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William Branham's version of the healing
What is difficult to understand is why William Branham's testimony of the healing bore no resemblance to the story told by Congressman Upshaw.
JESUS ON THE AUTHORITY OF THE WORD WOOD RIVER, IL 54-0217
- And I looked. And coming in, they just got off of an airplane. And here come a wheelchair. They'd just got inside the building and it begin come... It was moving on down to get it with the rest of wheelchairs. I said, "That's the old gentleman now." It was about twice the distance of this building. I said, "That's the old man now."
- And he was weeping so, I went ahead and told my brother to call the prayer line. And so we begin to get them lined up, and so the next thing taking place, why, they had an extension mike here, and Mr. Baxter said, "Brother Branham," said--said, "That old man that you were speaking to is the Congressman of the United States. It's William D. Upshaw."
- I said, "I don't know who he was."
- He said, "He wants to speak to you through this mike."
- And he said, "My son, how did you know that I fell and hurt myself when I was a boy?"
- I said, "I can't tell you, sir. I've never heard of you in my life. I'm sorry."
- "And he said, "Well, I was the president of the Southern Baptist Convention." said, "Dr. Davis, the one that ordained you in the Baptist church, was the one who sent me here to see you."
- "I said, "I am acquainted with Dr. Davis."
- "He said, "I been prayed for." said, "I've been a invalid in this wheelchair for sixty-six years." And he said, "I'm eighty-six years old now." And he said, "I have trusted God, since I was seventeen years old when I was hurt to heal me." Said, "Do you think I will ever be healed?"
- "I said, "I could not tell you, sir." I said, "I can only say what I See?"
- "He said, "God bless you, my boy."
- "And I said, "Thank you, kind sir." And I turned this a way and when I did, my brother, being the chief usher in the meetings, was getting the people lined up down there.
- ...
- And as I looked, I seen that old congressman, like a shadow, going walking like that. And he was setting there with a blue suit on and a red tie. Only in the vision he had a brown suit, a kind of a chocolate colored brown, with a white stripe in it. And I said, "Congressman, have you got a brown suit with a white stripe?"
- He said, "My son, I just bought one yesterday."
- I said, "You have been a very reverent man and it--has honored God all these years. And through the honoring of God and believing God, God has... rewarding you now, to give your last days happy. You can walk Congressman. The Lord Jesus Christ has healed you, THUS SAITH THE LORD."
- He said, "When will I be able to walk, my boy?"
- And I said, "Right now, Congressman." And up he jumped from that chair, threw aside... He had big crutches that went up over his shoulders, when they'd stand him up; it was like Mister Roosevelt, I... like that, in his back.
Life Story
At the age of 18, William Upshaw lost the use of his legs as the result of a farming accident, and spent the next seven years in bed. Shortly before his accident, he had given his heart to the Lord Jesus. From his bed, William began to write a column of poems and inspirational letters for a local newspaper called Sunny South, using the pen name `Earnest Willie.' His calm manner and gifted style of writing soon endeared him to the hearts of his readers. He was encouraged to publish his writings in a book, which he did, titling it "Earnest Willie, or, Echoes From A Recluse."
In one of his articles he wrote:
- "I do believe in being deeply in earnest. It is the very passion of my soul. Earnestness is the secret of nearly every man's success, and it is the lever that persistently pushes to completion nearly every movement for reform, whether it be great or small. Let a minister of Christ or any other speaker convince me first - aye, all the people who hear him - that he is in earnest - that his very heart and soul are in his work, and then he may break the rules of grammar if he wants to, just so he breaks and blesses human hearts."
Using the funds from his writing, William Upshaw entered Mercer University in 1895. In 1918, he was elected to the U. S. House of Representatives as a Democrat. He was re-elected in 1920, 1922, and 1924. William Upshaw ran for President of the United States for the Prohibition party in 1932, but returned to lecturing after his defeat.
Congressman Upshaw relates his testimony in Los Angeles, California
- <playmp3>Congressman Upshaw relates Testimony|Upshaw-Testimony.mp3|BelieveTheSign.org Predelay</playmp3>
Just eighty-four. And I'm eighty-four years young, speak three and four times a day, preach the Gospel of the Christ Who saved me, stood by me on bed seven years, and made me happy, and then took me off of the crutches that I have used for fifty-nine years and now, glory to God I'm walking! [clapping]
Remember, I'm sending this folder to every congressman, and senator, the president, and his wife, and now sending this week to the King of England for whom he prayed, and Winston Churchill. And I'm going to send one to Joseph Stalin. God have mercy on his soul!
- Sermon: Testimony: Los Angeles, California, May 9, 1951
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