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William Branham: Difference between revisions

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|'''Nazarite Controversy''' <br> [http://en.believethesign.com/index.php/The_Nazarite_Birth Click to learn whether William Branham was under a Nazarite vow.]   
|'''Nazarite Controversy''' <br> [[The Nazarite Birth|Click to learn whether William Branham was under a Nazarite vow]].]   
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|'''Who Died on the Bridge?''' <br> [http://en.believethesign.com/index.php/The_Municipal_Bridge_Vision Click here to learn more about William Branham's first false prophecy.]
|'''Who Died on the Bridge?''' <br> [[The Municipal Bridge Vision|Click here to learn more about William Branham's first false prophecy.]]
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William Branham asked for Hope's hand in marriage after a sermon preached by Roy Davis after a Wednesday night sermon.  They talked about it as they walked to her parent’s house from the church.  William Branham said he stood on the porch of her parent’s home, Charles stopped playing the Victrola and came out to the porch.  William Branham asked Charles if he could marry Hope while Hope remained inside and talked with her mother.  <ref>[[Life story by Julius Stadsklev]] in a story written firsthand by William Branham.  Also on recording on April 15, 1951, November 8, 1953 and July 20, 1952 in sermons called “A Life Story”.</ref>
William Branham asked for Hope's hand in marriage after a sermon preached by Roy Davis after a Wednesday night sermon.  They talked about it as they walked to her parent’s house from the church.  William Branham said he stood on the porch of her parent’s home, Charles stopped playing the Victrola and came out to the porch.  William Branham asked Charles if he could marry Hope while Hope remained inside and talked with her mother.  <ref>[[Life story by Julius Stadsklev]] in a story written firsthand by William Branham.  Also on recording on April 15, 1951, November 8, 1953 and July 20, 1952 in sermons called “A Life Story”.</ref>


Roy Davis preached strongly about the Pentecostal revival, advertised regularly in the Jeffersonville Evening News, and wrote that William Branham received the Holy Spirit in his front room.  <ref> http://en.believethesign.com/index.php/Roy_Davis#Letter_from_Roy_E._Davis  </ref> Even though William Branham said that he did not join a church, it was at this time that he became an elder in the First Pentecostal Baptist Church, and was president of the PBYPU (Pentecostal Baptist Young People) in March 1933. <ref>[[Searching for Vindication]] Timeline - June 22, 2013 post re The Common Peoples' Church </ref>
Roy Davis preached strongly about the Pentecostal revival, advertised regularly in the Jeffersonville Evening News, and [[Roy Davis#Letter from Roy E. Davis|wrote that William Branham received the Holy Spirit in his front room]].  Even though William Branham said that he did not join a church, it was at this time that he became an elder in the First Pentecostal Baptist Church, and was president of the PBYPU (Pentecostal Baptist Young People) in March 1933. <ref>[[Searching for Vindication]] Timeline - June 22, 2013 post re The Common Peoples' Church </ref>


=Early Signs of a Supernatural Ministry=
=Early Signs of a Supernatural Ministry=
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|'''The Ohio River Baptism''' <br> [http://en.believethesign.com/index.php/1933_Ohio_River_Experience Click to learn about the voice at the river.]  
|'''The Ohio River Baptism''' <br>[[1933 Ohio River Experience|Click to learn about the voice at the river.]]  
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In 1932 when William Branham first prayed for the sick: a Mr. Merril and a Mrs. Mary Der Ohanion were both healed that year.  <ref> Supernatural: The Life of William Branham by Owen Jorgensen, Book one, Chapter 11 </ref>
In 1932 when William Branham first prayed for the sick: a Mr. Merril and a Mrs. Mary Der Ohanion were both healed that year.  <ref> Supernatural: The Life of William Branham by Owen Jorgensen, Book one, Chapter 11 </ref>
   
   
In June 1933, William Branham had his first evangelistic tent meetings, in which 14 people were converted.  William Branham received front page news coverage for these meetings in the Jeffersonville Evening News. <ref>[[Searching for Vindication]] Timeline - June 24, 2013 post re What The Newspapers Said About the 1933 Baptism</ref>  William Branham distributed a tract saying that a light appeared in August 1933 when he was baptizing the 17th person on the Ohio River, while 3,000 people watched from the shore. <ref> http://en.believethesign.com/index.php/Life_Story_Tract </ref> [[Image:Bb1 v1.jpg|180px|thumb|William Branham at a baptism]]William Branham later said the newspapers reported that a light appeared while he was baptizing the 17th person on the Ohio River, while 10,000 people watched from the shore.  <ref> http://en.believethesign.com/index.php/1933_Ohio_River_Experience Sermon: August 13, 1950 </ref>  The population of Jeffersonville was only 12,000 people at the time. <ref> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffersonville,_Indiana#Demographics </ref>  
In June 1933, William Branham had his first evangelistic tent meetings, in which 14 people were converted.  William Branham received front page news coverage for these meetings in the Jeffersonville Evening News. <ref>[[Searching for Vindication]] Timeline - June 24, 2013 post re What The Newspapers Said About the 1933 Baptism</ref>  William Branham distributed [[Life Story Tract|a tract saying that a light appeared in August 1933 when he was baptizing the 17th person on the Ohio River]], while 3,000 people watched from the shore.  [[Image:Bb1 v1.jpg|180px|thumb|William Branham at a baptism]]William Branham later said the newspapers reported that a light appeared while he was baptizing the 17th person on the Ohio River, while 10,000 people watched from the shore.  <ref>[[1933 Ohio River Experience|Sermon: August 13, 1950 </ref>  The population of Jeffersonville was only 12,000 people at the time. <ref> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffersonville,_Indiana#Demographics </ref>  


