Maniac Falls Across William Branham's Feet

During November of 1947, a crowd of over 6000 gathered one evening in the great Municipal Auditorium of the City of Portland, Oregon to hear William Branham speak.  The audience included several hundred ministers of the gospel seated on the platform as well as an unknown number of people waiting outside in the pouring rain. They were full of longing and hungering for more of God.  This was during the period before the Healing Revival had gathered full momentum and there were no other ministries holding healing campaigns; Oral Roberts and the others to follow had not yet come on the scene.

It was the third night he had spoken and the audience listened in rapt attention as William Branham ministered on the subject of faith.  Suddenly far back in the building, a huge man began to take rapid strides towards the platform, all the while snorting and swinging his hands wildly back and forth.  His tortured countenance declared his state of mind and it was learned later that he had already been jailed several times for breaking up religious services.  He had escaped from an insane institution that same afternoon and had hit a preacher while he was standing on the street holding a street meeting, breaking his collar bone and jaw. A warrant was out for his arrest.

He was a huge man, weighing about two-fifty or two-sixty pounds and standing nearly six foot ten inches tall.  Given his reputation, the other ministers drew back as he charged up to the platform.  It became so quiet you could have heard the proverbial pin drop.

William Branham weighed barely 130 pounds and ordinarily would have been scared too, but something happened. Instead of becoming fearful, he felt a flood of genuine love for the man.  He waved the two policemen back and told them this was not a flesh and blood affair. 

The maniac snarled, "You low-down hypocrite. You snake-in-the-grass. Up here posing yourself as a man of God. Tonight I'll break every bone in that measly little frame of yours.  I'll knock you way out into the middle of the audience."  Judging by his size, this was no idle threat. 

William Braham held his peace. 

The maniac stopped with hands on hips and roared, "You hypocrite. You snake in the grass. I'll show you how much man of God you are, you serpent."

The Spirit of God then moved on his prophet who quietly told the maniac, "Because you have challenged God's Spirit, tonight you'll fall over my feet, in the Name of the Lord."

The maniac spat in the preachers face, then drew his fist drawn back and rushed forward shouting, "I'll show you whose feet I'll fall over."

William Branham spoke quietly again, "Satan, come out of the man in the Name of Jesus Christ."  The maniac threw up his arms, and screamed as if fighting some unseen force.  He groaned "Oh-uh-uh-uh-uh,"  and his eyes protruded and turned back. His mouth opened wide and he spun around slowly several times and fell across Brother Branham's feet, pinning him so he couldn't move.

The police officers pulled the man clear and asked, "Is that man dead? Is he going to be all right?"

William Branham replied, "No, sir. If he was willing to give that evil spirit up, it would leave him now. But he worships it; he will take it right back."

With that, he walked back to the pulpit and still in a quiet tone, began telling the audience, "Our heavenly Father has all powers in heaven and earth …."  At that statement, a sick man laying on a cot cried out, "Yes, He has! He healed me!" And up he got.

Another man standing with crutches, threw his crutches across the floor, shouting, "He healed me, too!" And away he went.  A man got out of a wheelchair, saying, "Me, also."

The power of God moved through the building healing many and the next morning a large truck full of stretchers and wheelchairs passed slowly down the street followed by a group of people singing "Only Believe," as they walked behind the truck in testimony of what had happened the night before.

Present during those memorable meetings, had been the young Pastor of a small Church who was mightily moved by what he had seen.  God challenged him to believe that the scripture gave him authority to do the same things.  His name was Tommy L Osborn who became an international evangelist, winning tens of thousands of souls to Christ.  

Compiled from Brother Branham's sermons (See WBSC)
and the book 'A Man Sent from God.' (See WBSC 'Message Publications'

Source:  http://www.williambranhamstorehouse.com/maniacfallsacrossfeet.htm

And I said, "Will Saint Paul have to stand before his converts?"

