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[[Image:Pillar_of_Fire_smallpic.jpg|frame|Picture taken in Houston, TX by Douglas Studios on January 24, 1950]]
[[Image:Pillar_of_Fire_smallpic.jpg|frame|Picture taken in Houston, TX by Douglas Studios on January 24, 1950]]


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=What William Branham said=
==What William Branham said==


William Branham said that '''God would not allow a picture to be developed''' of Rev. Best pointing his finger at F.F. Bosworth
William Branham said that '''God would not allow a picture to be developed''' of Rev. Best pointing his finger at F.F. Bosworth
[[Image:Debate.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Photograph of Rev. Best pointing his finger at F.F. Bosworth  <br>[[Houston debate article|Click here to read a copy of the January 24th, 1950 issue of The Houston Press.]]  ]]
[[Image:Debate.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Photograph of Rev. Best pointing his finger at F.F. Bosworth  <br>[[Houston debate article|Click here to read a copy of the January 24th, 1950 issue of The Houston Press.]]  ]]


:''I seen him the night of the debate when this Angel of the Lord came down and had His picture taken that you see here now, they got of the meeting. It was Brother Bosworth who stood there that night, and this young fellow just out of the seminary, pointing his finger in that old saints face, and having him take his picture like this. And he shaking his fist in that old saintly man's face, and saying, "Now, take my picture. And now take my picture," like that. 'Cause he wanted six pictures taken; he could publish it in his paper in such positions as that. '''And Almighty God would not permit one of them to be developed.''' Every one of them was perfect negative. That's right.''  (Chicago, July 20, 1954)
:''I seen him the night of the debate when this Angel of the Lord came down and had His picture taken that you see here now, they got of the meeting. It was Brother Bosworth who stood there that night, and this young fellow just out of the seminary, pointing his finger in that old saints face, and having him take his picture like this. And he shaking his fist in that old saintly man's face, and saying, "Now, take my picture. And now take my picture," like that. 'Cause he wanted six pictures taken; he could publish it in his paper in such positions as that. '''And Almighty God would not permit one of them to be developed.''' Every one of them was perfect negative. That's right.''  (Chicago, July 20, 1954)
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:''Mr. Lacy said it was the first time in all human history that a--a supernatural Being was ever photographed. They said it just a... that it's been said, a lot of times that those lights around the saints, and the unbelievers say that's some artist painted that picture. But said, "It surely must have been there, for that optical lens--mechanical lens of a camera won't take psychology. It was... It was there."'' (Minneapolis, July 14, 1950)
:''Mr. Lacy said it was the first time in all human history that a--a supernatural Being was ever photographed. They said it just a... that it's been said, a lot of times that those lights around the saints, and the unbelievers say that's some artist painted that picture. But said, "It surely must have been there, for that optical lens--mechanical lens of a camera won't take psychology. It was... It was there."'' (Minneapolis, July 14, 1950)


=Facts surrounding the picture=
==Facts surrounding the picture==


It was during the Houston campaign in 1950, that Rev. W. E. Best (representing the Houston Baptist Pastor's Conference) accused William Branham of racketeering and leading people astray.  A public challenge was issued, and F.F. Bosworth accepted a challenge on the subject of "Divine Healing Through the Atonement."  While Bro. Branham cautioned Brother Bosworth against being argumentative, the newspapers reported that the two ministers talked at once, and a fist-fight broke out in the audience.  The meeting was given front-page publicity in the Houston newspapers.  
It was during the Houston campaign in 1950, that Rev. W. E. Best (representing the Houston Baptist Pastor's Conference) accused William Branham of racketeering and leading people astray.  A public challenge was issued, and F.F. Bosworth accepted a challenge on the subject of "Divine Healing Through the Atonement."  While Bro. Branham cautioned Brother Bosworth against being argumentative, the newspapers reported that the two ministers talked at once, and a fist-fight broke out in the audience.  The meeting was given front-page publicity in the Houston newspapers.  


[[Image:Beatles with Ed Sullivan.jpg|thumb|right|400px|The Beatles with Ed Sullivan]]
[[Image:Beatles with Ed Sullivan.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The Beatles with Ed Sullivan]]
As the debate got under way, it was quite apparent that the sympathy of the vast audience was almost entirely on the side of the visiting evangelists. Large numbers of members from the same denomination as Rev. Best stood to their feet as witnesses that they believed in Divine healing and had in fact been healed.  
As the debate got under way, it was quite apparent that the sympathy of the vast audience was almost entirely on the side of the visiting evangelists. Large numbers of members from the same denomination as Rev. Best stood to their feet as witnesses that they believed in Divine healing and had in fact been healed.  


