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Plagiarism: Difference between revisions
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=Where did William Branham say he got his sermons?= | =Where did William Branham say he got his sermons?= | ||
William Branham consistently said that his sermons were supernaturally inspired: | William Branham consistently said that his sermons were supernaturally inspired: | ||
:''Now, then, when we got finished with the book of the revelation of the church, '''what God did to those seven churches''', which were then in their infancy, or their shadow, in Asia Minor. Then '''the Holy Spirit revealed and opened to us all the mysteries in There''', of how He has brought His Church through history. And if you don’t have The Seven Church Ages on tape, it would be good if you listened to them. And soon they’ll be in book form.<ref>William Branham, 64-0719M - The Feast Of The Trumpets, para. 38</ref> | |||
:''Do you take the day to think up these things you’re going to say at night? It’d sure take quite a day, wouldn’t it? No, Christian, my brother, '''I never take one thought of what I’m going to say in the pulpit.''' I’ll read a Scripture somewhere. And I—I’ve made announcements many times that I would go to the pulpit, I was going to preach on a certain subject, get there, the Holy Ghost turn me right back around, make me do something else. I’ve tried it two or three times to write out notes and preach on notes. Long as I’m looking at them notes, I got my mind off of God. So I just have to go ahead and crumble them up and throw them down and just whatever He says. Sometimes I start in Genesis and wind up in Revelation, I…So I’m not very much of a—of a minister just to—to…'''I have to get my messages from Above.''' <ref>William Abraham, 54-0515 - Questions And Answers, Question 24b</ref> | :''Do you take the day to think up these things you’re going to say at night? It’d sure take quite a day, wouldn’t it? No, Christian, my brother, '''I never take one thought of what I’m going to say in the pulpit.''' I’ll read a Scripture somewhere. And I—I’ve made announcements many times that I would go to the pulpit, I was going to preach on a certain subject, get there, the Holy Ghost turn me right back around, make me do something else. I’ve tried it two or three times to write out notes and preach on notes. Long as I’m looking at them notes, I got my mind off of God. So I just have to go ahead and crumble them up and throw them down and just whatever He says. Sometimes I start in Genesis and wind up in Revelation, I…So I’m not very much of a—of a minister just to—to…'''I have to get my messages from Above.''' <ref>William Abraham, 54-0515 - Questions And Answers, Question 24b</ref> | ||
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==Plagiarism is a Biblical '''Sin'''== | ==Plagiarism is a Biblical '''Sin'''== | ||
William Branham said he received his inspiration regarding the seven church ages from God: | William Branham said he received his inspiration regarding the seven church ages and seven seals from God and not from other men: | ||
:''Now, then, when we got finished with the book of the revelation of the church, what God did to those seven churches, which were then in their infancy, or their shadow, in Asia Minor. '''Then the Holy Spirit revealed and opened to us all the mysteries in There, of how He has brought His Church through history.''' And if you don’t have The Seven Church Ages on tape, it would be good if you listened to them. And soon they’ll be in book form.<ref>William Branham, 64-0719M - The Feast Of The Trumpets, para. 38</ref> | :''Now, then, when we got finished with the book of the revelation of the church, what God did to those seven churches, which were then in their infancy, or their shadow, in Asia Minor. '''Then the Holy Spirit revealed and opened to us all the mysteries in There, of how He has brought His Church through history.''' And if you don’t have The Seven Church Ages on tape, it would be good if you listened to them. And soon they’ll be in book form.<ref>William Branham, 64-0719M - The Feast Of The Trumpets, para. 38</ref> | ||
But as you will see below, he received most of it from the books of Clarence Larkin. | :''Now I want to make this real clear. Every time, every time that these Seals has come to the place; everything that I ever believed on Them, <u>and has read of other people</u>, has been contrary to '''what come to me in the room'''.<ref>William Branham, 63-0324E - The Seventh Seal, para. 29</ref>'' | ||
But as you will see below, he received most of it from the books of Clarence Larkin, Charles Taze Russell, and others. | |||
The Bible records what the Lord thinks of prophets who plagiarize from each other, and say it is a word from the Lord. | The Bible records what the Lord thinks of prophets who plagiarize from each other, and say it is a word from the Lord. | ||
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Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary provides the following meaning to "plagiarize": | Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary provides the following meaning to "plagiarize": | ||
pla•gia•rize \ˈplā-jə-ˌrīz also -jē-ə-\ ''verb'' | :pla•gia•rize \ˈplā-jə-ˌrīz also -jē-ə-\ ''verb'' | ||
-rized; -riz•ing [plagiary] | ::-rized; -riz•ing [plagiary] | ||
*''verb transitive'' 1716: to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one’s own: use (another’s production) without crediting the source | ::*''verb transitive'' 1716: to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one’s own: use (another’s production) without crediting the source | ||
