Only Believe

You know how little it makes me feel, to stand out here before an audience like this, after an introduction like that. And I'm so thankful that what little I have, with what God has given you, so together we can serve the Lord Jesus. That's it. Oh, I'm so happy today on the private interviews, to how the Lord done some great things, and I'm just so thankful about it.

And now, tomorrow night. . . . Tomorrow is Friday. I was thinking tomorrow was Saturday. We don't want to forget the Businessmen's breakfast will be held here, I believe, at this school. And I suppose they sell tickets for them, don't they? or something? And they. . . . I guess everyone understands just how you get the tickets, and so forth, for the breakfast.

We'd be happy if you could come along, and see . . . feel led to come.

Now, Billy always tells me, said, “There's one thing that you do, Daddy, is wear the people out. They're wore out anyhow,” said, “they've been sitting there for hours. You preach so long.”

And I said, “Well, son, I'm going to try to make it in Chicago meeting. . . .” I said, “I'm going to set my watch at every twenty minutes. And then, when it alarms, I'm going to quit right then, and call the prayer line.”

And he said, “You might as well not set it, because it ain't going to. . . .”

You know, it went off two or three times, and just alarmed itself down. I never did know. I was making so much noise up here, why, I didn't even hear it when it went off. And so, I just have to just. . . .

I hope I don't bore you, you know. I don't come here for that. I come . . . and I love Him so much, and know we've got so much that ought to be done right at this time. And I just try to push too much of it in one night, you see, and . . . not knowing just what time that we're going to be called away. And then I think, “Well, I don't know what time I'm going to be called away.” And none of us know that. And so, we just might as well do what we can while we can do it.

I've heard my mother. . . . I never was at a dance in my life, but I heard . . . only a holy dance one time in church. I never forget that, when we was still a Baptist church. I would always criticize, kind of, in my heart. I wouldn't say it out loud, because I'd be afraid to do that, anything that God does. I always kind of thought it was kind of strange to see. . . . When I see . . . first got acquainted with the Pentecostal people, see them dance—you know, dance around.

And I thought, “Now you know that ain't in the Bible. What are they dancing about?”

And then, one night I was teaching from a chart on Daniel in Revelations. It was New Year's night. I was going to teach on the chart until midnight. It wasn't a chart . . . like a blackboard, I was teaching. And there was some Pentecostal people had come from Louisville.

They had . . . oh, some sisters. . . . A sister pastored a church over there, and she had a. . . . They had washboards, and thimbles, and all kinds of little things to make rackets with. And they all got harmonizing some way. I don't know what it was. And she started playing the piano. And all these girls up there got to hitting with these thimbles on washboards, and things.

And they got to playing that song, “There's Going to be a Meeting in the Air,” “In the Sweet By and By, or something. Well, that little girl that was playing, little lady pastor, she just turned white just like a chalk. And she just begin to playing it in such a way, I don't. . . . I never seen anything play like it in my life. And I thought, ”Now what's that?“ And then one on the washboard, she got to doing the same thing. Then here two or three got up, and a little blonde head got to dancing, right in the floor. I thought, ”Oh, my! Right up and down the floor, as hard as she could go, just a dancing away like that . . . little old girl, about sixteen, eighteen years old.

I was just a young fellow myself. And I thought, “Now, isn't that something, right here in my church! How I'll ever live that down?” see, and watching her like that. And I thought, “What do they do that for? Why do they have to do that? Why couldn't they just played their music, and went on, and let it alone?” like that. I thought, “Well, that's terrible!”

I got to thinking, “Now, in the Bible is there such a thing as dancing?” And I remembered that David danced around the ark when he saw the ark coming, see. He danced before the Lord, and the Lord said, “He's a man after my own heart.” I thought, “Well, now that's. . . . What did he dance for? Well, they had a victory.

And Miriam. . . . When they crossed over the Red Sea, Moses sang in the Spirit, and Miriam took a tambourine, began to beat it. They went down along the bank, all the daughters of Israel dancing in the Spirit. And I seen that dancing was when they had victory. I thought . . . got to thinking, “Well, maybe I haven't got victory enough,” see. I got to thinking about it.

You know, after awhile I got to patting my foot. And before I knowed it, I was out there dancing with that girl, out there on the floor.

Oh, I was marked then! I can just see the expression on those people's face yet, seeing their pastor out there on the floor with that little girl, dancing around. And here I was right out there too. I never was on a dance floor in my life. But I'd have to take it back, and say it was on that one, but, that was a church floor.

So when we. . . . You know, all the devil's got he copied it after some real thing that God's got. That's right, just exactly. The devil cannot create. He's just a perverter of what's been created, you see. So he cannot create. He's not a creator; he's a perverter. What is unrighteousness? Is righteousness perverted, see.

It's legal for a man to take a wife, and be a husband to her in family relationship. But the same woman . . . another woman on the same act, it'd condemn him, and send his soul away, see. It's wrong. What is it? Righteousness perverted, see. And it's a . . . the truth is always right. What is a lie? Is the truth perverted, see —makes a lie. So that's the way all sin is: is righteousness perverted.

So when. . . .

I used to hear my mother say she used to go to dances. The old . . . her and Daddy, on them kind of. . . . See, them . . . they had the old fiddler come, stand on the corner and play the fiddle. And them Kentucky people. . . . And Pop, he didn't have any money. You know, you're supposed to have a little money to jingle in your pocket. And I seen him go out to the keg and get some nails, put them in his pockets, you know, and dance around, he and Mama. And they'd win prizes.

I can see her pull her skirt out like this, you know, in that jig dance, you know—right round, and round one another, like that. And I'd see Pop. And I thought, “That's bad, pop. Them's nails. That's not money,” you see. I know he didn't have any money. He had some nails in his pockets jingling up and down like that, see.

And they'd do that plumb on till around daylight. And some of the people leave home. . . . Oh, the Kentucky people'd come over, and they'd have the dances from one house to the other. And then, they'd go home of a morning packing their shoes in their hands, 'cause their feet was so sore from dancing.

Well, if you can do that for the devil, then why not stay, and let's preach all night? And let's praise God, and get in the Spirit. Sure. If that's for eternal separation, what about eternal life? Let's . . . we can appreciate this as much . . . more than we should that, of course. But Satan'd wear us out on this right quick, or tell us we was too tired. But I tell you, he's had an awful time with me getting anywhere out on it.

I remember when I was healed of stomach trouble, Satan said, “Well, you better not eat,” said, “because the doctor said if you eat you'd die. You had an ulcered stomach, and said it's just one big bloody ulcer.”

But the Lord said He healed me. So I had to take somebody's word, so I took God's word. And so. . . . Oh, it like to burnt me up. I was just . . . hot water running out of my mouth. And so, two or three days I was going around holding my stomach, like this.

Said, “How you feeling, Mr. Branham?”

I said, “Oh, I feel fine,” tamping away like that.

Someone said, “You lied.”

I did not. I was making a confession. Confess means say the same thing. By his stripes I was healed. So that does it, see. I was making confession.

And so, Satan said to me, said, “You're bringing reproach.”

I said, “Now, looky here, old fellow. If you enjoy hearing me testify, you stick around. But if you don't, you might as well get away 'cause I'm going to testify anyhow.”

So that's it. You just got to let him know what side you're standing on, and then make your stand, and then stand. And that's just the way we got to do always, is get where we know that we're right, and then got faith in that. You can't have faith 'less you know you're right.

Don't you try to do that to bluff him, now. He won't take your bluff, see. Don't bluff him. But when you really believe it, you're not bluffing then. Something's already witnessed to you. Then you're right. I don't care. You might not . . . no one never lay hands on you. You might not never hear anything but just. . . .

As long as something has confirmed it in your heart that it's God's Word, and God's will for you, that's all that's necessary. And many times, these gifts and things, they just encourage. . . .

I'm watching a Baptist preacher sitting here in front of me just now. If I'm not mistaken, is this Mr. Daulton sitting here from Somerset, Kentucky? I thought it was. I remember Brother Ed Daulton. Oh, my! A Baptist, right! And he come up and. . . . But he believed, and come up to the church, received the Holy Ghost, and went back down. And 'course, all of his neighborhood let him down, as usual.

And so, then when the Holy Spirit had come, and on the. . . . What we're looking for to happen at any time now, another gift that's going to be added to the church. And it's a marvelous thing and we. . . . Probably you've read the articles in our religious papers about it, about the squirrels, and so forth. And Brother Daulton had two children. . . . Well, I think . . . how many? About eight children, I think. Nine children. Nine children . . . and teenagers. . . . And you know how they are, kind of. . . . And the poor father and mother, how they prayed so hard that God save their children.

One day at the Tabernacle. . . . He had seen the Holy Spirit speak to a woman, and tell her, “Just ask what you will, right now, and God told me to give you. . . .”

Said, “What must I ask?”

