my neck, and begin to hug me. And oh, you know how that makes me feel.

And Rebekah looked around to her, and she said, "Sarah, my sister," said, "I want you to know that I was here first," just like some of the big long organization churches. See? "I was here first. And I have all of daddy, and there's no room for you at all." That's the way they try to say it, but it don't work right.
Poor little Sarah dropped her little head. And I seen her little lips start quivering, great big tears come in her eyes. I looked around at her like that and motioned my finger, stuck this other leg out. Here she come.

She nestled up against my breast for a little bit, and she turned around. Those big brown eyes looked up to Rebekah, and she said, "Rebekah, my sister," and she said, "I want you to know something too...?... It may be that you have got all of daddy, but I want you to know, daddy's got all of me."
That's the way I believe it. I might not know all the--the theology I should know, and I might not be from way long ago and a long seminary experience. But just as long as I know He's got all of me wrapped up in His arms and He can use me, that's all I care to know. Just so that I know that He's got all of me, that's all I care for. If He's got all of me then that's all I care about.
Isn't that just about the way you feel too? As long as He has all of me. Let's bow our heads.

At the day of Pentecost it was inaugurated, and Peter preached the Baccalaureate sermon, said, "You men of Judaea, and you that dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known unto you, and hearken unto my words. These are not drunken as you suppose."
O God, get Your church spiritually drunk till they'll forget all about the things of the world and the cares of life, and just fall in love with You, and serve You. Get hearts surrendered in Your hand--arms, Lord. Grant it. Save the lost; be merciful to the dying.
Heal the sick. We're taught in the Bible that when You were here on earth, You showed them the Messiahic sign when You showed--told Peter who he was, when You told the Samaritan woman, "Go, get your husband," when the woman touched Your garment and went out and set down in the audience, when You knew it was Zacchaeus in the tree. When the blind Bartimaeus, impossible for him to hear Your voice, or You to hear his voice with all that crying and going on, but He touched You and You stopped.
And the woman that touched Your garment, You turned around and looked through the audience till You found her and told her, "Thy faith has saved thee." [Matthew 19:8], [Acts 2:14-15], [John 4:16], [Luke 19:2], [Mark 10:46], [Mark 5:27, 34]

God, we make a confession tonight that we are not worthy of any blessings, or we're not worthy to be called Christians because it comes from the word "Christ-like." Please forgive us of our horrible ways.
And we know that the greatest sin that--and the only sin there is is the sin of unbelief. No matter how good we live, how well we attend church, how much we preach the Gospel, if we do not believe every Word of God's Word and act on It the same, we are still sinners. You said so. "He that believeth not is condemned already." So I pray Thee, Father, to give us faith. [Hebrews 4:15], [John 3:18]

Forgive us of all of our shortcomings. And if we have displeased Thee in any way, let Thy grace and Thy Blood atone for our sins. Save the lost now, Father, we pray, in Jesus' Name.

"My son goes here. My daughter goes here."
My two daughters will probably go to Asbury College at Wilmore, Kentucky. I live close to it. I want them to be real Christians.
My son just come from Waxahachie, where he went to school. And we getting close there if we are living there, it's closer to us so we can see the girls. We want them to have the best. We want to do all we can for them. But above all thing, whether they even know their abc's, I want them to know Christ and have an experience of being filled with the Holy Spirit.

Well, I don't see one hand. Now I belie... one hand, God bless you, young fellow. I don't believe that anyone in their right normal mind that could set here now after hearing that explained in that way, could go out of here and be normally unless you are condemned. See, there's some people cannot come. Jesus said, "No man can come except My Father draws Him. And all that My Father has given Me will come." [John 6:37, 44]

You say, "I belong to a church." Brother, that's no more than belonging to a lodge. You could belong to a lodge the same way and live a good clean life. I'm not against the church joining now. That's all right. The... So far, so good. But that's not what I'm speaking of tonight. My message is, "Back to the beginning." And if you haven't had that experience that made you act and do like they did at the beginning, then please, my brother, sister, raise your hands to Christ and say, "Remember me, Christ, give me that experience."
Thank you, sir. God bless you. Thank you, sir, God bless you.
Balconies? Left? Balconies to the right? I'm waiting while everybody is praying. Back? All right, the center rows, anywhere? God bless you, lady. God bless you back there, sir. I am waiting to see what your decision will be.

