(QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS)
INDIAÕS QUESTIONS
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Question # 725: ÒThere are some traditional wear both for men and women that appear
to contradict Deuteronomy 22:5. The Churidar, which
is a combination of a dress and pants or pajamas, is
sewn between the legs and resembles slacks {pants like the women wear in
USA}that is considered to be traditional womenÕs wear in parts of India and in
Pakistan, which is also worn by believers of this message. Some claim that this
Churidar covers a womanÕs body better than a skirt,
especially when she has to bend and work in the fields etc. Others think it is
okay, because in the vision of the Bride W.M.B. saw and recognized the people
of different nations that make up the Bride by their various traditional wear.
E.O.D.H. Contribution: The devil hides himself in certain terminologies
in order to have his way. When they brought the epileptic child to Jesus, He
said it was a devil. Today, science hides that same devil and calls it
ÒepilepsyÓ.
For the devil to
deceive people around the message and in religious circles, sometimes he takes
the same item and calls it by the name it carries in a foreign language. From
the description of this garment, it is a shirt and a skirt that are sown
together, but the skirt is parted between the legs and sewn together, therefore
it resembles a manÕs garment.
People in the
message and even ministers allow their families to wear that, and the reason
that they give is that when the women bend down and have to work in the fields
they are more protected, and beside that they call it a national garment and
Brother Branham had seen the people in their national garments when the Bride
was previewed in his vision. Now these points sounds very reasonable, and if we
would go only on reason, concerning that, then a lot of us would agree that it looks
like a good garment because when the woman bends you cannot see her form and so
on, and she is even more covered than a dress, so this seems to be a very good
way of clothing herself.
Now, reason could
take us a long way and go back and say, ÒNational garbÓ. But then we as ministers, have no message of our own and we cannot
interpret scriptures by ourselves. The first thing we have to do is find out
what the prophet had to say about that. Now, he may not have used the word ÒChuridarÓ, but can we find something in his message that he
described
that could fit the churidar? So I am not going to
deal with churidar here this morning; I am going to
deal with the prophetÕs message, and if what he said fits the churidar then the churidar is
unscriptural.
From my
understanding of this garment that is parted between the legs, but it is still
slack on both legs to a certain extent, Brother Branham described this garment
as slacks,
donÕt matter what you call it. Let us hear what he said about slacks. If he
said that slacks is okay, then churidar is okay, and
if he said that slacks is bad then churidar is bad.
Very simple!
Churidar, the Indian wear, is another name for
slacks worn by Western women. The prophet said itÕs worse than
a pants.
SLACKS
(FOR FIELD HORSE) WIFE & MOTHER
Quote W.M.B.: E-22 I happened to meet a lady today, and she was very
much upset on what I said the other night about women wearing little short
clothes; it was not nice for Christians to do that, and it was absolutely
unscriptural. She said, "Young man, you'll--you'll ruin your
ministry." I said, "Oh, no, no. If I don't, it'll be ruined.
See?" She said... I said, "Are you guilty?" She said, "No,
sir, I don't wear shorts." I said, "Well then, what's you fussing
about?"She said, "I wear slacks." I said, "That's worse." She
said, "Oh, no," she said, "--it's decent like if..." And
said, what are you going to do with a woman out in the field?" I believe is the way she
put it. Said, "Yeah, riding a horse." Said, "Out with my husband
to help round up some cattle. You think I ought to wear a skirt?"
Said, "..." I said,
"You oughtn't to be out there in the first place. That's what's the
matter; women's trying to take man's work now; we got so many men out of
work." That's right, that's right. She said, "What about in the garden
--when you're pulling up stuff, a garden with a--with a dress on. Don't you
think it'd be better with--with slacks?" I said, "No, ma'am. My wife
has no trouble about it, neither did my mother. I don't think you will either,
if you'll just take
care of yourself." I said, "I don't...?..."
She said, "And slacks is wrong?" I said, "The Bible said that a
woman that'll put on any garment that pertains to a man, it's an abomination in
the sight of God." That's right. (Abraham's Covenant Confirmed 61-0210).
Malachi
4 has spoken and let the churidar take its flight. We
regard no opinion.
We regard no suggestions under these conditions. Malachi 4, the prophet, has
spoken and he has quoted the scripture. The scripture against churidar, slacks, pants or whatever, is Deuteronomy 22:5 <The woman shall not
wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall
a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the
LORD thy God.>
LOOKS LIKE MAN - SLACKS
Quote W.M.B.: 87 "There's no harm in it. I have taste; I have
feelings. I have a feeling that this is all right." She come right on down
through that and right into her soul, if her soul is of that type. Shows that
she isn't drawing through God's Filter. But if she's got bobbed hair, wearing
makeup, shorts, pants, looks like man, all of these slacks and ever what they
call them, saying those kind of things, and doing those things, and living for
the world, she'll stop; she can't get through there. No, sir.
It'll stop her at the beginning. (Thinking Man's Filter 65-0822e).
He is saying the
same thing here that the slacks is worse. This is
1965. So he did not change his opinion at all. The same thing he said way back
there in the earlies is the same thing he said at the
last year of his time on earth.
SLACKS
WORSE
Quote W.M.B.: 97 Now, notice this. Live for
Him, keeping ourselves from the world. Now, look. You look on television, some
of you sisters, and you go down here and you want... You young women, you're
young; I know that, but you're a Christian. See? You're different. You don't
want to be like the world. You love the world's--not only you young ones, but
some of you older ones. See? Well, what does that? See? You watch television;
you go down to the store; and you see these little old clothes that women wear
that's ungodly.
Do you know what's going to
happen at the day of judgment? You might be just as
virtuous to your husband as you can be, but in the day of
judgment you're going to have to answer for committing adultery. Jesus
said, "Whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust
after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart." Who's to
blame? You. See? You presented yourself: them shorts and slacks. Some women said to me not long
ago, said, "I don't wear shorts, Brother Branham. I thank the Lord for
that. I wear
slacks." I said, "That's worse; that's worse." That's
right. You can't even buy a dress hardly for a woman. (Things That Are To Be
65-1205).
SLACKS
– HOLY GHOST FOLLOWS GODÕS WORD
Quote: 111
If the Bible says it's wrong for a woman to put on a garment that pertain to a
man, and you wear these little old overalls and slacks out here on the road... You
grown women... I guess a little baby would be all--think if they're play with
little boys and things. But look, when you--when you grown women fifteen,
sixteen, eighteen years old, and up to grandma, out here on the road... And the
Bible says it's an abomination in the sight of God for a woman to wear those
things, and you wear them anyhow, and say you got the Holy Ghost? I wonder
sometimes. The Holy
Ghost will follow God's Word to the letter. And a preacher behind the
pulpit that ain't got grace enough to preach it, I
doubt he's got It. Well, that's what the Holy Ghost is for. (What Holy Ghost Was Given For 59-1217).
