Congressman Upshaw: Difference between revisions

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'''William David Upshaw''' was born on October 15, 1866, near Atlanta, Georgia.  He served in Congress during the late 1910's and throughout the 1920's, and ran for the office of the President for the Prohibition Party in 1932.  At the age of 84, 66 years after becoming a paraplegic, William Branham saw a vision of Congressman Upshaw walking.  He was instantly healed, and had full use of his legs for the remainder of his life. 


=Discrepancies between Upshaw and Branham=
'''William David Upshaw''' was born on October 15, 1866, near Atlanta, Georgia.  He served in Congress during the late 1910's and throughout the 1920's, and ran for the office of the President for the Prohibition Party in 1932.  At the age of 84, 66 years after becoming a paraplegic, William Branham saw a vision of Congressman Upshaw walking.  He was instantly healed, and had full use of his legs for the remainder of his life.  [[Image:pa92upsh.jpg|right|300px]]
 
=='''Discrepancies''' between Upshaw and Branham==


While there is no question that Congressman Upshaw was miraculously healed, there is a significant concern with the huge changes in the story over time as it was told by William Branham.
While there is no question that Congressman Upshaw was miraculously healed, there is a significant concern with the huge changes in the story over time as it was told by William Branham.
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Why did a real miracle from God require embellishment?
Why did a real miracle from God require embellishment?


=The tract written by Congressman Upshaw=
==The tract written by Congressman Upshaw==
Shortly before his death on November 21, 1952 at age 86, William Upshaw published his testimony in a tract which he sent to every Senator and member of the House of Representatives, as well as President Truman, Winston Churchill, King George, and Joseph Stalin.
Shortly before his death on November 21, 1952 at age 86, William Upshaw published his testimony in a tract which he sent to every Senator and member of the House of Representatives, as well as President Truman, Winston Churchill, King George, and Joseph Stalin.


The following are excerpts from the tract written by Congressman William D. Upshaw:
The following are excerpts from the tract written by Congressman William D. Upshaw:


:''I walked into that Branham-Baxter meeting in Calvary Temple, Los Angeles, loving God and His blessed Word, leaning on my crutches that had been my “buddies”-my helpful comrades for 59 of my 66 years as a cripple-7 of those years spend on bed; I walked out that night of February 8th, leaving my crutches on the platform – the song of deliverance ringing in my heart in happy consonance with the should sof victory from those who thronged about me – their tears of rejoicing crystal with the light of the skies’ chief among them was my blessed wife whose dear face, glowing amid her joyous exclamations: “Praise the Lord” and “Glory to God,” was beaming like a patch of Heaven.
:''I walked into that Branham-Baxter meeting in Calvary Temple, Los Angeles, loving God and His blessed Word, leaning on my crutches that had been my “buddies”-my helpful comrades for 59 of my 66 years as a cripple-7 of those years spend on bed; I walked out that night of February 8th, leaving my crutches on the platform – the song of deliverance ringing in my heart in happy consonance with the should sof victory from those who thronged about me – their tears of rejoicing crystal with the light of the skies’ chief among them was my blessed wife whose dear face, glowing amid her joyous exclamations: “Praise the Lord” and “Glory to God,” was beaming like a patch of Heaven.
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<br>
<br>


=Audio Recording of Congressman Upshaw sharing his testimony=
==Audio Recording of Congressman Upshaw sharing his testimony==


:<mp3player>File:Upshaw-Testimony.mp3</mp3player>
:<mp3player>File:Upshaw-Testimony.mp3</mp3player>
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''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]  
''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!
''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!<ref>Sermon: Testimony: Los Angeles, California, May 9, 1951</ref>
:Sermon: Testimony: Los Angeles, California, May 9, 1951


=William Branham's version of the healing=
==William Branham's version of the healing==


William Branham retold the story of Congressman Upshaw's healing many times.  However, over time the story changed considerably so that by 1954 it included a vision of a brown suit, and a "Thus Saith The Lord" statement spoken by Brother Branham to William Upshaw directly over the pulpit, and not as communicated by Brother LeRoy Kopp.   
William Branham retold the story of Congressman Upshaw's healing many times.  However, over time the story changed considerably so that by 1954 it included a vision of a brown suit, and a "Thus Saith The Lord" statement spoken by Brother Branham to William Upshaw directly over the pulpit, and not as communicated by Brother LeRoy Kopp.   
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'''Initially the story that William Branham tells is very close to the testimony of Congressman Upshaw.'''
'''Initially the story that William Branham tells is very close to the testimony of Congressman Upshaw.'''


