Jesus Keeps All His Appointments

Let's remain standing just a moment, and bow our heads for a word of prayer. And now, as our heads are bowed, and our hearts, I wonder.... This being the night that we have set aside, now, for the night of salvation—for coming to Christ and receiving the Holy Spirit —I wonder how many has a request, and would like to say this: “Lord God, remember me. I want to be right with you now”? Would you raise your hand tonight? Lord bless you.

Our heavenly Father, we are so thankful for Your presence, and for honest-hearted people who really believe that You are coming; and that they must make ready for this great event that the whole world has waited for all these thousands of years. And we're living, just, as it was, watching time and history run out, and eternity beginning to move in. And we see this appearing, so our hearts are strangely warmed. And we pray, Father, that You'll search our hearts tonight, and try us. And if there be any sin in us, Lord, take it out. We have noticed this week, in Your great presence, as we've watched You, over this ... among this congregation going right down and digging out the very thoughts of the heart, and revealing it to us, telling us these things.

Now tonight, Lord, we want our hearts to be true, and right with You. We pray that You'll bless. Here upon the platform, or the pulpit, has been placed a box of handkerchiefs—little parcels that's going to the needy. I pray, heavenly Father, as they're sent from this place where prayer has been made, faith to believe God, that every handkerchief here, and every little cloth and parcel that touches the sick, may they be healed; because this audience and we together are asking in one accord that You'll heal them, Father. It's a memorial that we have asked. You said, “Ask and you shall receive. And when you pray, believe that you receive what you ask for.” I believe, Lord; we all believe. And it's been asked. Now, let it be done for the kingdom of God's sake, for we ask it in Jesus' name. Amen. You may be seated.

Well, it's certainly good to be back at the auditorium again tonight, under great expectations for the Lord to visit us tonight, as we've set this night aside for praying for the sick, to the ... to seeking salvation for our souls. Each one of us needs to rededicate our lives anew. And this week we have seen the presence of Jesus Christ, the vindicated Scripture, Him right here among us, watching what He did —the same things that He did on earth when He was here before—He, doing it just the same.

Now, if we see in the ministry as it's climbing, just like we're growing into a perfect day, a perfect church.... We started out, just like we was saying this morning,

in our lovely little fellowship this morning.... We certainly had a wonderful time at that breakfast. I thank the brethren for their fine cooperation. I got to shake the hands of many of them, these fine men that's sponsoring this meeting, bringing us in here to....

It shows that they're interested in their people. They're shepherds, and interested in their sheep. And so I'm grateful that some of these.... Any shepherd is interested in getting his sheep with vitamins. And these are spiritual vitamins, as it was, that helps the sheep to grow into strong faith in our God. And so I appreciate such men.

And now, speaking this morning on the thought of the church growing, see, coming like a seed in the ground.... And that seed, as it's planted, grows from glory unto glory. And it becomes after awhile into a blossom, and then goes back to the seed. And that's like the original seed that was planted.

And so has the church been. The church age started in this last days. After the dark ages, it started with Martin Luther and the reformation, preaching justification by faith. After his time and they organized the church, it died out. Then in there come Zwingli after Luther, and Zwingli didn't even believe in the virgin birth. He went over into Switzerland. They still don't believe. And the Zwingli doctrine do not believe that Jesus was virgin born. They said He was the son of Joseph, called the Son of God.

But that takes the whole prop out from under the whole foundation of Christianity. He was virgin born, or He's just a man like you or I. He was the Son of God.

Then, after that come Calvin, and on and on.

Finally the church got in such a condition there ... had to have another reformation. And God sent John Wesley with a message of sanctification, cleanliness of the spirit. And then he and Whitefield, and many of them went on in the great reformation—and Asbury that come to the United States. And that great revival saved England, and the world at that time.

What did they do? After them founders died out, they began to organize upon their doctrine; and the first thing you know, they made an organization. Then we had others break off from there: such as Alexander Campbell, John Smith, and the Baptist church, and so forth. And then the Nazarene, Pilgrim Holiness, and others come on.

And then come the great reformation again: Pentecost, coming out of those organizations, with the restoration of the gifts, speaking in tongues, divine healing, great miracles and signs, come off. That went for a long time. It's been fifty, about fifty-eighty years, now, since the Holy Spirit begin to fall on old Azusa Street out in California, here in the United States, where it started falling. The great time come.

Then, what did Pentecost do? One made him an organization. One said, “He's coming on a white horse”; another, “on a white cloud.” And away they went in organizations, and split up—breaking up the brotherhood among the people.

And just like Israel.... Little did Israel know that when they were shouting the victory on the bank of the river, they were only about four days' journey (about forty miles) away from the promised land. They didn't realize they were ... forty years it would take them. But what was it? Grace had provided them a prophet, a pillar of fire, a sacrificed lamb, a deliverance. And still they wanted a law. They wanted something they could have something to do into. They wanted to put their hands to it. That was the most rashal mistake they ever made, in Exodus 19, when Israel rejected grace, and accepted law.

And then, what did they do? He just let them stay right there in the wilderness for forty years. They planted vineyards, and they eat fruit, and they married wives, they raised children, till that old generation died off and another generation come on. Forty years later, and not hardly forty hours away; but had to wait for forty years before they went over. And then a new leader came in, Joshua, and they moved on into the land with a new group.

Now, I think it's a very beautiful type here, that we find out. Long ago when our forefathers in the Pentecost ... they raised up. They had the old general council. From that formed the Assemblies of God. Out of that come the UPC, and the United, and so forth; till they got organization after organizations, fussing and fighting. God just let them sit right there—marry wives, raise children, speak in tongues, shout in the Spirit. But now, there's a new group come up.

They were only just a few days from the promised land. All these blessings they had was fine. But you remember, the whole land belonged to them. Now we're fixing to go into the promised land. So may the Lord help us, as we look upon these things, see.

Just like the pyramid ... did you notice how the pyramid was made—not a pyramid doctrine, now—just a pyramid. Look on your one dollar bill. The seal of the United States is that eagle. Well, why does it say, over there on the pyramid, “The Great Seal”? Why would it be greater here than United States, and the seal of the United States, the Great Seal, the eye watching? And the capstone that goes upon the pyramid was ... it was rejected. It never was on the pyramid; isn't to this day—the Stone of Scone, they claim. But it never was put on, the capstone. Why?

When Enoch, and them in the early days, built the pyramids down in Egypt, we find out that in there they knew that the cornerstone, the capstone, would be rejected. And that pyramid is put so perfectly together till they don't need mortar. It was so mechanically hewed out until one stone fits against the other one so tight you can't even put a razor blade between them.

Now. It's kept creeping up, and now it's all honed off on top, ready for the capstone when it will come. That's the way God's brought His church—from justification, sanctification, baptism of the Holy Spirit. And now the ministry of the Spirit—which is what quickens the Word—that ministry in the church will have to be just exactly like His.

Just like this: when my shadow here of my hand ... if I never seen my hand, but seen the shadow, it kind of.... It gets pale as it gets away. But as it gets closer and closer the negative and positive are coming together, until they both become the same thing. And that's exactly when the church and the Word has to be one—like Jesus and God was one, just exactly.

God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. And so will Christ have to be in the church, the anointed of the Word, to make everything fulfilled. And that's the capstone that comes upon the last church age. Not the Laodicea, now—it's a calling out of that: a bride out of a church, church out of a church, in otherwise. Just like He called a nation out of a nation in Egypt. And now we're living in that day, and we're grateful for these great things that we've been seeing.

Now, tomorrow afternoon, the Lord willing, is going to be the closing of this service, this part of the service. And we're going to designate that altogether for praying for the sick. And everybody that wants to be prayed for may come out and get a prayer card, to come through the prayer line. Now, the reason we give prayer cards on these is to keep them lined up. And then if you don't, they just keep passing around, and around and around, see, and they.... We give them a prayer card. You have a prayer card, and come in the line; and you'll see ... and believe you'll see the glory of God take place. It'll be great.

And now, we thank you for all that you have done, and for the great welcome that we've had amongst these minister brothers, and so forth. Now, tomorrow is Sunday, and these churches will be open. There'll be no service here tomorrow morning. There'll be Sunday School. And you visitors ... I've got some friends in here myself that's with us in the party, and some that's come down from my hometown, here to be with us.

Now, these are the men that sponsors this meeting. They believe this type of meeting. If I lived here in this city, I'd belong to one of their churches. I certainly would, 'cause they believe the same thing that I believe. And I'd belong to one of their churches, if I lived here.

And you who gave your life to Christ this week, and you don't have a church home, why don't you talk it over with them? They believe this same thing, or they wouldn't be sitting up here representing it, see. So now, you find you a nice ... one of these nice churches tomorrow, and go to it. And I'm sure they'll do you good. They'll help you. They'll help you to believe. And if you haven't been baptized, ask them. If you haven't received the Holy Ghost, ask them about it, and they'll help you right on through to Christ, and shepherd you right on down the road until He returns. Now the Lord bless each one of you.

And now ... you know the Presbyterians are always raising up and sitting down, they say. And I'm not a Presbyterian; but I do believe that when we read the Word we ought to stand, because it's an honor to God to stand. It's like we salute the flag, or pledge allegiance, or whatmore.

