Chapter 16 – The Voice Of Healing Born

At the close of the Boise campaign, Brother Branham expressed himself that he was very happy over the outcome of the meetings that had been held in the Northwest, and said he felt it was God’s will that in the future his meetings should continue to be conducted on the same inter-evangelical basis. He asked me if I would go to Shreveport, Louisiana to confer with Brother Moore as to the possibility of arranging other campaigns on this basis. I consented to go, for I dared give no other answer to this but an affirmative. My church again was very gracious in permitting me to go. The congregation was fortunate in securing the services of Evangelist Velmer Gardner during my absence and the church moved along at high tide. Indeed, Brother Gardner was to receive a great inspiration from the campaign we later held at Eugene. Shortly after that a new ministry of healings and miracles began to follow the campaigns held by this evangelist.

Whether to leave my church permanently, and follow the work that seemed providentially indicated, was becoming a matter of increasing concern to me. It was not easy to make a decision to leave those one loves, especially a church that you have seen grow from a small struggling group to a strong and vigorous assembly. God seemed to be leading, still I hesitated. Finally in prayer, God spoke directly and told me to go ahead, nothing doubting, and He would see that I should be led step by step in my part of the great work he was beginning to do over the land. Once the decision was made, I never for one moment have had reason to doubt that God led me in making it.

Shortly after the first of the year I arrived at Shreveport, Louisiana, and talked the entire situation over with my friend, Brother Jack Moore. Together with Young Brown we drove to Jeffersonville, Indiana, where Brother Branham was resting at his home for a few days. He seemed glad to see us, and we had an inspiring time of fellowship. There were some problems to be worked out. Previously, Brother Branham’s meetings were being represented in a magazine edited by a good Christian brother in Texas. The problem that had arisen was this: Brother Branham realized that since the meetings in the Northwest his campaigns had reached a scope that believers from all the various groups were now attending. Any magazine that would be used in the meetings would go into the homes of all these groups. If the campaigns were to be organized on an inter-evangelical basis, it was evident that the magazine must also be of the same character. It was therefore decided that a message should be sent to the brother mentioned above, asking him if he felt free to establish his paper on an inter-evangelical basis, and, if so, then Brother Branham would continue to use that magazine as his official publication.

We parted for the evening and all of us placed the matter definitely in the hands of the Lord. In the morning we met Brother Branham again, and he seemed to have received a peaceful assurance. He said that he had heard from heaven that night. We carefully listened to what he told us, and in the months which followed we indeed witnessed the exact fulfillment of those words.

Events now moved swiftly. The brother previously mentioned notified us that he did not feel he was in a position to make his magazine inter-evangelical, as had been suggested. Thus THE VOICE OF HEALING was born, and it fell upon the writer to become the editor. It was agreed at the time of its inception that in its pages there would be no discussion of minor matters of doctrine that might precipitate argument and confusion among the Full Gospel people, but it was to proclaim the message of the Great Commission, the sounding of God’s last call to the un-saved, the healing of God’s people, to the end of uniting them in spirit, and preparing them for Christ’s Coming. This policy was and is to be perpetuated forever until Jesus comes.

At that time, THE VOICE OF HEALING was considered only as an organ of Brother Branham’s own meetings. Later, because of his weakened condition, he was forced to leave the field for a considerable time, and in the Providence of God, with Brother Branham’s concurrence, the magazine then became the official organ of America’s great healing ministries, though of course featuring Brother Branham’s ministry. It is interesting to note that many of the dear brethren now represented in it, testify to the fact that their inspiration and calling to a similar ministry had its inception while they attended some of the Branham campaigns. To God be all the glory.

The Florida Campaigns
Arrangements had been made for members of the Branham party to join at Miami, Florida, for a six-day campaign in the early part of the year of 1948. In the meantime, a strange rumor gained circulation that Brother Branham had died. It was immediately after the beginning of the new year that the rumor was first heard, and it wouldn’t die down. Up and down the breadth of the land the story was told and retold. We made every effort to reassure people that the report was untrue. Still, excited persons would write, phone and telegraph us seeking confirmation. The rumor continued to persist (with the date of the evangelist’s supposed death being gradually advanced) until the first issue of THE VOICE OF HEALING appeared in April, 1948. It was a remarkable example of the propagating power of falsehood, and we found it impossible even to trace its source. The rumor, unlike so many, was not malicious in its character. The origin of it no doubt sprang from the fact that the continuous labors of our brother, going as he had into the long hours of night, praying for the sick, had severely sapped his strength to the point that it was now noticeable to his audience. Nevertheless, God was not yet through with His servant. And although it was true that Brother Branham was to go through months of sore physical trial, he was destined to emerge the victor, with a greater ministry than ever.

