BelieveTheSign

How many people were healed in Branham's meetings?: Difference between revisions

Page Discussion

How many people were healed in Branham's meetings? (view source)

Revision as of 17:20, 6 June 2022

97 bytes added ,  1 year ago
→‎Alfred Pohl
 
(3 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 7: Line 7:
'''But is this true?'''
'''But is this true?'''


=The biblical pattern=


Followers of the message believe William Branham to be the greatest prophet since Paul and one of the greatest prophets that ever lived.  If this is the case then one would expect that his healing ministry would be similar to that of Jesus or the apostels. 


It is clear that in Jesus ministry, everyone was healed that Jesus prayed for.  We read this in a number of passages in the Gospels:
=What independent observers said about William Branham=


Matthew4:23-24:
Controversy surrounded Branham right from the start of his public ministry. 


:''And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing '''every disease and every affliction''' among the people.  So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him '''all the sick''', those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics, and '''he healed them'''.<ref>The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), Mt 4:23–24.</ref>
==Alfred Pohl==


Matthew 8:16:
'''In 1947''', a minister in Saskatchewan, '''Rev. Alfred Pohl''', stated that many who Branham pronounced as healed later died.<ref>Carl Dyck, ''William Branham: The Man and His Message'', Saskatoon, 1984, ISBC 0-919847-00-5</ref>   
:''That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and '''healed all who were sick'''.<ref>The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), Mt 8:16.</ref>
 
Mark 6:56:
:''And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. '''And as many as touched it were made well'''. <ref>The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), Mk 6:56.</ref>
 
Luke 6:17-19:
:''And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured.  And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and '''healed them all'''. <ref>The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), Lk 6:17–19.</ref>
 
Acts 10:38:
:''God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and '''healing all''' who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.<ref>The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), Ac 10:38.</ref>
 
It is also clear that everyone that the apostles prayed for were healed as well:
 
Acts 5:16
:''The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and '''they were all healed'''.<ref>The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), Ac 5:16.</ref>
 
Acts 28:9:
:''And when this had taken place, '''the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured'''.<ref>The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), Ac 28:9.</ref>
 
=What independent observers said about William Branham=
 
Controversy surrounded Branham right from the start of his public ministry.  '''In 1947''', a minister in Saskatchewan, '''Rev. Alfred Pohl''', stated that many who Branham pronounced as healed later died.<ref>Carl Dyck, ''William Branham: The Man and His Message'', Saskatoon, 1984, ISBC 0-919847-00-5</ref>   


Pohl stated that he saw several people pronounced well by William Branham who died shortly there after.  He relates one case of a friend whose wife had been prayed for:
Pohl stated that he saw several people pronounced well by William Branham who died shortly there after.  He relates one case of a friend whose wife had been prayed for:
Line 54: Line 30:


:''Let me ask, did this sort of thing happen to those who were healed by the Lord Jesus or by His apostles? Where, then, is it recorded? As Christians we sometimes think that we're "charitable" if we overlook these things, but is this real "charity" or love? Is it loving to permit this type of thing to be carried on in our churches, to the needless suffering, agony, disappointment, and expense of the sick? And more importantly, is it scriptural not to deal with the false, the counterfeit? (see Titus 1:7-14).<ref>Alfred Pohl's entire testimony is available from the [[Research Sources for William Branham and His Message|Berean Research Institute]]</ref>
:''Let me ask, did this sort of thing happen to those who were healed by the Lord Jesus or by His apostles? Where, then, is it recorded? As Christians we sometimes think that we're "charitable" if we overlook these things, but is this real "charity" or love? Is it loving to permit this type of thing to be carried on in our churches, to the needless suffering, agony, disappointment, and expense of the sick? And more importantly, is it scriptural not to deal with the false, the counterfeit? (see Titus 1:7-14).<ref>Alfred Pohl's entire testimony is available from the [[Research Sources for William Branham and His Message|Berean Research Institute]]</ref>
==W. J. Taylor==