I said, “Well, you got a crippled sister sitting here, that's been crippled from birth. [And there's a man sitting here tonight, Banks Wood, who's sitting right with me. The woman's name is Mrs. Wright.] And I said, ”You've got an aged father and mother. You're living on less than two hundred dollars a year on that little poor farm over there, a widow woman.“ I said, ”There's many things you could ask for, Sister Hattie.“

But I said, “The very God that told me about those squirrels. . . . When I spoke, those squirrels were standing right there. And did that seven straight times standing right there, where you look and see it, when it's just impossible one to be sitting on the wall there—just to . . . confirming something.” And, I said, “He tells me to have you to ask what you will. He said you'd ask it, for me to say it.”

She said, “Well, what should I say?”

I said, “Ask for whatever you will. It'll be given right here. If it isn't, then I've told something wrong.”

And she said, “Well,” said, “I don't know what to ask, Brother Branham.” She said. . . .

She had two teenage boys, and talk about renegades! They were. And so . . . just giving her heartaches all the time, poor little widow and mother. And so. . . . Her husband . . . I married she to her husband, and they were. . . . Her husband had gotten killed on a tractor, and those boys had just gone wild.

And she said, “Well, the salvation of my two boys.”

I said, “I give you those two boys in the name of Jesus Christ.” And both of them fell across her lap, come to Christ. Now, Brother Banks Wood is somewhere sitting here in this building tonight, that was present to see that happen.

Both them boys are fine. They're taking feet washing all the time, communion in the church. And when we're taking feet washing, the one that's washing the feet, we lay our hands over on them, and pray. That little fellow, the other night about fourteen years old. . . . Our Pastor Brother Neville, he had his hands laying on him, praying for him—the cutest little thing.

So Brother Ed Daulton seen that happen. He was praying for his children. Got outside, and he turned back around and the Holy Spirit said, “Speak for Ed's children.” And I said, “Brother Daulton, the Holy Spirit tells me, by that same gift that we're looking to be perfectly manifested soon, I give you your children in the name of Jesus Christ.”

And when he got home, there his daughter and sons had already give their hearts to Christ—just a few miles down in the country from me. And I think every one of your children is saved, and filled with the Holy Spirit. Is that right, Brother Daulton? Is there any of them with you? One daughter. Was that the one was saved right away? The oldest daughter was saved the next morning. And every one of his children is now saved.

How the Holy Spirit. . . . When God says anything, He keeps his word, see.

Now how could I have saved those children? see. It isn't . . . if it's not your own words, if it isn't your own thinking, then it's ever what's inspiring you. And if it's God, then it's God's Word, see. So that's the way on the meetings here at night. When you see those things happening, that's not me. I couldn't do that. It's God doing that. And if you'll just believe it, then that's all you have to do is just believe it.

Now. Well, it's almost time to call the prayer line, Billy. I just take up so much time, but. . . . You know, I want to make an appointment with all the people around Chicago here. And this brother that sings here at night, Brother Melvin, how I love to hear that boy sing. I want to hear him sing, “Remember Me,” one of these nights before I leave.

And then, there's a colored sister that sings at the Christian Businessmen. Oh, my! You should hear her sing, “Ship Ahoy!” and I told my wife. . . . She's sitting back there tonight, and I told her I hope she gets to hear that lady sing, “Ship Ahoy,” and Brother Melvin sing, “Remember Me When Tears Are Falling Down.” Oh, my! I sure hope we get these.

There was a little brother over there at that meeting the other morning. He's sitting back here somewhere. I shook his . . . here he is, he and his wife. My! Talk about singing! And when you get over in glory and. . . .

I wish . . . always wanted to sing. I'd rather sing than preach, anytime. So, I love singing so well. So I always said all the great singers of earth'll be gathered over there, singing the stories how they overcome, over on a great big hillside in glory, just across the river of life, over on the other side. I want to sit and listen at them.

So I want to invite all you Chicago people to meet me over there now, and we'll sit down and listen at them sing. So we won't have any . . . have to hurry to see if the children's going to get hurt, or anything. They'll be there with us, and there'll be nothing to hurt or destroy. And we'll have plenty of time then. And we'll just talk a long time—just have plenty of time to talk.

Now I've got several scriptures that I want to refer to. I got some wrote out here, and some pages here. And I want to start tonight, and read first a scripture found in St. Luke 8:50 for a text. And my subject tonight is the theme song they sang just before I came in, “Only Believe,” and St. Luke, eighth chapter and the fiftieth verse.

But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.

Let us bow our heads just a moment for prayer. Gracious God, who brought again the Lord Jesus, thy Son, from the dead and has presented Him to us after two thousand years, we see Him day after day, and night after night, in the invisible body of his working in the visible body of his church, bringing to pass his words. And as we was speaking the other night, You're right on schedule. Everything's hitting just right. God's great time clock's ticking just to the moment.

Then tonight, when we see that that last midnight stroke is fixing to strike, oh, great Jehovah God, be merciful to us.

And as I think tonight, here before me, holding the purchase of your blood, their attention for the next thirty or forty minutes, what must I say, O God? These few words that's been prepared would be insufficient, Lord, without your anointing. So I pray that You'll anoint the words tonight of this text. And may they find their resting place, and provide for us just what we have need of to be prepared for that hour, when Jesus does come, because God. . . .

Notice. When my eyes opened a few moments ago, laying here before me is that book of the Christian Businessmen, where our precious Brother Tommy Nichols translated from that tape that vision, or whatever it was, Lord, You let me see across the curtain there. Oh, God! I said if I could only go back for a . . . I'd persuade, I'd beg people.

Oh, they mustn't miss that, Lord. There's people here that's divided their living with me for me and my children, between them and their children. I pray, God, that somehow or other something can be said tonight that'll . . . that we might have Christ divided among us tonight, that He might be the Saviour of every one of us, and the healer of every one of us, and our coming King, and that hope live here in our hearts.

May we live eternally with Him over in that land where there's no sickness. I can think of them women, how they were once recognized. And here's old women ninety years old, and there they was beautiful and young. And those gray-headed men here on earth, there they was young, and in their youth for eternity. God, we couldn't afford to miss that.

Grant, Lord, tonight that each and every person will take new hope tonight. Bless the saints, and heal the sick, for we commit ourselves with this text, in the name of Jesus Christ for thy glory. Amen.

Jesus had just been turned down from a great revival. He was always about the Father's business. I like that. We . . . me myself, I have so much time that I'm . . . I think I foolishly use. And all of us feel that way. And we get so wound up, till we got to go somewhere and unwind. But we found Jesus always about the Father's business. I love that.

And that's the way we should be. We should never be idle in our time. What time we have, we must spend it for . . . and conserve the time, redeem it, because it is precious. Every time we get a chance to put in a plug for Jesus, do it. Every time we get to put in a plug for God, do it. Do something for the church, and for the embetterment of people. Many people. . . . That's how we come to know these things, is by what somebody's told us.

Jesus had left Galilee, over in the land that He came from, and crossed over the sea feeling led, no doubt, to go over to Gadara for a revival. No doubt but what the Father had led Him over across the sea to Gadara. And we all know the story, that there was only one person saved. That was a maniac in Gadara. And he was out into the fields, and the cemetery. He had went wild, and they put chains on him, and the demon power could break the chains.

And I've often thought that . . . going around insane institutions, and watch a person whose been possessed with those evil powers, how strong they are. They take a policeman sometime to beat them down.

I remember down in Florida one night, a man that wouldn't've weighed over 120 pounds whipped five policemen, just as easy as you'd whip your child. And then, when that evil spirit went off of him, why, there was nothing, hardly. He was just as meek as he could be. But it was an evil spirit.

And I thought, “If a man possessed with an evil spirit could break chains, what could he do if he was completely surrendered to God, with the power of God possessing him like that?” He could straighten every crippled leg, and do great things, if he could just be so anointed with God's power, as . . . the devil can completely get ahold of him.

Did you notice that devil was so completely ahold of that man, until he even confessed Jesus. Said, “We know who you are. The holy One of God. Why cometh to torment us before our time comes?” See, he was so completely surrendered to the devil until the devil could use his tongue.

And you know, I like that. I hope this don't hurt nobody's feelings, but we can get so completely surrendered to God that He can use our tongue, too; to speak in other languages, and to preach the gospel, to sing the gospel, to speak visions that we're looking at, and the mysteries of God, if we just completely surrender to the power of God. That's all. And if the devil can get a man under his control and do that, what can God do with one, get one under his control, see? So this maniac. . . .

And you notice, when Jesus was crossing the sea, the devil knowed that He was on the road to a great . . . win a great victory for God. And he tried to drown him that night—caused a storm to come up. But Jesus knowed that God had sent Him, because He did only what God led Him to do.

Wouldn't that be nice if we had a testimony like that, brethren? “I do only that which pleases God.” Wouldn't that be wonderful?

Like Enoch walked with God five hundred years, and had a testimony that he pleased God. He didn't have to die—just went up. So then. . . . A little afternoon stroll, He just started walking out. Just thought, “Well, I've been on earth long enough. I'll just walk on up,” and just started by faith.

