William Branham and Money

Click on headings to expand them, or links to go to specific articles.

William Branham accepts the keys to a free Cadillac in front of his free house.

William Branham protrayed himself as growing up dirt poor and never having much money in his life. As late as 1962, William Branham complained that he didn't have enough money to cover the expenses of his meetings.

He clearly portrayed a picture of himself as never having had much money.

But is this true?

William Branham's early years

When William Branham was about 17 years of age in 1926, he purchased a new Model T Ford. The price of this car, assuming that it was not special ordered, would have been somewhere between $366 - $580, depending on the exact model. This was not an insignificant amount of money in 1926 and certainly a lot of money for a 17 year old boy.

Why did William Branham indicate that he was poor as a young man?

William Branham's estimated net worth in 1965

Sarah Branham published that her father, William Branham, had control of funds of $3,113,676 at the time of his death, plus stocks.

2013 equivalent dollars

$3,100,000 USD in 1965 would equal almost $23,500,000 million USD in 2016 equivalent dollars. That would be enough wealth to put William Branham in the top 150,000 richest people in the world today or well within the top 0.005% of the wealthiest people in the world.

Voice of God Recordings, the entity controlled by William Branham's sons and dedicated to spreading William Branham's message, reported assets of $109,834,481 on its US tax return as of June 30, 2011.