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#There is '''no record''' of George Lacy ever referring to the photograph as supernatural.
#There is '''no record''' of George Lacy ever referring to the photograph as supernatural.
#The '''FBI were never involved''' in the examination of the photograph.
#The '''FBI were never involved''' in the examination of the photograph.
#The picture '''never hung in the Hall of Religious Art''' in Washington, D.C.  In fact, the Hall of Religious Art appears to be a figment of William Branham;s imagination.
#The picture '''never hung in the Hall of Religious Art''' in Washington, D.C.  In fact, the Hall of Religious Art appears to be a figment of William Branham's imagination.


=Scepticism=
==Scepticism==
[[Image:Houston_basketball.JPG|frame|Notice the light by the players hand]]
[[Image:Houston_basketball.JPG|frame|250px|Notice the light by the players hand]]


George J. Lacy's report did not comment on whether the source of the light was natural (i.e. electric indoor lighting) or supernatural. While newspaper articles about the Coliseum around that time show that there were flood lights in the building (including photographs of a concert by the Beatles), George J. Lacy's report does not indicate anything about the source of the light.   
George J. Lacy's report did not comment on whether the source of the light was natural (i.e. electric indoor lighting) or supernatural. While newspaper articles about the Coliseum around that time show that there were flood lights in the building (including photographs of a concert by the Beatles), George J. Lacy's report does not indicate anything about the source of the light.   


Some observers note that if the pillar of fire was directly over William Branham's shoulder, it would have cast light on top of his head and the pulpit. Instead, the top of his head is not lit and the light appears to be from a source beyond William Branham.  The most likely explanation for this is that the light is actually one of the indoor floodlight banks that was used in the Sam Houston Coliseum.  These observers state that if the light was not from indoor lighting, it may have been the result of the flash from the camera reflecting off a metal pole or beam in the background. [[Image:Houston basketball light.jpg|left]]  
Some observers note that if the pillar of fire was directly over William Branham's shoulder, it would have cast light on top of his head and the pulpit. Instead, the top of his head is not lit and the light appears to be from a source beyond William Branham.  The most likely explanation for this is that the light is actually one of the indoor floodlight banks that was used in the Sam Houston Coliseum.  These observers state that if the light was not from indoor lighting, it may have been the result of the flash from the camera reflecting off a metal pole or beam in the background. [[Image:Houston basketball light.jpg|250px|left]]  


==A Better Explanation?==
===A Better Explanation?===


The picture immediately above on the right was taken in the Sam Houston Coliseum in 1969. At right is Willie Somerset (#12) of ABA's Houston Mavericks basketball team.  Note the "pillar of fire" type light by the player's hand.  If we zoom into the light by the players hand (see photo on left), we see something that is not that dissimilar to that of the picture of the "pillar of fire" that was photographed over William Branham's head.
The picture immediately above on the right was taken in the Sam Houston Coliseum in 1969. At right is Willie Somerset (#12) of ABA's Houston Mavericks basketball team.  Note the "pillar of fire" type light by the player's hand.  If we zoom into the light by the players hand (see photo on left), we see something that is not that dissimilar to that of the picture of the "pillar of fire" that was photographed over William Branham's head.


And this also lines up with the argument that the light passed through the lens of the camera and showed up on the negative.  Because of the principle of "depth of field", a picture taken with a telephoto lens would tend to cause anything in the background to be out of focus.  And given the poor dynamic range of film in the 1950's, a bright light source such as a rack of flood lights, would look "blown out" or overexposed in the photograph, just as the "pillar of fire" appears to be completely white.
And this also lines up with the argument that the light passed through the lens of the camera and showed up on the negative.  Because of the principle of "depth of field", a picture taken with a telephoto lens would tend to cause anything in the background to be out of focus.  [[File:WMB pillar edited by pencilsmudge.jpg|250px|right|The picture on the right has been edited]]And given the poor dynamic range of film in the 1950's, a bright light source such as a rack of flood lights, would look "blown out" or overexposed in the photograph, just as the "pillar of fire" appears to be completely white.