MAN
LED AROUND BY EARS
Quote:
E-81 It's a--it's
an abomination. A woman said to me, "I don't wear shorts." Said,
"I wear these--what do you call them, when they pull like? Slacks." I
said, "That's worse than ever. The Bible says it's an abomination for a
woman to wear a garment that pertains to a man." It's a shame. Oh, our
women, our men... And you men with a wishbone instead of a backbone, to let your
women smoke cigarettes, and act like that. Shame on you.
I don't call that a ruler of his own house. I call that led around by the ears
somewhere. Shame on you. Oh, "Our whole
body," Isaiah said, "has become putrefied sores." We need a
house cleaning and a Holy Ghost revival, for the coming of Lord Jesus Christ a
cleaning... That's right. You know that's right. (Greater Than Solomon Is Here 62-0628).
SISSIFIED
DONÕT KNOW HOW TO DRESS
Quote: E-42
I said that not long ago and a woman said to me; she said, "Listen...?...
Brother Branham." She met me in the back of the building. She said,
"Listen, Brother Branham, I don't wear shorts." Well, I said,
"That's very good." She said, "I do wear slacks." I said,
"That's worse." That's right.
The Bible said it's an
abomination for a woman to put on a garment that pertains to a man. God don't
change. He made a man to look like a man and a woman to look like a woman. But
today men are so sissified, they don't know how to dress. That's right. And women,
God's daughters, smoking cigarettes, the greatest sabotage that the world ever
had. (Hear Ye Him
60-0712).
Now
the question comes up here about national garbs. This is the excuse they are making to
wear the churidar. They say itÕs a national garb: ÒIt
fits the Muslims in Pakistan, fits the Hindus and it fits a lot of people, and
itÕs a decent wear.Ó I proved to you that it is not a decent wear. From the
words of the prophet, itÕs a manÕs garment. The excuse about the prophet seeing
people in their national garbs or national wear, cannot justify a womanÕs
slacks. It is contrary to Deuteronomy 22:5.
NATIONAL
GARB
Quote W.M.B.: 32-4 Then I just thought I just might as well forget it;
I was gone. Then all at once, I heard them coming again, and coming upon this
side come the same Bride that went around this a-way. Here come them little
ladies again, and each one of them was dressed in their national garb from
where they come from, like Switzerland, Germany and so forth, each one wearing
that kind of garb, all long haired, just exactly like the one at the first. And
here they was coming, walking, "Onward Christian soldiers marching as to
war..." (The Choosing Of A Bride 65-0429e).
The
original
national wear of USA, was long dresses to the floor and long sleeves which
fully clothed the women. The national wear for women is now shorts, pants,
slacks and even G-strings: the filthiest women are now upon the earth. Are you
telling me that the prophet had seen the Bride of USA attired like that?
Absolutely not! However, in that same vision: ÒPreview of the BrideÓ, where
this quotation is taken from, the prophet seen the false church, SatanÕs bride,
dancing to rock ÔnÕ roll music and almost naked. Thus, there is a great
difference between original national garments and modern national garments. So
we cannot take such DevilÕs excuse to permit the violation of GodÕs Word
concerning modest dressing.
Several national
garments of many countries are not original but have been modernized which fits Hollywood and Bollywood, which spells out Sodom and Gomorrah. I defy,
reject and condemn such styles by the written Word of God and the message of
Malachi 4:5& 6. So let it be established in all churches.
Scriptures
to back up my statements are:
1 Timothy 2:9 <In like
manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness
and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or
pearls, or costly array.>
I
Peter 3:3-4 <Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting
the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
But let
it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the
ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great
price.>
Deuteronomy 22:5 and also you could get some
things on dressing on E.O.D.H. Book 6.
PASTOR -THEYÕRE LIBERATING WOMEN
FROM COMMON DECENCY
CHILD OF HELL
Quote W.M.B.: E-40 A
Christian woman preacher sent a girl down here the other day that looked like
she was poured
into her clothes. She said, "Oh, Brother Branham, you're from the old
school. Our pastor liberates women." I said, "Liberate them from
what?" They're liberating them from Christ and common decency. Oh, very famous, the
woman is... certainly. But anything that does that's a child of hell. "By
their fruit you shall know them. (Handwriting On the Wall 58-0309M).
Question
# 726: ÒIf women of India
or other countries, wear a sari with belly and back exposure, is it scriptural
or allowed because it is a national wear?Ó
E.O.D.H. Contribution: The questions is if a national wear, (sari
or whatever) exposes the womanÕs back, belly or other parts that are supposed
to be covered, if she wears that because it is a national wear, should we as
ministers allow that? How many says ÒNo!Ó [Ed. All ministers and elders says, ÒNo!Ó] I
have the support of all the brethren here, and I think they have the Spirit of
the Lord.
On the basis of 1
Timothy 2:9 which concerns modest apparel, such
garments that reveal womenÕs personal body parts: their backs, bellies or
thighs, are unscriptural. ItÕs filthy, nasty, low-down, indecent and
hypocritical for any Christian woman to identify with such styles, be it national wear
or not. When we speak of national wear, we are speaking of the styles of the
world. The Bible said, be not like the world.
Romans 12:2 <And be not
conformed to this world.>
The styles around
the world in modern times are exposure of the breasts, back, belly, legs and buttocks
of the women. It is stink, ridiculous and satanic. God will curse
such people unless they repent. It appeared on our local newspaper, a Bollywood film star with her belly exposed and her
underclothes being pulled down in front. It is one of the stinkest sights I have ever seen for an Indian film
star. Such exposure of body parts belongs to prostitutes of Hollywood and Bollywood and not the Christian church. The Bombay women of
India were identified in Trinidad by such styles of belly and back exposure and
they went to other states of India and corrupted other women.
The original garments of Indian women are not foreign to us. Our
foreparents who came from
India, about 200 years ago, were fully clad with full dresses, long sleeves,
skirts to the ground and veils over their heads and faces when they came in the
presence of men.
Myself and several Indians lived in that kind of home. The
women were taught the same customs of India, to have long sleeves, long dresses
(right down to the ankle). Tight dresses were no where in sight. That tradition
from India continued in this country until recent times, 30 or 40 years ago,
and you could still find some of those people clad the very same way, in
country areas. It is India they came from. So no Indian down there is going to
fool us about this churidar, slacks and sari with the
belly and the back showing, and tell me that is the original garbs of India.
ItÕs a lie of the devil, because we have seen and heard for ourselves.
The children of
other generations, in Trinidad, dressed likewise. In this modern generation
they have stripped off their clothing and are now the filthiest and most immoral Indian women
that walk the face of the earth, almost naked in public. Can we call such
indecency the national garment of the Caribbean or Trinidad? Impossible! I
condemn such styles from the housetop and positively state that any compromise
with such attire even in part is unscriptural and expresses the taste and
desire of Sodom and Gomorrah, Hollywood and Bollywood,
if you wish.