How many people here that has never attended God's Holy Spirit conference and been filled with Him? Let's see your hands, that has never yet been filled with the Holy Ghost. Raise your hands. How many over the building has never received the Holy Ghost?Is there a sinner here that's never had a conference with God at all? Raise your hands and say, "I have never had a conference with God. I--I'm a sinner." Now, be honest; be honest. "I've never had a conference."
Let me just say this before closing, I--I'm impressed to do it right now. As a minister (I confess) that it always scared me when I thought of death, what would happen to me between now (when I die) and the coming of the Lord Jesus. When I meet my friends in heaven, they'd be little spirits. I thought this spirit would be go out of me, and say, "There would be..."
I'd see Brother Sullivan, and I'd say, "That must be Brother Sullivan, that little spirit. I can't shake his hand; it's rotten in the grave. I--I can't look at him with eyes, 'cause his eyes is gone; mine is too. (See?) I--I--I can't feel him, because he's just a spirit." It worried me; I--I wanted to talk to them.

The other morning, about three Sunday mornings ago, I was lying in bed. And I woke up about seven o'clock; we go to church at nine-thirty. And I raised up, and I looked over at the wife, and she was sleeping well. I just got to studying about that.I kept hearing something say, "Press on; just keep pressing on."
I said, "Well, I'm fifty years old. I--I got to do something for the Lord; I haven't done nothing yet. And He put me, my life here, and I... And my, anyone knows that something happened to me: I was a cocklebur, and He made a wheat out of me. I--I don't know how it ever come." I said, "How could it ever be?"
And I said, "What can I do, Lord? I'm fifty years old, and--and I--I... My days are numbered; I haven't got very much longer to stay." I said, "What can I do to do something for You?"
I kept hearing a voice saying, "Press on."

Now, remember friends, here lays my Bible. If I'm a fanatic, I don't know it. My... If I am, I--I don't know nothing about it. I--I believe my heart's with God, and I believe He's proved that before you. I may be wrong in some things, but if it is, it's--it's unconsciously wrong. See? And then, when we were...I--I was thinking about that, and I kept hearing something say, "Press on."
I said, "Who is that?" I said, "It must be my wife." I said, "What did you say, honey?" She never moved.
I shook her. I said, "Meda?"
She said, "Uh?" She was sleeping well.
And I said, "Well, it wasn't her."
I listened again. It said, "Keep pressing on."

Now, I know visions. This could have been a vision; if it was, I never had one like it. And I said, "Maybe it's me saying it."'Cause one time, I was all burdened and distressed going to a meeting, and I knelt down on the floor to praying to get the burden off of me. And I heard someone stand at the door just rattling off something, talking in German or something. I thought, "Well, I wonder who that is?" I slipped up, and I couldn't see no one. I thought, "Well, where's it at?" It was me, speaking myself. See? And I just held real still until it finished up. And that's when that woman, you know (You all know about it. I guess I've told you.) that was healed... She was laying on the side of a road, bleeding to death. And half hour farther, she was there perfectly normal and well, the Holy Spirit making intercessions. And then...
And I thought maybe it might be me saying, "Keep pressing on." So I put my finger over my mouth, like this.
And I heard it say, "Keep pressing on, pressing on."
I said, "Who are You that's talking to me? Who is in this room?"
And that's the way it comes, just like visions here. It's just as real, just a voice, just the same as you hear mine, said, "Keep pressing on."
And I said, "Keep pressing on?"
Said, "The great reward is just ahead."
And I said, "You mean I passed the curtain?"
Said, "Yes." Said, "Would you like to see it?"
I said, "I would. It would help me, if I could just see."

And something happened; I felt myself leaving this body. Now, I never had a vision like that. I, looking back, seeing myself laying there, leaning up against the headboard of the bed with my hands up like this. See? And I looked at myself, and I thought, "I'm dying." And I started moving out, and the first thing you know, I--I come into a little place that kindy set something like that. And as soon as I got there, here come thousands of people, and everybody looked young.Now, I'm in a mixed multitude. I'm your brother. And you watch, I say this in the Name of the Lord. You'll each meet me there if you'll be right.
But these young girls coming to me, throwing their arm around me and hollering, "My precious brother..."