William Branham said that in June 1933, he experienced a series of prophetic visions foretelling major events up until the end of the world.  William Branham describes these visions inconsistently, but in summary they are:
William Branham said that in June 1933, he experienced a series of prophetic visions foretelling major events up until the end of the world.  William Branham describes these visions inconsistently, but in summary they are:
#[http://en.believethesign.com/index.php/Franklin_D._Roosevelt  Roosevelt would cause the whole world to go to war]
#[[Franklin D. Roosevelt|Roosevelt would cause the whole world to go to war]]
#[http://en.believethesign.com/index.php/Mussolini_invades_Ethiopia Mussolini’s last invasion would be into Ethiopia]
#[[Mussolini invades Ethiopia|Mussolini’s last invasion would be into Ethiopia]]
#[http://en.believethesign.com/index.php/Hitler_and_WWII  Hitler would rise to power, build the Seigfried line, and give the Americans a terrible beating.]  
#[[Hitler and WWII| Hitler would rise to power, build the Seigfried line, and give the Americans a terrible beating.]]  
#[http://en.believethesign.com/index.php/Russia_and_the_three_...isms Fascism and Nazism would be swallowed up into Communism, which would destroy the Vatican.]
#[[Russia and the three ...isms|Fascism and Nazism would be swallowed up into Communism, which would destroy the Vatican.]]
#[http://en.believethesign.com/index.php/Driverless_Cars  Cars will be shaped like an egg.]
#[[Driverless Cars|Cars will be shaped like an egg.]]
#[http://en.believethesign.com/index.php/Morality American women would begin to dress immodestly.]
#[[Morality|American women would begin to dress immodestly.]]
#[http://en.believethesign.com/index.php/Rise_of_a_Woman_in_America A cruel woman will rule the United States.]
#[[Rise of a Woman in America|A cruel woman will rule the United States.]]
#[http://en.believethesign.com/index.php/America_in_Ashes America will be ashes from coast to coast.]  
#[[America in Ashes|America will be ashes from coast to coast.]]  
#[http://en.believethesign.com/index.php/Don%27t_Eat_Eggs Don’t eat eggs or live in valleys.]
#[[Don't Eat Eggs|Don’t eat eggs or live in valleys.]]


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|'''Is the Trinity OK?''' <br> [http://en.believethesign.com/index.php/Plum_and_Apple_Trees William Branham said it was, based on a vision.]
|'''Is the Trinity OK?''' <br>[[Plum and Apple Trees|William Branham said it was, based on a vision.]]
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William Branham continued to work and preach, and married Hope Brumbach on June 22, 1934 in Fort Wayne, Indiana.  <ref>[File:Marriage License-Branham.jpg]</ref>
William Branham continued to work and preach, and married Hope Brumbach on June 22, 1934 in Fort Wayne, Indiana.  <ref>[File:Marriage License-Branham.jpg]</ref>
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|'''Mishawaka Christians''' <br> [http://en.believethesign.com/index.php/Roy_Davis#Roy_Davis.27_Pentecostal_Baptist_Church Who did William Branham meet?]       
|'''Mishawaka Christians''' <br>[[Roy Davis#Roy Davis' Pentecostal Baptist Church|Who did William Branham meet?]]       
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In 1936 William Branham said he was pressured by his mother-in-law not to accept invitations from Pentecostal Churches.  How William Branham agreed to follow his mother-in-law’s advice is a mystery, because he was the pastor of a Pentecostal church at the time.  What he did do was begin to refuse invitations from Oneness, colored and mixed-race Pentecostal Churches.  <ref>[[Searching for Vindication]] Timeline - 2013-06-20 post re Preaching at Pentecostal Churches</ref>  
In 1936 William Branham said he was pressured by his mother-in-law not to accept invitations from Pentecostal Churches.  How William Branham agreed to follow his mother-in-law’s advice is a mystery, because he was the pastor of a Pentecostal church at the time.  What he did do was begin to refuse invitations from Oneness, colored and mixed-race Pentecostal Churches.  <ref>[[Searching for Vindication]] Timeline - 2013-06-20 post re Preaching at Pentecostal Churches</ref>  