And now, for tonight I have chosen some Scripture reading here, out of the book of St. Luke, the 7th chapter, beginning with the 36th verse. And now, all week long I've been working on a thought that come to me, on the road coming down here, on the unveiling of the mighty God. But when I got through looking at my scriptures and things, I had nearly twenty pages. So I'd never get through that in no hour here. So I thought I'd have to change it tonight—so I have.

And I believe it's the will of the Lord that I say these things.

Now in the 7th chapter of St. Luke and the 36th verse:

...one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat.

And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,

And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself [remember, not out loud; within himself], saying, If this man ... was a prophet, he would ... know who and what manner of woman this is that touched him; for she is a sinner.

And Jesus answered and said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.

There was a certain creditor which had two debtors and they owed ... the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.

And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?

Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave the most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.

And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thy house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she has washed my feet with tears, and has wiped them with the hairs of her head.

And thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in has not ceased to kiss my feet.

My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman has anointed my feet with oil.

Wherefore I say unto her ... I say unto thee, Her sins, which were many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.

And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.

And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?

And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

Let us pray. Lord Jesus, this story's taken place many years ago. But it's a true story, for it is written in the pages of our Bible—and we know that it's true. And now, we would by no means try to portray this again tonight, but we would like for You to help us to bring this as a message tonight, to the people: that they might see that You're still the same Lord Jesus. And we pray for Your blessings upon us all, as we are needy people. We have need of Thee, Lord.

And we believe tonight, though we see You make the blind to see, and the deaf to hear, and the lame to walk, and by doctor's statements have seen you raise up five people from the dead, in different times in different nations.... But yet, Lord, I believe the most sickest thing I know of, tonight, is the body of Christ here on earth, the church. It's really sick. Heal it tonight, Lord.

This portion that sits here together—this bunch that's sojourning here in Tampa, this lovely bunch of people—Lord, heal every wound, tonight. Let the Spirit grant this to us, for we ask it in Jesus' name, for His honor, for His glory here in this city, where we are 'journing. Amen.

Be seated.

If I should call it, now, just for a few moments.... And I try not, each night ... I have to apologize to you, because you've been so nice, and I ... you're such an easy audience to preach to, till you just don't know when to stop. And that makes a minister know that you're feeding, or receiving, the words that I'm saying. And I come to you when I've been.... I'm the tiredest I've ever been, in I don't know when.

See, I haven't let up since Christmas. I'm going right from here to Tucson, to start again. Come right from there, and go to British Columbia, to baptize a whole tribe of Indians that I led to Christ—were formerly Catholic—last fall when I was on a hunting trip. And the whole group gave their heart to Christ, by the healing of the mother, one of the mothers, that the doctors ... no one could touch her. She was laying dying. And they want me to come back as soon as the ice gets melted. See, it gets eighty-five below zero there.

And so, and ice melted, I'm taking them and all....

A great bunch of trappers, and hunters, up and down the Alaskan Highway are all meeting with me, to be baptized and accepting Christ. They seen the Lord show a vision of a certain thing: where a certain bear would be, how much he'd weigh, what kind he was, and where a certain animal would be staying, who would be there, and what they'd be wearing, and all about it. And told them before it happened.

And they said, “It's ... not even that kind of things in this country.” And we went right straight to it. And it happened word by word. The trophies hangs in my room today, see. They said, “We want to be baptized, too.” Rough men, but you know, He's got seed laying everywhere.

My subject tonight is “Jesus Keeps All His Appointments.” I want you to bear that on mind as we speak. And I won't talk too long. And I want you to think it over, now. Then remember, you've got to meet this one that's present with us, tonight, some day.

Now, it must have been almost sundown when our setting starts out tonight. It must have been about sundown. And this courier had run all day—maybe two or three days. He was trying to find Him. He went down, maybe, almost from Dan to Beersheba, because Jesus in His ministry was going.... Speak here, perform His signs and wonders, and the people would all gather—He would take off somewhere else. “I must go to another city.”

And he'd had a hard time. Perhaps he'd went over to Capernaum, and they said, “Why, He left here a week ago. We don't know just exactly where He went, but He went somewhere else.” And, he'd ... oh, he was tired. His hair was wet with perspiration, his legs were dusty and sweaty, and ... as he come up into the party where Jesus had been speaking.

And Jesus, also, was tired. He'd been speaking all day—His mouth was dry from much speaking. And His hands begin to look trembly, and His eyes weary, as the sun began to sink.

And he wanted to see Jesus. He had a message for Him.

And now, Jesus had twelve men around Him that kept the people away from Him, 'cause they'd just have come in upon Him. And so they ... (I'm making this in a drama, so that everybody can catch it.) And so, we find that in this, Jesus' men ... he must have come, let's say he come to Philip. And Philip might have said something like this, “Sir [a young fellow], we would certainly like to let you see the Master, but He's so tired. We've just got to watch Him, because He just goes till He almost drops. And we've been in so many meetings, and so forth, lately, till.... I'm sorry, I don't believe we can do it.”

But he says, “I have a note here that comes from a very important man in religious realms. And it's an invitation for your Master, which will be a great thing if He shall go. And I must see Him, because I've been commissioned that I must take this note to Him, and see that He gets it personally.”

So finally they took him up to the Lord Jesus. And while He was looking at him, the Lord Jesus—perhaps leaving His place (pulpit) from where He was speaking, where the disciples and them had fixed for Him to talk from—as He was looking, why, He looked upon the young man. He must've liked him.

And the young man told Him, he said, “I am on a errand, sir. And there's a very high-ranking man down in a certain city. And he's a Pharisee, the strictest of the religions. And he's making a dinner—a great time, a banquet—and he wants You to come to be the guest of honor. And he's ... many would like to attend this banquet, but he has selected you. And I've been three days trying to find you across the country. And I was certainly happy to get here, sir, and I'll deliver this note to you from (it), and ... from him.”

And He took the note, and read it. And we find out that this certain Pharisee was making a feast, and had bid Him to come down and be a guest of honor with Him. So Jesus standing for a few moments, and looking at the young man.... And yet as busy as He was, but you can never invite Him but what He'll come. I don't care what the situation is, He'll come.

He said, “You tell your master that I'll be there. On this certain day, at this certain time, I'll be there.”

And the courier must have smiled, satisfied, and turned away, and run off down the hill to take the good news back to his master, that he'd succeeded in getting the message to this one that he wanted.

What was the matter with that courier? How could it be? Was he conscious of what he'd done? The first time, maybe, in his life that he ever stood in the presence of Jesus, and never even asked forgiveness of his sins. He never took the opportunity. Oh, how it's the same way with people today. Many times they realize that they're in His presence; and never ask forgiveness. Well, that ... he'd may be never presented the opportunity another time; and turned down his last opportunity to ask forgiveness. How could he ever have done that? How could this boy ever so been wrapped up in bringing this message from his master, that he failed in the presence of the Son of God to ask forgiveness? It was all a business affair.

And you know, that's something like the people today. Church ... Christ has become a business affair, or a social affair to join church, and get just in a little better social standing for your business, or something. You stand out a little better in the neighborhood. It isn't a thing of really coming and repenting, like a sinner should do. Many times in church, people are brought right in the presence of Christ, and turn away and do as rashal a thing as this courier did.

Oh, he should've fell upon his knees and ... when he first realized that it was who He was. And he saying, “Master, I have a message for You. But to first, I want You to forgive me.” That would've been the right approach. And then, if there was any business to be done, let that be done later. But to first get his own soul right with God.

That's why I think so much healing becomes a failure, or professed healing. Because, the first place, the people are not ready for healing; they won't confess their wrongs. The Bible said, “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for the other.” And we're not willing to do that.

If we can take the healing, and go ahead, and go on back, and do what we was doing, they would accept that. But when it comes to really, first, coming and getting right with God, people don't want to do that. And that's the reason it throws a bad ... a damper over divine healing. You see so many people that walk in like that, and walk out, and don't.... And God knows all about those things.

Now, this fellow made a real rashal thing, we would think. We would think, “If I could only take his place! If I could go up before His throne, and take a message, the first thing I would do....” What would you do? Being interested in what your organization had sent you up there to find out about? Or would you be looking around to see how heaven was decorated? Or in His presence, would the first thing you'd say, “Lord God, forgive me, a sinner.” That would be the right thing to do.

Now, as Jesus watched the boy and as he went away, might come in His mind.... Why didn't that boy do that? Was because he wasn't conscious who that was. May I say this—not sacrilegious—may I say this? Not because it's this meeting, or any meeting, but I think that's what's the matter today. People are not conscious of it. They see the Scripture exactly identified. But they're not conscious of who it is.

They'll see something, and they'll say, “Oh, that was wonderful. That was fine. I....” But you're not conscious of what it is. If it was, there'd be a repentance going on, weeping and crying. The city would have such a revival, the half of you would be locked up before morning. It's right, if we'd be conscious of what it is. And we pass by many times, and miss the opportunity by not being conscious.

I don't think the boy really realized. He'd been raised up among this Pharisee, which was a great ruler, prince, or religious man. And he'd been raised up with him, and just took his side of religion. And the Pharisee had laughed at Jesus, and made fun of Him, or something they did, as they ... in that day. And he just throwed it off. That wasn't nothing but just an ordinary message he had to deliver. He just sat there. And he was in His presence, and that was all it was to him. And it didn't mean nothing to him. But if he'd been conscious, that boy could rise up from the dead today, and sit in this meeting this week. He'd have done something about it. He'd have a testimony that would've shook us all. But he wasn't conscious.