Now look, I've... When I was a sinner, I never run around. I wasn't ornery to run around with women. And I don't care how saintly a man tries to live and how godly he lives, if a woman puts her arms around a man, it's a human sensation. Now, you just might as well... I don't care, you can call yourself sanctified (and I believe in sanctification too), but you're still a human. Just exactly right. And there's a sensation. I don't say you'd do wrong, certainly not. The power of God keeps you, and you go on. But even in that place, that human sensation wasn't there.And here come people just throwing their arms around, saying, "My precious brother."
All them women had long hair, white garments, bare-footed. They were young, about... Looks to be about eighteen years old, twenty. I...
They'd grab me and throw their arms around me, and say, "Oh, our precious brother," and just hug me like that, and walk away. And somebody else...
I seen my first wife come up. Now, she died when she was about twenty-two; she hadn't changed. She come running. I said, "Surely, she'll call me husband."
And she walked up, and she begin smiling, threw her arms around me. She said, "My darling brother." And then she hugged some woman that had just hugged me, some girl.

And here come men, looked like they were--had kindy shaggy hair down on their shoulder. And they were the nicest looking people I ever seen: eyes as starry, pearly white teeth. They were throwing their arms around me, and saying, "Oh, our precious brother."And one of them hollered at the other one, said, "Think, he's arrived. He's arrived at last."
And I thought, "Have I died and this is... I've come into glory? Is this it?" And I thought, "It couldn't be."
And I looked, and that voice that had spoke to me down in my room, I heard it again. I looked back, and I seen myself laying there on the bed. I never had anything like that to happen. It's done something to me; I can never be the same no more. So then, it...
I--I looked, and I thought, "What is this?" I thought, "Well, all them people looked young." And I looked down, and I was young. I--I had turned back to a young man again. I said, "Well, this is strange." And I looked and...
I can't explain it. There's no words that I can think of. If I'd say superb, or--or--or supreme, or--or perfect, that wouldn't touch it. They--they... There--there was no tomorrow; there was no yesterday. They--they--they were in eternity. And they never got tired; they never had to eat. Yet they had senses: I could feel them; they could speak; they was looking at me. They had senses.
And I said, "I--I don't understand this."
And that voice said, "This is perfect love." Said, "Isn't that what you spoke the Holy Spirit was?"
I said, "Yes."
"And this is perfect love."

And about that time, a big bunch of men lifted me up and took me to a place, and set me up kindy high, like a--a stand or something. And here was people; I could see them by the tens of thousands coming from everywhere, every one young, beautiful, running, hugging me.I said, "Well, I don't get this."
And just then, a beautiful young woman run up. And she said, "Oh, my darling brother." She said, "We're so happy to see you. Welcome." And she walked away.
And I said, "Praise the Lord, sister." I looked around me.
And then I thought, "What is this? What's going on? What's happened?"
Just then a voice said, "In the Bible where it's said that Jacob was gathered with his people and the other one; this is liken unto that, where you'll gather with your--where you will gather with your people."
I said, "All them Branhams?" I said that, "I--I never believed there was that many."
He said, "They're not Branhams." Said, "They're your converts; they're your converts." Said, "That woman that you're admiring," said, "you know how old she was when you led her to Christ?"
I said, "I have no idea."
Said, "Past ninety." Said, "See, she's young forever."
And she looked up at me. She said, "Brother Branham, Jesus will come someday, and then we'll go back to earth." And said, "Then we'll receive our glorified body; then we'll live together forever."
I said, "Well, I... Well, what--what--what do you set me up here for?"
And they said, "You was a leader; you led us."
I said, "Oh, let me see Jesus if I've passed over. I want to see Him."
And that voice said, "You can't see Him now." Said, "He will come, but first He will come to you." And said, "Judge you by the Gospel you preached..."
And I said, "The Gospel I preach?"
"Yes."
And I said, "Will Saint Paul have to stand before his converts?"
Said, "Absolutely, he will too."
I said, "I never varied one word; I stayed just exactly the way the Bible said it. I don't care what anyone said, or did not say; I stayed right with it like that. So if Paul's group is saved, mine is too."
And a great scream from looked like thousands and thousands said, "We know that."
I said, "Praise God, I never was so happy that I stayed true to the Word." See? "I never was so happy."