*''verb intransitive'': to commit literary theft: present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source—pla•gia•riz•er ''noun''<ref>Inc Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. (Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, Inc., 2003).</ref> | ::*''verb intransitive'': to commit literary theft: present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source—pla•gia•riz•er ::''noun''<ref>Inc Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. (Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, Inc., 2003).</ref> | ||
Plagiarism is a sin against truth, not property. It’s first and foremost a kind of lying, not a kind of stealing. William Branham violated our trust by speaking in a voice that was not his own, which is why he lost intellectual and moral authority broadly.<ref>Reno, R.R., The Public Square, First Things, Institute on Religion and Public Life, New York, NY, no. 234 (2013): 6.</ref> | |||
If William Branham has simply said "I read this information in Clarence Larkin's book", then he would not have been guilty of plagiarism. But he didn't. Instead he said that he received it by divine revelation. He said that God gave it to him, which was a lie. He got the information directly from Clarence Larkin and others. Below are '''specific examples of plagiarism in William Branham's ministry'''. We have also addressed a few questions about plagiarism in the Bible which can be found by [[Q&A:Plagiarism|clicking here]]. | If William Branham has simply said "I read this information in Clarence Larkin's book", then he would not have been guilty of plagiarism. But he didn't. Instead he said that he received it by divine revelation. He said that God gave it to him, which was a lie. He got the information directly from Clarence Larkin and others. Below are '''specific examples of plagiarism in William Branham's ministry'''. We have also addressed a few questions about plagiarism in the Bible which can be found by [[Q&A:Plagiarism|clicking here]]. | ||
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==Clarence Larkin== | ==Clarence Larkin== | ||
[[Image:Clarence.jpg|thumb|right|Clarence Larkin]] | [[Image:Clarence.jpg|thumb|right|Clarence Larkin]] | ||
[ | [[Clarence Larkin]] (1850-1924) was American Baptist pastor, Bible teacher and author whose writings on Dispensationalism had a great impact on modern dispensational thinking. While William Branham only mentions Clarence Larkin three times in all his recorded sermons, he drew heavily from him but never gave Larkin the credit for these teachings. | ||
Message preachers point out that William Branham did mention Larkin but the '''first time he mentioned Larkin was over 7 months after preaching the seven church age series''' which were almost totally plagiarized from Larkin. And the | Message preachers point out that William Branham did mention Larkin but the '''first time he mentioned Larkin was over 7 months after preaching the seven church age series''' which were almost totally plagiarized from Larkin. The second time was a few days later. And the third mention of Larkin was well over one year after preaching the seven seals series which again were consistently plagiarized from Larkin and Russell. In each case, he states that he does not agree with Larkin. Here are the ONLY three references to Larkin that William Branham makes in all of his sermons: | ||
:''I've been reading '''Dr. Larkin's''' book, Dr. Smith's book, Dr. Scofield's notes, different commentaries from men everywhere, and yet I cannot put theirs together to make it come out right.'' (July 30, 1961, Sermon: Gabriel's Instructions to Daniel) | :''I've been reading '''Dr. Larkin's''' book, Dr. Smith's book, Dr. Scofield's notes, different commentaries from men everywhere, and '''yet I cannot put theirs together to make it come out right'''.'' (July 30, 1961, Sermon: Gabriel's Instructions to Daniel) | ||
:''And I had read '''Mr. Larkin'''. I had read, oh, so many different ones, of their commentaries on This. But, somehow or other'n, I thought I had a--a little view of it, myself, that might be of places different. ...But then just before it happened, I was given a vision, which is on tape, as you all know, Sirs, What Time Is It? that I should go to Tucson, Arizona. ...There where the Angel of the Lord met us, and the Bible become a new Bible. There It opened up and revealed all the things that the reformers and things had left out. It was the complete revelation of Jesus Christ, altogether new to us, but perfectly exactly with the Scripture. That was the Word which has always been. I was so inspired and directed.'' (July 19, 1964, The Feast of the Trumpets) | :''And so, no doubt that down through the age, there has been hundreds times hundreds of people, scholars, abled men, trying to explain what these seventy of weeks were. And I’ve read many of their commentaries on it. And I’m very grateful to Mr. Smith, of the Adventist church, for his views. I’m very grateful to '''Dr. Larkin''', of his views. I’m grateful to all these great scholars, for their views on this. And in reading them, it enlightens me much, that '''I can find places that looks right'''. But to get the views that I—I thought that I would like to explain, I searched through the encyclopedia, of “time,” to find out what “time” meant. (61-0806 - The Seventieth Week Of Daniel, para. 51) | ||
:''And I had read '''Mr. Larkin'''. I had read, oh, so many different ones, of their commentaries on This. But, somehow or other'n, I thought I had a--a little view of it, myself, that '''might be of places different'''. ...But then just before it happened, I was given a vision, which is on tape, as you all know, Sirs, What Time Is It? that I should go to Tucson, Arizona. ...There where the Angel of the Lord met us, and the Bible become a new Bible. There It opened up and revealed all the things that the reformers and things had left out. It was the complete revelation of Jesus Christ, '''altogether new to us''', but perfectly exactly with the Scripture. That was the Word which has always been. I was so inspired and directed.'' (July 19, 1964, The Feast of the Trumpets) | |||
