How many people were healed in Branham's meetings?: Difference between revisions

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    ==What independent observers say==
    ==What independent observers say==


    Controversy surrounded Branham from the early stages of his ministry.  In 1947, a minister in Saskatchewan, Rev. Alfred Pohl, stated that many who Branham pronounced as healed later died.<ref>Carl Dyck, ''William Branham: The Man and His Message'', Saskatoon, 1984, ISBC 0-919847-00-5</ref>   
    Controversy surrounded Branham from the early stages of his ministry.  '''In 1947''', a minister in Saskatchewan, Rev. Alfred Pohl, stated that many who Branham pronounced as healed later died.<ref>Carl Dyck, ''William Branham: The Man and His Message'', Saskatoon, 1984, ISBC 0-919847-00-5</ref>   


    Pohl stated that he saw several people pronounced well by William Branham who died shortly there after.  He relates one case of a friend whose wife had been prayed for:
    Pohl stated that he saw several people pronounced well by William Branham who died shortly there after.  He relates one case of a friend whose wife had been prayed for:
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    :''Let me ask, did this sort of thing happen to those who were healed by the Lord Jesus or by His apostles? Where, then, is it recorded? As Christians we sometimes think that we're "charitable" if we overlook these things, but is this real "charity" or love? Is it loving to permit this type of thing to be carried on in our churches, to the needless suffering, agony, disappointment, and expense of the sick? And more importantly, is it scriptural not to deal with the false, the counterfeit? (see Titus 1:7-14).<ref>Alfred Pohl's entire testimony is available from the [[Research Sources for William Branham and His Message|Berean Research Institute]]</ref>
    :''Let me ask, did this sort of thing happen to those who were healed by the Lord Jesus or by His apostles? Where, then, is it recorded? As Christians we sometimes think that we're "charitable" if we overlook these things, but is this real "charity" or love? Is it loving to permit this type of thing to be carried on in our churches, to the needless suffering, agony, disappointment, and expense of the sick? And more importantly, is it scriptural not to deal with the false, the counterfeit? (see Titus 1:7-14).<ref>Alfred Pohl's entire testimony is available from the [[Research Sources for William Branham and His Message|Berean Research Institute]]</ref>


    A year later, W.J. Taylor, a district superintendent with the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada, raised the same concern.  He and his executive asked for a thorough investigation, presenting evidence that claims of the number of people healed were vastly overestimated.  While he expressed warm regard for Branham as a person, he stated, "I firmly believe that there is a possibility that this whole business is wrong".<ref>Kydd, Ronald A. N. (1998). Healing through the Centuries: Models for Understanding. Hendrickson Publishers, Inc. ISBN 0-913573-60-4.</ref>
    In '''1948''', W.J. Taylor, a district superintendent with the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada, raised the same concern.  He and his executive asked for a thorough investigation, presenting evidence that claims of the number of people healed were vastly overestimated.  While he expressed warm regard for Branham as a person, he stated, "I firmly believe that there is a possibility that this whole business is wrong".<ref>Kydd, Ronald A. N. (1998). Healing through the Centuries: Models for Understanding. Hendrickson Publishers, Inc. ISBN 0-913573-60-4.</ref>


    Walter Hollenweger, a noted Pentecostal historian who worked as translator for Branham in one of his campaigns in Switzerland, wrote of Branham:
    Walter Hollenweger, a noted Pentecostal historian who worked as translator for Branham in one of his campaigns in Switzerland, wrote of Branham:

    Revision as of 17:58, 15 November 2014

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    We often hear from message ministers that

    "...no one dared to raise a voice against William Branham while he was alive. Everyone was afraid of the "angel of the Lord" that stood with him and his critics only raised concerns against him after his death".

    But is this true?

    What independent observers say

    Controversy surrounded Branham from the early stages of his ministry. In 1947, a minister in Saskatchewan, Rev. Alfred Pohl, stated that many who Branham pronounced as healed later died.[1]

    Pohl stated that he saw several people pronounced well by William Branham who died shortly there after. He relates one case of a friend whose wife had been prayed for:

    ...his question still hit me very hard. "Brother Pohl," he said, "you were there beside my wife's bed the night Mr. Branham prayed for her and pronounced her healed?" "Yes," I replied, " I was right there." He went on, "Can you tell me why it is that my wife who was healed just a few days ago is now in the grave?" My friends, I believe that was one of the hardest questions that I was ever called upon to answer! My heart went out to this dear brother. I felt with him. But how could I answer him?[2]

    In another case, a minister flew to Saskatoon for the meetings to have his wife prayed for:

    ...Mr. Branham pronounced her healed. Again there was much rejoicing. I remember that the pastor handed me a cheque of a sizable sum of money to pass on to Mr. Branham. As he did so, he remarked that he couldn't afford to give that much, but that Mr. Branham deserved it because his wife was now healed, and he had spent thousands of dollars on doctors that didn't help her.
    It was several weeks later that I, as the Missionary-Secretary of our denomination, visited and ministered in our churches in Ontario. When in the vicinity of this pastor's home city, I made inquiry as to his wife's state of health, only to be told that she too had passed away. What a blow that must have been to that dear brother? But that was not all. I was told that he had a good radio ministry in his city. When he had returned from the healing meetings in Saskatoon, he announced over his radio broadcast that his wife had been wonderfully healed. However, just a short while after that he had to inform his radio audience that his wife had died. I was told that it dealt a severe blow to his radio ministry.
    My friends, what kind of a testimony is this to the world? To them it "does not add up." And there is something wrong! Did this pastor's faith fail?
    Let me ask, did this sort of thing happen to those who were healed by the Lord Jesus or by His apostles? Where, then, is it recorded? As Christians we sometimes think that we're "charitable" if we overlook these things, but is this real "charity" or love? Is it loving to permit this type of thing to be carried on in our churches, to the needless suffering, agony, disappointment, and expense of the sick? And more importantly, is it scriptural not to deal with the false, the counterfeit? (see Titus 1:7-14).[3]

    In 1948, W.J. Taylor, a district superintendent with the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada, raised the same concern. He and his executive asked for a thorough investigation, presenting evidence that claims of the number of people healed were vastly overestimated. While he expressed warm regard for Branham as a person, he stated, "I firmly believe that there is a possibility that this whole business is wrong".[4]

    Walter Hollenweger, a noted Pentecostal historian who worked as translator for Branham in one of his campaigns in Switzerland, wrote of Branham:

    He possessed an extraordinary diagnostic gift and could identify the illnesses (sometimes even the names) of persons he had never seen. Unfortunately his healing prognosis was accurate only in rare cases. The excuse of healing evangelists in such cases has always been: The patient did not really believe; for they were convinced that faith leads automatically to health.[5]

    Hollenwegger also stated that:

    However, generously he is judged, it must be admitted that his sermons were not merely simple, but often naive as well, and that by contrast to what he claimed, only a small percentage of those that sought healing were actually healed."

    What William Branham said

    Footnotes

    1. ↑ Carl Dyck, William Branham: The Man and His Message, Saskatoon, 1984, ISBC 0-919847-00-5
    2. ↑ Alfred Pohl's entire testimony has been published by the Berean Research Institute
    3. ↑ Alfred Pohl's entire testimony is available from the Berean Research Institute
    4. ↑ Kydd, Ronald A. N. (1998). Healing through the Centuries: Models for Understanding. Hendrickson Publishers, Inc. ISBN 0-913573-60-4.
    5. ↑ Hollenweger, Walter J. (1997). Pentecostalism: Origins and Developments Worldwide. Baker Academic. ISBN 978-0801046605.


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