He thought, “Well, I've been here long enough, so I'm kind of tired of being around here. Think I'll just stroll on up till I hit the Milky White Way, and just walk on up, and knock on the door.” So that's what he did, see. By faith he did it. The Bible said so. See, he just got tired of staying here. He said, “Well, I'm just going to walk up home, God.” Just went on up through the air, walking. He did that by faith. The Bible said he did. And so. . . .

Oh, when I feel death come knocking around my door, I want to have that kind of faith. Don't you? Just say, “Well, so long old world. I'm going to walk away from you now,” and just start walking on. Just walk right on up, and past the moon, and stars, and strike the Milky White Way, and go on into the spheres, and spheres, and out of the spheres—just go on into glory. That's right.

And then, we find out that the devil can't destroy God's servant as long as he's in the will of God. So he . . . we see Him rise up that night—the devil all so angry, and go to try to drown Him out there on the sea. Raised up, and He said, “Why are you so fearful? You think I'd be doing anything unless it's in the will of God? What are you so scared about? Why are you worried about anyhow? Why're you all upset?”

That's the same thing He'd say to us tonight, brethren, I imagine. “What are you so scared about? What's the matter? Are you afraid to trust me?” He said, “Peace. Be still.” And the winds and the waves obeyed Him. Crossed over the sea. Oh, how beautiful!

There He got on the other side. This maniac met Him. And when he did, he was going to come out to tear Him to pieces. And then the devil found out that that was a little more than a man, coming walking up there with those other twelve men.

And then, when he confessed Him to be the Son of God, and confessed that he was . . . future torment, Jesus said, “Hold your peace, but come out of him.” And he delivered that man of those legions of devils.

And those devils went over, and they got. . . . If they're not embodied they seem to be helpless. So they went over and got in a bunch of hogs, and went down two thousand hogs, and drowned in the sea.

And you know what? Jesus come over to hold a revival. But when those people realized it was going to cost them two thousand hogs, they didn't want the revival. So if it's going to cost them anything they don't want nothing to do with it. So that's about the way it is today, you know. If it's going to cost you a few hours sleep, or something another, the people don't want to do nothing with it, you know.

And so, they said. . . . Well, they . . . instead of having the revival, they come out (the people of the city) and said, “Leave our country. We never . . . we don't want you over here. Just get on out.”

You know, when Jesus looked around to . . . the man was in his right mind, and had clothes on. And if . . . you know, I always thought there. . . . I better not start on that. If . . . you see, that man, he started putting on clothes when he met Jesus. And how is it we claim we know Him, and taking them off all the time? So, there's . . . it's a. . . . They say we're crazy for preaching such things as that, but I don't know. The man was naked was the one was crazy, according to the Bible. So when he found Jesus, went putting his clothes back on again.

So we find out that. . . .

I've often wondered. When I get up to heaven, I want to find that man. And I want to go over. . . .

Jesus wouldn't let him follow Him. He said, “You go on back, and show the people there what's happened to you.” And I just wonder what weight his testimony had on hog raising in that country after that. I just wondered what his testimony had, what weight it had over there. But they didn't want Him, so. . . .

I'll say one thing. If you don't want Him, He won't bore you with Himself. No, no. He won't push Hisself on you. He never did. He knocks. You're on the inside. You're the one opens the door. But He'll knock. He'll give you the opportunity.

So then, they said, “We don't want You. I don't care how many You can deliver, and how and what. . . . Who sent You over here? If God sent You over here what about it? We just don't want any of that kind of stuff going over here around, get our people all confused. So you just get back where you belong.”

He said, “All right.” Right on back He went, and got in the boat.

It must've been along about ten o'clock in the morning, our little brother, Jairus. . . . He was a believer. He actually was a believer, but he was kind of a secret believer.

And you know, we got a whole lot of those out here in these Methodist, Baptist, and Presbyterian churches? They really believe this message of Pentecost. They do, but they just can't do it on account of their church.

So Jairus said. . . . He was a secret believer. Outwardly he had joined himself up with a bunch of unbelievers. And so that's the way a many good man is tonight, joined up with unbelievers. And the Bible said, “Do not be unequally yoked together. Don't yoke yourself up amongst unbelievers. Come out from amongst the unbelievers and separate yourself,” saith God, “and I will receive you. Touch not their unclean things, and I'll be God to you, and you'll be sons and daughters unto Me.”

So Jairus . . . oh, it was like many of us today had yoked hisself up in an organization that he just simply couldn't wiggle away from, because he had a high name, perhaps. Let's call him Dr. Jairus, see. He had a great name of doctor, maybe, behind him. He was a priest, and he was a pastor of a great synagogue. But in his heart, he'd followed Jesus of Nazareth. He'd watched those miracles. He'd go home and study, and look through the Scriptures, and say, “That's just exactly!”

Let's think he was standing there that day, when Simon come up. He went down to hear John preach, and he heard about. . . . He heard him announce Jesus, and seen this light come down over Him there, and settle down upon Him [we seen that same light was on Him]; tell that old fisherman, “Why, your name is Simon, and you're the son of Jonas.”

Maybe you know, his father was a . . . might've been a member of this man's synagogue. And he said, “I know that man didn't know him, and I went home and searched that out in the Scripture. And I found out that that was the sign of the Messiah.

“And then, while I was standing there. . . . I was standing over on the other side, of course, with the priest and my brethren, and listened to see what I could hear . . . saying to the brethren. They said, 'What are we going to do when we go back?' when Philip come up, and had Nathanael. And Jesus stood there and told Nathanael who he was, and where He found him, and so forth like that.

“And we seen Nathanael. He was maybe studying to be a preacher, and he said 'Why, Rabbi, You're the Son of God, the King of Israel.'

“He said, 'You believe because I told you that?'”

And maybe He was sitting out there also to hear the woman at the well; and standing at the gate that time, when blind Bartimaeus was out there crying, “Jesus, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.”

He couldn't have touched Him. If you was ever at the place, and mark where Bartimaeus was sitting, and where Jesus was when he called Him, oh, my! All that mob howling, saying, “Say, they tell me you raise the dead. We got a graveyard full of them up here. Come up, and raise some of them. We'll believe you,” see. How could He ever heard all. . . . But his faith touched him.

Like little Zacchaeus (that I told to the Christian Businessmen), sitting up in the tree like that, said, “Now, Rebekah told me that He knowed all things, and could. . . . God spoke through Him, and He was Messiah. So I'll pull all these limbs around me, and He'll never know I'm sitting up here.”

So when Jesus stopped around the tree, and looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down. Going home with you.”

So maybe he was there that morning to see that. However, he believed through the Scriptures that that was the Messiah. But yet, he couldn't make a confession, because the ministerial association of Gadara had said this: “If there's anybody ever attends one of them revivals that that prophet of Galilee over there holds, we'll excommunicate him that hour from the church.”

So, well, he had had a pastorate, and he had a big congregation, and a nice bunch of people, and he knowed he loved the Lord. But right down in his heart, he knowed there was something else ought to be added. Oh, Zacchaeus! I hope you're sitting here tonight, and don't get up and go out till this is over, see. Just sit still for a minute.

And there he was, you know, out there and believing; then come home by the little candlelight, and study through the night when he'd go to one of those meetings, and listen. Maybe disguise himself, and put a veil over his face, or something, so he wouldn't be knowed as Dr. Jairus, you know. He just wouldn't want to be known amongst the crowd. But yet, he was sitting there.

And he watched this, and he studied it. But yet he couldn't openly publicly confess Him, because he'd have to give up his ministerial association, and his fellowship with his brethren. And that's the reason all of them together run Jesus out of Gadara and put Him back over in his own country. In his own country it'd've been the same thing, and anybody joined themselves with this so-called prophet of Galilee, why, had to be excommunicated.

But you know, God's got a way of bringing that real genuine faith out in us. God has peculiar ways of doing it. And so let's say one night the little girl had come in, and she was. . . . He had one little daughter about twelve years old, and he was getting aged. And that was the only child he and his wife had. One night she came in from skipping the rope, or something, around the parish. And she came, and she said, “Daddy, I am so sick.”

So he felt her little head, and he said, “Yes, honey, you are sick.” So he said, “Mother, I tell you what. You put her to bed, and we'll go down and get the doctor.” That's the only sensible thing to do, so they went and got the good doctor from the neighborhood.

He came up, and he felt her, and he said, “Yes, she's burning with fever.” So he doctored her for two or three days.

And come to find out, her fever grew worse. Oh, it got in such a place till it got so hot that he was getting . . . the doctor got worried about it. So he tried all the herbs, and all the remedies that he knowed, to try to help this little girl, but he couldn't do no good with it. He just couldn't break the fever.

So then one morning about nine o'clock, why, he'd come to visit the little girl after he'd been up almost all night. And all the lovely people of the churches gathered in there; and all the associate pastors, and some of the visiting clergymen, and the district presbyter, and all of them, were sitting close, you know, to offer prayers, and so forth, for the child.

And so, the doctor come into the room, and he examined the little girl, taking her pulse, and, oh, the fever was raging. The little thing was beyond . . . out of her head now. So he knew that the end was close. He hated to tell the pastor, perhaps went to his own church. So he called him out to one side, and said, “Now, Jairus, I want to tell you out here, so sister won't hear it. That baby is dying, your only little girl.”