Now, in the scene here, there's something wrong. There just isn't ... it isn't right, as Jesus watched that boy go away tired and weary. But the whole setting—there's something wrong. Them Pharisees hated Jesus. And why would they invite Him for a guest of honor, when they hated Him? That Pharisee had a (as the old gamblers' expression), he had something up his sleeve. He had a trick card in his sleeve, 'cause they hated Jesus. Now, I believe Jesus realized that, right then.

See, people must have things in common. My mother, she used to have an expression, “Birds of a feather flock together.” You don't see buzzards and doves feeding together. They're ... one's a scavenger. And the dove couldn't eat the buzzard's food, because he don't have any gall. He couldn't digest it.

And you don't see believers and unbelievers together, unless there's some kind of a purpose for it. There's something wrong. This guy had a trick up his sleeve. He wanted to play it on Jesus.

Now, you take people, like you take young people, young teenage children—they don't like to be around with the old folks, because they have things in common. The young married couples, they have things in common. The old people, they don't want to be around the kids so much. They got things in common. When you see a little girl hanging with grandma all the time, now there's something wrong there. There's too much difference in their age. She's either grandma's pet, or grandma's got a sack of candy somewhere, see. There's a trick somewhere. And I got a grandchild myself, and I know. There's a little trick somewhere, see. And you see her hanging around grandma, grandma's got a sack of candy, or something.

So this Pharisee had something up his sleeve.

It all happened at a ministerial meeting, where they'd gathered together. And the subject was discussed about this fellow who called himself a prophet. And they didn't believe He was a prophet, because they couldn't see a man that wouldn't go along with them, in all their doctrine, that could be a prophet. And so, in this ministerial meeting, they had decided that He wasn't a prophet.

And this old Pharisee was going to prove it to them that He wasn't a prophet. The Pharisee was going to make it sure, and to show the congregation, and all the people in that city, that He wasn't a prophet —before He ever visited the city. He had never been in that city before. So before He come, he's going to expose Him. Oh, that spirit! It still lives: going to expose it, do something to hinder the meeting that He would've had there.

So we find out that he said, “I'll make a dinner, and I'll invite everybody, and get everybody in the city around. And then we'll prove that he's not no prophet. We'll prove it.”

So, Pharisee might've thought that in doing this, he would've ... he would've got a little ... maybe become after a while one of the presbyters, or something. He'd have really made a hit with his group. He was going to make fun, at the banquet, of the Lord Jesus, to prove that He wasn't a prophet, to put Him on the spot somewhere. Then he would be a big fellow among them, become some great man.

Now, we find out that the courier returns back and tells his master, “I found him. He promised. And he'll be here, because I just tell the way he acted. He'll be here.” All right.

Now the Pharisee waited for this certain time. And they knowed when to make this banquet, when everything was just right. Perhaps we'll think in our little drama tonight, that he made it in a time when the grapes was ripe. If you was ever in Palestine when grape-time, or even in California, when them great big clusters of grapes are just bleeding-ripe, the whole country, the valley, is just full of that sweet-smelling odor from those grapes. He knowed just when to make it right. So he set that time. On a certain day they would have this feast.

Finally the time come when the feast was going to be carried on, and he invited everybody to come that he could, to come up—all the celebrity, and all the associations and so forth, and all the clubs that was in the city that he belonged to. They was all coming out to his great fine palace. It sat out high. It stood out as an estate there in the city. And the time arrived for this to be done. 'Course the yard was all taken care of, and the tables were all set, and the banquet room ready.

And then ... now, he's going to have to take care of the ... his guests, when they come. Any host will do that. So he had to hire some stable boys, 'cause some of his (hosts) would be, or some of his guests would be coming on chariots, and some riding on mules, some walking. So anyone that makes a ... has a banquet has to make ready to entertain their guests.

So Pharisee got everything just fixed up, and all of his servants, and got them ready; got the stable boys where they could take the horses, and all the fodder and stuff ready for them. Then he had an innkeeper, or a doorkeeper, that had to take up the invitations—'cause you could not come unless you was invited—and to take up the invitations. He had their names down, ever who was going to be there. And they come, they identified their name, and so they could come in.

Then ... let's just look what hap... what they had to do for awhile. I've been in the Orient, and maybe many of you have, and watched how they do it. It's really striking. And you notice, then when everything's taken care of, then when they come in the door, the first thing, the keeper of the door asks who they are. And they tell who they are. He looks on his list, and here's the name. Then he checks it. Then what he does, he takes his staff, sets it in the corner. The boys take the horses if he's walking or, if he's on the horse, and puts it in the stable.

Now the next thing he does, he enters into a hall. And in here there's a bunch of ... a man what's called the feetwashers, the flunkies. It's the lowest paid job there is, is a footwash flunky.

And to think of it—we who think we're somebody—and our Lord identified Himself on earth as a footwash flunky. That's exactly what He did. And then we think we're somebody! We'll run off here to school and get a little education, and learn to say a few big words, and come back and put on a suit of clothes, and walk out here and want to be called Doctor, Reverend, or somebody.

I was up at a big museum not long ago and looking at some of the estimation of a man that weighed 150 pounds—how much chemicals there was in his body. You know how much there is when he's all rendered up? He's worth eighty-four cents. Then you'll put a ten dollar hat on a eighty-four cents, and a five hundred dollar mink coat, and turn your nose up. If it rained it would drown you. And then go along taking care of that eight-four cents (right!) thinking you're somebody. And you don't give a care, or you act like it, about that soul that's worth ten million worlds! The difference, or rashal, how we can get!

Now, this footwash flunky—he had to wash their feet. Now in ... when you travel in Palestine, the Palestinian garment is a robe. It hangs low. And then the underneath garment just comes to about the calf of the leg here, for the underneath garment. And as they ... the animals and the men travel the same trail—the animals, of course, going along the trail, and ... as they travel the same trail. And the dust would come up from where the animals had been, and there was a stink in the dust. And it got on their feet when they were perspiring. And their feet was shod with sandals. And that would get all full of perspiration, and be wet, sticky.

And then this stink from where the animals had crossed the trail, with the Palestinian garment sweeping like a skirt, down low, would pick up this dust and would get beneath here, and get all over their feet and over their limbs. And they really smelled like that trail, where the animals had been. So coming into a home like those Pharisees had (they sent into Persia, and got those great big fine rugs, and everything), why, you wouldn't feel welcome to come in before the host, and then be all stinky like that.

So they had a way of taking care of that: they had a footwash flunky, and he stayed there.

And as soon as you come in and your name was registered, the boy has taken the horses, or your animals, and taken them back to feed them (one group of boys). And then the doorkeeper recognized you by the chart that he had in his hand. And then you're ready for the footwash flunky.

Then you go in. You set your foot up, he pulls off the sandal, sits it up to a place, so he'll know where you're at. And on this other side he has a little shoe. And after he gets through washing your feet—washing it all off real good, all the dust and everything, make you fresh—then he puts on this little cloth shoe that goes over, like you see in airplanes and crossing over ... go overseas now. They give them to you at night, when you.... Like the women have those little things that they wear when they're not wearing stockings. I see my wife and daughter and them get them sometimes. It's a little.... I don't know what they call them but it's just like a bottom part of a sock, you know, and you put it on your foot. It's something on that order, only it's a little higher, because you don't want to take your old dirty sandals and walk over them rugs in there. So then your feet's washed. Then you got ... the next thing takes place.... You got this little bootie on, I'll call it.

And then the next thing takes place, there's a man standing there with a towel over his shoulder, and he's got some ointment in his hands. And that's a perfumed oil. Now, the direct rays of that Palestinian sun upon your neck, it just blisters you. And another thing, that dust that picks up sometimes gets into their beard and in their hair. And this man stands here, then, with ointment, and he holds it out in this little pan. You get it on your hands and rub it in your face, and over your neck. And then you take this towel and wipe it off, and groom your hair.

Now sometimes....

This is very rare, 'cause it really gives a wonderful odor. They get it many times from way high in the mountains on a wild rose bush. You seen a rose after the petal drops off. Then it gets a little apple, like, on it. And out of there they crush it, and get this perfume. It's said that the queen of Sheba, when she come to Solomon, brought much of this fine perfume of that, and give it to Solomon. Very rare. It's so hard to get into the mountains.

And then, when they wipe this, their beard and across their necks, and with this towel groom themselves, now they're ready to meet the host—to meet the one that invited them. See, they wouldn't feel right to go in with all that dirt. That's why feet washing, see. They was smelling bad, and they had to have their feet washed. And with their big old heavy sandals on them fine rugs, they wouldn't feel right. They'd feel embarrassed. But now his feet's washed. Now he's all groomed. He smells with the perfume that's on him from this ointment—what they call anointing their heads with oil—and rubbing it on their face, then wiping it with a towel. Now, he's freshed up.

Now, the next thing he does, he meets his host, the one that invited him. He feels like meeting him. Now, he wouldn't feel like meeting him with all that dirt on him. So he's all groomed up and ready now.