MY.COMMISSION_  LA.CA  SATURDAY_  51-0505
:''And one night, I walked into the platform here. Mr. Baxter had just left the platform. I looked, hanging right out here, and I seen the White House, seen all about it. Begin to speak, and I couldn't tell. And I told Mr. Baxter. In a few moments, It fell and I seen where the man was setting. I seen it was him, seen him get hurt when he was just a little boy. And he'd been a crippled for all...''
:''And one night, I walked into the platform here. Mr. Baxter had just left the platform. I looked, hanging right out here, and I seen the White House, seen all about it. Begin to speak, and I couldn't tell. And I told Mr. Baxter. In a few moments, It fell and I seen where the man was setting. I seen it was him, seen him get hurt when he was just a little boy. And he'd been a crippled for all...''


:''And I started to leave and the Spirit of God begin to fall. And a woman had raised out of a wheelchair, and some more things had taken place where the Holy Spirit revealing to them.''
:''And I started to leave and the Spirit of God begin to fall. And a woman had raised out of a wheelchair, and some more things had taken place where the Holy Spirit revealing to them.''


:''And as I started, Mr. Kopp here, the... Brother Kopp, the pastor run up there. And I said, "Go tell the congressman that God has healed him. I seen him, going walking away."''
:''And as I started, Mr. Kopp here, the... Brother Kopp, the pastor run up there. And I said, "Go tell the congressman that God has healed him. I seen him, going walking away."''<ref>MY.COMMISSION_  LA.CA  SATURDAY_  51-0505</ref>
 


'''But three years later, it had already changed considerably.'''
'''But three years later, it had already changed considerably.'''


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 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."''


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:''"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 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?"
:''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?"


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:''He said, "When will I be able to walk, my boy?"
:''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.
:''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.<ref>JESUS ON THE AUTHORITY OF THE WORD  WOOD RIVER, IL  54-0217</ref>
 


'''Here again is the wildly embellished story in 1958:'''
'''Here again is the wildly embellished story in 1958:'''


THE.QUEEN.OF.THE.SOUTH_  SOUTH.BEND.IN  SATURDAY_  58-0208
:''How many remembers the healing of Congressman Upshaw? I was just standing there talking like this when there's thousands of people standing there, and they was fixing to line up, and I looked out. I'd seen an old man, and they'd been a many a wheelchair, oh, there was just wheelchairs all over the places in California. And I looked across, and I seen a little boy playing on a haystack, and he fell and hit his back across a--the edge of a frame. And it must've broke his back. I seen a doctor with little glasses hanging low on his nose, white mustache and white hair, a working on him but it was no good, too far gone. And I seen them boring holes in the house so that the people walking in, it wouldn't vibrate on the floor. He was so bad. And that's the only thing I can say is what I'm looking at.
:''How many remembers the healing of Congressman Upshaw? I was just standing there talking like this when there's thousands of people standing there, and they was fixing to line up, and I looked out. I'd seen an old man, and they'd been a many a wheelchair, oh, there was just wheelchairs all over the places in California. And I looked across, and I seen a little boy playing on a haystack, and he fell and hit his back across a--the edge of a frame. And it must've broke his back. I seen a doctor with little glasses hanging low on his nose, white mustache and white hair, a working on him but it was no good, too far gone. And I seen them boring holes in the house so that the people walking in, it wouldn't vibrate on the floor. He was so bad. And that's the only thing I can say is what I'm looking at.


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:''I said, "THUS SAITH THE LORD. It looks like that God would've healed you when you were about seventeen years old and your bones all young to wait till you're eighty-six and then heal you." But I said, "He's healed you, Congressman."
:''I said, "THUS SAITH THE LORD. It looks like that God would've healed you when you were about seventeen years old and your bones all young to wait till you're eighty-six and then heal you." But I said, "He's healed you, Congressman."
:''He said, "Do you mean to say, my son, that I can rise from this chair?"
:''He said, "Do you mean to say, my son, that I can rise from this chair?"
:''I said, "In Jesus' Name, come here." And that man, being bound to his... When they raised him up like President Roosevelt, with those great, big things over him (braces) and he walked. You know how he walked, if you knew him. And he threw those down, raised from his wheelchair, run to the platform and touched his toes like that, and stand up as a real man. And it's...?... the nation.
:''I said, "In Jesus' Name, come here." And that man, being bound to his... When they raised him up like President Roosevelt, with those great, big things over him (braces) and he walked. You know how he walked, if you knew him. And he threw those down, raised from his wheelchair, run to the platform and touched his toes like that, and stand up as a real man. And it's...?... the nation.<ref>THE.QUEEN.OF.THE.SOUTH_  SOUTH.BEND.IN  SATURDAY_  58-0208</ref>


=A Brief Biography of William Upshaw=
=A Brief Biography of William Upshaw=
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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.   
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.   


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