“Oh, doctor! Surely there's something else you can do?”

“No, Jairus. If you want to call in another doctor, and consult the case, why, it's all right. But as far as my medical understanding, death's on the child right now, because she's laying at the point of death. And she probably won't last over another hour or two.” The good doctor was telling all that he knowed to be the truth.

And said, “Doctor, would you advise me to get some other doctor?”

Said, “You're welcome.”

“But,” he said, “I don't know no other doctor. We know there was a doctor over across there called Luke, Dr. Luke. But you know, he was converted.”

“Oh, don't you . . . Luke's went off on the wrong end, see. He's following that Galilean prophet. Don't. . . .”

Oh, that brings it back to his mind. “Yes, Doctor. Well, thank you. What do I owe you, doctor?”

“Oh, well, that's all right. You don't have to pay me nothing. [He was a fine man, see.] You go ahead, preacher. I know you don't make much money, so just let it go.”

“Well, thank you very kindly.”

Now what's he going to do? He walks back from the gate, and said “Now I'll go in the house there, in the parish. And how am I going to tell my wife that that baby's laying at the point of death? And I've kept it a secret from her all the time that I really believed in Jesus being that real prophet was to come. But now how would I ever get it? And there's the district presbyter, and all the rest of the ministerial association sitting around the house there. How can I ever. . . ? And I wonder where He is at?”

So he goes back in the room, and begins to wonder. And, you know. . . . The first thing you know he calls his wife in. He said, “Dear, come in and sit down just a minute.” He put his hands. . . . Said, “Now, I've got something I want to talk to you about. First, I want to say: Mother, do you remember how that I've set up here at nighttime with these candlelights, reading the Scriptures?”

“Yes, yes, Jairus. I know just how you have sat up here, and read.”

“And I've come in, been gone for two or three days at a time, telling you I was out about the Master's business?”

“Yes, I remember all about it.”

“Well, I've kept this back from you. But I want to tell you something. You know where I was at?”

“Well, where were you at, dear?”

“I was attending them meetings of Jesus of Nazareth, that Galilean prophet. I was attending. . . .”

“Oh,” she said, “That's no secret to me. I was reading your notes that you took of his sermons, see. When I cleaned up the room I found the wastebasket laying full of them, you see. And I just read them, where you'd been searching through the Scripture.”

“Sure enough?”

“Yes.”

“Well, I tell you. You know what? I truly believe that that is the Messiah.”

“Well,” she said, “Dear, you just now ready to confess it? I've believed it all along.”

Now he's ready. He can tell her now what. . . . Said, “You know what?” Said, “Honey, the doctor just told me something.”

“What? Our daughter's going to be better?”

“No. She's dying.”

“Oh, Jairus! Oh, surely not!”

“Yes, yes. She's dying. But I wonder where Jesus of Nazareth is. You know, He left and crossed the sea a few days ago, and He's gone away. And I wonder where He's at. If we could only find Him! Well, we just might as well confess our faith, and go out.”

Well, he walked out before all the people, and said, “Well, I've got to announce something. The doctor just told me that my baby's dying. My only girl, twelve years old, is dying.”

And so, he telling, and all of them begin to lament and cry, and go on. He said, “Now wait. That's not our last hope. Just a moment.”

Oh, I feel his little face get red . . . looked at the district presbyter, and the bishop, and all of them sitting around, you know, and what's he going to do? “But we've got another hope.”

And I can hear the bishop raise up, and say, “Do you want to consult another doctor?”

“Well, no. Not exactly. But I got something. . . .” Then his heart begins to race real fast, you know. Can he say it? He stuttered a little bit. And I can hear his wife say, “Go on, tell them. Tell them. Tell them.”

“Well, ahem! Brethren, ahem. I know this may excite you just a little bit, but, yes, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I believe that that Galilean prophet is the Messiah.”

Why, I can see the bishop raise up, and the district presbyter, and all the dignity, and saying, “Why, Jairus! My! You don't mean you've gone like Luke and the rest of them did?”

“Yes, I believe Him. I certainly do.”

Why? He had a need. God's got a way of putting it on you in such a way, He'll make you come out with that faith—just bring her right out anyhow. Yes, sir!

Now I can hear him say, “Does anybody know where He's at?”

One of the fellows said, “Yes. I was sick the other day. I went down to see Dr. Luke, and Luke's with Him, and he was over in Gadara. And they . . . I heard by a courier that they're coming in today. They're supposed to land this morning down there at the fishing dock.”

I can see little Jairus going out, and getting his little priest hat, and putting it on, putting his coat on, start out. I can hear the district presbyter standing at the door saying, “Now looky here, young man. Now you've been one of us for a long time. Now, if you're going to start such as that, and mix up our congregation, bring such fanaticism as that in our group, you know what's going to happen? We're going to excommunicate you. We're going to take your name right off the book. That's all.”

Well, I can hear his little heart sinking like that. He looked around at his wife, and she was standing, seeing what he was going to say; and look over and see his little dying daughter.

He said, “You just might as well take her off, because here I go. That's right. I'm on my road.”

He had a need. Rushing, he must go right now.

They said, “Remember, if you go, you know what's going to happen. You know our declaration.”

“Yes, I understand all about it. But I've got a dying child here. And the very thing that I've hid in my heart all the time. . . . I've searched the Scriptures, I've attended his meetings under disguisement, and I've checked the Scriptures, that He is the Messiah!” Amen! That's it! Amen! That's the way!

Now you're coming to it, Jairus. Come right out, and tell them what's right. Confess your faith. Then you're getting . . . you're right on the right path then. It isn't kind of gloomy looking.

Oh, he said. . . . The church said, 'Now you remember, if you do, well, what's going to happen.' But Jairus had a need, the need.

And brother, if there ever was a time, brethren, that we ought to make our confession that He is the Messiah, the Son of God, that He is alive, that his power is just the same, there's a need today. Today is the hour. People are dying. People are dying in the churches. People are. . . . The Pentecostal church is dying. It's going so formal. It's getting out of the way from God. If there's any time to step out, and say, “We are dying. Let's get back to God,” it's right now, because there's a need. Come back to the faith that was once delivered to the saints.

I know there's a lot of fanaticism. I realize that. As I said at the ministerial breakfast the other morning, you can't hardly blame pastors. But remember, every time you see something false, a bogus dollar, it's just as sure as anything in the world it's made off of a real one.

I never was so surprised, one time. I was going up the road, and I seen a big bunch of crows, or blackbirds. They were just having the awfullest squawling time. I thought, “What's the matter with them?” I walked on up the road, and there was. . . . Some of them was in trees, and some on telegraph poles, and some sitting on fences. I thought, “What's the matter with the birds?”

There was a strawberry patch across the field. And the man that owned the patch had went to Florida for a vacation, and he just left those strawberries there. He wouldn't let no one pick them because he liked to. . . . He kept them there for the birds. He just loved to watch the birds.

And so, while he was gone down in Florida on a vacation, why, somebody come over there and put a big old scarecrow up in the field, and wanted to pick the strawberries themselves—not let the birds have them.

The birds was all excited. Oh, my! they were so excited—some of them sitting way off in a tree looking off over there on the scarecrows, and just chirping, and chirping and going on, some sitting there on the telegraph poles, and some sitting on the fence post.

And I thought, “Well, now, I wonder what's the matter,” and I happened to look. Sitting right on the arms of that old scarecrow sat two big healthy birds, just eating as hard as they could eat. I thought, if that isn't a picture! If that isn't something.

Now I thought, “Well, what's the matter?” I walked up a little close, and I looked. There was plenty of strawberries. I thought, “What's the matter, fellows?”

And that's the way some of them do. Some of them will way . . . go way back here, if they don't believe in the Holy Ghost or nothing. Some of them come up, and say, “Well, I believe in a good sanctified life, but I just don't believe in divine healing.” But others will get right down almost to the borderline, but they're afraid of the scarecrow.

And that's just about where Pentecost has come now. You're afraid of the scarecrow.

Why, brother, a scarecrow is a meal ticket. Amen! Just get in behind the scarecrow. That's all you have to do.

If you see all kinds of false isms, and things, rise up. . . . When . . . I said the other night, all these “isms” will soon become “wasms.” So don't worry about them. But God's Word will be true. When there's no more heaven and earth left, He'll still be true. Yes, sir!

There was no condemnation in them sitting there eating strawberries, brother. They were sitting there, big healthy birds, just pecking away as hard as they could, 'cause they wasn't caring about the scarecrow. They was just eating strawberries just the same.

So that's what we should do. When you see these things that you get everybody talking so well, and the church getting classical, and the big fellows saying, “Well, we'll just take them into this,” and that, you'd better be careful, brother. There's something wrong there somewhere. There's something wrong.