And just then, I looked... Years ago, I used to have an old hunting dog; his name was Fritz. And he was half Airdale and half Newfoundland; he was a great big dog. And he used to go with me everywhere when I'd go hunting, and the best old thing I ever had. He'd lay with me, and he put me in school clothes from hunting, treeing opossums and skunks, and whatmore I trapped. And so, he just kept me in school clothes. And I'd leave him anywhere; he'd find his way home.And one day when we moved into the city, a policeman come by and throwed a dog button in the yard and killed him. When I come home and buried... I was just about sixteen, seventeen years old. And I patted the last bit of dirt on there.
I said, "Fritz, I'll--I--I'll kill that man for that."
Went in the house and got my rifle, and started down to the police station to get him. And when I got on the road, a little old Ford run up behind me; it was my father.
He grabbed that rifle out of my hand; he was a little bitty man, slapped me up side of the head, and said, "Get in that car."
And I went back, and I said, "Fritz..." Went up to his grave, I said, "Fritz, here's what I'll... If Pop won't let me do it that way, I'll find him on the street walking someday, and I'll lose control of my car. I promise you I'll get even with him (See?) for killing you." And I meant it.
And about a year after that, I was saved. And I led this man to God, and buried him after he was saved: Mr. Short, the police...

My old dog was gone. I always thought after I was saved, I thought, "Wonder when I get over there, if I'll see old Fritz." And while I was setting there, I looked coming down across the hill, and here come old Fritz coming up to me. And he was just licking his tongue you know, and panting like that, looking at me. And I looked coming behind him, and here come old Prince, my horse, my saddle horse. And he run up to me, and he put his neck around me.And I said, "O God, what is this?"
Just then, a voice spoke and said, "All that you ever loved, and all that ever loved you, God has given to you. We're all here together." Oh, my, my heart just melted within me. "All that you ever loved, and all that ever loved you, is gathered here with you to meet God."
And I said, "Oh, praise be to God!" And about that time, I felt myself moving. I said, "I don't have to go back, do I?" And I kept... And in just a minute, I was back there at the bed again.

Friend, death does not change a man; it just changes your dwelling place. I've got a wife, very sweet wife, setting right there. I've got three little children, two little girls and a little boy, and Billy Paul. I want to live for them. But my first purpose is live for Christ, for my ministry.The second, I'd like to live long enough that I could see my little Joseph setting there become a minister; take the spirit that I shall leave him. May my spirit come upon him. When I dedicated him to God, standing there in his mother's arms... I don't know, there's ten or fifteen babies.
When I picked him up, the Spirit caught me and said, "Joseph, my son, you are a prophet." God, let my spirit come in a double portion on my son.

When I come to the end of the road, and I can't go no farther, I want to hand this Bible to Joseph, and say, "Honey, don't you... Don't you compromise on one word. Stay true to God; if it takes everything there is, you stay true to God."When I can see you do that, and see Joseph take my Bible and walk to the pulpit as a anointed servant of God, all done then; all I can do for God. It'll be a happy day when I know that this old wrinkled up, worn out hull could be swapped. When a leak in this old building, the life leaking out of it, there's a better home just across the river yonder.

Listen, friends. Wherever that is, it isn't one breath between us and there tonight. With all my heart, this is the first time I've ever told this outside of in my own church. With all my heart, by the grace of God, with all I could do, I promise God I'll pull every soul if I have to make it, and compel it, and everything else to come to Jesus Christ. For what a time that was when those people... Them bright-eyed women and men standing there with their arms around me, screaming, "My darling brother," and know that my ministry had been the cause of them being there. God help me forever to win souls to Christ, is my prayer. Let us pray.

Extracted from the sermon
Having conferences [60-0608] preached by William Branham

I just want to let everybody know what side I'm on

I read a little article in the paper the other day, where an old man... He was both deaf, dumb, and blind, and he went to Sunday school every Sunday. And they asked him by braille and said, "Why do you go to church? You can't hear what the preacher says. You can't hear none of the songs. Why do you go to church?"And he said, "I just want to let everybody know what side I'm on." Just want to let the devil and everybody else know what side he was on, I think that's good. Yes, sir. 

WMB - Forsaking All P:74 [62-0123]

Did you know that Spiritual blindness is ten million times worse than physical blindness?

"A certain minister said to me, sometime ago, said, "If you'd be a--a servant of Christ and you have the Holy Ghost, strike me blind. Strike me blind." Said, "Paul struck a man blind; you strike me blind."I said, "Brother, I can't do what the devil's already done. You're blind now, and don't know it."