In
support of what I am saying, I quote the prophet of God. I donÕt care about
anybodyÕs opinion. I am going to follow what Brother Branham said. ThatÕs the
only way we will ever go straight, and let Brother Branham interpret the
scripture for us. We cannot interpret scriptures.
That
projection about the churidar and the field and
gardening sounded very nice. But look, the same spirit that is in India now,
and the same excuses, Brother Branham bounced into them with that woman.
Quote W.M.B.: 314
ÒSisterÉwould you wear these little old skirts and things that they wear today
of this
immoral dress, with your body showing through it out there on the street?
Did you know every man that looks upon you commits adultery with you in his
heart? And
you present yourself like that. Do you know, women, you that wear makeup,
there's only one woman in the Bible that ever wore makeup? And God fed her to
the dogs. (Modern Events Made Clear
By Prophecy 65-1206).
WOMEN DRESSED TO HIDE THEIR BODY – DIDNÕT WANT
MEN LUSTING
Quote: E-44 They dress themselves more attractive. Where the women used
to wear
great big dresses, and sleeves and long skirts, and hid their body because
they didn't want man lusting for them (they lived for one man that chose them
for wife); today the women pour themselves into little clothes, and immorality
is on such a move and a rampage 'till it's beyond even thinking. (Conflict Between God And Satan
62-0531).
WATCH HOW THEY DRESS – REAL EVIDENCE OF THE NEW
BIRTH
Quote: 343-3 Take a good look around you. Examine the people as they walk
by. In the multitudes you see, can you pick out those that have the appearance
of Christians? Watch
how they dress, watch how they act, hear what they
say, see where they go. Surely there ought to be some real evidence of the new birth amongst all
those we see go by. But few there be. Yet today the fundamental churches are
telling us they have millions saved and even Spirit-filled. Spirit-filled? Can
you call women Spirit-filled who go around with frizzy bobbed hair, shorts and
slacks, halters and briefs, all painted up like Jezebel? If these are adorned
in modest apparel as becometh Christian women, I
would hate to think what it would be like if I had to witness a display of
immodesty.Ó (Laodicean Church Age Church Age Book Cpt.9).
YOU DONÕT WANT THAT DRESS THAT HANGS LOOSE
Quote: E-46 You done seen Martha Susianna out
yonder wear some other kind. See? You want to dress like her. You don't want that
dress that hangs loose. You want that one's like you're poured into it, because
that you seen Susie on the television and the radio and in the magazine. (Painted Face Jezebel 56-1005).
SEXY DRESSES ARE SPIRITS
Quote: 996-15 And I
tell these women, when they make themselves look sexy in these dresses, that
God's going to make you answer for committing adulteryÉYou listen real close,
and remember that those things are spirit. (Questions
And Answers 64-0823e).
The churidar
is a spirit. Sari
with the back showing is a spirit. Shirt and pants with belly showing is a
spirit. It is immodest, it is nasty, filthy and dirty.
I am not dealing with names. I am dealing with modesty. I am not saying that
the whole world has to dress like Bethel. I am emphasizing modesty. Continue to
wear your sari, and wear it decently. Cover your back. Cover your belly.
Cover your thighs and donÕt tighten the sari too tight around your body. And
the fabric you use for your sari must not be transparent to show your
underclothes.
ItÕs on the same basis as the
dress. The only thing is that the sari is an unstitched garment that is
wrapped, and I have no problem with that. But then some of these nasty women
want to show their belly. What do I want to see a pastorÕs wifeÕs belly for? Why
should I want to see her back? You have a nasty spirit!
WOMEN WEARING SACK DRESSES – THEY GOT PREACHERS
LIKE THAT
Quote W.M.B.: E-29 ÒNo wonder women are wearing sack dresses and shorts and things like
that; they got preachers and deacons like that. It's a meal ticket, in the
stead of a commission from God then.Ó (Sign Of The Time 58-0520).
THIN SHIRT-SHOWS UNDERNEATH GARMENT-SHOULD NOT BE DONE
Quote: 608-62 I
certainly do not agree with that, you know, the skirt part up here, the two
pieces; one of them is down here and one kind of up here; it's a shirt like
they wear." And so it's real thin and shows that underneath garment that
they have around there. I don't think that--that should be done. I don't like that; I really
don't." (Q&A
God Being Misunderstood 61-0723e).
LITTLE OLD SKIRTS WITH YOUR BODY SHOWING THROUGH
Quote: 314 Would you wear these little old skirts and things that they wear
today of this immoral
dress, with your body showing through it out there on the street? (Modern
Events Made Clear By Prophecy 65-1206).
Brother Branham never even believed in your body
showing through the clothing, much more to leave a piece of your back and belly
out. He did not even believe in transparent clothes, showing your underclothes
on top. Much more for it showing the underneath garment.
To settle this
whole affair about dressing: if you should do this, if you should show your
back, belly or legs, I will quote this one thing. The prophet of God said he went
and preached to the blanket natives of Africa, and all that they had was a
blanket that was given to them when they were grown up, and they lived in that
and were buried in that. He said when he preached and the Holy Ghost fell,
women that had their breast outside and were half naked, they folded their arms
and ran out from the presence of men. He said, ÒAnd so many of you women here
in the United States claim to have the Holy Ghost, and I preached it, and
preached it and preached it and you still come in here with immoral clothing.Ó
He said, ÒThat shows that you donÕt have the Holy Ghost.Ó
Quote W.M.B.: E-76 Those naked women, five
minutes before that didn't know they were naked. And as soon as the Holy Spirit
struck that bunch, them women folded their arms and walked off the ground. Now,
you mean to tell me in your modern churches, you let your women strip theirselves off out here half naked before men, and tell me
that is Christianity? It's worse than heathens. Certainly is.
A heathen can realize and
accept Christ; they'll cover up their nakedness, and you're trying to expose
yourself to be modern.
(Stand Still 57-0518).
If a woman is
dressing that way and she has one touch of the Holy Ghost, It will let her know that
her back is showing and her belly is showing, and something is wrong somewhere.
She will fold her arms and run out from the presence of men. Why should our
women show their backs and their bellies? It should not be done.
So we, the ministers that are
gathered here from local and foreign lands, condemn the churidhar
and call it ÔslacksÕ.
The prophet condemned it and the Bible condemned it on the Basis of 1 Timothy
2:9 and Deuteronomy 22:5. We condemn any kind of Garment, sari or whatever they
want to call it in Africa, the Philippines or China, which exposes a womanÕs
body: back,
belly, thighs, breast or buttocks, it doesnÕt matter. ItÕs a prostitute; a stinking spirit
for a woman to expose any part of her body that should be covered.
Now
you might find a problem there in India and some places: ÒWhat about from the
knees go down? Your Bethel women are showing from below their knees go down?Ó
The prophet of God said they should be covered from their neck to their knees.