Sarah Branham's Testimony

New York, July 1989 To the Bride of Christ – the followers of the message Because many people that I have approached for help through all these years have asked me the reason why I am in need – the only one of Brother Branham’s children, including grandchildren and in-laws, while all of them live in the luxuries and comforts that the world can provide. Since none of them have ever worked; why am I not included in this? I feel I should expose publicly several things that have happened all going back since the days when my father was killed. As you know my mother and I were the only survivors of it. Now she has passed away and I am the only living witness of what actually happened in the car. I don’t know how many times my mother told me: “Take it with you to the grave.” What she meant by that I have to tell you now. It seems that I cannot live with it no more and I am sure I couldn’t die with it. I’m getting so nervous even thinking about it, simply cannot bare it any longer. In the way I look at it, it is indirectly connected with my father’s accident. I remember that my father was very troubled before we left Tucson for the Jeffersonville meetings where he was to preach “The trail of the serpent” and expose names of the people of this message that were doing wrong including family members. In this tension we left Arizona. The last argument before we left was because my sister Becky wanted to stay in the apartment with her friend Betty Collins. My father never wanted her to stay. Finally he gave in as mother had already agreed and left her there. She gave her word that she would not leave the apartment. All day my father was troubled and he would stop and call but she didn’t answer. We traveled until we stopped at evening time to eat. My father ordered his food and then I hear him tell mother: “I am going to call Becky one more time.” He called and came back to the table very upset. He turned to mother and said: “She’s not there.” He had ordered a piece of pie but never ate it. When we left Joseph went in the car with Billy Paul and Loyce which never would have happened any other time. Just because my father was so troubled he never even noticed it. I got in the back seat, mother and father in the front. They started to argue right away. He was very upset, because Becky was not in the apartment as she had promised. Mother started taking up for her. My father turned to mother and said, “You know where she is.” Mother started crying saying, “Please, Bill…” I laid down in the back seat of the car, because I was very upset too, as this was the first time I had ever seen and heard them argue in that tone. My father said, “I am going to expose many things and names this time.” My mother kept begging: “Please, no, Bill…” I know my father was a very cautious driver, always keeping speed limits and observing the traffic. Under normal circumstances he would have reacted and avoided the car coming towards him. While speaking he looked over to mother during this unpleasant conversation. Just then it happened. That was the last thing I remember from ;before the crash until I came to myself in the ambulance. Later I found out that Rebekah was with Pearry Green and they had a difficult time finding her to let her know about the accident. I was two months in the hospital. When I came home my mother acted very nervous around me. Finally she approached me and wanted to know how much I had remembered from before the accident. She told me not to mention or talk about it ever again, but to take it with me to the grave. My father had a notebook on his sermon “The trail of the serpent.” My mother let me read where he had written: “I will be betrayed by someone very close to me.” Later when she wanted to see the notes again, she was told by Billy Paul that there were no notes, the pages were empty. Also I would like to mention something that happened after the accident that always bothered mother and me. My father needed a blood transfusion immediately after the accident. He had a rare blood type and they had to send to another city for it. If he could have had the blood transfusion in time maybe his life could have been spared. How strange his own son would not donate blood in that emergency case. Only God knows all the facts, but after I saw the document dated the 26th day of October, 1965, I began to wonder even more. Just imagine while my father was still alive, my brother appeared before a Notary Public as William Branham transferring the William Branham Evangelistic Association into another corporation. The document is in my possession. He signed it as William Branham Jr. It was registered on Nov. 4, 1965 at 3:45 p.m. with the “Arizona Corporation Commission.” Just recently a noted lawyer in New York looked into the matter and showed me different bank statements which are still in my possession. One shows the amount in cash of 3,113,676 plus stocks 130,645 plus other things. This money was left untouched since the departure of my father. According to the notary document it is fixed for 25 years. I am asking myself what will be done with the large sum of money accumulated by now after the 26th of October, 1990. After the accident things changed dramatically. Suddenly Billy Paul was in possession of lots of money. He built a custom home with all gold fixtures and custom furniture. My mother was very upset. She told me that Billy Paul had fixed it in such a way that he will end up with everything. This has become obvious. His house in Tucson is empty and I have no place to stay. Mother told me that he had forged my father’s signature on that mentioned document to make an association that would give him power and access over the money my father left behind. Billy had never anything to do with mother. He used to come to the house maybe once a year. But I used to see him get up in the pulpit at meetings and say how much he loves mother when I knew it was a lie. My mother used to get so upset at all the different doctrines that were going on and that Billy Paul would not try to stop them or at least stand for his father which he claimed to love so much. My mother lost her confidence and respect in the brethren pretending to preach the message and in everything they did. She used to refer to the “Branham Tabernacle” as “Collin’s corner” and made her remarks. She said that the spirit which was with my father was no longer there, but the Rev. Collins has made it a place of blasphemy. She wondered how Billy Paul would allow such a man to be a pastor of the tabernacle. Also I would like to mention that Billy Paul gave 75,000 dollars of the church money to Mr. Doug McQuiz in Tucson to start his church and a construction business. When mother found out she begged Billy not to do it. But, of course, he did. Mr. Doug McQuiz never paid it back to this day and he claims it was a gift from a rich friend. When I asked him to help me because I was in such a need, he said, “Go to work…” From the family inheritance I received my share of 55,000 dollars after my mother passed away. The Rev. Pearry Green of Tucson presenting himself nicely as the pastor of the Branham family suggested that I give him 50,000 which he would invest into a travel agency. He said, “From this time you don’t need to worry any more. You can go as missionaries to Guatemala and every month you will receive you’re your support.” I don’t remember exactly whether it was three, four or five times he sent a monthly support. Then he informed me that things did not work out the way he expected, and we didn’t see the rest of the money until this day. But we were not the only ones falling into the trap with him. Very soon I hope things will come to light which were done wrong including with all the pastors in the message who take the tenth (tithes) from the people and treat the large sums of money as their private income. They are hiding behind some statements my father made in this regard, not mentioning the fact that he himself drew a salary from the church. Up to this date the money given in the “Branham Tabernacle” in Jeffersonville goes in the church treasury. I was ready to take the whole matter to court but Bro. Frank told me not to do it because it’s against the Scripture (I Cor. 6). At this point I must mention that I had a very special experience in May 1989, when I was told to go and meet Brother Frank in Germany. Very clearly, and I say this before God Almighty, I saw a huge meeting where my father was preaching as usual. After the sermon a prayer line was called and I was in that prayer line. When my turn came to be prayed for I was told “Go and see Brother Frank.” Of course being taken by surprise, I asked spontaneously: “Brother Frank in Germany?” And the reply was quite commanding: “Yes, go and see Brother Frank in Germany.” At the beginning of June this year I spent a week at the Mission Center in Krefeld, West Germany. With my own eyes I saw how the stored-up food was made available in the different languages. Because I was told that I should go and see Brother Frank, I had confidential talks with him. As my husband and I could not go along with any of the strange doctrines we of course were pushed out from participating in the money that was so generously given to the members of the family as well as for mission purposes. When I was about to give birth to another child I asked my brother Joseph to give me 1,500 dollars to cover the hospital expenses, his reply was: “Where do you think I can get this money from?” I went to Rev. Pearry Green and he sent me off with “next to nothing.: My sister Becky took me to the Welfare while living in the house that is just as much mine as hers. We were of course not only disappointed we were upset seeing the luxury the rest of the family and also especially the ministers in this message are enjoying. We were getting bitter because we were humiliated so many times having to beg for money to feed our eight children. The brethren who present themselves pius before the believers have also finished my husband Eddy who is an ordained minister having a diploma of the Tucson University. Of course he could not go along with every wind of doctrine or become a slave of man. It is very easy to spread the rumor all over the world that Sister Sarah acts strange but cover up the facts that made me act the way I do. In the same way it is very easy to spread the rumor that Sister Jackson from South Africa is mentally ill, at the same time keeping secret why she landed in a mental institution. All insiders know about the 65,000 dollars Brother Sidney Jackson gave to Rev. Pearry Green who promised to take him as a co-pastor and accommodate him in Tucson. After the passing away of Brother Jackson of course Sister Jackson being left without money she begged Rev. Green and even other brothers approached him in this matter and finally he denies having received the money. I only hope that others who were also cheated will have the courage to come up with their stories and claims. I have said nothing but the truth. My family and others have pushed me through terrible things, sleeping in parks, airports, etc. For truly they are responsible along with the rich ministers for the mess in the Bride. Look at my family and most of the ministers, you see among them diamonds, designer clothes, fancy cars and offices. Most of them have used the tithes of the people to buy real estate and investments, travel agencies. Those having large well-off congregations have made themselves multimillionaires. All these ministers became rich using my father’s name. I would like to thank all of you who are helping us during this time of hardship. I believe that the return of our Lord is very near. The things which are not right amongst God’s people must be straightened out immediately. If we are not willing to do it the law will have to do it for us. I have just given you this little information to let you know that those who have taken responsibility after my father passed away are not at all the way they present themselves. God will have to raise up men after His own heart who have no desire for fame and money. Perhaps from the so-called Bride which is split up into so many different directions the Lord will have to call out His elect who will go in one direction and that is God’s ordained way according to the message my father preached from the Holy Scriptures. I believe he brought us back to the original Word. It is God’s ordained Message which will forerun the second coming of Christ, not all the false interpretations of the message. May God bless you all, please pray for us. Sarah Branham De Corado P.O. Box 20323 Columbus Circle New York, N.Y. 10023