I like to get where somebody's criticized and made fun of, and look around, see where. . . . Examine it over, and see what it's all about. Yes, sir. It's a dinner bell. Just watch right behind it. Remember the clubs always lays under the good apple tree. They don't club off them little old knotty, drawed up, sour, days of miracles is past. There's nothing to club in that. Just let them go on.

But Jairus had a need and he had a need because his only child was dying. And that's the same thing it is tonight. Now, he didn't have to say, “Now, I'll wait now. I'll probably . . . maybe if I'd wait a little while I may go see him like Nicodemus did—go in the nighttime. I'll slip over sometime at night.

“I tell you [might've told his wife something like this]. . . . Well, now there sits the district presbyter out there, and there sits the bishop. There sits all the church and so forth. I'll tell you, I'll wait till it gets night. And when it gets night I'll slip on my little mask again, and I'll slip over to the meeting. And after it's over (I won't let nobody know), I'll slip around behind the building, say, 'Say, prophet of Galilee, I believe in You. I believe. You come over here. I got a sick daughter. . . .”

No. Their daughter was dying right then. He had to go then. It was time for action.

And it's time for action, brethren. It's not time to argue about whether we should be baptized face forward, or backward, whether we should belong to this church, or that church. It's time for the Holy Spirit to come into the church, and get in action. It's later than you think. The hour is here.

It's not time to fuss about creeds, and about doctrines, and things like that. It's time to get into God's Spirit, and move on, because the atomic bombs are hanging, and missiles everywhere, and sputniks in the skies. And everything that Jesus said would take place before the end-time is now taking place. And the Holy Ghost is here—Christ, right on time, on schedule! Yes.

The critics are rising.

I'm going to say this because it was. . . . I asked for it to be abstained one time. And when they did, the brother got real put out about it. I'm going to say it, 'cause it's on tape, and so our brother can hear it if he wants to get this tape.

It's concerning Brother David Duplessis, my precious brother friend. I got a letter of criticism from him (and I didn't want to read it. Secretary got it, and so. . . . I didn't want to read it because I withheld saying his name on a tape. But this is taped. The tapes are going. Here's exactly what I said:

I was preaching on the nearing of coming of Christ. And brother David is dealing with the Presbyterians, Methodists, and Baptists, and those great men. That is his ministry to them. God has sent him with a ministry. David is a smart theologian, scholar, and a wonderful man of God. He's been with me in the meetings. He's stood by my side. I love him as only a brother could love another. And that is true.

But what I said about David (and the church'll bear me witness), I said, “It seems like that Brother David, as spiritual as he is, would wake up to the fact to know that he's dealing with the sleeping virgin.”

And the Pentecostal people are so glad to see the Presbyterians write in a little declaration, “Well, we got to go back to divine healers. We've got to go back to speaking in tongues.” You've read the piece where they put, “We've got to back to having healing services.” Billy Graham talking, “We got to go back to Pentecost.”

Do you realize, brother, that the very hour that they went to wake the sleeping virgin up. . . . When she come to buy oil, that was when Jesus came. I said, “I wonder if Brother David realizes that.”

You'd think the Pentecostal church. . . .

They had their picture in the paper the other day of some Catholic priest standing, blessing the Pentecostal Businessmen's breakfast, or something, and things like that—which, that's all right. But I wonder if the church really realizes what it is. It's a sign!

When that sleeping virgin come and knocked at the gate, that's when she could not get in, for the bride was gone. Don't you see? That's what I said about Brother David; not nothing concerning his work, or his . . . about his reputation. And David's my brother, and one of the finest, godly men that I know of.

But I just wondered how that he didn't pick that up, to realize the very minute that that outside denominational world begins to receive this message, that's exactly the hour He's coming—when the sleeping virgin realized she didn't have any oil in her lamp. And when she come to knock on the door to get it, that was exactly when the bride went out, when the wise virgins left. That's right. They didn't get in. No, them organizations won't come in. They won't have the opportunity to. Time the message gets around, the church'll be gone.

So, if they're trying to get in right now, how close are we? When we see, “As it was in the days of Sodom, so shall it be in the coming of the Son of man,” the very last message Abraham and his seed after him. . . . We see everything lays just at time.

We've got need. It's time for action. It's not, “Wait till I go away to school, and get me a Ph.D. or LL.D.” It's, “Get into the gospel right now.” Preach! Yes, get out there now. Now's the hour.

Jairus couldn't wait till tomorrow. His child was dying.

Brethren, we can't wait for a new organization. We can't wait for something to get stirred up. It's already here. We got to bring Christ on the scene. The Pentecostal church is dying. Amen! The Assemblies, the Oneness, the Twoness, the Threeness, the Foursquare, all of them, they are dying. Let's leave these things. They're all right, but don't just. . . . Quit fussing about that. Let's bring Christ on the scene.

That's the way Jairus. . . . Had to get Christ on the scene, or his child would die. He must hurry real quick. He's got to spring into action. Oh, I love that! Get into action!

Oh, if this group right here tonight, you Methodist, you Baptist, you Presbyterian, you Pentecostals, Oneness, Twoness, Threeness, and all of you, if you'd spring into action—laying aside your traditions and malices—bring Christ on the scene, open up your heart. He's here! Amen!

His boat just landed (Hallelujah!), and on the scene. Somebody said, “Yes. Faith cometh by hearing.” Say, “Yes, He's coming into the dock down there now, just down below the hill from the parish. He's coming in down there now.”

Well, here he goes. He grabs his little hat, and don't care what they say.

Said, “All right, Jairus. You're going to be sorry one of these days. You know you're springing off on the deep end.” He didn't care deep end, or what end. He knowed what his heart told him.

And there isn't a person in here tonight, if you'd do what your heart told you to do, you'd probably be at this altar. Right! There isn't a preacher present, if you'd do what your heart told you to do but what we would confess our wrong. That's right. Willing to confess mine. I'm ready to join arms and hearts with men to get Christ on the scene. That's the main thing. The children's dying.

This little book here holds that vision in it. When I looked over there they . . . I didn't. . . . When I walked up to the gate, they didn't ask me if I was a Pentecostal, Oneness, or a Threeness, or a Fiveness. The only thing it was, He just let me come in because I'd loved Christ, and had love in my heart. That's the thing now, brethren.

Jairus had to hurry. His child was dying. God's child's a dying. The church is dying. We've got to do something.

You might've called it telepathy. You mighty've called it the devil. You might've . . . I don't know what you did call it. But way down deep in your heart, did you believe it was the truth? Brother, you better put your ecclesiastical hat in the corner, and say something and get moving. Right! The church is dying. We need Christ on the scene. Time for action—not when I feel like it, not when I take the next notion. But he had to get people on the scene. Because . . . get Jesus on the scene. Everything else had failed.

I want to ask you something. Is the Pentecostal church better off tonight because it's broke itself up in about thirty different organizations? or when it started in the beginning? See, just ask that. We're constantly getting worse and worse. Is the women and men out of our Pentecostal churches looking more like saints praying? Tell me somewhere in the city where they're having prayer meetings all night long, day in and out for the sins that's done in the city, like they used to do it? Are we any better? We're getting worse!

Oh, our buildings are getting more pretty. Oh, we're becoming more up in the ranks with the other churches, but who wants to be like them? I want to be like Jesus, and that's where every man ought to want to be. Like Christ! Let's get Him on the scene, see. And the churches are dying.

So we've got to do something. We got to hurry. We ain't got no . . . we ain't got to wait till the millennium to do it. If we're going to do it, we've got to do it now, or it's going to die. Something's going to happen.

Here he goes. I don't care. His little face was red, brother. Every time he made a step, he thought it was getting better and better all the time. Just make a start one time, and see what happens. First thing you know, he happened to look down the side of the hill, and what was happening?

A little woman he knowed, maybe of his own parish, was sitting up on top of the hill. And he knowed that he'd talked to her about it, and she had said right out openly, she said one time. . . . Maybe it was something like this: “Jairus, you know what? I believe that that prophet over there is a man of God.”

“Well, now, sister. I wouldn't . . . how do you feel about it?” Of course he'd had to watch, you know, whether she was just a bait from some of the district men or not, you know. So said, “Well. . . .”

Said, “Have you ever heard Him?”

“Oh, yes. Occasionally I've heard Him.”

“Well, I've never heard Him, but I've heard of Him.” So faith cometh by hearing.

“And I tell you what. I believe if you could get somebody to take me across the sea there, in a boat somewhere where He's at. . . . If I could only touch Him, I'd be made well.”

And here she come, poor, little, thinly pale-faced, she's coming down the bank. Look at her staggering, and holding on to something.

And there, they're all down there, saying, “Good morning, Reverend. How do you do, Doctor. Glad to have you over here.”

And, “Rabbi, we're glad to have you back again.”

“Hmmm, hmmm,” looking at one another, you know.

Little Jairus standing up there, you know, just to kind of throw off the . . . you know, there's a lot of people believed on him. So he had to watch, you know, what they said. So he come back. After a while this little woman, she said, “Would you help me, kind sir, to get over there till. . . ? I'd like to speak with Him.”