DRESS ORDERLY FROM NECK TO KNEES
Quote W.M.B.: E-20 Whole world's become a conglomeration of
immorality. I heard the other day that some man down in Florida was going to
pass a law, that women had to dress orderly from the neck to the knees
to come on the street. I'll move to Florida if it is. Yes, sir. (Prince 56-0815).
I am following a prophet. Then there are styles that go
right down to the floor, and I do not allow the women to follow the styles of
the world. In another country, they might want to wear their clothing right down to the
ground, because that is their custom and national wear. I am not condemning
that in the least. If that is your custom there, I appreciate that. Once it is
not in the styles of the world.
I am a well-balanced preacher. I am not trying to put the styles of Bethel
to the people on the outside. You were born, grown up and met certain things,
and I am also in consideration of that kind of national garb. But what we are
dealing with and stressing upon is modesty.
If you are accustomed to that in Africa where the dress goes
right down to the ground, the only thing that I will specify is it must not be
transparent and not be too tight, because some women will pull that to suit.
There is a film
company called, ÔBollywoodÕ, which is an imitation of
Hollywood, and itÕs a bigger film industry than Hollywood. And what the people
of India are really trying to do, is trying to make excuses to live like the
western people. [Ed.
Brother Bruce displays a newspaper clipping of a Bollywood
actress.] Now this is the woman here that I spoke about. YouÕre talking
about a stinking Indian, exposing her belly right down and trying to take down
here underwear in public and went worldwide like that. This thing is stink and
ridiculous. That is where all India is headed, and the Christian church down
there is trying to do the same
thing by exposing their backs and their bellies, and then call it by different
names: churidar and this and that and the next, but
the fact is that itÕs a spirit. When did we ever see a picture in the old Indian
films that came to Trinidad that women were ever kissing or exposing their
bodies like that? I was there and you were there, and youÕre talking about the
condition that they have gotten into. Now, that is where the sari is heading
and that is the end result of that. It is a spirit at work.
Question # 727:
ÒAlso there is a skirt-like garment that is worn by men {believers also} in
India and other parts of the world. ItÕs called the Lungi.Ó
E.O.D.H. Contribution:
Quote W.M.B.: And woman, you dress like a woman. And men, you dress
like a man; don't try to be a sissy and wear women's clothes. And women, don't you try to be masculine and
wear a man's clothes, because God don't want you to do it; the Bible condemns
that. But now, about wearing a piece of hair or wearing a hair... What is one
of those rats? Did I make a mistake awhile ago or is that a mouse? It--it's
something to--it's something that a--a woman puts in her hair to make it look
more... Ever what it is (See?), there's nothing wrong with that. Go ahead; it's
all right. (Questions And
Answers 64-0830e).
This is a very
ticklish question and we have to be very considerate, in the sense that we are
not trying to change the national garb of people around the world. I have
pictures with brethren from Africa who still wear some of their traditional
clothing and it is somewhat like a robe. I believe that style is fast going out
from Africa.
Now, you take the
Arab. He wears
a robe. I want to divide this right. You take the African. He wears
something like a robe. In India, I guess they have certain garments that were
original, which they call the dhoti. They came to Trinidad with it. Other
styles were adopted later. My grandfather used to wear a dhoti. That isnÕt
anything strange to us here in Trinidad.
When this scripture
was written which said,
Deuteronomy 22:5 <The
woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a
man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are
abomination unto the LORD thy God.>
There was a
dress-like garment that belonged to a man. It was called a robe. When Jesus came, He found that
robe and it was a manÕs garment. It was built differently from a dress, and
both were different from each other that you could differentiate them and say
that this is the womanÕs garment and this is the manÕs garment. And back in the
days when Moses wrote the Law, they had the same kind of attire, because that
is actually the Palestinian gown, and Moses wore a robe and the women wore a
certain type of dress which was entirely different, but both of them resembled
a dress, but they were definitely different.
It travelled up
insomuch that even the Africans had those kinds of garments, also the
Palestinians and the Arabs. If an Arab comes here, who dressed like that, all
the days of his life, and he wants to accept the Lord, I cannot demand from
this man to wear a western shirt and pants. It will not be fair. On the basis
of that, can I say that the menÕs wear today is scriptural and to just go on
and use it? No! We have to come back to the scripture.
This is what we
have to do. What they are calling ÔLungiÕ, does it resemble the
original robe that a man used to wear back in the days of Jesus, or what the
Palestinians wear, or does it resemble a womanÕs dress? If that man over there in India has a Lungi, and it resembles a manÕs garment, as it used to be in
ancient times, I cannot condemn it. But, if they take the original robe or
dhoti and brought it closer to the womanÕs dress, that you could hardly make
out the womanÕs skirt from the Lungi, then I am in
place to say, ÒBrother, you are looking like a woman. Discontinue that kind of
wear.Ó We have to get away from the looks of th`e female.
Vice-versa: if the
woman would take a garment, and it is looking more like a robe for a man, then
I will say, ÒYou have on the wrong garment. You are looking like a man in this
manÕs robeÓ, and I will be in place to say, ÒWoman, you better go back to your
feminine wear of a dress.Ó So it is not a matter of a lungi,
but the resemblance of a manÕs wear and a womanÕs dress: be it shirt, pants,
robe or whatever. Now thatÕs the line behind it.
Let us get the opinion of those that are gathered here [Ed. A brother
puts on and displays the lungi.] Now how many
says that thatÕs a skirt? [Ed. Everyone says, ÒAmen!Ó]
Is that the kind of
fabric they use to make the lungi, and not pants
material and not jacket material?
[Ed. The brother answers:
ÒThis is the material of lungi. A kind of sari
material.]
So they are wearing
women material. Brethren, in all honesty, and being very balanced men here,
does this resemble a womanÕs skirt? [Ed. Everyone answers,
ÒAmen!Ó] It does resemble a womanÕs skirt, and in our opinion, Deuteronomy
22:5 cannot be fulfilled wearing this garment. If it was of a different kind of
a fabric like a robe, like what Jesus had, like what the Palestinians had and
they will wear it from here right down and it will open up with the proper
material as men would have, I will still agree with that. But in my opinion I cannot agree
with this.
However, I would
leave this to the consciences of men in India, and let us say that we are
misunderstanding something, brethren, we would not make a big fuss about this
garment. I will leave it to their consciences, and just as the Holy Spirit
convicted the African women, and they folded their arms and hid their breast
and ran out from the presence of men, I would leave that to the consciences of
the men of India in whatever State that, it is worn.
I believe that if
they cannot see what I am saying now, I believe that if they are children of
God the Holy Ghost is going to convict them later. So if a man wears that I
would not fuss with him, and would not condemn him, and say that I would not
associate with him, and I am not going to make it a point of separation. I
would leave that to the consciences of our brothers because, probably they have
had this thing wearing there for a long time, they got accustomed to it, and in
their understanding they cannot see that that is something wrong. If you cannot
see then my beloved, I cannot condemn you, but if you feel convicted about
that and you continue to wear it, then the Lord is not going to be pleased with
you. So thatÕs the line that I would draw here.