==The Light Struck the Lens==
===The Light Struck the Lens===


[[File:WMB pillar edited by pencilsmudge.jpg|right|The picture on the right has been edited]]
If, as George J. Lacy confirmed in his report on the photograph that light struck the negative, then it is hard to understand how no one else in the auditorium saw the light above William Branham's head.  But [[File:ED SULLIVAN floodlights.png|left|Another example of floodlights]]if the light was, in fact, a bank of floodlights then light did pass through the lens and did strike the negative.  Was the actual reason that no one noticed the "pillar of fire" was that they all saw it for what it really was - one of the flood lights in the Sam Houston Coliseum?
 
If, as George J. Lacy confirmed in his report on the photograph that light struck the negative, then it is hard to understand how no one else in the auditorium saw the light above William Branham's head.  But if the light was, in fact, a bank of floodlights then light did pass through the lens and did strike the negative.  Was the actual reason that no one noticed the "pillar of fire" was that they all saw it for what it really was - one of the flood lights in the Sam Houston Coliseum


If the "pillar of fire" was an actual light source above William Branham's head that showed up on the negative, why doesn't the photo look more like the edited version the right?
If the "pillar of fire" was an actual light source above William Branham's head that showed up on the negative, why doesn't the photo look more like the edited version the right?
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It must also be appreciated that the picture of the basketball players is from 1969, almost 20 years after the photograph of William Branham was taken.  It is likely that the lighting for a church gathering would have been set up completely different from that of a basketball game and also likely that the light fixtures would have been completely different 20 years earlier.
It must also be appreciated that the picture of the basketball players is from 1969, almost 20 years after the photograph of William Branham was taken.  It is likely that the lighting for a church gathering would have been set up completely different from that of a basketball game and also likely that the light fixtures would have been completely different 20 years earlier.


=The Role of the FBI=
==The Role of the FBI==


[[File:George J Lacy.jpg|right|George and Lucile Lacy]]
[[File:George J Lacy.jpg|right|250px|George and Lucile Lacy]]
William Branham stated many times that the FBI was somehow involved in authenticating the Houston photograph:
William Branham stated many times that the FBI was somehow involved in authenticating the Houston photograph:


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William Branham appears to have invented all of these various stories in an attempt to hype the Houston photograph.
William Branham appears to have invented all of these various stories in an attempt to hype the Houston photograph.


=George Lacy's comments=
==Report by George J. Lacy==
[[Image:George_Lacy_Doc2.jpg|right|250px|Report by George J. Lacy]]
After conferring with William Branham, Gordon Lindsay arranged for the negative to be turned over to George Lacy to examine the negative.
 
After his examination, Mr. Lacy gave a certified statement indicating that it was his opinion that the negative was genuine, and had not been "doctored" or retouched or the result of a double exposure.
 
==The Hall of Religious Art in Washington, D.C.==
 
William Branham stated that a copy of the Houston photograph was in Washington, D.C.:
 
:'''''And one of them is in Washington, DC, in the religious Hall of Art, with a note under it, "The only supernatural being was ever photographed in the history of the world."''' And now, then, if you're ever through there, drop in, see it.<ref>63-0606  SHOW.US.THE.FATHER  TUCSON.AZ</ref>
 
The problem with William Branham's statement is that there is no '''Hall of Religious Art''' in Washington, D.C.  There is a copy of the picture that someone sent to the U.S. Library of Congress for preservation.  But the photo does not hang on the wall and there is no caption underneath it.  Rather, it sits in a filing cabinet.  We have personally been to the Library of Congress and have seen the photo in the file folder.  It was never hanging on the wall but remains in a filing cabinet.<ref>[http://catalog.loc.gov/ Library of Congress Online Catalog]</ref>
 
It appears that at some point in time, William Branham became aware that the "Religious Hall of Religious History" (yes, it kept changing) was not in existence and the picture was not there.  Rather than admit that he was wrong, William Branham made up a story that the picture had been moved to Germany:


:''As you all have seen, the Light (which the United States has copyrighted in the Washington, DC, hanging in the Religious Hall of—of religious history, in Washington, DC) is the only supernatural Being that was ever photographed in all the world. Hangs in the halls of Germany where they've taken it." <ref>61-0519, Sirs, We Would See Jesus, para. 94</ref>


Is this story true? We don't think so.
And where are the "halls of Germany".  Something else that William Branham invented?