In '''1948''', '''W.J. Taylor, a district superintendent with the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada''', raised the same concern.  He and his executive asked for a thorough investigation, presenting evidence that claims of the number of people healed were vastly overestimated.  While he expressed warm regard for Branham as a person, he stated, ''"I firmly believe that there is a possibility that this whole business is wrong".''<ref>Kydd, Ronald A. N. (1998). Healing through the Centuries: Models for Understanding. Hendrickson Publishers, Inc. ISBN 0-913573-60-4.</ref>
In '''1948''', '''W.J. Taylor, a district superintendent with the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada''', raised the same concern.  He and his executive asked for a thorough investigation, presenting evidence that claims of the number of people healed were vastly overestimated.  While he expressed warm regard for Branham as a person, he stated, ''"I firmly believe that there is a possibility that this whole business is wrong".''<ref>Kydd, Ronald A. N. (1998). Healing through the Centuries: Models for Understanding. Hendrickson Publishers, Inc. ISBN 0-913573-60-4.</ref>
==Walter Hollenweger==


'''Walter Hollenweger''', a noted Pentecostal historian who worked as translator for Branham in one of his campaigns in Switzerland, wrote of Branham:
'''Walter Hollenweger''', a noted Pentecostal historian who worked as translator for Branham in one of his campaigns in Switzerland, wrote of Branham:
Line 96: Line 76:


''I seen about, oh, I guess '''thirty or forty thousand healed with one prayer.''' That's right.<ref>THE.LAMB.AND.THE.DOVE_  OAKLAND.CA  MONDAY_  57-0325</ref>
''I seen about, oh, I guess '''thirty or forty thousand healed with one prayer.''' That's right.<ref>THE.LAMB.AND.THE.DOVE_  OAKLAND.CA  MONDAY_  57-0325</ref>
=The biblical pattern=
Followers of the message believe William Branham to be the greatest prophet since Paul and one of the greatest prophets that ever lived.  If this is the case then one would expect that his healing ministry would be similar to that of Jesus or the apostels. 
It is clear that in Jesus ministry, everyone was healed that Jesus prayed for.  We read this in a number of passages in the Gospels:
Matthew 4:23-24:
:''And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing '''every disease and every affliction''' among the people.  So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him '''all the sick''', those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics, and '''he healed them'''.<ref>The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), Mt 4:23–24.</ref>
Matthew 8:16:
:''That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and '''healed all who were sick'''.<ref>The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), Mt 8:16.</ref>
Mark 6:56:
:''And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. '''And as many as touched it were made well'''. <ref>The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), Mk 6:56.</ref>
Luke 6:17-19:
:''And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured.  And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and '''healed them all'''. <ref>The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), Lk 6:17–19.</ref>
Acts 10:38:
:''God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and '''healing all''' who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.<ref>The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), Ac 10:38.</ref>
It is also clear that everyone that the apostles prayed for were healed as well:
Acts 5:16
:''The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and '''they were all healed'''.<ref>The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), Ac 5:16.</ref>
Acts 28:9:
:''And when this had taken place, '''the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured'''.<ref>The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), Ac 28:9.</ref>


=Conclusion=
=Conclusion=
Line 103: Line 113:
Were as many healed as William Branham claimed?  Again, based on the testimony of independent observers, the answer is also an emphatic "no".
Were as many healed as William Branham claimed?  Again, based on the testimony of independent observers, the answer is also an emphatic "no".


William Branham made the excuse for himself for the vast majority of those who were not healed that they simply did not have faith.  And those whom he proclaimed to be healed could lose their faith if their faith faltered.   
William Branham made the excuse for himself for the vast majority of those who were not healed that they simply did not have faith.  And those whom he proclaimed to be healed could [[Can you lose your healing?|lose their healing]] if their faith faltered.   


It is also clear that this is not the biblical pattern.
It is also clear that this is not the biblical pattern.
Retrieved from "http:///index.php?title=Special:MobileDiff/22655...26555"