In Miami, the tent had been pitched far out on the outskirts of the city. No preparation for securing united support of the churches had been made, since the campaign had been scheduled at such short notice. Most any other meeting under such circumstances would have been doomed to failure. Nevertheless, word soon got around, and the tent in a few days was filled to capacity. Many wonderful miracles took place, and the altar call on Sunday afternoon witnessed hundreds of men and women coming forward to give their lives to Christ.

It was while we were in Miami that Brother Branham met the noted Evangelist F.F. Bosworth. Brother Bosworth, back in the Twenties, held healing campaigns attended by great audiences. The largest number of people ever gathered under one roof in Ottawa, Canada, attended the Bosworth meetings there and some 12,000 sought the Lord for salvation. Many such campaigns took place over America and Canada and the newspapers from time to time featured stories of the marvelous miracles taking place in them. Naturally, meeting with Brother Bosworth was an interesting event to the whole party. All were particularly impressed by the sweet and godly spirit of this brother who had been so signally used of the Lord. After Brother Bosworth had attended a few of the services, he made the statement that although God had given him meetings of tremendous magnitude, he had never witnessed miracles taking place with such consistency so early in the campaign. Whereas he often had to labor for several weeks, before faith had risen sufficiently high for outstanding miracles to occur, in Brother Branham’s meetings such miracles were taking place the first night. Brother Bosworth was invited to speak at one of the evening services in Miami and later he found it possible to go with the party to Pensacola and to other northern cities where Brother Branham had been scheduled to come.

Aside from the success of the campaign, Brother Branham thoroughly enjoyed his stay in Miami, where in the winter the sub-tropical climate is quite pleasant. Wealth, magnificence, and luxury were apparent everywhere, although the sad story of sickness and suffering, striking in the homes of the rich and poor alike, was the same in that city as any other. Leaving Miami we drove northward. The balmy warmth of Southern Florida gradually slipped behind us, and we again were met by King Winter who was then reigning in full strength over the greater part of the broad lands of America.

Pensacola
We had made arrangements to hold the next campaign in Pensacola. The various Full Gospel Churches had agreed to cooperate in this campaign which was scheduled to begin in the last part of March. In the meantime, Brother Branham was to take a few weeks of rest which included a trip to Phoenix, Arizona. The rest of the party had various businesses to attend, which would require some little time. At the day appointed, approximately a month later, the party arrived in Pensacola with Brother Branham to begin the meeting. This was to prove a most interesting campaign. It was not to be without mishap, for a high wind coming off the gulf struck the tent and caused some damage. One service had to be held in the local arena while repairs were made. However, under the expert direction of Rev. D. L. Welch, one of the cooperating pastors, the tent was repaired and re-erected and the campaign continued in the Canvas Cathedral, without further interruption.

A Never-To-Be-Forgotten Service
The climaxing service and one never to be forgotten was on Sunday afternoon. The large tent was not only filled but many were standing on the outside as Brother Branham began to give the story of his life. When our brother relates this story he doesn’t just tell it, but he relives it. And not only he but those of his audience also find themselves reliving it with him. For the space of an hour and a half, the great gathering of people was carried away as it were, as they listened with deep interest to the story of his early days of poverty and privation, his conversion and God’s dealing with him, and again the tragedies in his life and finally the eventual triumphs. But never did the speaker tell this story in a more moving way than he did that afternoon. As we observed the audience, we saw strong men freely applying their handkerchiefs as copious tears streamed unashamedly down their cheeks. The writer never saw an audience more moved. Finally, as the evangelist brought his message to a close and the altar call was given for sinners, a most remarkable scene transpired. Apparently almost every sinner in the vast congregation stood to his feet requesting prayer that he might be saved. Various estimates of the number which responded to this one altar call were anywhere from 1500 to 2000 people. It was the greatest response in one service we had ever seen, and doubtless has been equaled few times in the history of evangelism. It was obvious at once that there was no place to accommodate such an enormous number of seekers and there was nothing else to do but to let them pray where they were standing. Can any one present that afternoon ever forget that scene? People wept as they confessed their sins, and called upon God to have mercy on their souls. As the moments passed, here and there, those tears of repentance were turned to tears of joy and soon many shouts of victory sounded through the tent. How many names were written in the Lamb’s Book of Life that afternoon, only the angels of heaven know, but it must have been a great number.

Proof of the tremendous work that was done in the brief campaign, was afforded in the after results of the meeting. One of the cooperating pastors, a year later, told us that his church had reaped a tremendous harvest from the campaign, and other local churches had gained proportionately. We felt that one of the outstanding features of the meeting, and one that we are sure contributed in a great degree to its success, was the fact of the willingness of the various churches to cooperate, and to keep in the background doctrinal differences, which in reality were minor in comparison to the great truths that all were so fully agreed upon.