Now, I have delivered and done as You have bid me to the best of my knowledge, and I've told these people truth. I pray now that You'll be merciful to them and will save those who raised their hands. And when the call is given for them to come to the platform, may they come lovely, and sweetly, and here make a confession, go into the room, and be filled with the Holy Spirit tonight. Grant it, Lord. I commit them to Thee in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. [Acts 18:6]

Saviour, Saviour... (Now, let's worship Him.)
... my humble...
While on others Thou are calling,
Do not pass me by.
... my humble...
While on others Thou are calling,
Do not pass me by.
Oh, isn't He wonderful? You love Him? Isn't He good? You know, there's been a little more reverence tonight than usual. Some people's got up and went out. I hope that was because they had to meet a bus, something. I...
The reason I didn't have healing service... And I can't have it when people are moving around. The Holy Spirit is timid. Anyone knows that. He just leave like He did in the Bible. And when You move around, it just--it just interferes. You just can't do it. It just won't... He just leave me and I just stand there.
Is there any sick here, raise your hand?

Now, the Bible said that the sign that would be given to the Gentiles... Now, how many knows that the sign is here tonight and seen what the Bible said about it? Now, how many knows that Divine healing is something that's already past? Jesus healed you at Calvary. Is that right? He saved you, but you've got to have faith and believe it. Is that right?

Then in each local body there's nine spiritual gifts. That's: speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues, knowledge, and wisdom; all kinds of gifts, nine different spiritual gifts.
Now, do you believe today that we have apostles, missionaries, sent by God? You do? You know, that's a general orders, "Go into all the world, preach the Gospel." That's an apostle. [Ephesians 4:11], [I Corinthians 12:8-10], [Mark 16:15]

Jeremiah was a prophet. God said, "Before you was even formed in your mother's wombs I knew you and sanctified you a prophet and ordained you to the nations." That's right.
Seven hundred and twelve years before John was ever born, "He was the voice of one crying in the wilderness," by Isaiah the prophet.
Jesus from the garden of Eden. See? We can't be... Gifts and callings are without repentance. [Jeremiah 1:5], [Matthew 3:3], [Romans 11:29]

Anybody knows a fortuneteller's of the devil. Any of that kind of dark magic is of the devil. But it's... What is--what is wrong? It's something that's right, perverted. What is a sin? It's righteousness perverted. What is an adultery? A righteous act perverted. What is--what is a--a lie? Is a truth perverted. See? All unrighteousness... [Matthew 18:20], [John 14:12], [Acts 7:37]

Now, when He was on earth, how the people knew He was the Messiah... Like Philip when he went and found Nathanael and told him what He had said to Peter. When he returned... Why, he come up in the Presence to Jesus, and Jesus said, "Behold a Israelite, in whom there is no guile." Is that right?
Said, "When did You know me, Rabbi?"
Said, "'Fore Philip called you when you were under the tree, I saw you."
"What are you doing, Brother Branham?"
I am trying to get the Spirit to a spot to where we'll see what He will do. I do not know. I do not control It; It controls me. I cannot tell you one thing. It's Him. I'm as much mute as this is without something speaking in it. [John 1:47-48]

Now, watch, now He never done what Billy Graham and them did, what the Angels went down in Sodom. They blinded their eyes down there. Preaching the Gospel does that; but no miracles. But watch the One that stayed out to the Pentecostal church that Abraham represented, the called out group. What did He give them for the last time? Had His back turned to the tent and called, "Abraham." Just a few days before that'd been changed from Abram to Abraham,
from S-a-r-i to S-a-r-a-h, Sarah; "Where is thy wife, Sarah?" A Stranger...
Said, "She is in the tent behind You." [Genesis 17:5, 15]

Remember when Jesus was here? He performed that before the--both the Jews and the Samaritans, but not the Gentiles. They were looking for the Messiah; He showed a Messiahic sign. Now, the Gentiles had two thousand years of theology. But He said as the prophet said, the sun rising in the morning, setting in the evening, "It shall be light in the evening time." The same sun would shine at the west, the same one that shined in the east. [Genesis 18:10-12], [Zechariah 14:7]

I believe Billy give out a few prayer cards the other night. We won't call them. We'll just not touch the prayer cards, so you'll see it's not prayer cards.
Let me change my subject a minute. There was a woman who touched His border of His garment. Maybe she couldn't get into the prayer line; she didn't have any prayer card. But she touched the border of... [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]
Mother almost fainting, my father stooping by the side of the bed, poor backslidden Catholic, not knowing what to do, carried me up to a little Baptist church for dedication. [Mark 5:27]

Lord God, there's college student setting here; there's doubts there's flusterations; there's people wondering. Father, forgive them for that. If they've never seen anything like it, they don't realize that the hour we are living. But You promised this sign just before the world would be destroyed by fire. We see by science, that the atomic bomb has our nation's name hanging on it; just a few more risings and settings of the sun, maybe not another.