However, there are a number of fake photographs that have been photoshopped to indicate that they were taken in the "Hall of Religious Art" but they are simply the invention of message believers that would rather create a lie than admit they are wrong.  You can [[Games that message people play|see an example of one of the fake pictures here]].
==William Branham's comments about George Lacy==
:''And it was given into the hands of George J. Lacy... He kept the picture for two days; then he sent word, said, "We'll give the reading on it, and let you know about it on two o'clock, on the following afternoon, on the third day. Big bunch of photographers, and so forth, gathered in. Many of the people around the city, like the writer for the "Colliers" and "Times," they gathered in.
:''And it was given into the hands of George J. Lacy... He kept the picture for two days; then he sent word, said, "We'll give the reading on it, and let you know about it on two o'clock, on the following afternoon, on the third day. Big bunch of photographers, and so forth, gathered in. Many of the people around the city, like the writer for the "Colliers" and "Times," they gathered in.


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:''He said, "But as long as there's a Christian civilization, your picture shall never die." He said, "It's the first time in all the world's history that a supernatural Being was ever photographed. But I put it through every test that can be thought, and," said, "It was a supernatural Being that's been shot." He said, "For myself, I have said and heard of your meetings, and read it in the magazines, and I heard about that Angel, and so forth. I said within myself, even to the time that I received the negative, 'It's psychology.'" He said, "But Brother Branham, the mechanical eye of that camera will not take psychology." Said, "The Light struck the negative."<ref>THE.ANGEL.OF.THE.LORD_  TOLEDO.OH  WEDNESDAY_  51-0718</ref>
:''He said, "But as long as there's a Christian civilization, your picture shall never die." He said, "It's the first time in all the world's history that a supernatural Being was ever photographed. But I put it through every test that can be thought, and," said, "It was a supernatural Being that's been shot." He said, "For myself, I have said and heard of your meetings, and read it in the magazines, and I heard about that Angel, and so forth. I said within myself, even to the time that I received the negative, 'It's psychology.'" He said, "But Brother Branham, the mechanical eye of that camera will not take psychology." Said, "The Light struck the negative."<ref>THE.ANGEL.OF.THE.LORD_  TOLEDO.OH  WEDNESDAY_  51-0718</ref>


If George Lacy spent all of this time looking at the picture, don't you think that he would have recognized the man in the picture, William Branham?
'''Questions about this story'''
 
#If George Lacy spent all of this time looking at the picture, shouldn't he have recognized the man in the picture, William Branham?
=The Hall of Religious Art in Washington, D.C.=
#Why doesn't the actual written report below include William Branham's statement that it was a "supernatural being"?
 
William Branham stated that a copy of the Houston photograph was in Washington, D.C.:
 
:'''''And one of them is in Washington, DC, in the religious Hall of Art, with a note under it, "The only supernatural being was ever photographed in the history of the world."''' And now, then, if you're ever through there, drop in, see it.<ref>63-0606  SHOW.US.THE.FATHER  TUCSON.AZ</ref>


The problem with William Branham's statement is that there is no '''Hall of Religious Art''' in Washington, D.C.  There is a copy of the picture that someone sent to the U.S. Library of Congress for preservation.  But the photo does not hang on the wall and there is no caption underneath it.  Rather, it sits in a filing cabinet.  We have personally been to the Library of Congress and have seen the photo in the file folder.  It was never hanging on the wall but remains in a filing cabinet.<ref>[http://catalog.loc.gov/ Library of Congress Online Catalog]</ref>
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|'''Printable Summary''' <br> [http://en.believethesign.com/images/1/11/The_Simple_Truth_about_the_Houston_Photograph.pdf Click here access a printable summary on the Houston Photograph]   
|'''Printable Summary''' <br> [http://en.believethesign.com/images/1/11/The_Simple_Truth_about_the_Houston_Photograph.pdf Click here access a printable summary on the Houston Photograph]   
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[http://en.believethesign.com/index.php/French#La_v.C3.A9rit.C3.A9_pure_et_simple_sur_la_photographie_de_Houston En Francais]
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=Report by George J. Lacy=
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[[Category:Honesty and Credibility]]
After conferring with William Branham, Gordon Lindsay arranged for the negative to be turned over to George Lacy to examine the negative.
[[Category:Supernatural vindication]]
 
[[Category:William Branham pointing to himself]]
After his examination, Mr. Lacy gave a certified statement indicating that it was his opinion that the negative was genuine, and had not been "doctored" or retouched or the result of a double exposure.
 
[[Image:George_Lacy_Doc2.jpg|left|center|Report by George J. Lacy]]
 
=References=
 
<References/>
 
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