Then the host meets him at the door. And they have a very odd way, and it's still in some of the churches—a greeting with a kiss. So they take a hand, cross this way, embrace one another (men) with their arms around each other, like this, and kiss each other on the neck. And when the host kisses you, you are welcome. That's the welcome kiss.

Now, you wouldn't want your host to kiss you with all that old dirt, and stuff, on you. So you have to be cleaned up before you're kissed welcome. But oh! When once you're kissed welcome, you are a full-fledged brother. That's all. You could ... today the only thing you could do, like today you'd go in a house, and you feel at home—you're one of them. He's kissed you welcome.

Remember Judas kissing Jesus hypocritically? See, because if he kissed him, it was a welcome. It was a friend kiss—not in the lips, but on the neck—kissed them on the neck.

Now. We notice then, that you could go in. If you wanted to go to the refrigerator (it would be today) and get you a great big sandwich, and lay across the bed, and eat it—you just make yourself at home. “You're welcome. Come in.” That's ... you're all right now. You just feel one of the family now, because you're on the inside.

Now, you get all this done, and anointed, and all fixed up, you're kissed welcome. And then you go in, shake hands at the banquet. You meet your friends. The host had done kissed you in, and so you're free now. You just feel like you're one of them. You've been invited. You've been cleaned. You've been kissed welcome, and now you're one of them. Go in and have your fellowship.

Now, about this time I'd imagine that roast lamb out there in the barbecue pit, in the back, was just smelling all around over the country, with them grapes and things. You'd imagine the poor people standing around the fence, their mouth watering. They wasn't invited in—just the celebrity to this. So the feast was now getting in pretty good sway. Everything is getting along fine—full, good sway.

Now, I'd imagine Pharisee and all of his friends is tipping the glass one to another, and taking a good healthy drink of the very best wines there was in Palestine at the time. Because they were rich, they could afford it. And they ... everybody, the women—their fine jeweled women—was over in the corner having their fellowship, sitting around on divans and so forth, as the custom was in that day; and the men, all up having their toast, and talking; and the priest, and all the rabbis, and everything, having a great time. And the feast is getting pretty well on the way.

And then Jesus—although busy as He was, and His busy schedule —He always keeps His appointment. You can depend on that. He keeps His appointment.

Now. Let's look into the room, and see what's going on. I can see Pharisee over there, tipping his glass and saying, “Rabbi, you know what?”, and the great conversation going on, the businessmen talking of their businesses, and everything. The banquet's in full swing now, this great feast.

But look. Sitting over against the wall, not being noticed, was Jesus. He kept His appointment. He come. He always keeps His word. All His promises He fulfills. But notice Him. He's sitting over there dirty. I hate to say that. It kills me to say it. But His feet was dirty, He hadn't been anointed, He hadn't been kissed welcome, though He was invited.

That's like some of our modern revivals. (The Frenchman calls Him “Jesu.” “Jesu” with dirty feet.)

Could you imagine it? He was invited, and He come. And there He is. He got in some way. And unnoticed, He sits over as a wallflower. He was just as much out of place there as He is in some of our modern revivals—banquets, so-called religious gatherings. He was out of place. Nobody was paying any attention to Him. They were too busy with other things, although He was invited. But He wasn't welcomed when He come.

What happened to that footwash flunky? How did he ever miss that opportunity? I wish I would've had his opportunity. Oh, my! If I'd knowed He'd been coming, I' have been standing there waiting for Him. I'd have been ready for Him. How did he do it? Now let's not condemn him too much, because we might do the same thing and not know it, see. He missed Him. Oh, my!

Notice. He comes today to our callings too. He comes in our midst. I don't want to say this, but I must say it. And in our midst He's understood among us sitting there, just as dirty to the people as He was then. That's exactly right—calling Him holy rollers, and everything else. And yet we cry for a revival. And He comes. And when He does come, we treat Him about like they did then.

Somebody raise up in the Spirit of God, holler “Amen,” or scream, or something or other like that, when Jesus happens to pass by—why, they're put out of the church. Well, they think that's an awful shame to disgrace the church, disgrace the people; when it's Jesus, Himself, passing by.

And we can see Him come and identify His Word and do just like He did then, and today they say, “It's fortune-telling, mental telepathy, or some evil spirit.” Before the people He's just as dirty as He was sitting there—Jesu, the Word of God. And we do nothing about it.

We're too interested in our organization, or our social standing. We're ashamed to be called by His name. We're actually ashamed of Him. They was ashamed of Him because He was dirty. The guests didn't know Him. And they was ashamed of Him because He was dirty.

That's the way it is today. They're still ashamed of Him, because they pile all the dirt that they can upon Him. Call it holy rollers, and everything else that they can think of. Nobody does nothing about it.

There He sits: dirty feet, wallflower at the party, wallflower in a religious meeting. Invited. We ask Him to come for a revival. When He comes, we treat Him the same way they did there. He come, and identified Himself. But nobody wants nothing to do with Him.

If He could pull some kind of a gimmick, or do some kind of a miracle.... Like He did before Pilate.... Pilate, his only opportunity he ever had, and he asked Him ... wanted to see something done, wanted to ... “Let's see some sign.” He ought to have repented! That's what this cruel, hell-bound world ought to do tonight, is repent of their sins. That's what these church members ought to do: repent of their unbelief, stand up for Him. He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. And He identifies Himself, just like He did then.

And the people today take the same attitude as that Pharisee took. Same kind of an attitude—let Him sit, after inviting Him. Yet, they don't want Him; they just do it, like, for manners. He knows it. We done to Him today, just like they did then—instead of washing Him, washing the reproach away; instead of trying to stand up, saying, “You're mistaken. It's the Word of God, made manifest. It's what He promised. He said He'd pour out His Spirit in the last days. We're living in the last days.” Instead of that, we just kind of sit back like they did. We're afraid to take a stand.

What if one of them would have raised up, and said, “That's Jesus of Nazareth. I believe He's a prophet of God!”? You know the reason they didn't do it? Because they didn't believe He was a prophet, and they still don't today. They think He's an educator. They think He's a denomination. They don't know He's still a prophet. That's what they had Him down there for, in question.

That's the same thing He's in question about today. Nobody's ready to take up for Him. They just say, “Well, I haven't got nothing to do with Him, see. I belong to church. There's my pastor, and all of them sitting right here. I'm a good person.” And Jesu with dirty feet, nobody cared—the very Bible!

Now we walk up and shake hands, put our name on the book. And the Methodists—if they don't want us, we take it over to the Baptist. They kick us out, we go to the Nazarenes. The oneness kick us out, we go to the twoness. The twoness kick us out, we go to the threeness. We don't have to put up with none of it—all starchy. That's just the same way we....

And when Jesus comes, we don't even recognize. We don't care. That's the way they do. And yet, we're crying, “Come, Lord Jesus. Come, Lord Jesus,” and He comes. And what do we do? Same thing they did. Why? If they say anything, accept it; somebody else will hear, and make fun of them. And they let Him sit dirty. It's called a evil spirit.

Remember, Jesus told them one day when they said, “This man does this by Beelzebub,” He said, “You say that against me, it'll be forgiven. But some day the Holy Ghost will come to do the same thing, and one word against it will never be forgiven.” There we are. Jesu with dirty feet.

Could you imagine it? Could you imagine people who claim to love God, and have got so mixed up in their creeds, and their denominations and isms? Jesus said, “Your traditions ... you've made the Word of God of no effect.”

There He was there, and the Word was in effect, because it was made flesh, and was proven exactly that He was the Christ. And the people with their traditions wouldn't let it be effective upon the other people. That's what He was doing, trying to show it off, see. They didn't believe He was a prophet, and yet the Bible said He would be a prophet. The Bible ... Moses said, “The Lord your God shall raise up a prophet”—Deuteronomy 18:15—and the Bible predicted just exactly what He would do. And here He come doing it among those people.

And today we leave Him with just as dirty name as He had then. Let them say things against it, and, “The days of miracles is past. There's no such a thing,” when the Bible said, “He's the same yesterday, today, and forever.” And we're still ashamed to stand out and say something about it. We're ashamed of our testimony, that we claim we believe.

Instead of washing Him, trying to wash Him with tears of joy that He's here, we just let Him sit dirty. “I won't have nothing to do with it. I ain't cooperating with nothing like that, put my hands on it,” see.

There you are. It's the same bunch of Pharisees, just under another name. We again let Him sit like that, for the same reason. We don't believe He's a prophet. We're ashamed of Him. Why? The same reason. We don't believe it. The people don't.... No, sir. He can come do whatever He wishes to. They're set in their ways. And there's no need of trying to fool with them. And, you know, the Bible said they'd be that way? Exactly. The Bible said they'd be that way: lukewarm, form of godliness, and have no power thereof, see. Right.

We join up with this educational, polished-up group standing there, having our big socials and times, and our fine churches, and fine decorations. Then Jesus Christ can come in, and you let Him stay dirty. The Word can be made manifest among us and we still walk right on, let people talk about it. Oh, my!

But you know, to hurry with our story, let's change the scene tonight. Let's turn our cameras another way—way down in the alley, a little old dirty alley, way up in the top, of a little old room that was barred with a bar.

The door comes open, and a woman steps out. Well, she wasn't very well-liked among the people. She was a sinner, and she made her living in the wrong way. So she strolls out down the little old creaking steps. She gets into the alley and she goes down all along the garbage cans, and goes out on the street.

