1933 Ohio River Experience: Difference between revisions

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==What was reported in the newspapers==
==What was reported in the newspapers==
[[File:19330506Davis.jpg|right|thumb|300px| Jeffersonville Evening News, June 2, 1933]]
Here is '''what William Branham said''' about the event:
*The event occurred in 1933 when Brother Branham was baptizing converts in the Ohio river at the foot of Spring Street.
*Different dates are given for the event, but he most consistently states this occurred sometime in June, 1933.
*The event occurred before Brother Branham and Hope were married in June, 1934.
*This was his first revival, or first group of converts.
*Roy Davis was still his pastor when this revival was held. He had just recently been ordained as a Baptist minister.
*There were a lot of people in attendance; between several hundred to thousands. Brother Branham baptized around 500 people.
*As he was baptizing, he heard a voice tell him to “look up”.
*A light appeared and a voice spoke something to the effect of “As John the Baptist was sent forth to forerun the first coming of Christ, you have the Message that’ll now forerun the second Coming of Christ.”
*All the local papers packed the article of it. The Louisville Herald, or Herald Post ran a front page story with a headline similar to “A mystery Light hangs over a local Baptist minister while baptizing at the foot of Spring Street in Jeffersonville, Indiana.”
*The associated press picked up the story and it was carried in papers around the US and Canada.
*William Branham said that the story was carried by a paper (1950), the "Courier Journal" (1951), the "Sunday Visitor" (1954), the "Louisville Herald", and the "Associated Press" (1961). <br>
[[Image:14Converted.jpg|left|thumb|300px| Jeffersonville Evening News, May 6, 1933]]
[[Image:14Converted.jpg|left|thumb|300px| Jeffersonville Evening News, May 6, 1933]]
[[File:19330506Davis.jpg|right|thumb|300px| Jeffersonville Evening News, June 2, 1933]]
Here is '''what we know''' about the event from conducted numerous searches in online newspaper archives and from microfiche sources in Indiana:
William Branham said that the story was carried by a paper (1950), the "Courier Journal" (1951), the "Sunday Visitor" (1954), the "Louisville Herald", and the "Associated Press" (1961). We have conducted numerous searches in online newspaper archives.  Microfiche sources in Indiana have also been searched.  However, we have been unable to find any references to William Branham in 1933 other than an article from the Jeffersonville Evening News on June 2, 1933.  It should be noted that this article does not mention a light or the Ohio River and casts serious doubt on the number of people that William Branham claims to have baptized.  
*There is an advertisement which appeared in the Jeffersonville Evening News on May 6, 1933 for a series of meetings (see photograph on the left).
*There was a similar advertisement which appeared in the Jeffersonville Evening News on May 27, 1933 (not reproduced).
*There are no references to William Branham in 1933 other than an article from the Jeffersonville Evening News on June 2, 1933.  It should be noted that this article does not mention a light or the Ohio River and casts serious doubt on the number of people that William Branham claims to have baptized.  


It is also interesting to note that the article says absolutely nothing about people being baptized.   
It is also interesting to note that the article says absolutely nothing about people being baptized.