In these above quotes, William Branham says that he doesn't agree with Clarence Larkin or other commentaries. This gives the impression that the doctrine he preached was his own original ideas or lessons he received directly from the Angel (and not from anywhere else). '''But did he?''' Let's take a close look and compare what William Branham says to Clarence Larkin's books. | In these above quotes, William Branham says that he doesn't agree with Clarence Larkin or other commentaries. This gives the impression that the doctrine he preached was his own original ideas or lessons he received directly from the Angel (and not from anywhere else). '''But did he?''' Let's take a close look and compare what William Branham says to Clarence Larkin's books. | ||
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===Plagiarism in the Church Ages=== | ===Plagiarism in the Church Ages=== | ||
::'''Main article: [[The Seven Churches Ages]]''' | |||
NOTE: William Branham's book "An Exposition of the Seven Church Ages" (which is commonly referred to as the "Church Age Book" or the CAB) contains all of the plagiarism noted in his sermon series on the Seven Church Ages which were delivered in December, 1960. Most of the references in this article relating to the church ages are primarily to the actual sermons and not to the CAB. While the CAB contains all of the plagiarized text referred to here, some have said that the plagiarism in the CAB was the direct result of the involvement of Lee Vayle and, therefore, cannot be attributed to William Branham himself. The quotes contained below, however, clearly show that William Branham was the one that plagiarized Clarence Larkin's works. | NOTE: William Branham's book "An Exposition of the Seven Church Ages" (which is commonly referred to as the "Church Age Book" or the CAB) contains all of the plagiarism noted in his sermon series on the Seven Church Ages which were delivered in December, 1960. Most of the references in this article relating to the church ages are primarily to the actual sermons and not to the CAB. While the CAB contains all of the plagiarized text referred to here, some have said that the plagiarism in the CAB was the direct result of the involvement of Lee Vayle and, therefore, cannot be attributed to William Branham himself. The quotes contained below, however, clearly show that William Branham was the one that plagiarized Clarence Larkin's works. | ||
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|Then come in the Pergamos Church Age, and the Pergamos Church Age begin at 312 and lasted till A.D. 606. THE EPHESIAN CHURCH AGE 60-1205 | |Then come in the Pergamos Church Age, and the Pergamos Church Age begin at 312 and lasted till A.D. 606. THE EPHESIAN CHURCH AGE 60-1205 | ||
|...Pergamos...extends from the accession of Constantine, A. D. 312 to A. D. 606, when Boniface III was crowned “Universal Bishop.”<ref>Clarence Larkin, Dispensational Truth, or “God’s Plan and Purpose in the Ages“, 129 (Philadelphia, PA: Clarence Larkin, 1918).</ref> | |...Pergamos...extends from the accession of Constantine, A. D. 312 to A. D. 606, when Boniface III was crowned “Universal Bishop.”<ref>Clarence Larkin, Dispensational Truth, or “God’s Plan and Purpose in the Ages“, 129 (Philadelphia, PA: Clarence Larkin, 1918).</ref> | ||
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|And now in the early years, or just before this taken place (a few years), '''Satan’s seat''' built the great… I guess you would call him a prie-… king-priest of the Chaldeans. The hierarchy of Babylon changed his seat when the Persians was pursuing him, and he left Babylon. '''His name was A-t-t-a-l-u-s, Attalus, the great king-priest of Babylon.''' When the Persians came in and taking over Babylon, '''running out the Chaldeans'''; Attalus, their king-priest, '''fled and took his seat at Pergamos'''. “The '''Satan’s seat''' is where you are dwelling.” Get it? | |||
Now, that’s why I go back to pick up this history out of the church history, finding where…to what taken place when He said, “You are dwelling where Satan’s seat is.” | |||
I thought, “Well, where could that be, a certain thing, ‘Satan’s seat’?” Then I find out that this great king, after he was fleeing from the conquering Persians that taken over (according to Daniel’s vision), he came to this city of Pergamos, at Rome, and there made his headquarters. Satan shifted his headquarters from Babylon to Pergamos, where (future) he would start the new Babylon. Oh, my! Now you get the backgrounds where we’re at. All right.<ref>William Branham, 60-1207 - The Pergamean Church Age, para. 97-99</ref> | |||
|In this Message Pergamos is spoken of as '''“Satan’s Seat.”''' When '''Attalus III, the Priest-King of the Chaldean Hierarchy,''' fled before the conquering Persians to Pergamos, and settled there, '''Satan shifted his capital from Babylon to Pergamos'''.<ref>Clarence Larkin, The Book of Revelation: A Study of the Last Prophetic Book of Holy Scripture (Philadelphia, PA: Rev. Clarence Larkin Estate, 1919), 22.</ref> | |||