“Why, there's nobody out there.” So she begins to wonder what's.... “Oh, I remember. Pharisee up there, Pastor Pharisee, he's giving a big banquet. Everybody's up there. Business will be bad today.”

So she moseys down the street, and as she begins to walk, she says, “Well, I'll just have to wait till that's over. And, she made her living in a bad way, so she's walking down the street. And after awhile her little old hungry stomach smelled that roasted lamb. She thought, ”My, that smells good. I never had anything like that to eat in my life.“ Maybe been turned out on the street by some parents.

You know, a lot of times we think about juvenile delinquency. I think a whole lot of it is parent delinquency. The kids had been taught to pray, and serve God, instead of mama out somewhere at a card party (her religious card party), and dad out at a golf course somewhere, and sister out with Junior, out there on the street, and running around.... Maybe things would've been different if they'd had the old-fashioned prayer altar, the Bible instead of a deck of cards, and throwed that television out the door a long time ago. It might've been a whole lot different.

You all used to be wrong to go to the picture show. The devil put it right over on us: he brought it right in the house.

She was hungry. She smelled that. She said, “My, it smells good. I wonder really how a piece of roasted lamb would really taste in a human's mouth. I don't know how it would be. I believe I will just walk up.”

Now, she couldn't get too close to them, because she was a foul woman. They were self-righteous, you see. They all belonged to church. So they ... couldn't get around where they was at. She was considered a sinner.

So as she walked up close to get a look around, seen all them standing there, the water running out of their mouths as they gasped, you know, looking at this (ram) or, lamb in there roasting; and all the fine foods and things being packed around in there. What a great time.

And she began to look through the crowd, like that, and her eyes fell upon Him.

“Who's that? He's got dirty feet. I wonder who that.... Wonder if somebody would tell me? Say, will you...?” Turns away real quick—want nothing to do with her. She's a sinner. So asks somebody else—finally, maybe a little lady that was believing, and looking the same way. Said, “Madam, pardon me. But would you ... who is that sitting there? How did He ... that person...?”

“Well,” they said, “you know who that is? Did you hear them talk about that Jesus of Nazareth, supposed to be a prophet?”

“Oh, yes. Is that Him?”

“That's Him.”

“Well, He isn't washed. I understood that everybody's supposed to be washed before they come in there, and anointed. Look at Him. Well, it's not right.”

She had a opportunity presented to her. She remembered a story that someone told her. Another woman of her trade, one time, up in Samaria, the city of Sychar, had been forgiven of every sin. And she realized that that might be an opportunity for her.

So how is she going to get to Him now? She seen He was needy, and she wanted to serve Him, and couldn't get to Him. That's about the way it is. So she thought, “What can I do? He has no anointing, His feet's dirty. Nobody's paying any attention. Oh, if I could only get in there. [That's the real penitent heart.] If I could only get to it.”

Now she thinks ... her mind catches something. “You know what I believe I'll do? I know.”

Down the street she goes, just as quick as she can—down through the alley, up this old creaky steps and opens the door, goes in there and gets a stocking-top, you know, and pulls it out, counts how much money she's got.

She said, “Is that enough to buy some anointing oil? Let's see if it is. There's twenty pieces of Roman Denarii. Perhaps that's enough. But wait. I can't do that. He's a prophet, and He'll know where I got that money. He'll know how I got it. I just can't do it.” So, she, perhaps, laid it back again.

And when she laid it back, there was something kept speaking to her heart. “But would you let Him sit there, dirty like that? Would you let the only man that can take away your sins sit dirty, when you can give Him service?”

So she says to herself, “Whether He knows or not, I'm going.” And down the street she went, and run into a store where ... a little old hooked-nose fellow sitting in there, “Well, what do you want in here?”

She said, “I want the best alabaster ointment that you got. Not the cheapest; I want the best.” She had a special reason.

And that's what we ought to do. We ought to give Him our best, everything we are, our youthful life; not wait till we're old and dying. Give the best we've got to Him.

And there, she got the very best. And went up and said, “Let's see how much money that is.”

“Have you got the money first?” He knew her also. So he said ... yes, she had the money. “So, where you going with this?”

“I have it for a special occasion.”

So she goes up.

Now, she has no invitation. But how's she going to get in? But somehow, if you want to do a service for Jesus, He'll make a way for you to get in.

Somehow or another, she got in. And there was Jesus sitting there yet. And she happened to think when she got in there, her heart beating real fast, “Oh, my! What if He'd happen to turn me down?” There was a lot of things to think about. “What if He'd come up here and say, 'Say, you foul woman, what are you doing here in my presence? Know ye not that I'm the Son of God? You shouldn't be here in my presence'?” Her heart almost failed. And she thought, “What can I do? But I've got to get to Him. I can't pass this time. This may be the last opportunity I'll have.”

And it might be yours too.

Looked down, and her heart began to swell up. She knowed she was in His presence. There's something happens when you get in His presence. She noticed the tears begin to fall off of her cheeks, and she was standing there shaking with this box in her hand. And she fell down at His feet. And she thought, “I can't look up. I'm so guilty and dirty, I can't look up.” So she started crying, and they began to fall upon His feet. And she began to wash them, like that, with her hands—trying to wipe the tears off of His feet—and washing His feet with her tears.

And after awhile ...

she didn't have no towel to wipe His feet with. So, her hair was hanging down, and she began to wipe His feet with the hair that was on her head. Wouldn't our sisters have a time doing that? They'd have to stand on their head to do it, see, our sisters today.

Wonder if the women realize that God keeps all of His promises. I wonder if you realize that it's totally impossible for you to get in like that. He keeps all of His promises. Do you realize what you're doing, when you're doing that? You're denying virtue. The Bible said that if a woman bobbed her hair it was even a common thing for her to even pray. And she dishonors her husband in doing so.

And remember, it was a woman that broke one commandment of God, that caused all this to do that. Do you think one breaking one will get back in? Think of it! Maybe sometimes ministers hasn't got nerve enough to tell you. This is one time you're going to hear it. It's the truth.

Someone said, “Why don't you leave off them women?” A great man told me that not long ago. Said, “Well, they believe you're a prophet. You teach them how to receive the Holy Ghost, and get these great big things, and how to be prophets,” and so forth.

I said, “Teach them greater things?” I said, “How can I teach them algebra, when they won't even learn their ABC's?” It shows the outside expresses what's on the inside. But you go on and do it, anyhow. Why? You're not conscious of it.

There she was. With her hair she began to wipe His feet with it, and dry His feet off. She was scared to death. After awhile she picked up this bottle of ointment, and she broke it. And she tried to hit it and break it, and pour it on His feet. She was crying. And every time she'd cry, she'd reach down and kiss His feet. She got hysterically.

When you get in His presence, it makes you hysterically. I got hysterically! Any man ever gets in His presence that believes Him and has faith in Him, it'll make you hysterically. On the day of Pentecost, when He come in the form of the Holy Ghost, they got hysterically. When you really believe, and you know, and recognize that it's your opportunity, and you're in His presence, you're sure of it.

She'd ... went [Brother Branham makes kissing sound], kiss His feet and cry, and wash, and wipe, and kiss His feet again. You know, Jesus ... if He'd have moved one foot, she'd have jumped up and run out of there. But you know, He just sat and let her do it.

You know, if you want to do something for Him, He'll let you do it. It may be all out of order, but He'll let you do it anyhow.

And (He) was doing Him a service, and she was washing His feet. And He just sat there and looked at her. She was afraid to look up, 'cause ... afraid He'd make her scat. And see, she was washing His feet. She saw opportunity to do something for Him. And she was just....

Now see, when He ... when Jesus spoke back to the Pharisee, He justified her by her works. But when He justified her to herself, He justified by her faith: “Thy faith hath saved thee.” He showed the Pharisee what her works was,

because your works expresses your faith.

Now let your hair grow out! Now, see, it expresses what you believe or not. That's God Word. There's no scripture in the Bible but what that's the truth. Why do you do it? Now notice. Too much Hollywood in Pentecost—that's what's the matter. Now, we find out.... That's the truth—there's just too much Hollywood. You watch these things, and pattern yourself.

A lady said to me, not long ago, she said (little old tight dress on).... I said, “Why don't you take that off, being a sister?”

And she said, “Why, Brother Branham, they don't make any other clothes.”

I said, “They make sewing machines, and they got goods,” see.

You just want to. I'll tell you why. Let me tell you, sisters [Listeners applaud. Brother Branham says, “Thank you.”], one of these days you're going to have to answer for committing adultery. You say, “Well, Brother Branham, I'm just as pure to my husband as I can be.”

“I'm as pure to my boyfriend.”

That might be so, too. But Jesus said, “Whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” And if you presented yourself out there and that sinner thinks that about you, because you have presented yourself, at the day of the judgment when he answers for committing adultery, who's guilty? Think of it! It's exactly right. Oh, women! Come on back, sisters, come back to Christ. Brothers, you do the same. And you men that let your wife do that, and call yourself a man, the head of the house.... Notice. We're in a terrible time, friend.

And we notice

that here was this little woman, kissing His feet, and washing His feet, and wiping with her hairs of her head. And all at once old Pharisee, over there in the corner, he happened to notice it. Oh, my! His righteous indignation rose, and his big chin swelled out, and his face looked like it would burst. Oh, my!