Jesus Christ, that He stands not two foot from where I am now, that same Light. And I take every spirit in here under the control of the Holy Ghost for the glory of God. Now, be quiet. Don't move, because demons go from one to another. And we know that.
[Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]... and perform the same thing. If you won't come then say nothing evil against it from henceforth 'cause you'll be blaspheming the Holy Ghost and send your soul to torment without mercy. Let's pray.
[Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]... right here looking at me. You see... [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.] [Mark 5:25]

Then, I want to ask you all something. [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]
I am...?... sir. Is those... How could I have told him what was he was praying about and what... [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]

There's a middle-aged woman setting way back in the back. She's got on a blue coat with white trimmings on it with a blue hat on, suffering with a gallbladder condition. If you'll believe with all your heart, lady, you may receive your healing. Stand on your feet. If I don't know you, wave your hands. If those things are true, what was said by the Spirit, wave your hands. Then I pronounce you healed in the Name of Jesus Christ.

I just want to ask you people something, Methodists, Baptists, and Catholics, and Presbyterians, if these Pentecostal people are wrong that speaking in tongues and so forth, why is the Messiah among then showing signs of His resurrection?
How many want to receive Him as personal Saviour and want to be filled with His Spirit? Come up here around the altar right now, you that raised your hands, go on up here. You that don't know Him and hasn't got this Eternal Life, come up now, while we stand to our feet and sing. Come right now. "I love Him, I love Him" because He first... Do you love Him? Do you want to express it?
I love Him, I love Him (Come every soul, come.)
... cause He first loved me
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary's tree.
... cause He first loved me
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary's tree.

Call Me fanatic if you wish to and blaspheme the Holy Ghost. Come now, if you're not ready to meet Him in the rapture. I challenge; I ask; I persuade; I beg; come now.
I love Him, I love Him...
Why would you stand in His Presence so close? All of you students here from this college that doesn't have the Holy Spirit, come young men, young women, make your way down like this. That's right.
... vation
On Calvary's tree.
I love Him, I...
Come now, come. This is the last call; may be the last one you will ever hear in your life. Tomorrow night may be too late for you.
... me...
Why would you stand in His Presence so close? All of you students here from this college that doesn't have the Holy Spirit, come young men, young women, make your way down like this. That's right.
... vation
On Calvary's tree.
I love Him, I...
Come now, come. This is the last call; may be the last one you will ever hear in your life. Tomorrow night may be too late for you.
... me...

I... (Up in the balconies, we are waiting.) I love Him
Because He first loved me.
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary's tree.
Because He first loved me.
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary's tree.

Now, there's more of you out there. The same God that could tell me what's wrong with you, I know what's wrong with you, by His grace, by His revelation. Many more needs to be standing here. Once more I'll sing.
And remember, at the day of the judgment when I meet you, your blood is not upon me. You're welcome to come.
I love Him... (Don't take a chance.)
Because He first loved me
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary's... (Walk down, honey...?... way.)... tree.
Because He first loved me
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary's... (Walk down, honey...?... way.)... tree.

And I don't you want to leave with, personal workers, till I pray for these people myself. I want to pray for them, and these brethren...
Friend, can you see? One of those things happened in Africa, thousands times thousands would flock to the altar.

I want you to look. See? Now, that shows whether the discernment's right or not. See? It's there. See? It's just... Maybe the day is past.
I want the personal workers to walk up and stand close now. If the others would want to walk up, come along. [Brother Branham hums, "I love Him."--Ed.]
I love Him
Because He first loved me
And pur... (Many are coming with the personal workers. That's good.)
... vation
On Calvary's tree.
Because He first loved me
And pur... (Many are coming with the personal workers. That's good.)
... vation
On Calvary's tree.

And I want to say to you that come. Jesus said, "No man can come except My Father draw him." Now, that was God our Father standing by your side that brought you to this platform. "He that will confess Me before men, him will I confess before My Father and the holy Angels." I'm going to pray for you before we go to the--to the room. [Amos 8:11], [John 6:44], [Matthew 10:32]

I pray, heavenly Father, that each of them will receive the Holy Spirit of God which is here now. I pray...