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|Now, in doing this, they consolidated and made the early…formed the early Catholic church, later. Then at the first great Nicene Council…When I read that, I just fell on my knees. The great Nicene Council had taken place in a.d. 325, all of them was brought together, the bishops and fathers of the Christian faith was brought together at Nicaea. That’s the reason it’s called the Nicaea Council, in a.d. 325. And about '''fifteen hundred delegates''' came to the—the—the convention, or the council, about fifteen hundred delegates, and '''the laity outnumbered the bishops five to one''' (in the delegation); but yet, through the Nicolaitanes (the cold formals) and Constantine’s politicianal plan, they out-voted the true Church and won the victory, and issued in bishops and holy order of men; taking the—the Holy Spirit from the meeting, and placing it upon bishops, cardinals, and popes, and so forth. | |||
Now, this first Nicene Council, and it was in a.d. 330…325. About fifteen hundred delegates and bishops attended the meeting, but they overruled them, in some foggy, '''stormy council''' it was. And they overruled them, and voted in that the Nicolaitanes took over, and that was to take the…all the church, and put it under a supervision of popes or—or bishops, or something; '''taking the power from the Church and giving it over to the bishops, that the bishops should rule the church''' and the only one that had anything to say about It.<ref>william Branham, 60-1207 - The Pergamean Church Age, para. 127, 133</ref> | |||
|And the foothold it had secured in the Church was seen in the First Great Council of the Church held at Nicaea, in A. D. 325. The Council was composed of about '''1500 delegates''', the laymen outnumbering the Bishops 5 to 1. It was a '''stormy council, full of intrigue and political methods''', and from the '''supremacy of the “Clergy” over the “Laity”''' it was evident that the “Doctrine of the Nicolaitanes” had secured a strong and permanent foothold.<ref>Clarence Larkin, The Book of Revelation: A Study of the Last Prophetic Book of Holy Scripture (Philadelphia, PA: Rev. Clarence Larkin Estate, 1919), 22.</ref> | |||
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|That’s the '''birthplace of post-millennium'''. And that’s the reason the Catholic doesn’t teach the coming of Jesus, to this day. “It’s all in the church. This is the Millennium. The church owns everything. This is it.” See, post-millennium (Oh, my!) without the return of Jesus Christ. This lasted unto '''the ''assassination'' of Constantine which come between 312 and—and…a.d. 312 and 606. Then Boniface III was made the universal bishop''' or pope over the whole universal church.<ref>william Branham, 60-1207 - The Pergamean Church Age, para. 263</ref> | |||
|'''It was at this time that “Post-Millennial Views” had their origin.''' As the Church had become rich and powerful, it was suggested that by the union of Church and State a condition of affairs would develop that would usher in the Millennium without the return of Christ, and since some scriptural support was needed for such a doctrine, it was claimed that the Jews had been cast off “forever,” and that all the prophecies of Israel’s future glory were intended for the Church. This “Period” extends from the '''''accession'' of Constantine A. D. 312 to A. D. 606, when Boniface III was crowned “Universal Bishop.”'''<ref>Clarence Larkin, The Book of Revelation: A Study of the Last Prophetic Book of Holy Scripture (Philadelphia, PA: Rev. Clarence Larkin Estate, 1919), 23.</ref> | |||
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|Then come in the Thyatira Church Age, and the church age of Thyatira begin at 606 and went to 1520, the dark ages. THE EPHESIAN CHURCH AGE 60-1205 | |Then come in the Thyatira Church Age, and the church age of Thyatira begin at 606 and went to 1520, the dark ages. THE EPHESIAN CHURCH AGE 60-1205 | ||
|The Message to the Church at Thyatira. This Period extended from A. D. 606 to the Reformation A. D. 1520.<ref>Clarence Larkin, Dispensational Truth, or “God’s Plan and Purpose in the Ages“, 130 (Philadelphia, PA: Clarence Larkin, 1918).</ref> | |The Message to the Church at Thyatira. This Period extended from A. D. 606 to the Reformation A. D. 1520.<ref>Clarence Larkin, Dispensational Truth, or “God’s Plan and Purpose in the Ages“, 130 (Philadelphia, PA: Clarence Larkin, 1918).</ref> | ||
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|All right, this Jezebel. Now '''she was a daughter of Abraham''', that’s true, '''a princess of an idolater'''. At that time when the royal family, her royal family, was '''famed by cruel savage loyalty''' to '''Baalim'''. Her father was '''a priest of the idol of A-s-t-a-r-t-e''' (I don’t know how you pronounce it, I just picked it up in the history). Ahab used his strategy like Constantine. This great powerful nation laid next to Israel, so therefore… <ref>William Branham, 60-1208 - The Thyatirean Church Age, para. 61</ref> | |||
|Jezebel, the wife of Ahab, was '''not by birth a daughter of Abraham''', but '''a princess of idolatrous Tyre''', at a time, too, when its royal family was '''famed for cruel savagery and intense devotion''' to '''Baal and Astarte'''.<ref>Clarence Larkin, The Book of Revelation: A Study of the Last Prophetic Book of Holy Scripture (Philadelphia, PA: Rev. Clarence Larkin Estate, 1919), 24.</ref> | |||
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|And then the Sardis Church Age begin at 1520 and lasted till 1750, the Lutheran age. THE EPHESIAN CHURCH AGE 60-1205 | |And then the Sardis Church Age begin at 1520 and lasted till 1750, the Lutheran age. THE EPHESIAN CHURCH AGE 60-1205 | ||
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|Then from 1750, the next age come in was the Philadelphian, Wesley age; that begin at 1750 and lasted till 1906. THE EPHESIAN CHURCH AGE 60-1205 | |Then from 1750, the next age come in was the Philadelphian, Wesley age; that begin at 1750 and lasted till 1906. THE EPHESIAN CHURCH AGE 60-1205 | ||