He said, “Come here. Looky here. Look over there.” And he said within his own heart now, in his mind, he said, “If that man was a prophet, He would know what manner of woman that is touched him.”

See if He is a prophet, or not. See, He perceived the thoughts that was in his heart. And all at once He moved. And the little woman raised to look up, her eyes glaring. He looked over, and He said, “Simon,” He said. “I got something to say to you. [Oh, my! Here you are, Simon.] I got something to say to you. You invited me here. I come on your invitation. You invited me. And when I come to the door, you never washed my feet. And when I come in, you never anointed my head. You let me come in dirty. And you never kissed me welcome, though you invited me.

“But this woman, here—let her be whatever she may be—she has washed my feet with her tears, she's wiped them with the hairs of her head, and she has anointed my feet, and constantly kissed my feet ever since she's been laying there.” He found out whether He was a prophet or not.

Then He said, “Simon, I want you to look at something.” He said, “What kind ... I want to give you a riddle.” Said, “When much is forgiven, much is loved.” And He give him the saying, and Simon answered him back.

Notice. Simon didn't give Him anything to wash His feet with, but He had the best water that there could be. Just think. The tears of a repented sinner, washing the dirt off of Jesus' feet—tears of a sinner's eyes washing the dirt from His feet. Oh, men and women, tonight! When you see the reproach upon the gospel, and we're so starchy it would take all the makeup off of our face if we cried a tear, and we'd look horrible when we get on the street. What are you going to be when you face the portals of heaven yonder?

And there she was. She'd washed His feet, kissed His feet, and was anointing Him, and doing everything that she could, because she wanted forgiveness. And all of a sudden she wondered what He was going to do now. He had showed Simon, and it backfired on him. The thing that he said (He wasn't a prophet), was proved that He was a prophet, that He was the Word of God.

Now, he's standing there with his face swelled out. He would've grabbed that little woman, throwed her out of the church. But she had got what she asked for. Amen. Made no difference what the rest of them said; she got what she asked for.

Now He turns to her. Her little old heart began to beat real fast. Now what's He going to say? There she is. All of her pretty curls was hanging all down over her waist here, and her eyes were streaking with tears; and her face and lips were all greasy where she'd been kissing his feet after she'd put that oil on Him. She sure looks messed up, with them great big eyes looking to see what He's going to say. He said, “And I say unto her, all her sins, which were many, are forgiven her.” That's it. “All her sins are forgiven her.”

That's what I want to hear! Oh, that's the words that I want! I don't care what the rest of them says. I'm ready to stand in His denomination, and declare that He is the Word of God! I don't care what they say. Let them put any dirt on it they want to, saying a mind reader, a fortuneteller, whatever they want to. I'm ready to kiss the reproach from Him. It's His Word. Certainly. He promised it. He is the Word just as much today as He was then. He said so.

Now, friend, there may be people sitting here that can't agree that He's the prophet. You might not agree that He's the healer. But there's one thing that every church member should agree: He's the Saviour.

And I want to say this before closing. Not long ago a attorney friend of mine was trying the case of a man and woman that was going to separate. And the attorney was a fine Christian gentleman. He said, “Don't go and separate.” He tried his best to keep them from it. But no, they was determined they was going to do it. Something come up between them.

And after awhile, he said, “Well, if you've got the home down there, you better go down and divide the spoils, 'cause if they happen to get down (them lawyers and things), get into it, you know what's going to happen. They'll take every bit of it.”

So, they went into the rooms to divide up what they had. They went into the parlor. They fussed and stewed, “I buyed this,” and “I had this”; and they went on in the next room and divided in there.

And finally they went up in the attic. They had a ... remembered they had an old trunk up there. They got in there, and began to say, “Well, this belonged to my mama,” and “This was my mama's,” like that. And they got down in the trunk apiece, both of them kneeling on the floor with the trunk laid open, dividing up what was what, and they couldn't agree.

“That belongs to me. I paid for that. I done the work.”

“Well, I stayed home while you did it,” fussing.

Finally they raised up something else, and both of them grabbed the same time. What was it? A little pair of shoes from a little baby that had been borned to that union, that God had taken. They couldn't argue. They had something in common. As they held their hands, he remembered that she was the mother of that baby. He remembered she was the mother; she remembered he was the father. And as they held the little shoes in their hands, they pulled one another to each other, put their arms around each other. The divorce case was annulled. Why? They found something they had in common.

You might have disagreed with me this week, to see the Holy Spirit come in, confirm these words, and things to it. You might disagree with that. You might disagree with the sick being healed. But we do have one thing in common: that's the blood of Jesus Christ that saves us from sins. Will you wash the dirt from His feet tonight?

Let us bow our heads just a moment. Remember, He keeps every promise. He keeps every promise. He promised, “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow. All your sins are forgiven you, if you'll just believe it.”

Now, with our heads bowed, I wonder how many here will raise your hand and say, “Brother Branham, I want to ... the rest of my life I want to not let Him sit and be disgraced. And I have an opportunity like the little woman did. I want to, with my testimony, to wash the dirt from Him, His precious name.” Will you raise your hand, and say, “Pray for me, Brother Branham”? God bless you, God bless you. That's fine.

Now, heavenly Father, there were many, many hands that went up here just now. And we see that the name of Jesus Christ has been stomped into the dirt. And everything in heaven's named that. Everything on earth is named that. Every church member, every member of the body of Christ is Mrs. Jesus. And we pray, heavenly Father, that we'll see and understand that tonight. May Your grace come upon these people now, and forgive every sin, and they know that ... in Your presence now, and know that You are here.

Let Your Holy Spirit teach us all, now, and may we be forgiven of all of our sins and our mistakes. And from tonight on, may we be new creatures filled with Your Spirit. Grant it. May we be conscious of Your presence. For we ask it in His name.

And while we have our heads bowed, I wonder tonight.... Now, I'm talking to sinners, and to church members, and to backsliders, and to those who have not the Holy Ghost. I'm talking to you. Why didn't Pharisee accept Him?

We keep calling for Him. “O Lord, will You come?” When your baby was sick, you called for Him. He was merciful, no doubt. When you was about to see that wreck out there, you called to Him. He let you get out of it. But I wonder, just wonder, with all these things that we ask Him, and we invite Him—then when He comes to visit us like this, I wonder if we're just ashamed.

Just say, “Well, I've been a member of a church, but I want to find Him in the baptism of the Holy Ghost tonight. I want Him. I need Him. I don't care what the rest of the world says about it, I want Him.”

Would you like to have the baptism of the Holy Spirit? If you would, I'm going to ask you to do something. I want you to come up here, right here where I am now. Come right down here and stand right at this pit, right here by me. Every person in here, every unsaved person first, will you walk up here and stand here just a minute? If you believe that He hears prayer, will you come here, stand here just a minute now, while we sing one verse of a song? What is that? “Softly and Tenderly Jesus is Calling.” All right with our heads bowed, everybody praying, come right up here and stand here, right down here in this pit.

Softly and tenderly Jesus......

(Come, will you friends, anywhere

you are?)

Calling for you and..........

Jesu, in this last days just before His appearing in physical form, now, sitting with dirty feet. Are you willing to come take your stand to take the reproach off of His name?

Calling, O sinner, come home!

Come home,...............

Get out quickly, now. Make up your mind. Come right on now. We got plenty of time. Tomorrow's Sunday. Sunday School don't start till 9:30. Come on now.

....are weary, come home;

Earnestly, tenderly..........

(Do you realize Jesus is here?),

Calling, O sinner, come home!

Come home.................

That's right. Come on out of the balcony. We'll wait for you. See, come right on up, each one. Just take your place right down here, now just.... This'd lead your life....

What happens? Look at the earthquakes all over the earth, shaking the earth again. Look what's happening everywhere. The time is at hand. And look, the door will be closed after awhile; and you'll cry to get in and can't.

I talked to a young woman some time ago. I was holding a meeting in a Baptist church, and I asked her that night to come to Christ. And she wouldn't do it. And then afterwards, she met me outside and said, “Don't you never embarrass me like that again!” A year later I passed through the street.... And she was a honorable young girl. And I passed through the street, her underneath skirts hanging down, smoking a cigarette, going down the street. She was a deacon's daughter. And I said, “Hello, there, aren't...?”

She said, “Hello, preach,” such a slang as that. “Hello, preach.”

I said, “Aren't you ashamed of that cigarette?”

She said, “Hey, would you like a little drink out of my bottle?” She was half-drunk.

And I said, “Aren't you ashamed of yourself?”

She said, “Come here. I want to take you to where I stay.”

I said, “Aren't you at home?”

“No.”

I said, “What's the matter?”

She said, “Take a little drink out of my bottle, and I'll tell you.”

I said, “Aren't you ashamed of yourself, to offer me a drink out of a bottle, or a cigarette?”

She said, “I want to tell you something, preacher. You know that night you told me that was my last chance?”

I said, “Yes, I remember.”

She said, “You were right.” She said, “Since then my soul's been so hard.”

She said (Now here's the remark. It just runs shivers over my back.), she said, “I could see my own mother's soul fry in hell like a pancake, and laugh at her.”

Would you want to get in that state? Don't you turn Him down. So right now, won't you come stand here with the rest of these?