Quotes of William Branham

I remember our first experience here, we were very, very poor. That's the reason today that I, my choice... And I--I say this with reverence. My choice is to be a poor man. I could've been a multi-millionaire if I had wanted to be. One person brought me a check, FBI agent, for a million, five hundred thousand dollars, a bank draft, and I refused to look at it from the Mission Bell Winery in California.

And I--what little money I get a hold of, why, I put it in foreign missions, all we don't just have to eat on, and we--we live poor. Come to my home and find out, or let the investigation find out anything you want to know. I come poor; I will return poor. My people are poor, and I--I'll desire to remain that way.

Oh, how everything was gone. I stood upon the hill up there when the baby laying on the mother's arms... I heard the preacher say, "Ashes to ashes and dust to dust." They buried my heart. When I seen that young wife of twenty-two years old, been married a little over two years. Holding little old Billy on my arms, and him looking, "Mama, mama," reaching for her, and his little sister laying on the mother's arms... An old turtledove set in the bush a cooing. I heard the clods drop. We were poor, had to bury her almost in a potter's field.

And I said, "Well, value!" I said, "Could you..." I remember years ago when I got my first little T-model Ford. I was a sinner. About 1926... And I would just shine that little thing all day Sunday to make it shine, stay home, didn't go to church, and shined it. Now, what if today I tried to find one piece of that car? It's gone. You couldn't do it. It's finished.

I'm a poor man. I haven't got no capital. And I go along. I've never took an offering in all my life, never did, just what people freely send me. Then I take that and hold it together, what I can, and then, as soon as I get enough built up, I take right off to the heathens and preach the Gospel with it, so... I'll have to answer for your tithing, the people that give it to me.

Looky here today, what they're going on now. Hollering at me about spending some money out yonder for Christians, and wanting to give me twenty years in the state prison for spending money to operate a religious move. And whiskey and beer and cigarettes write off tens of millions of dollars a year to corrupt the nation. And me trying to preach righteousness, standing in the door of Jesus Christ, and send me to the penitentiary for it. And take stuff like that of the evil, lowdown, smart, intelligence, and let them write it off for television programs which corrupted the world, sent women to the dogs. One of the greatest curses the nation's ever had, and they get by with it. They send me to penitentiary for preaching the Gospel taking a few dollars out here to--to preach the Gospel, that people give me to preach the Gospel with. I'm not rich, and I can't write that out. But yet they want to send me to the penitentiary, hold me two years, and got a trial coming soon. Oh, how lowdown, how filthy. God, be merciful.

All expenses was made. You had to sponsor that. You had to pay for it. Wish I could've just paid for it myself, but I--I can't do that. I can't afford it; I haven't got money like that. And I... The reason I can come to small meetings, as I have explained...Now, there's some of our brethren, such as Brother Roberts, and many of those men, who have great business, and they have radio and television, and so forth, that they've got to make so many thousands of dollars every day to sponsor that. See? They have to have it.

Why, these cars that we got today, couldn't run over these highways we used to have. My first trip west, it taken me sixteen days to go from Jeffersonville to Phoenix, Arizona, eighteen hundred miles. But, my, the most of--it was 1926, they had nothing but just old rock roads. I was a little boy setting there, holding this spool-top Ford; I thought I was making good time. Would took a horse two or three months to do it, if my daddy would've come.

Out into the land where this Message is going, from the East Coast to the West, from California to New York, down into the South, up into the North, out into the missions, and wherever It's going, and in this tabernacle. We are poor. We don't have these great, big, flowerly things, and television casts. We're just trying to do the best we can.

Navigation

Home Our Podcast The List of Problems Life Story Prophecies & Visions Seven Seals Was William Branham Honest? Doctrines

Church Ages Jesus Languages Videos Print Resources Help! Facebook Contact Us