“Aw, don't you listen to that. We're just standing out here. We're fixing to trap Him. We got a trap set for Him this morning. We're really going to get Him this morning. You just watch, see. We're . . . that's the reason we're calling . . . 'Hello, there, Doctor. Hello, Rabbi' see. We got a trap set for Him. We're going to upset Him this morning. So this . . . because they say He knows the secrets of the heart. We got it all fixed up for Him.” Like somebody had for me the other night, and got . . . failed when the Holy Spirit come down.

And I don't know whether you noticed it or not, but it sure did. Was a great stumble to that old boy.

And then, when they . . . first thing you know, come along, said. . . .

He walked around. She couldn't get to Him. So she got down on her hands and knees, got to crawling between their feet, like this, till she got up. And maybe little Jairus . . . standing up there watching her as she touched the border. Little pleased look come over her face. She went back out there.

And Jairus was standing, watching that, you know, watching. Said, “I seen her, and I know her. And she moved through there, and touched his garment. And now, she's gone back out there. She looks like she's pleased. She looks like that. . . . She told me one time, if she could only touch Him that's what would happen, she'd get well. And I know doctors give her up long time ago, since she started in menopause with that blood issue. She's had it there for years and years, and so. . . .

“The poor little thing. I felt sorry for her husband—sold the horses, and everything, paid off the doctor bill, and she's just no better than she ever was. Poor little thing, I feel sorry for her.”

Jesus stopped, looked around, said, “Who touched me?”

And He said. . . . Why . . . apostle said, “Why, everybody's touching You. Why You say such a thing as that, Rabbi . . . or, Lord?”

He said, “But I got weak. I felt something go out of me. A virtue went out of me.” And He looked around to the little woman, and told her her blood issue had stopped.

I imagine that encouraged old Jairus. Don't you imagine so? Directly here he come, running to Him. He said, “Lord, my little girl is laying now at the point of death. Lord,” he said, “Master!”

Oh, yes. He's all right. He's not a fanatic now. Oh, no. Uh uh. He's got a need of Him.

You might call this everything you want to; but one of these days, when you come right down to the bed, it'll be different. That's right. Won't be a holy roller, or a bunch of crazy people at that time. That's right.

“Oh, Rabbi! Master, my Lord! My little girl is laying at the point of death. If You'll just come, and lay your hands on her, she'll get all right. Everything'll be all right. The doctor just left about a hour ago. Rabbi, I've give up everything. They was going to kick me out of the association, and everything. But I've always been a believer in You, but I tell You, something's worked out till I just had to confess it. So here I am. My little girl's going to die. And if You'll just come and lay hands on her, she won't die. She'll live.”

Jesus said, “I'll go. Yeah, I'll go with you.”

And He starts along with it, like that.

And I can imagine the priest saying, “Did you hear what and who that is? Well, that's Dr. Jairus. My! Could you imagine him? What about . . . won't the association kick him out! Oh, he's had it now. Brother, at the next conference they'll sure pour it on him. Let's just all go over, brother, just see what the chief priest's going to say, what they're going to . . . how they excommunicate him.”

Little Jairus didn't care. His daughter was dying, and he had the attention of Jesus. That's all he cared about. As long as you get his attention, what difference does anything else make any difference? Walking along like that as He goes, moving along you know . . . and the little woman, she was so happy because her blood issue had stopped.

And then the first thing you know here come a man over the hill hollering, “Don't bother. Never mind.” Then the midnight blow come. Oh, my! That stroke. . . . “Say, Jairus, I told you you oughtn't to went down there. See, here comes the presbyter and all of them. Your girl died about an hour ago. I told you days of miracles is past.”

Oh, my! That midnight blowing! His little heart begin to jump. He thought, “Oh, oh, oh, I told Him if He'd come lay his hands. . . .” Now he had faith in the hands of Jesus. He was a Jew.

Now it was different. . . . Peter, that night when he was walking on the water. . . . When he seen Jesus walking along, thought it was a spirit, he said, “Lord, if it be You, bid me come.” The word was “Come.” That's right. That's right. And the day when he was catching fish, and he'd pulled all night long, and hadn't got any fish at all, He said . . . told him, “Can I borrow your boat a minute to preach from, Simon?”

“Yes.”

Well, He preached from it a while. Said, “Now launch out into the deep, and let down for the draught,” see.

And he said, “Lord, if You'll lay your hands on the water, I believe You can put fish there. We toiled all night, and taken nothing.” No, no. “Lord, we've toiled all night, and taken nothing. Nevertheless, at thy word I'll let down the net.” That's it. “At thy word, I'll let down the net.” [Blank spot.]

“. . . go to the pool of Siloam, and wash.” Now what was his faith to contact? As soon as he could find the pool, see. If he could ever. . . .

“Which way to the pool of Sent?” Which way is it? Somebody help me get to the pool.“

“Oh, why do you want the pool?”

“Don't make any difference. Help me get to the pool, because I know when I get to the pool. . . .”

“Somebody help me to the meeting.”

“Well, where are you going?” You know what I mean.

“You wouldn't put up . . . you wouldn't go with that bunch, would you?”

“Well, just help me get over there. That's all I want to know. Get me there.” Amen! I like that. Yes, sir! Get me to a bunch of people where I can see the Bible living, where I can see Christ living in the people. Get me amongst that group.

“Help me get over to the pool of Sent.”

And as soon as he said. . . .

“Well, here you are.” Some kind lady, or something or other, come by and got him in her hand, and took him over to the pool. Said, “Old fellow, here's the pool. Why?”

Said, “Oh, I've just got the word of God that told me, when I washed I'd see.” Oh, my! Oh, his sight came to him. Then he come back rejoicing. It was the pool for him.

But when Mary that morning, when she had to take . . . go down to get some water at the well. . . . And she looked standing there, and there stood a big bright light. She looked at. . . . That light had enshrouded an angel that said he was Gabriel. Said, “The Holy Ghost is going to overshadow you, and you're going to bring forth a child, knowing no man.”

She said, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Be it unto me according to thy word.”

That's all she wanted. She didn't want to . . . she could've said, “Wait, now. When I'm overshadowed . . . and then if I feel life, then I go to testifying?” Or, “When I'm about four months, will it be all right then?” or, “When shall I testify of it?”

She didn't ask no questions. She had his word, and that was good enough for her. She started testifying right then.

And I'm giving you his Word: “By his stripes you were healed.” Amen! You who hasn't got the Holy Ghost, I'm giving you his Word. Peter said, on the day of Pentecost when the critics were standing around, he said, “Repent every one of you. Be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children. . . .”

“Well, the bishop told me . . . the presbyter told me . . . the district man told me . . . the pastor told me, them days was gone.”

I don't care what they said. The Bible said, “The promise is unto you, and to your children, and to them that's far off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” That's his Word. Receive it! It's in his Word. That's what it takes, his Word. But Jairus wanted his hands.

You know, I think. . . . God's a good God. He manages to get in there some way. You know, a lot of the disciples, they believed as soon as they heard the word that Jesus was raising the dead. Said, “Praise God. That's fine.”

But Thomas said, “I've got to put my fingers in the prints of the nails in his hands. I got to feel it. I got to see it myself. I've seen it work on others in the meeting, but it's got to be on me.” Oh, Thomas's got a lot of children.

But God's a good God. He works around anyhow. He said, “Come here, Thomas. Feel me. Now it works on you. Do you believe, Thomas?”

He said, “Oh, yeah, You're my Lord. Now I believe it now.”

He said, “How much greater is their reward who has never seen, and yet believe.” Amen. They take God's word for it, that's all. Amen!

And I'm just getting down to my text. Where was I? Let's see. Oh, yes. Yes, sir. Then . . . well, let's take him. Here he goes back up, and here's all the critics coming out, you know, saying. . . . There he goes along.

So, first thing, when the courier come and said, “Well, don't bother no more.” Said, “The baby's died. It's dead. We done laid it out up there, and it's got the flowers on it, and got the embalming clothes, fluids on it. There's no need of fooling anymore. The kid's done dead. Doctor come back. (We went and got him), and he announced it dead, and he's done got it laying out. And it's cold, laying in the room on the death couch. And all the mourners are around. And there's a lamentation around there. You never heard nothing like it, so. . . .”

Jesus walking steady. Oh, I love that! Couldn't you just see Him, brethren? Never bothered Him a bit. Little Jairus's heart was beating, looked over at Jesus. I can see Him turning in my eyes, and said, “Did I say to you, only believe?” Oh, my!

That's what I say to you. Only believe God's Word, if you want to see the glory of God. Only believe. No matter what anybody else says, how sick you are.

“But, Brother Branham, the doctor said I was going to die in a few days.”

Only believe.

He said, “My baby can't get well.”

But only believe. That's all. Only believe that God made the promise.

“I'll never walk again, Brother Branham. The doctor told me.”

Only believe, for all things are possible to them that believe. Only believe. Only believe. That's all you have to do. Just believe, no matter. . . .

And then, what was it? “Already dead.” What now? Only to believe. I feel religious right now. Honest I do. Oh, my! Only believe.