"Oh," he said, "when the Bible speaks "blind," it means physical blind."
I said, "Elisha struck the whole Syrian army blind, and said, 'Are you looking for Elisha?'"
"They said, 'Yes.'"
"Said, 'Well follow me, I'll show you where he's at.'"
Gehazi was blind, standing there, and couldn't see the Angels of fire and the mountains on fire around that prophet, until God opened his eyes.
Spiritual blindness is ten million times worse than physical blindness"
WMB - Door To The Heart P:43 [58-0302]

I command that table to fall down, in the Name of Jesus Christ

The prophet said... Let's trace his name a little bit. The prophet said a... His Name would be called Emmanuel. Now, Isaiah said that, about the 7th chapter. And also in Matthew 1:23, said, "This was all done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 'His Name shall be called Emmanuel, which is by interpretation, "God with us."'"Emmanuel, and His Name was Jesus, God with us, with His Father's Name. He came in His Father's Name. There's where God placed His Name, in His Son. That's the only Place that you can worship Him. The only Place God will ever meet you, is in that Son which was typed by the sacrificial lamb. And all down through the Old Testament, all brought types of that one thing, that that place alone, God, alone met under the sacrificial blood. Only place He met, the only place is He meets today; it's not in the name of creed, or in a name of a denomination, name of a church, or name of a group, or name of a society, but in the Name of Jesus Christ.

  I tested that when I was a young man. I'd often heard of spiritualism, of the Devil, how he does things. And I knowed if there was a God, there must be a Devil, because the Bible said there was a Devil. And he, I thought... heard about these spiritualists. I went to some of them, found out they were phonies, nothing to it, just a big bunch of make-belief. But I found out there were some of them were real spiritualists.And I was at a camp one time, where a minister and I went to see them in there. They'd raised the table up from the floor, and had whiskey glasses setting over it; and taken that table, turned it back and forth, and a guitar flying through the building; people's clothes... Had had this up in the room, said, this medium said, "I challenge anybody to knock it down."

  Two men said, "I'll get it down." They grabbed it around the legs like that and tried to hold it. It wouldn't. Why, that table throwed them plumb across the floor. Don't you just set around. If you've never been a missionary and been on fields, only thing you know is just the thought of a Devil. If you look out here on some of these people walking around the streets, you can see him. But there is a Devil. Certainly is.
And people worship the Devil, don't even know what they're doing. They worship the Devil in churches, "Teaching for doctrine the commandments of men, creeds--creeds and traditions." I said...

  This woman hollered over to me and said, "They tell me you're a preacher."I said, "I am."
She said, "Then if you don't..." Said, "What do you think about this?"
I said, "It's the Devil."
And she said, "Well, then if you've got so much power, knock it down."
I said, "I don't have any power at all. I have no power, but I'm here representing One."
I said, "Lord Jesus, You said, in Saint Mark the 16th chapter 'In My Name they shall cast out devils.'" I said, "Now, that Your servant may know, as the battle lays before me," I said, "I command that table to fall down, in the name of the holy church," and it stayed right there. I said, "I command that table to fall down there, in the name of the 'Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,'" and it stayed right there. I said, "I command that table to fall down, in the Name of Jesus Christ," and like to have broke all four legs off, hitting the floor.

   "In My Name they shall cast out devils." That's the Name of the Father. He put His Name in Jesus Christ. And in Him He meets to worship. In Him He meets to cast out devils. In Him He meets to heal the sick. In Him He meets to save. In Him He meets to save, fill with the Holy Ghost. That's God's only Place to meet people for worship.Now, we find out that Jesus said also that... The word, Name "Jesus," means "Jehovah-Saviour, Jehovah the Saviour."

 God's provided place of worship P:31  [65-0425]

DONT YOU NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THEM [WITCH-DOCTORS]

It's happened in Germany when them fifteen witch doctors, on each side of me, said... Because Billy and Brother Arganbright wouldn't let them--let them see me, they said, "Well, we'll cause that tent to blow away." And they set down there with their enchantments, and called on their god the Devil, and here he come with a storm. About thirty thousand, forty thousand Germans out there, and that tent just raising up and down like this... Them... And then cut a--took a scissor and cut a feather, and pointed it back like that. And setting there, going through all of their enchantments and saying the three holy words, they say, "The Father, the Son, the Holy Ghost; wo-loo-loo-loo-loo-loo. The Father, the Son, the Holy Ghost; uhhhh," going like that, and actually the storm come up, sure. "He's the prince of the powers of the air," Satan.