Come home, come home,

Turn Him away, that's what happens. Remember, you'll turn Him the last time.

............come home;

Earnestly, tenderly......

He keeps all His appointments. You've got one with Him. You're going to meet Him at the judgment, or meet him here.

Calling, O sinner, come home!

You know, I'm so surprised. My heart feels real funny. I thought today, when I was praying.... Had another message I was going to speak on. He told me to do that. He told me to say that. I thought every bobbed-haired woman would be standing here at that altar call. See, you just get so hard, and so far away. You pass that line between that surging, see, not hearing the Word of God. I thought surely it would happen. But I guess maybe it's later than I really think.

Remember, the blood is not upon my hands. I have not shunned to declare to you the counsel of God the way it is. Remember, there's something inside identifying the outside. Get away from it, sister, dear. Brother, get her by the hand, and come on up here. Why don't you ... why don't you.... Don't you want to be a real Christian? What's the use of living a half-way life, and living under condemnation. Don't you do that. See, you say, “Well, I....” I don't care what you've done. Your fruits is what you're known by.

I cross America constantly, and every year I cross it it gets worse and worse. So I know there's something wrong. The day of grace is passing by. Don't let that happen to you here in Tampa. You're here in a great, big, fabulous city where everything's full of glamour, just like Hollywood.

The whole world has become contaminated. All that's on television and things, is some old vulgar, dirty stuff. And you try to pattern yourself like that. Won't you take Jesus' example? Won't you let Him ... won't you listen to His Word? Won't you do these things that's right?

How many here will honestly say that you know you haven't got the Holy Ghost? Look at yourself in the mirror, and know you haven't. No.

And just look at your own life, and the way you do. Not because you belong to church—“I belong to Methodist, Baptist, Pres....” That's all right. I ain't saying nothing against that. But I'm asking you, do you know Christ Jesus? Is He living in you? If He does, He'll identify Himself there. If He's there He's bound to let Himself be known. You can't hide Him; He stands out.

You haven't got the Holy Ghost, and you know you haven't. Raise up your hand. Be that honest. Say, “I haven't got the Holy Ghost. I know I haven't.” God bless you for that sincerity. God will honor that sincerity. If you want the Holy Ghost, won't you come stand here with these now, these penitent sinners here? Won't you come at this time? Come up and stand while we sing it again. Say, “I want it, Brother Branham.” I tell you that it takes.... You're going to have to have it for the rapture. That's exactly right.

Now, you remember. Do you believe that God speaks to you? Do you believe that's Jesus Christ? Raise up your hand, if you believe this week you've been in the meetings, you believe it's Christ. All right, then your place is at the altar.

Women, shame on you! Men, shame on you for letting her do it! You men out here, doing those things. And some of you ministers, with that almighty dollar, instead of almighty God's Word—let that congregation get in that kind of a shape, just because some organization....

You read the same Bible that I read. Aren't you ashamed of yourself? Jesu with dirty feet. And haven't you got the real Christian spunk about you, to stand up and take up for it? Look like you should have. God be merciful.

I pray that God'll send the Holy Ghost in conviction just now, that'll make this congregation realize where it's sitting.

Are you conscious that this is your opportunity? Are you going to do like that courier did, pass up your last opportunity? Are you going to do that? Don't you do it. If there's a doubt anywhere, or something wrong, take your place right down here. Take your place. This is your place.

Say, “Well, I don't want no....” They didn't want to, either. They could have went over and seen Him sitting over there. They could have went, and identified themselves. But it was against their congregation. What about.... It wasn't against Him. That little woman didn't care. She knowed she was a sinner. She got forgiveness.

I don't know what happened. Where are they at tonight? Where is that woman at tonight, do you think? And where's Pharisee at tonight, though religious? You can hear them both, where they're at. He'd sure take her place any time. So, no matter how religious you are, if you....

Jesus keeps every appointment, every commandment you have to answer for.

So, you better come now if you haven't got the Holy Ghost. He commanded you to it. He said in the book of Acts, Peter did, said, “Repent, every one of you, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For 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.” And as long as He's still calling, He's still giving the Holy Ghost.

While we sing again won't you come? It's my last time now. Remember, Christ has been here, and you all raised your hands, identified that it was Him and His Word. And down in that Christ in my heart, He's grieved.

Jesus stood up over Jerusalem one time, said “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how oft would I have hovered you as a hen does her brood. But you would not.” A lot of times when I come up amongst.... As I told you this morning in the breakfast—you fine Pentecostal people, and all kinds of people—when I come among you, the Holy Spirit down in me is saying, “How oft would I have gathered them. How the church would've been standing today, in its power. But you would not,” see. You would not.

Won't you do it now? This is the time. Lay aside every weight, and the sin that does so easily beset you. Let's run with patience the race that's set before us. While we call one more time, everybody sing with me now. Get right up, and come up here. If you haven't got the baptism of the Spirit, if you're a sinner, backslider, whatever you are, come on up and let's pray together. Will you now? This is our last call.

Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling,

Calling for you and for me,

See on the portals He's waiting and

watching,

Watching for you and for me.

What if Pharisee could hear that altar call tonight, sitting back there? What would he do?

Come home, come home,

He sinned his day away. Will you do the same thing? What if that courier boy could stand before Him again? What would be first thing?

.....................home;

Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,

Calling, O sinner, come home!

Come home, come home,

Ye who are weary, come.....

Do these signs worry you in the earth today, knowing? Or have you passed that place? Is there still a tender spot in there? If there is, come. Let Him come in, take it over right there. He'll make you a new creature. You'll go away from here the happiest person you ever was.

Calling, O sinner, come home!

With our heads bowed now, let's hum it. Won't you come home now? God bless you, young men.

Ye who are weary, come home,

(O backslider, come home.)

Earnestly, tenderly,..........

Are you concerned? If you're convinced, then you're concerned. But if you're not convinced yet that it's Jesus, then you can't be concerned. “Come home.”

Now right here in public, you can't speak much about—because you've come to make a confession. Some time ago I heard a little story. I want you to listen close now. There was a man named Danny Martin. He crossed the nation here, many great revivals. They claim that he had a dream one night that he died. And he started into heaven, and he was met at the gate. He said, “Who approaches?”

And he said, “This is Danny Martin.” He said, “I'm a evangelist.”

The man at the gate said, “Let's see if your name's here on the book.” Said, “It isn't.”

He said, “Well, I was a minister.”

Said, “I can't help what you were. If your name's not on here, you can't enter this door. It's latched tight. Unless your name is in there.... You have to have your name on the book.”

And he said, “Well, what can I do?”

He said, “You might appeal your case, if you want to, to God's white throne judgment.” Oh, brother, sister, don't never want to go there.

So he said, “I guess I have no other alternative but to appeal my case.”

So, he said, “I finally started going somewhere, didn't know where I was at.” (This is the man's dream.)

And he said, “I come into a light that ... no certain place it was coming forth. But I got slower, and after a while I stopped. I heard a voice, said 'Who approaches my throne of (judgment) justice?'”

He said, “I, Danny Martin.” Said, “I'm an evangelist from the United States.” He said, “I won souls, and they wouldn't let me in at the gate.”

He said, “All right. If you've appealed your case to stand in my courts,” He said, “then I require justice.” He said, “I have the commandments.” Said, “Danny Martin, did you ever lie in your life?”

He said, “I thought I'd been a truthful man, but,” said, “in the presence of that light, I realized there was such a thing as shame.” Said, “Yes, sir. I told lies.”

He said, “Did you ever steal?”

He said, “I thought I'd been honest, but I'd seen some deals then.”

Wait till you get in the presence of that light. You think you're all right now, but just wait till you get there. Try to approach Him one time with bobbed hair, smoking cigarettes. Just try it one time. Do you think I'm just saying that? I'll prove it to you out of the Scripture here. It's exactly right. Try wearing a pair of slacks, shorts. Find out where you're at, when the Bible says it's an abomination in the sight of God. Try it one time. Where's your conscience?

Said, “Well, did you ever do this or that?”

“Yes,” he said.

“And Danny, did you ever sin?”

He said, “Yes, I've sinned.”

And he was just about to hear (he said his bones looked like they was coming out of his joint), to hear that “Depart into everlasting hell from my presence.”

He said he heard the sweetest voice he ever heard, and said he looked around. Said he seen the sweetest face that he ever saw.

Said He said, “Father, that's true. Danny tried to live everything that he knowed how to live, but he did do wrong. But one thing he did. Down on earth He stood for me. He stood up for me, stuck up for me in all my words. Now I'll stand for him here.”

That's what you're doing now. You're making a stand for Him here. He'll make a stand for you before the Father.

Lord Jesus, I pray that You'll be merciful now. Grant the forgiveness of these people's sins. They come here to make a stand. They each want to be filled with the Holy Ghost. Grant it will be given to them. I claim them, Lord, for Your glory, while they stand before this audience as a witness.

Some of them are church members, some of them are backsliders, some of them have never accepted You before. And they're standing here. And they see the dirt that follows a real, true Christian confession. And they're ready now to take their stand, as that woman, and confess they're sinners. But with their tears of repenting they want to wash the dirt from Your name, Lord. Grant that they can do it.