Dead, yes! Oh, I remember when He come up to the grave of Lazarus. “If Thou had've been here my brother would not have died. But even now whatever You ask God, God'll give it to you.” That's it.

“I am the resurrection and life,” saith God. “He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”

She said, “Yea, Lord.” Oh, I like that. “Yea, Lord. I do believe Thou art the Christ that was to come into the world. You are the anointed One. I believe it with all my heart.”

Said, “Where have you buried him?” Amen.

He didn't say, “I'll go down and see what I can do about it.” No, no, no, no. “Where have you buried him?

He didn't say, “Jairus . . . well, Jairus, I'm sorry I caused you this trouble. Now your church has excommunicated you, and you're in trouble with your brethren, and all that. I know that, and everything. I really feel sorry for you, Jairus. But if I could've got there a little bit sooner, why it might've been all right. But Jairus, I'm sorry to cause you this trouble.” Oh, no. Oh, no.

He said, “. . . and I say to you, only believe, if you want to see the glory of God. Oh, I imagine that helped his heart, don't you? I imagine seeing his little heart skipping them beats, and start beating back regular again. Then his eyes were off of the presbyter, off of the chief priests, off of the rest of the congregation.

Then walk out, and they say, “What're you going to do at the next conference, boy? What are you going to do?”

But he kept his eyes on Jesus. Amen! There you are. Keep your eyes on Jesus. I don't care what anybody else says.

“What's the neighbor going to say?”

I don't care what the neighbor says. That ain't got nothing to do it; it's what God said. The neighbor is not my judge. God's my judge. He'll judge me by Jesus Christ, who I'm following. Amen! No matter what anyone else says, it's what God said. That's what makes it truth. Amen. God said it; it makes it the truth. Critics can say anything they want to, but it takes what God says to make it be the truth. All right.

Jesus said “Only believe.”

Believe what? Believe what? Now she's dead. Believe for the impossible. Believe for the impossible.

“Why, after she's done dead, and embalmed? Believe now?”

“Sure. I told you, just believe if you want to see the glory of God.”

“Believe what?”

“Believe anything. Whatsoever. Verily I say unto you, if you shall say to this mountain be moved, and don't doubt in your heart [just only believe], you can have what you say.” That's right.

“He that believeth in me, though he were dead yet shall he live. Whosoever believeth in me shall never die. If ye abide in me and my word in you, ask what you will and it'll be given to you.” Is that right?

All these promises: “Works that I do shall you do also. Greater works than this shall you do, 'cause I go to my Father.” All these promises here: “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever. He was wounded for our transgressions . . . was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquity, chastisement of our peace upon Him, with his stripes we were healed.

Only believe. Only believe. He's coming soon.“

He brought Abraham, justified him, sanctified him, filled him with the Holy Ghost, placed him as a son; showed Himself alive by turning his back, and talking and telling what Sarah said in the tent. And then changed his body, and took him out, gave him a son.

He's done the same thing to the seed of Abraham, all but change the body—justified, sanctified, filled with the Holy Ghost, placed the son. He's coming among us now, showing Himself alive, and waiting for the change of the body for the rapture to come, to take us up to meet Him. Here it is. Just on time. Only believe. Just keep marching on. God's great big time clock's ticking just exactly right. Oh, if they only believe. Sure.

So Jesus finally gets to the house. There's everybody hollering, “O Lord, O Lord, why did you do it? Why did you do it?”

Jesus walks in just as calmly and quiet. Said, “Quieten down. Give peace. The girl's not dead. She's only asleep.”

And then the Bible said they laughed at Him.

Said, “Now you know what kind of a prophet He is, when we've got her embalmed, and He says she's asleep.

Could you imagine!“

And the Bible said they laughed Him to scorn, make ashamed, laughed Him to scorn. You know what He did when they laughed at his word? He put them out.

And that's exactly what we'll do at the end. And you critics, that's what'll happen to you one of these days. You laugh at his Word, and laugh at his works. You say them people's holy rollers that's speaking in tongues, and dancing in the Spirit. You say they're a bunch of holy rollers. You're laughing at his Word, because that's the Word made human flesh, dwelling among us.

Some of you preachers out there saying this is mental telepathy, or the devil, or something like that, some day you'll have to take that back in his presence. He'll put you out of his kingdom for it. That's right. He won't let people laugh at Him. He'll put them out again.

He went through the house, and put the whole bunch of them out. Everybody . . . laughed, went out.

The Bible said if you speak one. . . . When Jesus stood there that day and was discerning the spirits, and them bunch of priests said, “Why, that's Beelzebub, the fortune-teller.” Anybody knows a fortune-teller is a devil. So he said, “That's Beelzebub, the fortune-teller,” calling the work of God going on an unclean spirit.

Jesus said, “I forgive you for that. But someday the Holy Ghost will come. Then you speak one word against it—that's all you have to do—and you'll never be forgiven in this world. And at the other world you'll be put out also.” That's how serious it is, see. Yes, sir. Never forgiveness of it, in this world nor neither in the world to come—to blaspheme, or speak, or call the Holy Ghost an unclean thing. He put them out.

You see what's happening today? The same thing. You see where they're going out? Going out into the world spiritually. Remember the last plague hit Egypt? What was the last plague hit Egypt, which was a type of the church going out? Was death. What's the last plague's hit the Pentecostal church? Spiritual death. She's going right on back like the rest of the world, spiritual death.

But the circumcised with the blood on the door took the homeward march (that's exactly), with the pillar of fire going before them, to lead them away.

Oh, I'm so glad tonight. . . . I'm so glad tonight to know that there's a circumcision of the heart; that God'll cut away all the world and all the traditions of men, and everything else; and we can see Jesus, and see Him standing there in a pillar of fire going before—performing the works, and doing exactly what God said would do; and bring forth a church filled with the Holy Ghost, and doing the works that He said.

I'm so glad tonight of that. I'm the happiest person in this world, because of it, because that He promised it. Yeah, He put them out because they laughed at the Word. Yeah.

Then He got them all out, and then Jesus was alone. With what? The brokenhearted and the faithful. He brought Peter, James and John—faith, hope, and charity—put them in the building with Him; put the rest of them on the outside. Then Jesus was alone with the brokenhearted believers, weeping because that they were . . . their little girl was dead, laying there. The little thing was laid out, a corpse, flowers laying around her.

Put all the unbelievers out away from Him, like that.

Oh, how hard it is when unbelief. . . . Like last night, when we were sitting here in the meeting, that streak of unbelief struck this place. It was just . . . it was terrible.

One of these nights I'm just going to reach right down and call them guys out. It's going to hurt a lot of feelings, but it's. . . . I used to do that all the time, and you know I did. But I restrained from it, just because the feeling of the people. . . . Because if you pluck up the tares, you get a lot of wheat too, see. So now it's too close to the end time now, so we just go ahead, just keeping marching. But when . . . it hinders the people. It really hinders the people. They can't have faith. They can't believe, see, when such as that is going on. And so. . . .

Then when He got everything out, everybody but just his faith, hope, and charity, standing there—Peter, James, and John, the faithful ones—and the real believing father and mother, He walked over to the corpse. Oh, see. He couldn't've done it standing there, all of them saying, “Why, look at that! A prophet! And says she's asleep? Now, I told you, told you, told you. See how it is? Now that. . . . There's nothing to it. It's just a big bunch of emotion work up. That's all there is to it.”

Jesus couldn't do a thing about it. He couldn't do a thing about it tonight. When He come to his own country not many works He could do because of their unbelief. And them carrying on like that, neither could He do it then; and He cannot do it tonight. But if He could just ever get them shut out, to a place that He could be with the believers. . . .

Then He walked over to the corpse that was laying there. The little girl was dead, perhaps embalmed, and laying out. Walked over and took her by the hand, looked out there into the space world yonder, somewhere where her soul had went, and said, “Maiden, arise.”

How could death exist in the presence of life? The little girl . . . the wrinkles on her forehead began . . . her smooth little forehead begin to wrinkle, her eyes come open. He took her by the hand, and raised her up. Said, “Give her something to eat. Just don't say nothing about it. Let them alone out there. Don't tell them nothing. Just go ahead. Let it go.”

Oh, my!

All things are possible. Only believe. What was He? He was the Word of God in flesh. And tonight there . . . that same God is . . . same Word of God is in your flesh if Christ is in there. And He's the same Lord Jesus. You could touch his garment, or whatever you wish to. If you'll only believe that He's here, He'll do the same thing for you. Do you believe it? Let's bow our heads just a moment.

I'm going to ask the organist here if they will go to the organ just a moment. I want you to play “Only Believe.” Everyone now, please don't stir around, just a moment. After preaching like that, it's kind of a hard thing. I just want to pray. I want to see what He'll do, ask what He'll do for me, ask what He'll do for you.

Billy told me today, he . . . or when I come in out there awhile ago, when I brought my wife and them up, he said, “Daddy, I got over a little late there, and I got . . . messed around, I didn't give out any prayer cards. So why don't you just preach to them tonight?”