Now understand what
I am saying. One of these days you might see an African come in here with a
garment that is down to the foot that resembles a robe and you may want to call
it a dress, and I allow this fellow to come in here, and even preach behind my
pulpit with this kind of garment. I am not breaking the Word. That is that
manÕs custom.
If an Arab is saved
and he wants to continue with his garment I would feel blessed to see the Arab
in his garment preaching behind here; itÕs a testimony. If a priest comes here,
and he wants to come and testify with his robe on, I will allow him to testify,
and that actually happened. WeÕve got to have the right line.
I will welcome any
brother here, from India, who does not understand that he should not wear that lungi with womenÕs cloth, and I will feel good about him.
If thatÕs the way he understands, then fine. I wouldnÕt fuss, I donÕt quarrel, I donÕt fight. Certain things you have got to leave to the consciences
of men until they could understand better, until they can see. So, we donÕt
fight-up and fuss-up, then we will have peace in our ministersÕ meeting.
Now, if a brother
will rise up and say, ÒBrother, I think that the lungi
is good and you shouldnÕt say what you said.Ó I would give him his rights. I
would say, ÒYou have a right to your opinion.Ó But in the way that I explained
that here brethren, I am for the robe, I am for the African dress, I am for the
original garment of India called, Ôthe dhotiÕ. Brother Branham had seen three
hundred thousand of them in dhotis, national garb.
Now, when we meet
those people, I cannot command them to take off their dhotis and wear shirt and
pants. That is original garment, but I believe that this lungi
is a perversion
of the dhoti.
So, if I come down
there to India and a fellow feels to wear his lungi
where I am staying, you donÕt have to take it off for me. I could sit down and
eat with you, with your lungi. Now, but if I see your
wifeÕs back showing, I am going to deal with you from the pulpit.
I
BLASTED IT JUST AS HARD AS I COULD
Quote W.M.B.: 29-3 I was preaching here in Phoenix, not long ago, on
something like that; and the minister's wife, setting on the pulpit with one of
these boyish bobbed hair all kinked up, and with a dress that she couldn't even
keep her underneath
skirts from shining (She couldn't get down over her knees, was about four or
five inches above her knees setting up there.), jumping up-and-down leading songs.
I blasted it just as hard as I could. 'Course he won't invite me back. I don't
expect to, but he knows what's right and wrong. When I stand at the judgment,
it's not on my hands anymore. (Way Of A True Prophet 62-0513m).
ANGEL
DRESSED IN PALESTINIAN CLOTHES – WHITE ROBE
Quote: 5-5
And at that, the Angel of the Lord taken me out then,
and He taken me to a real bright stream of water... He said, "I will make
you a fisher." ÉI got all excited and jerked it hard on the next one out;
I pulled the fish and all out of the water. And what it was, it was a little
bitty fish, and it, just about the size of the lure. And I got my line all
tangled up. And I was straightening out my line, and the Man which was talking
behind me, walked around in front of me, dressed in Palestinian clothes and a turban on
His head. He had a white robe. He said, "Brother Branham, that's it." (Why Are People So Tossed About 56-0101).
Question # 728: ÒMany of our brothers that believe this
message, wear moustache and beard, in spite of what the prophet said and the
example he set before us.Ó
E.O.D.H. Contribution: Men may think they have the right to do so
because the prophet did not specify hair on the face by the name ÒmoustacheÓ,
but now they are wrong. He spoke about keeping a clean countenance which includes all
hair on the face: moustache and otherwise. The proof of this understanding is
that the prophet himself kept all hair off his face, both moustache and beard.
Now, the prophet
was an example of what he stated and what he preached. I am saying that to
prove that we did not misunderstand his instruction and teachings. He said,
keep a clean countenance and donÕt look conspicuous, and he demonstrated that
in all the years of his ministry. So then there is no doubt about this, and all
his pictures (except when he was in the woods) showed a clean countenance. Then
let us love the prophet and walk with what he said.
Men who want to be
identified with the prophet and his message should adhere to both his teaching
and example and not try to be odd and become a stumbling block to others who
are trying to follow in line with the message.
I Corinthians 8:13
<Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the
world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.>
I Corinthians <All things are lawful for me, but all things are not
expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.>
One may have the
right by the Law to keep a beard and moustache, like in the Old Testament, but
it is not expedient nor does it edify people who follow in line with the
message and example of the prophet.
This is what I mean. I may not be able to tie it down
to a scripture that says, ÒNo moustache or no beard.Ó But then we had a prophet
who was under the inspiration of the Lord. And there are many things that were
not in the Bible when Jesus came and He established certain things.
Matthew 5:38-39 <Ye have
heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a
tooth for a tooth:
But I say unto you, That ye
resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him
the other also.>
Think of how many
things like that. And if you were going to contradict Jesus and say, ÒShow me
it in the BibleÓ, you would go down to hell too. He was establishing certain things
by the Holy Ghost. When a prophet comes on the scene, he is right and everybody is wrong.
When they
had problems they sent to Brother Paul, and he wrote and said,
I Corinthians 7:25 <Now
concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment,
as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.>
You see, the Lord
has certain people upon earth to divide the line, and Paul was not a fanatic.
He told you plainly that this is his judgment, and such judgment we are still following
up to today.
The Bible
said that all things are lawful but all things edify not. Let me say it in this
perspective. Here people read what the prophet had to say, they believe him and
follow his example. And here we have five thousand people in Africa that follow
in line and they have taken off their moustache. Now imagine that I am here
with a big beard or moustache and claim to be a message follower and they heard
my name, and they expect something from me because they heard that Brother
Bruce had been in the way for a long time. And I appear on that pulpit with a
beard on. Immediately, no matter what I have to say, I have lost my influence
by that beard, because All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all
things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.
Immediately, I put
a cold blanket on the spirits of those people. They are not hearing me, they
are studying my beard. Although the beard does not have much to do with it, the
devil will make them study my beard. That deafens their ears.
I Corinthians 8:13
<Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the
world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.>
Romans 14:15 <But if thy
brother be grieved with [thy] meat, now walkest thou
not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.>
Question # 615: ÒAlso, is it wrong for a brother to have
hair on the face (even if shaved neatly)?Ó
E.O.D.H.
Answer: 1Timothy 4:12 <Let no man despise
thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation,
in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.>
ÒBe thou an example.Ó This is
a question of concern to many brothers; The beard was
used as a badge of the dignity of manhood. It was regarded as an object of
oath. It was shaven or plucked out in mourning. It was neglected in permanent
affliction. It was an object of salutation. Dressing, trimming and anointing of
the beard were done with much ceremony by people of wealth. Removal of the
beard was part of the ceremonial treatment of a leper. Of recent times, beards
are kept by highly educated people as a sign of their education and profession.