Now, I'm going to ask you one thing. Where you won't be out here before the public, we've got rooms provided right back there. If you'd like to repent I want you to go back, before you go back there with them. Come right up the step. That's it. And go right through there. Will you do that for me now? Come right through there. [unclear word] God bless you every one.

Is there some more would want to come right now while we wait? I want everyone that's here to come, to go back there and [unclear word]. Come on. Now's the time to receive the Holy Spirit, if you've never received it. This is the time to come now and receive it. This is the time give now by God. You still can make your stand. Now, if you won't, He won't stand for you there.

Give your life over to God.

Lord bless these people. I believe they're really people that's sincere. I believe this'll be the greatest night we've seen in Tampa in a long time. Won't somebody else come forward now? There's personal workers back there, with tags on, going in with them. We're going in there just in a few minutes, to be right with them there, if they will....

Go in and shut the door, you brethren. Get right with the people. Go in and meet them. Separate them into the rooms. We'll be right with them in just a minute.

Won't somebody else come right quick, while they're going now? Just stand right out.

Would you let Jesus sit in this day? You say, “If I'd have been back there ... if I'd have seen Him like that, I wouldn't have done that.” What about this afternoon, then? Your own present attitude identifies what you'd have done then. That is what you think now. Do you feel like that you're well enough? All right. That's between you and God. I'm not going to judge. I'm just responsible for the Word. He's here with these. They come out of churches, too. But they're going in to settle it right now. That's all of it. They're ready.

Why do you want to live a half-way Christian life for? Either be for God, or be against Him, so the world will know your colors and know where you stand.

God bless them as they go. They're going in just like to die out to themselves. They're going to give their life. They're going to Calvary. They're going to be crucified to the things of the world, and the fashions of this glamorous day we're living in here. They're going to die to Jesus Christ, whose presence is here right now. They're going to die to themselves, and be born anew to Jesus Christ.

God bless.... Is there someone else will come, while we sing slowly now?

Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,

Calling, O sinner, come home!

Come home, come home,

Ye who are weary, come home;

Now, earnestly, tenderly,......

The Holy Spirit just speaks within my heart just strong. I know there's so many missing it.

Calling, O sinner, come home!

From the balcony, from everywhere, remember I offer to you Jesus Christ. Will you receive Him? Will you receive Him? Will you, my sister; will you, my brother, come and make your ... renew your vows tonight, and make a pledge that you will serve Him?

As you know, I wouldn't be standing here speaking, if I wasn't thinking that you'd be.... Somebody's getting their final call. Now, it's embarrassing to pull people out that's not received. We realize that. But it's a shame, it's pitiful this way, but I guess it has to be that way. Inside of me, it's just something tearing me up.

Now just let me show you something. Look here. Just to show you He's still here, the people that's sick and needy, I'm looking right at a person here that's lost her sense of smell. She's sitting right here, a woman. She was praying about it right then. If that's right, raise up your hand if that's right.

Here sits an old woman sitting right here at the end. She just come into this country today. She come from Georgia. She's got a great big tumor on the inside of her. It's very bad off. If she'll believe, she can be healed. She just come in, and her name is Mrs. Turner. If you believe with all your heart, now, Jesus Christ will make you well. Do you believe it?

You believe that God...? Are you a stranger? You don't have a prayer card, do you? You just believe. Today somebody come and got you. You come down here from the state of Georgia. You believe now that God...? Your son come and got you. All right. Now you know it's totally impossible for me to know that 'cause you just come in just a while ago, and sat down here. If that's right, raise up your hand. See?

Now the same Holy Spirit that's saying that, it's just pumping against the people right here. See, He's identified, folks. Don't do that. Now you're making a rashal mistake. I love you. Remember, you come to hear me. I appreciate that. Love is corrective. You see your kid out here in the street, would you say, just say, “Junior, you oughtn't to do that.” You'll go out, and make him stay in, if you love him. Love is corrective; not patting you. I have to scold you. Remember, it's even your offerings, and things, that pays for this meeting—makes it possible for me to be here.

Do I love you? With all of my heart. Sister, you might think I've got something against you for doing the things you do. It isn't that I have anything against you, sister. It's my godly love for you. Someone said, “If you was a little bit younger, you wouldn't think that.” I thought this when I was fourteen years old. The Bible said so. It's the same now.

Don't make that mistake. Don't you trust in speaking in tongues for the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost speaks in tongues. But don't you trust that, see, doing the things you're doing, dancing in the spirit, some kind of a sensation. Christ is a person. Certainly. And He's the Word. And if He's in there, He always makes His Word work, just exactly the way it's supposed to. If you turn it down, how could it be Christ? “Come home, come home.” The door is still open.

Remember, at the judgment I am not guilty. “Ye who are weary....” Jesus Christ identified among you, proving that that same Spirit.... He said, “In the days when the Son of man will be revealed.... He's the same yesterday....” The very same Jesus that sat with dirty feet. Would He back up a hypocrite? Would He back up somebody that didn't know His Word? That's the identification that it does know the Word. I'm telling you true. Don't pass it.

“Come home....”

The last time ... standing here ready to meet you. The rooms are ... people have knelt everywhere. “Ye who are weary, come home....”

God have mercy, have mercy. Can't you feel that grieving?

Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling;

Calling, O sinner, come home!

Come home, Come home; (God bless

you, young man. Great stand.)

..........come home;

Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling;

Calling, O.................

What is a sinner? Not them who smoke. Smoking's not a sin, drinking's not a sin. Cursing is not a sin. Committing adultery is not a sin. No, no. That's attributes of unbelief. You do that because you are not a believer. There's only two—one, you are a believer, or you're not a believer. If you're not a believer, no matter how religious you are, you're still a sinner.

You're still a sinner, if you don't accept every word of that Bible, every word of it. For both heavens and earth will pass away; but not one jot or one tittle will pass from that. And we'll give an account for it. You say, “Well, I belong to church. My people don't....” That don't matter. “I do this.” I don't care what you've done. You're either a believer, or a sinner. That's pretty strong. But I'm just saying this because the same one that knows the hearts of you, is telling me to say it.

Are you finished? I see a few more coming. I'm just waiting, 'cause I don't know. There might be somebody else. Just one moment.

Why don't you come get in, while the water's troubled now? Be a great thing just in a few minutes, back here. Come, won't you? Raise up from there, make your vow to God. “Lord God, forgive me for what I've done. I promise You. I said I was a Christian. But Lord, there's something in me tells me I'm condemned, right now, in the presence of this one that's identifying Himself as the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm condemned right in my own heart, and knowing that in here making this so plain. I'm condemned. I'm going in to make this right, right now. I'll pledge God right here, that from this night on, I'll absolutely live for Him.” Won't you do that? All right.

While ... if that's all, now let's stand up here just a minute. I wish I could sing. I'd like to sing this song.

Forgive me, Lord, and try me one more time.

I'll be yours, dear Lord, if you'll be mine.

If I fall or if I fail, let me rise and try again.

Forgive me, Lord, and try me one more time.

How many out there, now, is Christians, and believe that you're anchored in Christ and you're ready for the coming judgment? And you'll be able, that when the trumpet sounds, there won't be one thing to do but be caught away? It'll be done so quick, you won't have time to do nothing else. In a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, what will it be one of these days? What if you've missed it? Forever, for eternity, forever, ever, ever. What will this little time of worldly pleasure mean? Nothing.

Now I think we all ought to dedicate our lives out here to Christ, don't you think so? How many would like to rededicate your lives upon this tonight? I'll rededicate myself, right now.

Lord.... Now think of what your besetting sin is, and let's just raise our hands now to God, each one in your own way. Remember He's omnipresent. While there's maybe eighteen hundred, or two thousand, praying in here, there's millions a-praying around the world at the same time. And He hears every one of them. There's not even a sparrow can fall to the street, but what He knows it. He knows every secret of your heart.

Let's all pray now in our own way and let's dedicate ourselves to Christ.

Lord Jesus, Your presence was so great just a few moments ago, that I could hardly even catch my breath. Seemed like that I was going to leave. And I know that there's some reason that You want this done this way. I don't understand it, but You do, Lord. You're God. But You've clearly identified yourself. You're here. We believe You. We know you're here.

And here in the building, there's hundreds of hands up. We're dedicating ourself anew. Lord, upon this pulpit where I've preached, and seen you stand here identifying yourself, this week, I reconsecrate myself. I dedicate myself anew to Your service.

Forgive me of all my complaints about being tired. And God, just take me in Your arms. Take all of us, Lord. Pack us away from this worldly care, and these worldly things, Lord, that we might be wholly consecrated, dedicated servants of the Lord Jesus Christ. Grant it, Father. Hear us tonight.

Bless those back there seeking for the baptism of the Holy Ghost. May there come a sound again from heaven, like a rushing, mighty wind. May it fill every person in there, with the fire from off the altar of God. Grant it, Lord. We praise you. We give you thanks, and praise, for receiving us. We give you thanks, and praise, for Your people. We praise You because You said if we'll confess our sins, God is just to forgive them. Grant it, Lord, that we'll all be forgiven, and tomorrow we'll see the greatest healing meeting this country's ever seen, because of our confession. Grant it, Lord. We consecrate ourselves to Thee. In Jesus Christ's name. Amen.

Come, Brother Cox. Just consecrate yourselves to God, every heart in there. I'm going to ask Brother Cox now, one of your pastors here, to continue the prayer.