|The “Philadelphia Period” covers the time between A. D. 1750 and A. D. 1900.<ref>Clarence Larkin, Dispensational Truth, or “God’s Plan and Purpose in the Ages“, 131 (Philadelphia, PA: Clarence Larkin, 1918).</ref> | |The “Philadelphia Period” covers the time between A. D. 1750 and A. D. 1900.<ref>Clarence Larkin, Dispensational Truth, or “God’s Plan and Purpose in the Ages“, 131 (Philadelphia, PA: Clarence Larkin, 1918).</ref> | ||
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|Now the great missionary age, brotherly love, the age of missions. Let me just name to you some of the great men (and then I just wrote their names down here): '''John Wesley; George Whitfie-…Whitefield''', he was about '''1739'''; '''Charles G. Finney'''; '''Dwight Moody'''; '''William Carey''', the great missionary that went to India in 1773; David Livingstone, to South Africa. See, all those, some of those great men. Just…I got names of plenty of them here, great men that lived in that brotherly love; that, the black man, the white man, the brown man, the yellow man, all walls was broke down, and these men went out into the mission fields.<ref>William Branham, 60-1210 - The Philadelphian Church Age, para. 57</ref> | |||
|Revivals have been characteristic of the Philadelphia Period. These Revivals began with '''George Whitefield in A. D. 1739, followed by John Wesley, Charles G. Finney and D. L. Moody.''' | |||
It had set before it an “open door,” that no “man” could shut. Note that this promise was made by Him, who “hath the ‘Key of David,’ He that ‘openeth’ and no man shutteth; and ‘shutteth’ and no man openeth.” '''In 1793 William Carey sailed for India''', where he found an “open door,” and since then the Lord has opened the door into China, Japan, Korea, India, Africa and the isles of the sea, until there is not a country in the world where the missionary cannot go.<ref>Clarence Larkin, The Book of Revelation: A Study of the Last Prophetic Book of Holy Scripture (Philadelphia, PA: Rev. Clarence Larkin Estate, 1919), 26.</ref> | |||
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|And at 1906 the Laodicean church age set in, and I don't know when it'll end, but I predict it'll be done by 1977. I predict, not the Lord told me, but I predict it according to a vision that was showed me some years ago... THE EPHESIAN CHURCH AGE 60-1205 | |And at 1906 the Laodicean church age set in, and I don't know when it'll end, but I predict it'll be done by 1977. I predict, not the Lord told me, but I predict it according to a vision that was showed me some years ago... THE EPHESIAN CHURCH AGE 60-1205 | ||
|The character of the Church today is Laodicean, and as the Laodicean Period is to continue until the Church of the “New-Born” is taken out, we cannot hope for any great change until the Lord comes back.<ref>larence Larkin, Dispensational Truth, or “God’s Plan and Purpose in the Ages“, 133 (Philadelphia, PA: Clarence Larkin, 1918).</ref> | |The character of the Church today is Laodicean, and as the Laodicean Period is to continue until the Church of the “New-Born” is taken out, we cannot hope for any great change until the Lord comes back.<ref>larence Larkin, Dispensational Truth, or “God’s Plan and Purpose in the Ages“, 133 (Philadelphia, PA: Clarence Larkin, 1918).</ref> | ||
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|The '''chilliness of the Anglican church''' in the days of '''John Wesley''' drove him to have meetings elsewhere, because it was cold, chilly. The '''chilliness of the Methodist church''' caused '''William Booth''' to become a '''red-hot salvationist.''' You see, God said, “If you won’t come and repent, I’ll remove the candlestick. I’ll take it out, give it to somebody else.” So when the Methodist church wouldn’t receive John Wesley’s sanctification, William Booth come right up with the Salvation Army and took her right on. That’s right. Why? They organized it! That’s exactly. Made an organization out of it, and God said, “I hate the thing!”<ref>william Branham, 60-1211E - The Laodicean Church Age, para. 121-122</ref> | |||
|It was the “'''chilly''' spiritual atmosphere” of the '''Church of England''' that drove '''John Wesley''' to start those outside meetings which became so noted for their “religious fervor,” and it was the same “'''chilly''' atmosphere” of the '''Methodist Church''' that drove '''William Booth''' in turn to become a '''“Red-hot” Salvationist'''.<ref>Clarence Larkin, The Book of Revelation: A Study of the Last Prophetic Book of Holy Scripture (Philadelphia, PA: Rev. Clarence Larkin Estate, 1919), 27.</ref> | |||
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|They have large buildings, '''stained glass windows''', '''eloquent preachers, paid singers'''. Yes, sir.<Ref>William Branham, 60-1211E - The Laodicean Church Age, para. 156</ref> | |||
|Many of these churches have Cathedral-like buildings, '''stained glass windows, eloquent preachers, paid singers''', large congregations.<ref>Clarence Larkin, The Book of Revelation: A Study of the Last Prophetic Book of Holy Scripture (Philadelphia, PA: Rev. Clarence Larkin Estate, 1919), 28.</ref> | |||
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|Brother, '''the world won’t be converted by money'''. The world will be '''converted by the Holy Ghost'''; powerful preaching of the Holy Ghost and the Cross will be the only thing that’ll convert the world. God’s program is not money. It’s the Holy Ghost, that’s what God’s program is for the Laodicean Church Age or any other church age. Yes, sir. | |||
They want the Holy Ghost. Oh, they say, “We are…have gold.” '''It was gold, all right, but not the right kind.''' They had plenty of gold but not the right kind.<ref>William Branham, 60-1211E - The Laodicean Church Age, para. 184-185</ref> | |||
|The trouble with the church today is that it thinks that nothing can be done without money, and that if we only had the money the world would be converted in this generation. The world is '''not to be converted by money, but by the Spirit of God.''' | |||