It portrays a personÕs motives and objectives. Their
standing in society, communism and religious cults.
In 1Timothy 4:12, Paul
exhorted Timothy to be an example to the believers. Our prophet messenger,
Brother William Branham was our example. He kept a clean face.
Quote: 15-3 The people don't want to act any different than what the
rest of the world
acts. They don't want to get on the street and to have their face washed, and
men with clean
countenance. (Rejected King 60-0515M).
Quote:
E-10 I want to pass a compliment on a man that's in the building. He's conspicuous
in one wayÉ Brother Ryan, I'm
speaking of youÉ he wears a long beard, and a long hair, or hair to his shoulder. (For Him Will I Accept 52-0718).
The prophet said to keep a clean countenance. We
try to obey the prophet as close as possible. He was our example. He left no
hair on his face, except when he was in the woods and could not shave. However,
we are not fanatical on the subject. There are youths that appreciate their
hairs growing out, making them feel manly; so we donÕt press them, until it
starts getting plentiful; but generally, men keep a clean countenance under
this ministry, as Brother Branham got down on many brothers who wore hair on
their faces.
Quote W.M.B.: E-7 And you know, there was
an old man used to follow meeting. Many of you might've seen him, a few of you
maybe. He had a long beard. His name was Ryan, John Ryan... I used to get on him
about wearing
his beard.
(Blind Bartimaeus 57-0127e).
Question # 729: ÒThere is a practice amongst believers of
this message to hire worldly D.JÕs to supply sound systems and even musicians
for large meetings. Also, I have noticed that they have adopted the emotional
Pentecostal style of singing and worship with everything loud.Ó
E.O.D.H. Contribution: That is a lack of understanding of the
Spirit of God. That is unscriptural. The prophet of God said:
Quote W.M.B. 903-Q-233
233. Just how many instruments are we to have in church beside organ and piano?
Well, it depends on if you
had a string band or whatever you had. You see? I don't know what you got, what
this means; I don't understand it. But the organ and the piano are property of
the churchÉBut if they have their own instruments, wonderful. If they don't
have their own instruments, and they're a member here of a band, not just a
person running through here and plays once in a while, and runs out like that,
it's got to be a band in the church. The church wouldn't buy a trumpet for a
man that plays it here and tomorrow night somewhere else, and somewhere else,
and drop in once in a while and play a little bit. No, sir.
It's got to be a band right here, organized band with the leader, and then the
church, talk to them about buying the instruments. (Church Order 63-1226).
Your instruments
must be dedicated to the Lord. This is common sense. How could a devil come and
play music for me to invite the Spirit of God here. A man that
is not born again. He doesnÕt have the Spirit of God in him. He doesnÕt
have a revelation. He is an ungodly man. He is tuned to worldly music. How can
I get that man to play music to woo the Spirit of the Lord into the building or
to the evangelical meeting? Brethren that is a rebuke to the
Holy Ghost? How many agree with that? [Everyone says, ÒAmen!Ó] It should not
be done. I could go into much proof of this, but the simplicity is that those
men do not have the Holy Ghost. It takes anointed men to play those
instruments, like David did, in order to invite the Holy Ghost. So it is
unscriptural, it is a dumb thing, it is an unspiritual thing to do that, itÕs a
rebuke to the Holy Spirit. I condemn it from the housetop. It should not be done in a Christian
church nor an evangelical meeting.
No matter how good
those men could play, they are coming in with a worldly spirit and they will
bring in their worldly beats. No matter how much you tell them to play
Christian music and bring that into a certain place, they are going to play
devil music with all the rock ÔnÕ roll beats and everything, and that is why it
is loud.
What has happened
in the world today is that the churches (this so-called Pentecostal system)
brought in the world. They brought in these worldly
music in the church because the Holy Spirit left them a long time ago.
Friend, if you
could hire a worldly D.J. inside of a church and you enjoy that, then something
is wrong with your appetite. So, I think that people who do that, anywhere, they are
lacking the Spirit. It is not in the right place that it is supposed to be. The
prophet of God said that he liked church music to be played like church music.
Then it should not be blasting, it should not be loud and it should not be
carried on where the people are being deafened, because that is worldly. We
donÕt want to follow that pattern.
HERETICAL
ARTICLE NO. 51
WORLDLY MUSIC. AFRICAN BEATS, ADOPTED BY
MESSAGE CHURCHES –FALSE THUNDERS PROMOTED
All right, I said that to say this, whenever the
Spirit of the Lord leaves a pastor and leaves a congregation, then the
congregation is dry. The
preacherÕs preaching will be dry. There wouldnÕt be the joy that is supposed to
be there. Then the youths will seek other means of joy and happiness. They
would start backsliding, like so-called Pentecost. Then what will happen?
Anytime you lack the Spirit of God in your own life, then you would find
yourself start seeking
pleasure, because you must have some form of joy, some form of happiness.
And brothers and sisters, our joy is the Lord. The joy of the Lord is our
strength. And when Christians miss that in their lives, because of taking
chances on the Word, because of sins in their lifes,
they are going to head back to the world. You would want more sightseeing. You would
want more women. You would want more men in your lives. You would want sports,
you would want television. You would want to go mixed bathing. You would want
to hear the wrong kind of songs. ThatÕs the problem in the churches; and if
that was the problem in so-called pentecostal
churches, when the Spirit of the Lord left them, that they brought in entertainments
to hold the people, then my friends, you could see that, thatÕs the same
trend that the followers of Malachi 4 have taken. And what I told you here, is the
answer for going back into the things that Brother Branham condemned:
television, sports, worldly singing, and all that goes with it. They are like
Pentecost today.
Now the first thing
that they started doing is bringing in worldly beats into their singing,
because they have to make up for the Holy Spirit. They have to make up for the joy in
the church, so they perverted the teaching of Brother Branham. This is a
heresy. When you pervert any teachings of a messenger or the Bible, you are a
heretic. That teaching becomes heresy. They brought in the ÒthundersÓ in 1974.
They brought in the African beats. They started singing in the African
language. Rock and roll came from Africa. It was the same beat that came into
the songs. Then after a little while, they brought in country and western, and
they pumped up a revival, and they started saying that the BrideÕs Revival
started. ItÕs a lie of the Devil. Then they got so emotional under the African
songs, and under the rock beat, slow rock, and country and western, they
brought it in until they got so emotional that the women started falling, men
started falling, emotional; stripped themselves half-naked. They had sheets to
cover them just like so-called Pentecost. They made an excuse, that the Bible
did not say what kind of beats, what kind of a melody, to bring into the music.
So they brought in all kinds of different music, different kinds of songs
because the Bible didnÕt lay it out. If you had the Holy Ghost, you hypocrite,
you would know what pleases the Holy Spirit. You wouldnÕt want to find it in
the dead letter of the Word, because music changed from Genesis come right up.
