Remembering The Meetings
January 2008
We are often asked questions about the meetings that Brother Branham held across the U.S. and Canada. Most people receiving this copy of Lifeline never had the opportunity to physically be in one of those meetings. Either they were born after Brother Branham left the scene, never lived in an area where the meetings were held, or never heard about his ministry.
How was a meeting arranged? Why wasn’t there videos or movies made of his meetings? Were the churches that sponsored the meetings “Message churches?” Were there offerings taken? Did he drive from one place to another? Where did he stay during the meetings?
Let’s start with the early meetings. By 1947, Brother Branham was receiving many invitations to speak and pray for the sick in cities and towns around the U.S. and Canada. Although there are only six tapes dating from that year, we understand he spoke in 37 cities in 1947 alone: Camden, Pine Bluff, and Jonesboro AR; Dequincy and Shreveport LA; Beaumont, Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas TX; St. Louis MO; Phoenix and San Carlos AZ; Oakland, Sacramento, Fresno, Monterey Park, Downey, and Long Beach CA; Miami FL; Kansas City and Topeka KS; Elgin, Chicago, and Vandalia IL; Eugene, Salem, Ashland, and Portland OR; Boise ID; Tulsa OK; Vancouver and Vernon BC; Winnipeg MB; Saskatoon SK;, Edmonton and Calgary AB; as well as Tijuana, Mexico.
Why, you ask, were there no tapes of those meetings? Well, in 1947, such things as recording equipment were beyond the budget of most people. They simply could not afford them. The 1947 recordings we do have were made on phonograph records. The very first thing Brother Branham says on the oldest known recording is:
“We’re getting some new gadgets for recording.”
47-0417 Faith Is The Substance
Wire recorders were next on the scene, and magnetic tape recorders came next, but many people just could not afford them. Even by the 1960’s a tape recorder sold for $200, more than a week’s wages for many workers.
Why weren’t videos or movies made of his meetings? Video cameras like we have today were not yet available. In 1956, Ampex introduced the first practical video tape recorder, which cost $100,000 (over $650,000 in today’s money), and was the size of two washing machines and could only record one hour’s worth of material on a reel of tape.
As to movies, the only two sound films available (The Twentieth-Century Prophet and The Deep Calleth To The Deep) were professionally made in the early 1950’s, using equipment far beyond the financial capabilities of most people. There was one known 8-mm home movie made by someone, but it was without sound.
In most auditoriums, there was not enough light to make a movie. This would have caused a distraction to Brother Branham, who on several occasions requested that even flash photos not be taken.
“Now, It’s a Light. Don’t nobody take a picture, a flash picture. Just be reverent.”
64-0410 Scriptural Signs Of The Time
How were the meetings arranged?
Brother Branham had a Campaign Manager as early as 1947, when he referred to Brother Gordon Lindsay as having that position. He also refers to Brothers Ern Baxter, F. F. Bosworth, and Jack Moore as being his managers prior to hiring Brother Roy Borders.
When Brother Branham’s office received an inquiry by letter or phone, from a pastor who wanted to sponsor a meeting, those letters and phone calls would be directed to his Campaign Manager.
Every invitation letter or phone call received would be answered. Brother Branham always wanted to have the cooperation of all the churches in an area sponsoring the meetings, so the manager would specifically inquire as to what cooperation existed among the pastors as well as what suitable auditoriums were available, etc.
When this information was received, it was prepared in a report form for Brother Branham and presented to him on a regular basis, for his finding the mind of the Lord.
“And pray for me now, because there’s got to be some great decisions made. Brother Roy Borders (I suppose he's setting somewhere here this morning.), he takes care of the meetings, and he’s got a book full of—of invitations that’s come in in the last few months—and of places to go, and people that are to calling him for meetings. And so you pray that God will let me make the right decision. On whatever I do, may it be right, the—that will count.”
61-1015M Questions And Answers
After receiving word from Brother Branham that he felt led to go to a particular place listed, the manager would travel to that city to do “set-ups.” This included an on-site viewing of the proposed building, often making advance reservations at motels for the Branham Party, and most important, meeting with all the sponsoring pastors. Many of these brothers would have questions about Brother Branham’s ministry, which had to be answered. This was often the hardest part of the job and one that required the Lord’s guidance and wisdom.
Were offerings taken during the campaigns? Yes, but Brother Branham would not allow any “pull” for funds.