A number of startling miracles took place during the brief campaign, but there is not room to describe these. However, the circumstances concerning the deliverance of a violently insane man was so remarkable that we must give space to a few of the details concerning it. As has been mentioned, because strong winds had forced lowering of the tent, one service of the campaign was held in the local arena. This insane young man had been brought from a state institution to the meeting that night, to be prayed for. At the close of the service, those who had brought him tried to lead him from the building, but he refused to go. When our attention was called to this, we secured the services of a half dozen men and took him from the building by force. So strong were the powers that possessed him, that it required no little exertion to accomplish this, but at length we had him safely seated in the automobile, so we thought, and left him, supposing that there would be no further trouble. Imagine our dismay, when a couple of minutes later there was heard a hoarse cry, and turning we saw him dash from the car toward a group of women and children who were standing and talking near the door of the arena.

His headlong dash occurred so suddenly and unexpectedly that we scarcely knew what to do. Fortunately, the people at the door fled in every direction before he reached them. Then furiously he turned and charged, with arms flying, toward one of the members of the Branham party, who was standing by. Demons have power to break chains, and to do other superhuman feats, but fortunately they are powerless before the Name of Jesus! Though struck at time after time, the brother was not harmed or even touched, no not by a single blow. Something supernatural parried every thrust made by the demon-possessed man. How long this might have continued, it is impossible to say, but just at that moment two policemen who happened to be in the vicinity, hearing the shouts and cries of the women, rushed up, and seeing what they supposed was a common brawl, began questioning both. At this moment, however, the insane man, with fierce imprecations, charged the officers, and they soon found that they had more than their hands full. Over and over on the grass they rolled and tussled, and finally the officers had to resort to rather stem measures before they could handcuff and subdue their refractory assailant. A call to the police brought out a squad car, and finally the man was secured and taken to headquarters, where he was placed in a special cell for the night.

After they drove away, we shall never forget the tears of the unfortunate man’s sister, who had been responsible for bringing him to the meeting. She came and pleaded with us with anguish of soul that Brother Branham would pray for him. Of course, it was impossible for Brother Branham to respond to the multitude of calls that came daily from those who would desire him to visit sick and confined people. But so urgent and grief-stricken was the sister, that finally Brother Jack Moore consented to tell Brother Branham about the case in the morning.

The following morning, Brother Moore started to relate the story of events of the previous night to Brother Branham. Then occurred that marvelous manifestation of the gift of the Spirit, by which our brother often witnesses events that take place at a distance, and even before they happen. We are indeed reminded of the exploits in Elisha’s ministry, when he beheld the plans of the King of Syria even before they took place. Or of Christ Himself, when He saw Nathanael at a distance by other than natural sight. In this case God had already shown Brother Branham this insane man, that he would pray for him that day, and that the man would be healed. The scene of the deliverance was identified by him in the vision by the presence of a red-appearing car, and the manner of the clothing worn by the man who would be delivered.

Arrangements were then sought with the Pensacola police for the release of the young man. But they, remembering the trouble that they had had the night before, perhaps could be pardoned for their refusal to let him go unless he were taken outside of the city limits and never returned. So finally a rendezvous was arranged on the Gulf beach, where all the parties concerned would meet. But when Brother Branham arrived and looked carefully at the cars, he made the remark that all was not what he had seen in the vision. While he hesitated, Brother Moore decided to drive his new De Soto up some little distance from where the insane man was, as his daughter and another sister were in his car. Brother Branham then got out and walked to where the young man was standing. He noticed at once that his clothing was exactly the same as what he had seen in the vision, so he told him to get back in the car and wait. Then a peculiar thing happened. As Brother Branham told it afterward, “I looked back toward Brother Jack’s car. Most of the beach was of white sand. But where the car had just been parked, there was a bank of red clay. The sun reflecting from the red clay on the highly polished tan sedan caused it to appear red. I knew then that this was exactly what I had seen in the vision. I went over then and pronounced the words to the young man, ‘Thus saith the Lord, the evil spirit shall leave you now, and you shall get well.’ Instantly the young man was delivered and entered into a normal conversation.”

This was an impressive testimony to the police officers of Pensacola, as they realized that God had done something wonderful in their midst. It caused many to praise God for this manifestation of His compassion for the man whom Satan had so cruelly bound.

Some months later, the young man who had been delivered sent in his testimony and it appeared in an issue of THE VOICE OF HEALING. (July, 1948) His testimony reads as follows:

“When I was two years old I had polio. My parents carried me to many different doctors. I spent some time in crippled children’s hospitals. All of them did no good. I got worse all the time. Finally my condition was so bad that I became insane. I had been in the state institution nearly seven months when my people heard about Brother Branham’s healing service in Pensacola. I was carried over there and that night I was put in jail because the Lord wasn’t through with me. He used me as an example to show the people that He has more power than the devil. When my sister came to see me the next morning, I was perfectly contented because God had shown Brother Branham that He had healed my body. I am now 25 years old and have a good job. Thank God for His healing power.”

T–C– Sopchoppy, Fla.