And they called the storm, and I... Even that great big tent, setting out like that... Oh, my, cover about a city block; and it built up, built out of two-by-four's, and just canvas tacked over it. The wind got under there and just raised it, like that. That wind and lightening a-flying like that, I just continually preached.And oh, they just going into a big enchantment, going on and on like that, saying those little holy words. They said, "The three high holy, words: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost," on both sides like that. Then I seen him bound, surrounded by devils there, but not bound.
And I said to Brother Lowster, "Don't interpret this."
I said, "Brother Arganbright, just pray."
I said, "Lord God, Creator of heavens and earth, You sent me here; I set my foot on this German soil in the Name of Jesus Christ because You sent me here. And that cloud has no power over me. It does not, because I'm anointed and sent here for the salvation of this people. I command you in Jesus' Name to depart from here."

And the thunders going, "Bang, bang, bang, went grrrrrr," and rolled away; and right straight over the tent, blowed back, and the sun shined out.And within ten minutes, there was about ten thousand around the altars and things, screaming for mercy to see the power of God. Why? "Greater is He that's in you than he that's in the world." See, see?
"Greater is He that's in you than he that's in the world." See the afflictions and the thing... Oh, brother, sister, we have not one worry at all. The greatness is God, and He is in you. Do you believe that?

 He that is in you P:109  [63-1110E]

In the wintertime I'd hunt till the party [at home] was over, may be daylight in the morning

I used to remember as a little boy... (I hope I'm not holding you too long. But knowing...) Setting out in the--on--on the creek bank, and I'd set there and look around at nighttime. Pop and mom, they're gone on now to their rest. And them days they were sinners; there was no Christianity in our homes at all. And, oh, my, drinking, and parties, and carrying on; it made me sick. I'd take my--my lantern and my dog and go to the woods to stay all night. In the wintertime I'd hunt till the party was over, maybe daylight in the morning. Come home, wouldn't be over, I've laid on top of a shed and sleep, waiting for daylight to break.Then I'd think of how that times, then being out there in the summertime, get my sticks and put them down for a little windbreak, where if it rained; lay there and have the poles sticking in the water, fishing; my old coon dog laying there, I'd say, "Looky here. You know, last winter I camped right here one night; I built a fire right here when I was waiting for my old dog here to tree, and I had a fire here. It was froze five inches deep in the ground. That little flower, where did you come from? See? Where--where--where'd you come from? Who come out here and planted you? And what hothouse did they bring you out of? Or--or what about it, where'd you come from?" See? That little flower, I'd say, "Why, it was froze, and everything, and I built a fire on top here. Besides the freezing element, there was a heat element laying here on a big old log where I burned here. And yet here you are; you're alive. Where'd you come from?"

  What was it? There was another William Branham. See? A little spot of Eternal Life down there, from the--the--the genes of God, the Word of God that was placed in there. Each one of you can think of similar things. See? It was working.Then I looked up to the trees and I'd think, "Leaf, I seen you fall off last year, and what are you back there again? Where'd you come from? What brought you here?" See? It was that Eternal Life working in the body.
Now, then one day as I walked on, that Voice talking, "Don't never smoke, drink, so forth." And the young fellows and all, I got older. See, there was Something moving.
But yet all at once I looked up, and I said, "I'm not the son of Charles and Ella Branham. There's Something calling." Like my little eagle, "I'm not a chicken. There's Something up yonder, somewhere. O great Jehovah, Whoever You are, open it up. I want to come home. There's Something in me, calling."
Then I was borned again. That little Life was laying there; the life of water was poured upon It, then It begin to grow. Now, that old life was forgiven, put in the sea of God's forgetfulness, to never be remembered against me no more. See? Now, we stand justified, as though we never had sinned in the Presence of God.

Excerpts from the message  Communion P:17  [65-1212]