The trouble with the Church of Laodicea was that its “Gold” was not of the right kind.<ref>Clarence Larkin, The Book of Revelation: A Study of the Last Prophetic Book of Holy Scripture (Philadelphia, PA: Rev. Clarence Larkin Estate, 1919), 28.</ref> | |||
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|'''They were nearsighted. They was looking at their big building.''' They were rich. They were looking at the great organization they belonged to, trying to build it up, getting more members to come in, and they didn’t miss Him. <ref>William Branham, 60-1211E - The Laodicean Church Age, para. 252</ref> | |||
|But the Church of Laodicea was not only poor, though rich, it was blind. Or to put it more accurately—'''“Near-Sighted.”''' '''They could See their worldly prosperity''', but were “Short-Sighted” as to heavenly things, so the Lord counseled them to anoint their eyes with “Eye-Salve.” Their merchants dealt in ointments and herbs of a high degree of healing virtue, but they possessed no salve that would restore impaired Spiritual Vision, only the Unction of the Holy One could do that.<ref>Clarence Larkin, The Book of Revelation: A Study of the Last Prophetic Book of Holy Scripture (Philadelphia, PA: Rev. Clarence Larkin Estate, 1919), 28.</ref> | |||
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|'''Excluded!''' What was He excluded from? Now, listen, friends. If this isn’t striking! Get a picture of it, let it sink down in your heart. Our Saviour, when He was on earth, He was '''excluded from His Own nation.''' He was rejected, He was excluded. The world excluded Him and crucified Him. And now, from His Own church, He’s excluded. He isn’t wanted anywhere, have no need of Him.<ref>William Branham, 60-1211E - The Laodicean Church Age, para. 225</ref> | |||
|This is a description of a Christless Church. Oh, the EXCLUDED CHRIST '''Excluded from His own nation''', for they Rejected Him; excluded from the world, for it Crucified Him; excluded from His Church, for He stands outside its door Knocking for Entrance.<ref>Clarence Larkin, The Book of Revelation: A Study of the Last Prophetic Book of Holy Scripture (Philadelphia, PA: Rev. Clarence Larkin Estate, 1919), 29.</ref> | |||
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===Plagiarism in the Seven Seals (click on the links below)=== | ===Plagiarism in the Seven Seals (click on the links below)=== | ||
::'''Main article: The [[Seven Seals]]''' | |||
#[[First Seal#Plagiarism|Plagiarism in the First Seal]] | #[[First Seal#Plagiarism|Plagiarism in the First Seal]] | ||
#[[Second Seal#Plagiarism|Plagiarism in the Second Seal]] | #[[Second Seal#Plagiarism|Plagiarism in the Second Seal]] | ||
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TOKEN 63-0901M | TOKEN 63-0901M | ||
|The blood was a “TOKEN.” “When I see the BLOOD, I will pass over you.” Ex. 12:13. It is not a question of “'''personal worthiness''',” nor of “'''good works''',” nor of “morality,” but of the BLOOD. “It is the BLOOD that maketh an atonement for the soul.” Lev. 17:11. The Israelites were not merely in a salvable state, they were SAVED, not partly but completely. If a hair of one of the “First Born” sheltered behind the blood had been touched, it would have proved Jehovah’s word void, and the blood of the lamb valueless. We may have no assurance as to our salvation, but '''have we applied the “Blood of Christ” to our soul''', are we trusting to it, and it alone, for our salvation? If so, '''all that is necessary is, that GOD sees it'''. | |'''The blood was a “TOKEN.”''' “When I see the BLOOD, I will pass over you.” Ex. 12:13. It is not a question of “'''personal worthiness''',” nor of “'''good works''',” nor of “morality,” but of the BLOOD. “It is the BLOOD that maketh an atonement for the soul.” Lev. 17:11. The Israelites were not merely in a salvable state, they were SAVED, not partly but completely. If a hair of one of the “First Born” sheltered behind the blood had been touched, it would have proved Jehovah’s word void, and the blood of the lamb valueless. We may have no assurance as to our salvation, but '''have we applied the “Blood of Christ” to our soul''', are we trusting to it, and it alone, for our salvation? If so, '''all that is necessary is, that GOD sees it'''. | ||
Clarence Larkin, Rightly Dividing the Word, 270 (Philadelphia, PA: Clarence Larkin, 1921). | Clarence Larkin, Rightly Dividing the Word, 270 (Philadelphia, PA: Clarence Larkin, 1921). | ||
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''' | ''' | ||
==C.L. Franklin | ==C.L. Franklin== | ||
C. L. Franklin was an American Baptist minister and civil rights activist. Known as the man with the "Million-Dollar Voice", Franklin served as the pastor of New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit, Michigan, from 1946 until he was shot and wounded in 1979. Franklin was the father of the American singer and songwriter Aretha Franklin. | |||
William Branham stated: | |||
''Often give '''my little story''' of a little eagle. How the farmer set the hen one time...'' (William Branham, December 6, 1965, Sermon: Modern Events made clear by prophecy) | ''Often give '''my little story''' of a little eagle. How the farmer set the hen one time...'' (William Branham, December 6, 1965, Sermon: Modern Events made clear by prophecy) | ||
But was this really William Branham's "little story", or did he "borrow" it from | But was this really William Branham's "little story", or did he "borrow" it from C.L. Franklin? William Branham first told the story in 1957 but C.L. Franklin told the same story at least 4 years earlier. | ||
{| class="wikitable" width="95%" | {| class="wikitable" width="95%" | ||