But some carry the inspiration of the Devil and some carry the inspiration of
God. And if you have the Holy Spirit, it will bear witness that, that is coming
from the Holy Spirit; and donÕt matter how sweet it is, if that isnÕt coming
from the Holy Ghost, it would not bear witness to you. Yes. It proves to you
that you donÕt
have the Holy Spirit, preacher, pastor, prophet: whoever you are.
Quote W.M.B.: Where is those old fashion hymns we used to sing, and rejoice
in the Spirit of God, and tears roll down our cheeks? And now we try to hold
our breath until we ain't got enough breath in us, till our face turns blue, to
try to show that we're some sort of a singer. See? We've copied that off of
Hollywood, and all these programs that we see through this intellectual hymn
sing and training of voice. I like to hear good singing; I like to hear good
old fashion, heartfelt, Pentecostal singing. But I sure hate to hear that
squeaking they call singing today. I think that's the most ridiculous thing.
ItÕs a perversion. (Thirst 65-0919).
ItÕs a perversion.
And the followers of Malachi 4 have perverted the songs, brought in all kind of
beats just like so-called Pentecost.
SOMETHINGÕS
WRONG WITH YOU IF THAT'S YOUR APPETITE.
Quote W.M.B.: 136 You say, " I go to dances and parties and all
those things...I read those books that's got vulgar stories in it. I kinda enjoy reading it." Brother, it's something wrong
with you. That's your appetite. See? You let me see what a man reads. Let me
see what he watches. Listen to the music he listens at. The other day, coming
along in the car, a certain person reached over and turned on my radio, some
kind of old vulgar music. I said, "Turn that thing off; I don't want to hear that," some
old boogie-woogie stuff. Said, "Well, I like to hear that." I said,
"Your nature's wrong; you're wrong." When I was out here a few days
after that, up on the hillside, fishing with the person, them little birds was
a-singing. The larks was a-hollering. The old
nightingale was flying up in the air, singing the praises. I hollered to that
fellow, I said, "Look, boy; that's my music. Keep that turned on, that's my
radio. God sends them down to sing to me while I'm here. It soothes my soul ÉÓ (Enticing
Spirits 55-0724).
IsnÕt that
wonderful? You see what soothes your soul? Nature, the sounds
of the animals, the sounds of the birds, the sounds of the waves, the sounds of
the sea. Yes sir, and Brother Branham said, he loves that, it soothes
his soul.
ITÕS THE DEVILÕS DIET – IF YOU ENJOY THAT YOUÕRE
A BACKSLIDER
Quote W.M.B.: ÉIt soothes my soul." Better than all that old
crazy stuff, these old juke boxes a-roaring, going on where you can't even eat
in a public place. It's the devil's diet. It's the devil's house. It's all
messed up with sinÉWhen they put that money in them little old boxes and all
that old dirty stuff come on, you enjoy that? Shame on you.
You're a backslider. You're away from God. You don't know God. If you knowed God and forgiveness of your sins, you'd never listen to
such nonsense as that. It'd be dead to you. You'd vomit from it. You don't
want it. Your diet's better. You love God. Won't you come this morning, kneel
down here with these confessors this morning? (Enticing Spirits 55-0724).
If you still have a
taste for any kind of music of the world, and you have that thing in your ear
as a young man, old man, whoever you are, you are not born again, you are lost yet, a
devil is inside of you, and sooner or later youÕll become so demon possessed
that you will leave the Word of God. Much more when a preacher takes that and
brings in a little country and western, and brings in a little Shango music, you are perverting your congregation, and the
preacher himself is not born again.
Quote W.M.B.: E-31Now, look out here at all the old, dirty, slander,
what you call boogie-woogie or ever that kind of nonsense, and carry on. I
never heard of such in my life. A Christian spirit couldn't listen to such
stuff as that and stay right. See?
(Come Let Us Reason Together 55-1004).
You could not
listen to that if you are a Christian, because the inspiration that is bringing that is
the devil, and the Holy Spirit in you is witnessing against that devil and
hates that spirit.
Quote W.M.B.: E-52 Somebody said... My
neighborÉevery time he goes to mow the yard, he has to put a radio on with that
old rock-and-roll, shimmy-dig, boogie-woogie, every kind of stuff they call it.
And I said to him one day; I said, "Why, do you put that on?" He
said, "You know what, Billy?" He said, "I can't even mow, 'less
I hear the radio." I said, "It makes me sick at my stomach." (Love 56-0726).
ROCK-AND-ROLL SENDS DOZENS TO THE INSANE ASYLUM
Quote: E-40 These
rock-and-roll parties that you all are attending, up in them places...when they
send dozens of them to the insane asylum afterward?ÉAnd
they're bringing that same thing, with boogie-woogie and everything into the
church. (Painted Face Jezebel
56-1005).
IT CAME OUT OF THE HEART OF AFRICA
Quote: E-30 All your old
rock-and-roll and boogie woogie, where did it come
from? Out of the heart of Africa. (Arrow Of God's Deliverance 56-0801).
Quote: E-15 I've
always said, "Let me go into a man's house." And let him stand out on
the street and testify, sing, shout, speak with tongues, dance in the Spirit,
anything he wants to do; let me go into his house and look at these old pin-up
girls all around the wall... Let me look at these magazines that he's reading
here on his desk, and listen at him turn the radio on to some of that African
nonsense of rock-and-roll and boogie-woogie, I can tell you right now what kind
of a spirit he's got. See what it feeds on? I don't care how much he carries on
out there on the street, here's what he's really feeding on. That's his diet.
That's right. No matter how well he claimsÉthat doesn't make a bit of
difference. Watch what his spirit feeds on, what music he listens to, what he
reads, what he looks at. You can tell what he's made out of then. And his
character will always tell. (Painted
Face Jezebel 56-1005).
Now I will put this
quotation here to show you that we are not laying out this holiness message in legalism. I
will quote Brother Branham.
Quote W.M.B.: Brother, they need a cleaning up from the pulpit plumb
into the janitor's room in the churches through the land is what we need, 'fore
the Holy Spirit can take place. God's a holy God. I don't believe that you'd go
to heaven on your holiness, but you go to heaven on His holiness. But it's the
works that you do prove what's in you. That's right. (Secondhanded Robe 56-1206).
Now, that is just
to confirm what IÕm telling you here, that although we would not go to heaven
on our holiness, if the Holy Ghost is inside of you, you must manifest holiness, and by
that fruit you are bearing, shows who you are. This is the measuring rod that
the prophet of God used to judge every human being upon the face of the earth
– that holiness message. Were not for that, youÕll never know who is who.
Alright. So now I am saying that this is a heresy.