I said, “Okay, I'll just do that.” So I feel that we're going to pray for the sick anyhow, whether we got prayer cards or not, see. We'll pray for the sick anyhow.

I can see Him standing there with Jairus. I can hear that courier saying, “Don't trouble Him. It's already dead. Your child's dead. Don't trouble anymore. All hopes is gone.” And that heart skip of that little man. . . .

Maybe when I said awhile ago we won't have a prayer line, didn't give out any cards for the sick, your heart might've took a skip too. “I come, Brother Branham, to be. . . . I wanted to get a prayer card tonight. I want to be prayed for.”

Just only believe. Just only believe, that's all. He's already said the Word. Just only believe. You don't have to get up here. Just stay where you are, and only believe. For He said all things are possible. Only believe.

I want you be real reverent. Just pray now. Every sick person in here, every person in here that's sick and wants Christ to come to you, I want you to raise your hand. Just raise up your hand, wherever you are, a sick person in here. All right. Just everywhere, almost solid.

Now put your hands down.

Now what did that little woman do? She touched his garment. She got down there too late to get a prayer card, we'd say. But she touched his garment. She got her healing just the same as the little girl got her spirit drawed back. Whether He laid hands on her, or whether she touched Him, or. . . . They was both Jewish, so whether she touched Him, or. . . . The dead girl couldn't touch Him, so He had to touch the dead girl. So you can touch Him tonight. He's a high priest that can be touched by the feeling of our infirmities.

You out there in the audience, you're all strangers to me. I see Brother Ed Daulton sitting here, and I know I have other friends over sitting in the corner here, some folks from Tennessee. I just met the young girl out here in the hall coming in.

Now I'm going to say this. If you are an unbeliever, I wouldn't even stay in the building, or around the building, because I want to tell you, that if evil spirits like cancer, or so forth, would leave. . . . And all of us know they are alive, 'cause they're in us destroying our lives. And remember in the Bible when those evil spirits went out of one, they went to another.

So if you're not a believer, I wouldn't be near now, 'cause there is believers close. And remember how many times have I adjured you, how many times have I showed you what those things do? After a meeting's over, most always there's somebody calls in, and writes in, “Brother Branham, I was an unbeliever. And I went the other day, when that woman . . . you told her she had cancer. I said, 'That's nonsense.' And the doctor told me I have cancer now,” see. See, just remember, I speak in the name of the Lord Jesus. It's up to you. It's up to you. Now just have faith, and believe.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Eternal and gracious God, I pray tonight that You in this audience. . . . I just love to talk about You, Jesus. You've been my life for thirty-one years. How I love You. How I'm so glad that that night that I accepted You as my Saviour. I'm so happy, so glad that when You commissioned me to go preach the gospel. . . .

And then that night when You told me to go pray for the sick, and told me that them visions had been coming was not what my brethren had told me it was (the evil spirit), but it was You, and it would stir the whole nation, the whole world into a revival. And it's done it, Lord. Your words are true.

And then when You stood there over me that day down on the river, when those thousands of people standing there looking, right at two o'clock in the afternoon, them brassy skies and that big light roaring around over the top, a voice saying, “As John the Baptist was sent forth, this message'll be the . . . second . . . before the coming of the Christ.” And we see, Lord, it's done that very thing, and we see the time moving up now. Your words are all true.

And now here we are at the end of the road, right out gleaning across the fields. You're getting the last straw from this last revival.

Now, Father, we're once more again in this great crossroad of the world here tonight, Chicago, Illinois.

How people has longed to say, “Oh, if it could be shook! If it could be shook!” Oh, God, that atomic fodder running out there on the street will never be shook. It'll be shook with an atomic bomb. But your church has been shook like never before. It's seen things that it never seen, and no church behind it's seen since Christ was on earth. It's been shook, Lord. Your real people has believed with all their heart.

Now it's time for the change to come—great drought, the spiritual drought, to hit the land. And then the coming of Christ. I pray that You'll grant, Lord, tonight that this one more time, so that the gospel. . . .

And maybe there might be a stranger among us. If that person's here tonight, and out from under the blood, I pray, God, that something'll be done; that You'll do something tonight like You did down there at Emmaus that time; and prove a sign to the people, just like You did before your crucifixion, that they might know that You're the same Jesus that's raised from the dead that's here tonight.

I commit myself with the message that's went forth, and the Christ that's present, to Almighty God for his service to continue. In Jesus' name may many be helped. Amen.

Now in the name of Jesus Christ, I take every spirit in here under my control for the glory of God. Now be faithful, pray. Just have faith. Now we're not going to call prayer cards up here, 'cause I don't think we have any in here. May have a straggling now and then. It's real late anyhow. A prayer line get formed up, it'd be overtime. It's ten o'clock now.

But I want to say something. All you people out there that knows that I'm a stranger to you, and you're sick, and you believe that Christ is a high priest; that He sent me here to be just the vine . . . I mean the branch on the vine; you believe if you could touch Him, He'd speak through me and do the same work, raise up your hand. You know that I don't know you. Thank you.

Now you look this way. One case ought to prove it. But let's have at least three of them. I want you to believe with all your heart. “If thou canst believe, all things are possible.”

I don't. . . . You say, “What side to start, brother?” I don't know. It's which side He starts, where He starts. I can only go as He goes, see. I just have to watch. And wherever it starts. . . . I'm watching for a . . . something, it's anointing. Now here I am.

God knows, see, before his Word that I do not know you. I know two or three people. One sitting right here, two. I think that's Sister Downy. Is that right? I think. . . . I know this man sitting here; my Brother and Sister Dauch, over there in the corner, the two sitting there.

I'll try to keep myself turned from them. Even if I'd have. . . . If He come over them, I'd have to say there, because that's all I could say.

How many believes? Before anything is happening, you believe it's true? God bless you. You see that, Satan! You're a liar.

You say, “Does he tempt you like that, Brother Branham?” Why, certainly. He stands and tries to tempt me. If he's tempting you, what'd you think he's doing to me here?

Sitting right back there, there's a man praying for a child sitting next there. Got something wrong with his feet. That's right, isn't it? I don't know you. You're a stranger to me. But, Mr. Farmer, do you believe that God's going to heal the child and make it well? If I'm a stranger to you, raise your hands like that. Is that what you was praying about? Is that what your name is, and all about it? If it is, raise your hand. You have your request.

There's a lady sitting right here. She's got arthritis. She's got eczema in her ear. Miss McGill, stand up on your feet if that's right. If I'm a stranger to you, wave your hand. Wave your hand if we're strangers. You have your request. Go home. Christ makes you well. Before almighty God, I never seen them people in my life. I ask you to believe. Just have faith. Don't doubt.

Way back here on the end of the row, way back towards the back, lady sitting there's got lung trouble. She's worried about it. God, help me know her. Miss Miller, stand up and accept your healing. Jesus Christ makes you well. If that's who you are, and I'm a stranger to you. . . . Do you have a prayer card, Miss Miller? You don't? You don't need one. All right, go home and be well. Jesus Christ make you well.

That lady, colored lady sitting right behind her, right back over there, this way from me, got a tumor. You're fixing to go to the hospital for an operation, or they want you to.

A little lady, I can just see her between two white men. Raise up, lady. I'm a stranger to you. I do not know you. Do you have a prayer card? You do not. I've never met you in my life. We're strangers to one another. If that's right, wave your hand like this. What I've told you is the truth? Jesus Christ heals you. Go home and receive your healing. Do you believe?

Here, watch that demon spirit here. Come plumb over across here. That darkness settles right on this woman here, another colored woman sitting right here. Do you have a prayer card, lady? You don't. You don't need one. You also have tumor. You want me to tell you where it's at? It's on your left shoulder, down your side and hip. That's right, isn't it? Believe with all your heart.

Mrs. Holzmaster, back there crying, think you have a cancer. But you're going to be all right. God bless you. Stand up. I don't know you. You're scared of cancer, aren't you? But it left you. It's all right.

Say, will you do me a favor, sister, that God done you one? We're strangers, aren't we? Lay your hand on that woman behind you. Call her Miss McAlister. She don't know me. McCallum, rather. She's got trouble with her head, but it's going to leave her. She's going to be all right. She don't hear too well. All right. It's all over now, Miss McCallum. You can go home, too.

Do you believe? Jesus Christ now makes you well. All right, you can go home and be made well.

How many believes Him now? that He's Jesus Christ? It's time to rise on the scene. It's time to believe with all your heart. Do you believe it? How many will accept Him now as your healer? He's crossed the building, back and forth, in and out, forward and backwards, believing it. Do you believe it with all your feet . . . all your faith, that you can stand to your feet in the name of Jesus Christ, and receive your healing? Raise up your hands.

Repeat after me: Lord . . . I believe . . . that you're the Son of God . . . I renounce my unbelief . . . I accept You as my Saviour . . . I accept You as my healer . . . I accept You as my King . . . I believe You now, Lord. . . . From henceforth . . . my testimony shall never be negative . . . I will praise You. . . . In the name of Jesus Christ.

Now raise up your hands and praise Him. It's all over. God bless you. I give you to the. . . .