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[[Image:Cigarette ad for a thinking mans filter.jpg|thumb|right|250px]] | [[Image:Cigarette ad for a thinking mans filter.jpg|thumb|right|250px]] | ||
==Billy Graham== | ==Billy Graham== | ||
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Details of this plagiarized "prophecy" can be found in our article entitled "[[Don't Eat Eggs]]". | Details of this plagiarized "prophecy" can be found in our article entitled "[[Don't Eat Eggs]]". | ||
===Ellen White was also a plagiarist?=== | |||
The four techniques essential to the whitelie brand of super salesmanship are: (a) to play up anything unusual or mysterious about the one to be venerated, so that he or she becomes seen as at a supernatural level; (h) to exalt the acts and utterances to the virtuous and miraculous level, thus reinforcing the idea of the supernatural connection; (c) to deny access to information and records of the events and facts of the past; and (d) to buy time so as to get as far as possible from the point of living knowledge of the beginnings of the legend. | |||
According to Walter Rea, all four of these methods have been used by the Seventh Day Adventist Church, and are still being used, in the matter of Ellen White and what has been published under her name. | |||
He also stated: | |||
:''In the matter of Ellen White's super salesmanship (in relation to both the church and the public), it is becoming evident that she too wanted to encourage, if not demand, that others accept her value structure and lifestyle. In order to obtain this end, she came to believe and to teach others that what she said and wrote was necessary to do, because God wanted it that way. Others around her who shared those views (and indeed even gave her some of them) were willing to let the faithful believe that what she said and wrote were directly the ideas and ways given her by God. This stance gave her every utterance the authority it needed in order to be believed-despite mounting evidence (and the witness of some others) to the contrary. Those who lived by faith, and likewise by evidence to support that faith, began to discover that the white lie was inconsistent with the evidence. And when they made known that discover for their honest pains they were expelled and discredited by character assassination. | |||
:''...One reason is now clear why much of the information in the 1884 edition of The Great Controversy could not have been included in the earlier works of Ellen on the same subject (Spiritual Gifts, published 185864). James had not yet gotten around to copying it from J. N Andrews; so it was not available to Ellen at the time. The 1888 and 1911 editions of The Great Controversy went back to James White's compilation of doctrines and events and picked up even more of his findings and ideas. But never once was it suggested that the heart of Adventist doctrine-such as the three angels' worldwide message that the church had applied exclusively to the Adventists, the shut door that left everyone else out in the cold, the 2300 days, the seventy weeks, the sanctuary doctrine, the United States in prophecy, the "mark of the beast," the image to that beast-had all come out earlier in James White's Life Incidents. | |||
:''So striking was the copying done under the name of Ellen-and so sensitive is the information that the heart of Adventist theology and eschatology came, not from the visions of or revelations to Ellen, but from the pen of James sixteen years before Ellen wrote them out- that time should be spent examining the evidence in Life Incidents. | |||
:''Here it should be recalled that the four small volumes of Ellen's Spiritual Gifts (185864) were amplified to the four volumes of Ellen's The Spirit of Prophecy (187084) and then expanded to Ellen's The Great Controversy (1888 ea.) of the fivevolume Conflict of the Ages Series. Inasmuch as the earlier eight volumes are now again available in facsimile editions, anyone can examine all the books and note the progressive copy work through the years. Meanwhile, during those same years, the legend grew and grew and was "sold" and accepted that God had given Ellen exclusive and firsthand knowledge of his plans for the future events of the church and the world. | |||
:''Comparison shows that words, sentences, quotations, thoughts, ideas, structures, paragraphs, and even total pages were taken from James White's book to Ellen's book under a new title-with no blush of shame, no mention of her husband, no thanks to Uriah Smith and J. N. Andrews, for the hard work and theological insights of anyone. | |||
:''Unfortunately for James, he did not have the personal advantage of angels checking in and out on schedule with the firsthand information Ellen purported to have. Without any intermediary, he had to get his material from human sources. But he was equal to the task. Much of his material in Life Incidents was taken primarily from J. N. Andrews, whose book published in 1860, interestingly enough, was entitled The Three Messages of Revelation XIV, 612, and particularly The Third Angel's Message and The Two Horned Beast. James, unlike his wife Ellen, did not even bother to paraphrase-he just took the material from Andrews wholesale into his work. | |||
