The Tent Vision: Difference between revisions

 
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=Quotes of William Branham=
=Quotes of William Branham=


William Branham stated he had ordered a large tent:
In 1954, William Branham stated he had ordered a large tent:


:''What number of card did you…? [Blank spot on tape—Ed.] My ministry’s not like some of the brothers who goes and lays his hands on the sick, and everybody prays for each individual. I… My ministry just… Perhaps after I return from Africa and overseas this time, I may never have no more… It’s leaning that way very strong towards me, in America, to leave off healing services; just congregational prayer (See?), and have evangelistic services: like come set up a big tent. '''I just got one in order the other day, seats fifteen thousand people''': chairs and everything. Like to set it out here in Louisville and stay for three months. See? And just stay till God says it’s enough, it’s over. See?<ref>William Branham, 54-0403 - The Hand Of The Lord Came Upon Him, para. 53</ref>
:''What number of card did you…? [Blank spot on tape—Ed.] My ministry’s not like some of the brothers who goes and lays his hands on the sick, and everybody prays for each individual. I… My ministry just… Perhaps after I return from Africa and overseas this time, I may never have no more… It’s leaning that way very strong towards me, in America, to leave off healing services; just congregational prayer (See?), and have evangelistic services: like come set up a big tent. '''I just got one in order the other day, seats fifteen thousand people''': chairs and everything. Like to set it out here in Louisville and stay for three months. See? And just stay till God says it’s enough, it’s over. See?<ref>William Branham, 54-0403 - The Hand Of The Lord Came Upon Him, para. 53</ref>


The first telling of the tent vision:
The first telling of the tent vision was in early 1956:


:''...the Angel of the Lord taken me out then, and He taken me to a real bright stream of water. It was the most beautiful blue water, and great fish were swimming around in it. He said, “I will make you a fisher.” And He said, “Now cast your lure into the water. When you do, pull it slow, first time. Next time, just give a little jerk, not too hard. And the next time, set your hook for the catch.”  
:''...the Angel of the Lord taken me out then, and He taken me to a real bright stream of water. It was the most beautiful blue water, and great fish were swimming around in it. He said, “I will make you a fisher.” And He said, “Now cast your lure into the water. When you do, pull it slow, first time. Next time, just give a little jerk, not too hard. And the next time, set your hook for the catch.”  
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:''And many of you know that just before leaving on the other crusade, about eight or ten years, I think around ten years since, well, nine years it has been. It was…  These things were told exactly how the auditorium services, you remember; exactly how that Brother Lawton would live exactly three years and then be taken away; that Brother Ward would build a tabernacle down in this position, this direction here; and all just exactly. You know it, you old-timers. It happened just that way, and so will this, for it’s THUS SAITH THE LORD. And you’ll know.<ref>William Branham, 56-0101 - Why Are People So Tossed About?, para. 42-53</ref>
:''And many of you know that just before leaving on the other crusade, about eight or ten years, I think around ten years since, well, nine years it has been. It was…  These things were told exactly how the auditorium services, you remember; exactly how that Brother Lawton would live exactly three years and then be taken away; that Brother Ward would build a tabernacle down in this position, this direction here; and all just exactly. You know it, you old-timers. It happened just that way, and so will this, for it’s THUS SAITH THE LORD. And you’ll know.<ref>William Branham, 56-0101 - Why Are People So Tossed About?, para. 42-53</ref>
    
    
The tent is still on order:
The tent was still on order in mid-1956:
    
    
:''Then I go down to La Crescenta, California, to set some things in order, which, '''my tent is already made and ready to go out on the field now.''' And so, well, I’ll probably start on the West Coast of California, going down through California and Arizona, this coming winter, the Lord willing; with exceptions of the time open between the meetings for a service to go into Africa again. David duPlessis and many of the men here from Africa, that want to set up the African Campaign, was with me in this meeting. Going to meet up there, we’re to get with Brother Arganbright and have prayer, to see where the next meeting will be.<ref>William Branham, 56-0617 - Revelation, Book Of Symbols, para. 144</ref>
:''Then I go down to La Crescenta, California, to set some things in order, which, '''my tent is already made and ready to go out on the field now.''' And so, well, I’ll probably start on the West Coast of California, going down through California and Arizona, this coming winter, the Lord willing; with exceptions of the time open between the meetings for a service to go into Africa again. David duPlessis and many of the men here from Africa, that want to set up the African Campaign, was with me in this meeting. Going to meet up there, we’re to get with Brother Arganbright and have prayer, to see where the next meeting will be.<ref>William Branham, 56-0617 - Revelation, Book Of Symbols, para. 144</ref>
    
    
The tent was based on a vision:
Purchasing the tent was based on a vision:


:''And someday, if God willing, I’m trying to get out of it right now, and asking the heavenly Father… '''And by a vision He told me about a tent that Brother Moore and them is going to California now to see to set in order the first time.''' They will put a little place there where we can pray for the people, and I can get away from the people just a minute so that I won’t feel that pull when I’m praying. That’s what makes me weak. That’s what takes me from the platform early. Don’t lay it onto my kid; it’s not my kid. He stays with me like, sticks closer than anything I’ve ever had in my life. He knows just exactly what to move. If it wasn’t for him, I’d be in the insane institution, ’cause they let me stay.<ref>William Branham, 56-0801 - The Arrow Of God's Deliverance Shot From A Bows, para. 12</ref>
:''And someday, if God willing, I’m trying to get out of it right now, and asking the heavenly Father… '''And by a vision He told me about a tent that Brother Moore and them is going to California now to see to set in order the first time.''' They will put a little place there where we can pray for the people, and I can get away from the people just a minute so that I won’t feel that pull when I’m praying. That’s what makes me weak. That’s what takes me from the platform early. Don’t lay it onto my kid; it’s not my kid. He stays with me like, sticks closer than anything I’ve ever had in my life. He knows just exactly what to move. If it wasn’t for him, I’d be in the insane institution, ’cause they let me stay.<ref>William Branham, 56-0801 - The Arrow Of God's Deliverance Shot From A Bows, para. 12</ref>
    
    
The tent was still being ordered three years later:
The tent was still being ordered in 1957:


:''Now, while he’s gone I can talk. He certainly has been a real brother to me. And he—he come down and the best he could do, get the ministers and tell them we were coming. The reason we try to do this, if you have a sponsorship, well then, that certain denomination that sponsors it, the other denomination feels they have nothing to do into it. But if you’ll just come… Here’s my motive. I’m planning on, God willing, making one great big push this next summer in the States, if God willing, and Canada. I’m ordering a tent to seat somewhere around eight to ten thousand people, and we want to find out locations that we can put this tent up and not stay just for four or five days or a week; we want to stay four or five weeks, teach, so I can have the afternoons, and so forth, and lay the foundation down real closely.<ref>William Branham, 57-0811A - The Greatest Gift In The Bible, para. 6</ref>
:''Now, while he’s gone I can talk. He certainly has been a real brother to me. And he—he come down and the best he could do, get the ministers and tell them we were coming. The reason we try to do this, if you have a sponsorship, well then, that certain denomination that sponsors it, the other denomination feels they have nothing to do into it. But if you’ll just come… Here’s my motive. I’m planning on, God willing, making one great big push this next summer in the States, if God willing, and Canada. I’m ordering a tent to seat somewhere around eight to ten thousand people, and we want to find out locations that we can put this tent up and not stay just for four or five days or a week; we want to stay four or five weeks, teach, so I can have the afternoons, and so forth, and lay the foundation down real closely.<ref>William Branham, 57-0811A - The Greatest Gift In The Bible, para. 6</ref>
    
    
The tent vision:
The tent vision repeated in 1958:


:''And then some time ago, '''I was in a vision and I saw a—a large tent'''. Oh, it was a mammoth, big affair. And I had just been speaking, and many souls were at the altar, and were just kind of weeping with their hands up, quietly and softly. A nice gentle-spoken man came out to the platform and said, “Now they will form the prayer line while Brother Branham is making ready.” And I was standing that way, of course, the prayer line would been to my left. And I noticed a crowd of people that seemed to cover a city block or more, that was standing in line. There was a little building, a wooden building, inside of this tent. And there was a woman standing there, a man, one taking names, and people were going in on crutches and stretchers, and coming out the other side, walking. Well, I wondered what all taken place in there. And then that Angel of the Lord, Whose picture you see here, It went from me, and went right over that little building, and stood there, then went down. And a Voice spoke, and said, “I’ll meet you in that place.” Well, now, I’ve looked forward for that time.<ref>William Branham, 58-1001 - Lifting Him Up Out Of History, para. 5</ref>
:''And then some time ago, '''I was in a vision and I saw a—a large tent'''. Oh, it was a mammoth, big affair. And I had just been speaking, and many souls were at the altar, and were just kind of weeping with their hands up, quietly and softly. A nice gentle-spoken man came out to the platform and said, “Now they will form the prayer line while Brother Branham is making ready.” And I was standing that way, of course, the prayer line would been to my left. And I noticed a crowd of people that seemed to cover a city block or more, that was standing in line. There was a little building, a wooden building, inside of this tent. And there was a woman standing there, a man, one taking names, and people were going in on crutches and stretchers, and coming out the other side, walking. Well, I wondered what all taken place in there. And then that Angel of the Lord, Whose picture you see here, It went from me, and went right over that little building, and stood there, then went down. And a Voice spoke, and said, “I’ll meet you in that place.” Well, now, I’ve looked forward for that time.<ref>William Branham, 58-1001 - Lifting Him Up Out Of History, para. 5</ref>
 