“Our services is not to bum people for money. If ever one time I ever hear of one of my managers begging for money, that’s the end of the manager. We don’t have no more managers like that. ‘Cause when God don’t supply my needs out here, He wants me to go home.”
52-0810A I Am The Resurrection And The Life
Of course there was a cost involved in each of these meetings. These included advertisement, printing of song sheets, auditorium rental, and the expenses of the party while there. This included 10¢ per mile mileage (from last location) and lodging at a clean but modest motel. There was also a $5.00 per day meal allowance for Brother Branham, his son Billy Paul, and the manager, but not their wives or children. The funds derived from the offering also provided a salary of $100 per week for Brother Billy Paul and the manager. Brother Branham received his salary of $100 per week from the Branham Tabernacle.
If all these expenses of the meeting had been covered by Saturday night, it was customary to take a love offering for Brother Branham on the Sunday afternoon meeting. Brother Branham insisted, however, that the expenses be met before he would accept a love offering for himself.
One time, two brothers formed a non-profit corporation to raise funds to cover the cost of Brother Branham’s visit to their city, so that no offerings would need to be taken. While at first thought, we may think that to be a great idea, Brother Branham later said that it deprived the people of the opportunity to worship the Lord in giving an offering.
Did Brother Branham drive to the meeting? Yes, he drove either his Ford station wagon that the Tabernacle provided him or the Cadillac given to him by a brother.
The Branham party would sometimes drive together in a line, stopping for meals together along the way. The interstate highways system in the 1950’s and 1960’s was not nearly as complete as it is today, and it took much longer to get from one location to the other.
Sometimes, especially in the summertime when Brother Branham’s family was traveling with him, they would try to find motels with kitchenettes, so they could prepare their own meals. To protect Brother Branham’s privacy, the location where the party stayed was kept a secret. Phone calls were never sent directly to his room. He usually ate breakfast with his son and his manager. The main meal of the day was about 1:00 PM, and the party would usually eat together at a local restaurant.
Were the sponsoring churches “Message churches?”
Please remember, this was 40-50 years ago. There were no churches outside of the Branham Tabernacle that could be described as “Message” churches. Virtually all of the churches were what was then called Pentecostal or “Full Gospel” churches. The term “Charismatic” is often used to describe them today.
The largest denomination among these churches was the Assemblies of God. Sometimes, especially in smaller cities, or depending on the pastor, Assembly of God churches would cooperate. In 1961 in Beaumont TX, the United Pentecostal Church made a stand against Brother Branham because a minister from a Trinitarian denomination was on the platform. The churches from smaller denominations or independent churches would usually cooperate in these meetings.
Because the emphasis was on Divine healing, and this was contrary to the doctrine of most Protestant churches, it was unusual for a non-Pentecostal church to sponsor a meeting. However, in 1964, the Birmingham AL meeting, the chairman of the ministerial group bringing Brother Branham to that city pastored a Christian & Missionary Alliance church, a non-Pentecostal group.
Little by little, however, the churches pulled away from Brother Branham. In one of the last meetings he held in 1965, he said,
“The churches won’t have me. They don’t want me.”
65-1206 Modern Events Are Made Clear By Prophecy
But God had a plan. Although the churches themselves did not receive the prophet God sent to them, here and there, one soul or another was touched in a very special way to realize this was not just another preacher come to hold a revival in their city. This was a prophet of God!
Perhaps that person was your mother or father, and you were privileged to grow up in a home where Brother Branham’s Message was accepted and believed.
Or perhaps one day you ran across a tape or a book of a Message brought from one of those meetings. It was different from anything you had ever heard or read. Your spiritual eyes were opened, and you saw something real.
Forty-two years have passed since the last meetings God’s great prophet held on this earth. For those who were privileged to be in those meetings, to actually see this great Messenger to the Laodicean church age, the Elijah of Malachi 4, it would ever remain the greatest experience of their life outside of salvation. They could never forget it. Even today, when they begin to speak of it, their eyes fill with tears.
You are receiving this Lifeline today because, one way or the other, the Lord Jesus caused His prophet’s Message to come into your life. It has changed your heart, your life, and your outlook. You can never be the same. Praise the Lord!
We would like to thank you for your efforts to keep this same Message that has touched you, going out to others around the world. We believe that the sacrifice that you have made will also cause a change in the lives and hearts of them, as it has in yours.