In the fall of 1936, William Branham claimed to have a vision that the Ohio River would flood, and reach 22 feet over Spring Street in Jeffersonville. <ref>William Branham, July 17 ,1951 in a sermon called “The Manifestation of The Spirit” </ref> A daughter named Sharon Rose Branham was born to William and Hope Branham on October 27, 1936.  A month later, William Branham’s father Charles passed away for real on November 30, 1936.<ref>[[Searching for Vindication]] Timeline</ref>  William Branham later said that he had terrible grammar because of his father’s early death. <ref> http://en.believethesign.com/index.php/Was_William_Branham_Honest#Problems_with_William_Branham.27s_Credibility </ref>
In the fall of 1936, William Branham claimed to have a vision that the Ohio River would flood, and reach 22 feet over Spring Street in Jeffersonville. <ref>William Branham, July 17 ,1951 in a sermon called “The Manifestation of The Spirit” </ref> A daughter named Sharon Rose Branham was born to William and Hope Branham on October 27, 1936.  A month later, William Branham’s father Charles passed away for real on November 30, 1936.<ref>[[Searching for Vindication]] Timeline</ref>  William Branham later said that [[Was William Branham Honest#Problems with William Branham's Credibility|he had terrible grammar because of his father’s early death.]]


=Tragedy and Recovery=
=Tragedy and Recovery=
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[[Image:Sharon Rose.jpg|150px|thumb|Sharon Rose Branham, who died at 8 months old.]]
[[Image:Sharon Rose.jpg|150px|thumb|Sharon Rose Branham, who died at 8 months old.]]


William Branham tells how he lost contact with Hope during the flood, and found her dying in a hospital with a hole in her side to collapse her lungs.  Hope's nurse was also a personal friend of the Branham family, and William Branham identified her as Hilda Juanita Evelyn Louise Cook Hale. <ref> http://en.believethesign.com/index.php/Hope_Branham%27s_Nurse </ref> He ties the story of Hope’s death so closely to the flood, that he makes is sound as if she died in February of 1937.  <ref>William Branham,  April 15, 1951 in a sermon called “Life Story”</ref>  But Hope fought pneumonia for a number of months before passing away on July 21, 1937.  Sharon Rose Branham also passed away from disease a few days later on July 26, 1937. <ref>[[Searching for Vindication]] Timeline</ref> William Branham blamed the death of Hope and Sharon Rose on his decision to respect his mother-in-law’s request not to associate with Pentecostals.  <ref>[[Searching for Vindication]] Timeline -  2013/06/19 post re Where My Sorrow Started</ref>
William Branham tells how he lost contact with Hope during the flood, and found her dying in a hospital with a hole in her side to collapse her lungs.  Hope's nurse was also [[Hope Branham's Nurse|a personal friend of the Branham family, and William Branham identified her as Hilda/Juanita/Evelyn/Louise Cook/Hale.]] He ties the story of Hope’s death so closely to the flood, that he makes is sound as if she died in February of 1937.  <ref>William Branham,  April 15, 1951 in a sermon called “Life Story”</ref>  But Hope fought pneumonia for a number of months before passing away on July 21, 1937.  Sharon Rose Branham also passed away from disease a few days later on July 26, 1937. <ref>[[Searching for Vindication]] Timeline</ref> William Branham blamed the death of Hope and Sharon Rose on his decision to respect his mother-in-law’s request not to associate with Pentecostals.  <ref>[[Searching for Vindication]] Timeline -  2013/06/19 post re Where My Sorrow Started</ref>


William Branham relays little about the years after the death of his wife and daughter. He mentions that it was a period of extreme trial, depression, and responsibility as he worked and looked after his son and pastored a Pentecostal Church.  William Branham said that he attempted suicide twice during this time. <ref>William Branham,  April 15, 1951 in a sermon called “Life Story”</ref>  The Jeffersonville City Directory named William Branham as a collector for the Public Service Company in 1939 and 1941, which indicates that he may have stepped down from pastoring for a few years.   
William Branham relays little about the years after the death of his wife and daughter. He mentions that it was a period of extreme trial, depression, and responsibility as he worked and looked after his son and pastored a Pentecostal Church.  William Branham said that he attempted suicide twice during this time. <ref>William Branham,  April 15, 1951 in a sermon called “Life Story”</ref>  The Jeffersonville City Directory named William Branham as a collector for the Public Service Company in 1939 and 1941, which indicates that he may have stepped down from pastoring for a few years.