 
And in 1959:
 
:''But after the… knowing this, that the Lord had spoke some time ago about… Ah, I suppose about three or four years ago (My wife, which is present now, would be able to know just the date. We have it wrote down.), that '''I seen a vision of a large tent''' or—or something, that we’re anticipating someday having, and where we could come into a place and stay a long time. We can get the ministers, and so forth, together, where the converts can all have homes to go to, and—and shift our meetings around, where they’ll not interfere with the regular services of the churches. Maybe be off on Wednesday night, and Sun—have Sunday afternoon instead of Sunday night, somewhere it won’t interfere with the rest of the religious services. And during a time that there’s no revivals around close, could stay, and we could have teaching in the morning, like ministerial classes, and so forth. Then in the afternoon, to teach the sick how to hold their healing when they receive it, and such as that. I’m on my way home immediately after this meeting here for that very same purpose at my Tabernacle. 3 Now, then in this vision, I saw a little building setting in a corner. And this Light that was near me, It went and stood over that building, and a Voice spoke, and said, “I will meet you in there.”<ref>William Branham, 59-1124 - Balm In Gilead, para. 2</ref>
:''But after the… knowing this, that the Lord had spoke some time ago about… Ah, I suppose about three or four years ago (My wife, which is present now, would be able to know just the date. We have it wrote down.), that '''I seen a vision of a large tent''' or—or something, that we’re anticipating someday having, and where we could come into a place and stay a long time. We can get the ministers, and so forth, together, where the converts can all have homes to go to, and—and shift our meetings around, where they’ll not interfere with the regular services of the churches. Maybe be off on Wednesday night, and Sun—have Sunday afternoon instead of Sunday night, somewhere it won’t interfere with the rest of the religious services. And during a time that there’s no revivals around close, could stay, and we could have teaching in the morning, like ministerial classes, and so forth. Then in the afternoon, to teach the sick how to hold their healing when they receive it, and such as that. I’m on my way home immediately after this meeting here for that very same purpose at my Tabernacle. 3 Now, then in this vision, I saw a little building setting in a corner. And this Light that was near me, It went and stood over that building, and a Voice spoke, and said, “I will meet you in there.”<ref>William Branham, 59-1124 - Balm In Gilead, para. 2</ref>
    
    
The vision was still unfulfilled in 1962:
The vision remained unfulfilled in 1962:


:''And so far as I know, that '''every vision''' that He’s ever give me '''has been fulfilled''', '''except the one that I’m a change in my ministry''', to where I’m to pray for people in a little place like a little room '''under a tent''', or a big auditorium or something. It looked, to me, like a tent. You remember that, two or three years ago? Most all of it was brought to pass. I was to go down in Mexico, and how it would rain that night and what would take place down there. And He told me my ministry of the First Pull. Remember about catching the little bitty fish, or missing it? Second one was a small fish. But then He told me, “On the Third Pull, don’t fail. See? And don’t tell people.” I’m always trying to explain what I’m trying to do. He let me know not to tell people what you’re doing. Just do what He tells me to do and let it alone. See?<ref>William Branham,  62-0908 - Present Stage Of My Ministry, para. 16</ref>
:''And so far as I know, that '''every vision''' that He’s ever give me '''has been fulfilled''', '''except the one that I’m a change in my ministry''', to where I’m to pray for people in a little place like a little room '''under a tent''', or a big auditorium or something. It looked, to me, like a tent. You remember that, two or three years ago? Most all of it was brought to pass. I was to go down in Mexico, and how it would rain that night and what would take place down there. And He told me my ministry of the First Pull. Remember about catching the little bitty fish, or missing it? Second one was a small fish. But then He told me, “On the Third Pull, don’t fail. See? And don’t tell people.” I’m always trying to explain what I’m trying to do. He let me know not to tell people what you’re doing. Just do what He tells me to do and let it alone. See?<ref>William Branham,  62-0908 - Present Stage Of My Ministry, para. 16</ref>
    
    
The vision is still unfulfilled in 1965:
The vision was still unfulfilled in 1965:


:''And now I want to find out, through the elders. I feel led. I’ve never had such a hunger in my heart for God, in all my life, than I have now, see. For…And I—I want to get my own tent and my—my stuff, like the Lord gave me a vision to, and I believe the time is just now at hand. And I want to see while I’m here, why we can’t get the tent.
:''And now I want to find out, through the elders. I feel led. I’ve never had such a hunger in my heart for God, in all my life, than I have now, see. For…And I—I want to get my own tent and my—my stuff, like the Lord gave me a vision to, and I believe the time is just now at hand. And I want to see while I’m here, why we can’t get the tent.