:''Nothing has been released from the White Estate as to how Andrews or Uriah Smith felt about all this "taking" in the name of God. Perhaps the fact that they were brothers-in-law, both assisting in the editorial work of the Review, both personal friends of the Whites-and thus able to sit around the same table to finalize their views-might have softened the pain of Ellen's copy work. One might be tempted to think that Ellen set the pattern and James may not have given much thought to doing the same thing. Of course, there was in fact no excuse for anyone not to give thought-especially in view of the statement published in an 1864 issue of the Review under the heading "Plagiarism": This is a word that is used to signify "literary theft," or taking the productions or another and passing them off as one s own.... We are perfectly willing that pieces from the Review, or any of our books should be published to any extent, and all we ask is, that simple justice be done us, by due credit being given. | |||
:''Examination reveals that the 1860 book of J. N. Andrews was an exact replay of his own 185155 articles in the Review. Thus James and Ellen had available for their perusal and use after 1855 the content and form of Andrew's work for incorporation in their own work: Spiritual Gifts (185864); Life Incidents (1868); The Spirit of Prophecy (187084); Sketches of. . . William Miller (1875); The Great Controversy (1888). | |||
:''This information may or may not disturb those who now say that the group of pioneers sat around the table and worked out in conjunction with Ellen their ideas and theology. But it does indeed disturb those who were taught that such ideas and theology originated with greater authority and mystique than the common ideas of human endeavor seem to command.<ref>Ellen G. White, Prophet? or Plagiarist!, The White Lie! By Walter T. Rea</ref> | |||
==William Sowders== | ==William Sowders== | ||
For details on the similarities with [[William Sowders]], please go to [[William Sowders|the article on how William Branham appears to have copied doctrinal teachings from Sowders]]. | For details on the similarities with [[William Sowders]], please go to [[William Sowders|the article on how William Branham appears to have copied doctrinal teachings from Sowders]]. | ||
==Questions and Answers on Plagiarism== | |||
We have received several emails on the subject of William Branham's plagiarism. Our responses to these questions can be found in our article entitled [[Q&A:Plagiarism]]. | |||
=Defenses against the charge of plagiarism= | =Defenses against the charge of plagiarism= | ||
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:''And so, no doubt that down through the age there has been hundreds times hundreds of people, scholars, abled men, trying to explain what these seventy of weeks were. And I've read many of their commentaries on it. And I'm very grateful to Mr. Smith of the Adventist church for his views. '''I'm very grateful to Dr. Larkin of his views.''' I'm grateful to all these great scholars for their views on this. And in reading them, it enlightens me much that '''I can find places that looks right. But''' to get the views that I--I thought that I would like to explain, I searched through the encyclopedia of time to find out what time meant.<ref>THE.SEVENTIETH.WEEK.OF.DANIEL_ JEFF.IN 61-0806</ref> | :''And so, no doubt that down through the age there has been hundreds times hundreds of people, scholars, abled men, trying to explain what these seventy of weeks were. And I've read many of their commentaries on it. And I'm very grateful to Mr. Smith of the Adventist church for his views. '''I'm very grateful to Dr. Larkin of his views.''' I'm grateful to all these great scholars for their views on this. And in reading them, it enlightens me much that '''I can find places that looks right. But''' to get the views that I--I thought that I would like to explain, I searched through the encyclopedia of time to find out what time meant.<ref>THE.SEVENTIETH.WEEK.OF.DANIEL_ JEFF.IN 61-0806</ref> | ||
:'' I had my own idea, as every minister does, of reading maybe what other man had said; and believing as much as I possible, with them, on the things that they had drawed up, their conclusion. I had read the book of Mr. Smith, Uriah Smith, which is the Adventist teacher, and I had read his--his thoughts on it. And '''I had read Mr. Larkin.''' I had read, oh, so many different ones, of their commentaries on This. But, somehow or other'n, I thought I had a--a little view of it, myself, that might be of places different. But trying one time, just speaking three subjects, the first... or the four subjects of the four horse riders. I preached on it four nights, one on one horse, and the other. B'''ut then just before it happened, I was given a vision'''...<ref>THE.FEAST.OF.THE.TRUMPETS JEFF.IN 64-0719M</ref> | :'' I had my own idea, as every minister does, of reading maybe what other man had said; and believing as much as I possible, with them, on the things that they had drawed up, their conclusion. I had read the book of Mr. Smith, Uriah Smith, which is the Adventist teacher, and I had read his--his thoughts on it. And '''I had read Mr. Larkin.''' I had read, oh, so many different ones, of their commentaries on This. But, somehow or other'n, I thought I had a--a little view of it, myself, that might be of places different. But trying one time, just speaking three subjects, the first... or the four subjects of the four horse riders. I preached on it four nights, one on one horse, and the other. B'''ut then just before it happened, I was given a vision'''...<ref>THE.FEAST.OF.THE.TRUMPETS JEFF.IN 64-0719M</ref> | ||
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That is what plagiarism is all about. Taking someone's work and not giving them due credit. He said he didn't really agree with Larkin when he actually stole a lot of his ideas. That is just wrong morally, ethically and biblically. | That is what plagiarism is all about. Taking someone's work and not giving them due credit. He said he didn't really agree with Larkin when he actually stole a lot of his ideas. That is just wrong morally, ethically and biblically. | ||
{{Theology}} | |||
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