Donny Morton: Difference between revisions

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= Introduction =

[[image:DonnyMortin.gif|right]]

In June 1951, Arthur Morton brought his gravely ill four-year-old son, Donny, 2,800 miles by bus from Saskatchewan, Canada, to a William Branham revival meeting in Costa Mesa, California. Donny suffered from a rare and progressive brain condition — meningitis complicated by subdural hygromas — that had left him ~~spastic~~, emaciated, and weighing a catastrophic 20 pounds. Every major medical institution, including the Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins, had told the family the child would die.

In June 1951, Arthur Morton brought his gravely ill four-year-old son, Donny, 2,800 miles by bus from Saskatchewan, Canada, to a William Branham revival meeting in Costa Mesa, California. Donny suffered from a rare and progressive brain condition — meningitis complicated by subdural hygromas — that had left him sick, emaciated, and weighing a catastrophic 20 pounds. Every major medical institution, including the Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins, had told the family the child would die.

William Branham prayed for Donny Morton and later declared — repeatedly, across at least twelve recorded sermons — that the Holy Spirit had spoken "THUS SAITH THE LORD" and that the child was healed.

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Message believers may argue that, whatever happened to Donny afterward, Branham's accurate identification of the child's name, origins, and condition demonstrates genuine supernatural gifting. This point deserves a direct response.

The ''Reader's Digest'' account does confirm that Branham identified the child's condition and background without being told. This display of apparent supernatural knowledge is not ~~disputed~~ here.

The ''Reader's Digest'' account does confirm that Branham identified the child's condition and background without being told. This display of apparent supernatural knowledge seems strange if the boy was not ultimately healed. For a more detailed discussion of [[Was William Branham's discernment ministry genuine?|Branham's healing ministry, click here]].

~~But~~ ''~~knowledge~~'' and ''healing'' are distinct claims. Even granting that Branham's discernment was genuine, it does not follow that his subsequent declaration of healing was also valid. The biblical standard for a prophet (Deuteronomy 18:21–22) is not partial accuracy — it is complete accuracy: ''"If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken."''

''Knowledge'' and ''healing'' are distinct claims. Even granting that Branham's discernment was genuine, it does not follow that his subsequent declaration of healing was also valid. The biblical standard for a prophet (Deuteronomy 18:21–22) is not partial accuracy — it is complete accuracy: ''"If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken."''

Donny Morton died. The declaration "THUS SAITH THE LORD — the child was healed" did not come true. By the Bible's own standard, the source of that declaration was not the Lord.

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 = Introduction =
 [[image:DonnyMortin.gif|right]]
-In June 1951, Arthur Morton brought his gravely ill four-year-old son, Donny, 2,800 miles by bus from Saskatchewan, Canada, to a William Branham revival meeting in Costa Mesa, California. Donny suffered from a rare and progressive brain condition — meningitis complicated by subdural hygromas — that had left him spastic, emaciated, and weighing a catastrophic 20 pounds. Every major medical institution, including the Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins, had told the family the child would die.
+In June 1951, Arthur Morton brought his gravely ill four-year-old son, Donny, 2,800 miles by bus from Saskatchewan, Canada, to a William Branham revival meeting in Costa Mesa, California. Donny suffered from a rare and progressive brain condition — meningitis complicated by subdural hygromas — that had left him sick, emaciated, and weighing a catastrophic 20 pounds. Every major medical institution, including the Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins, had told the family the child would die.
 William Branham prayed for Donny Morton and later declared — repeatedly, across at least twelve recorded sermons — that the Holy Spirit had spoken "THUS SAITH THE LORD" and that the child was healed.
@@ Line 86: / Line 86: @@
 Message believers may argue that, whatever happened to Donny afterward, Branham's accurate identification of the child's name, origins, and condition demonstrates genuine supernatural gifting. This point deserves a direct response.
-The ''Reader's Digest'' account does confirm that Branham identified the child's condition and background without being told. This display of apparent supernatural knowledge is not disputed here.
+The ''Reader's Digest'' account does confirm that Branham identified the child's condition and background without being told. This display of apparent supernatural knowledge seems strange if the boy was not ultimately healed. For a more detailed discussion of [[Was William Branham's discernment ministry genuine?|Branham's healing ministry, click here]].
-But ''knowledge'' and ''healing'' are distinct claims. Even granting that Branham's discernment was genuine, it does not follow that his subsequent declaration of healing was also valid. The biblical standard for a prophet (Deuteronomy 18:21–22) is not partial accuracy — it is complete accuracy: ''"If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken."''
+''Knowledge'' and ''healing'' are distinct claims. Even granting that Branham's discernment was genuine, it does not follow that his subsequent declaration of healing was also valid. The biblical standard for a prophet (Deuteronomy 18:21–22) is not partial accuracy — it is complete accuracy: ''"If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken."''
 Donny Morton died. The declaration "THUS SAITH THE LORD — the child was healed" did not come true. By the Bible's own standard, the source of that declaration was not the Lord.