I KNOW WHAT YOUR SPIRITÕS FEEDING ON
Quote W.M.B.: Let me go in your office, sir. And you tell me you're
a Christian. And let me hear you turn on your radio when I'm there, and you're
listening to some kind of old boogie-woogie music, and let me see half dressed
women, pin-ups on the side of your wall, I don't care what you say, I know what
your spirit's feeding on. That's right. It's exactly right. (God Keeps His Word 57-0115).
Did Brother Branham
use that measuring rod? [Congregation says, ÒAmen!Ó]
He said, ÒLet me
come to your office, whatever you are, IÕll tell you what spirit you are. He
said, let me hear what youÕre listening to; let me see what youÕre looking at
and I will tell you what spirit you have. ThatÕs our measuring rod today for every
preacher, every prophet, every spiritual man, every thunder, every lightning
every earthquake, and you that are seated here today. ThatÕs the only way that
I know you; I want to see what you manifest. You could jump up, shout, do whatever you want.
I
LIKE CHURCH MUSIC PLAYED LIKE CHURCH MUSIC
Quote W.M.B.: E-22 I pray for the young man, and I pray all the time
for him. But he is a instrument in the hands of the devil, and that is
this man Elvis Presley. The people are gone boogie-woogie or rock-and-roll
wild. The American people has gone. And they're trying
by that same spirit, to get the thing into the church. I like church music
played like church music and not rock-and-roll in the church. But when they get
these spirits, there's something behind this, and the devil puts himself out a
challenger. And it happens to be that this poor backslidden Pentecostal boy
said, "The way he learned his maneuvers of jerking and shaking, he caught
it and learned
it in the church." He is a member of the First Assemblies of God of
Memphis, Tennessee. His pastor's a friend of mine. And he is the devil's
instrument of deluding and polluting the minds of these teen-agers. (God Keeps His Word 57-0120e).
ThatÕs Elvis
Presley. Do you know where he got that devil? In a church. Must I compromise
with worldly music coming in this assembly? [Congregation says, ÒNo!Ó] No, my brother, it
never came in, and the slightest little thing that came in, we threw it out,
and we hate those worldly music. And we have the best musicians in the world,
because they play in the Spirit of God. If the church produced an Elvis
Presley, and these things are coming in under the message, wouldnÕt it produce
another bunch of Elvis Presleys? And thatÕs the
reason for backsliding in the message, – They brought in entertainment
to replace the Holy Spirit, and they had to pervert the songs. I am saying that
if you pervert the teachings on singing in the house of God, itÕs a heresy.
I trust that when
these answers go down to India, those that are out,
will be putting these things in place. And please understand that we are not
condemning you as ministers here and saying that you are not of God. We are
looking at that as mistakes and ignorance because of sitting under heretics
before and not being taught right. So, we are speaking these things with all
the love
in our hearts that you may make adjustments. You have got to be led of the Holy
Spirit. We have got to qualify for this outpouring of the Holy Spirit. And
believe me; we cannot qualify for the outpouring as long as we practice those
things that are condemned by Brother Branham, by the Word and these panel of
ministers. We must make adjustments. Acts 17:30 <And the times of this ignorance God
winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to
repent.>
Question # 730: ÒAt times the song leader will call upon a
sister in the congregation and a mike is given to her to lead in prayer or
raise a particular song, which is contrary to 1 Timothy 2:11. Is that right?ÕÓ
E.O.D.H. Contribution: This may not look as though she is
violating the Word, but that is wrong. She is not supposed to usurp authority according to I Timothy
2:11-12. The Bible said,
<Let the woman learn in
silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp
authority over the man, but to be in silence>, meaning that she should not preach, boss men and voice
her opinion. If I come here and start preaching and my voice is hoarse and I
canÕt talk well and my wife is sitting over there, and I asked my wife to start
the message for me, I would be wrong, because I am exercising a certain office
behind the pulpit and I handed it over to a female to take the authority and function in my
office.
When the song
leader is leading songs, he is in a particular office, and when he could not
start the song, he passed on the duty to a woman. That is unscriptural and he
does not have the right to do that. If I cannot start my message, I cannot call
upon a woman to do that. I might call on a preacher and say, ÒBrother read the
scripture there for me or take the pulpit, I am pretty hoarse,Ó but I could not
call upon a woman to do that, because I would be breaking the Word of God. So
that must stop
in India if we are going to qualify for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and
the rapture.
Alright, she is
given the mike to pray. Now that is terrible. In this prayer, she says, ÒLet us
bow our heads and close our eyes.Ó IsnÕt that usurping authority? Big husky men
have to bow their heads to this womanÕs prayer, whether she asked that or not.
The minister might have asked the congregation to bow their heads,
this sister is going to pray. That could not be correct. She is not to lead in
prayer. Her business is to pray in the congregation as a believer, but not
publicly for the congregation. And if her hair is bobbed, she is not supposed
to pray or prophesy.
I Corinthians 11:5, 13-15
<But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth
her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.
ÉJudge in yourselves: is it
comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?
Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for [her] hair
is given her for a covering. >
ÒHead uncoveredÓ
means that her hair is cut. So let us stop that. The womanÕs place is that she
should not be leading in prayer for the church. Her business is to go to her
seat and pray. You cannot call upon her to even read the Bible. Though Brother
Branham did it once, he never established that. She is to sit there with a
veiled face.
1 Corinthians 14:34 <Let
your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to
speak; but [they are commanded] to be under obedience (authority)É>
She is under
authority. That means that if you have men there, she is under the authority of
men. Men must do everything first. So she should not be usurping authority.
Heretical Article No. 108: ÒWomen could
function as song leadersÓ
Question
# 78: ÒCan they be song leaders?Ó
Answer: They could sing, but they belong in the church of God. They
could sing how much they want. They could sing a Special. ÒCan they be song leaders?Ó My beloved,
this is out, on the basis of what brother Paul said in 1 Timothy 2, that she
should be under subjection and she should not have authority over the man; and
in leading a song the woman has got to come up behind the pulpit or where ever
she is and say, ÒLet us all standÓ. She is usurping authority. She has to say, ÒSitÓ, and some big 400
pounds men have to stand up when the woman says, ÒStand upÓ and sit when she
says, ÒsitÓ and then if theyÕre not singing right, say, ÒCome on, sing the
song, open up your mouth fat man.Ó
That is using authority. She is usurping authority in the house of God.
This was not practiced by Brother Paul. We never read of a woman song leader in
Brother PaulÕs writing, we never heard of a woman song leader in the Branham
tabernacle, Brother Branham never hinted that. Maybe he never even dreamed that
such thing is ever going to come up in the message. The answer to this question is no! On
the basis of the word of God in 1 Timothy, that she should be under subjection
and she should not usurp the authority over men.
There
are a lot of things that goes with it, when you talk about a woman. No woman is
supposed to come up behind the pulpit to sing a special and say, ÒNow, let us sing this
verseÓ, or, ÒLet us sing the chorus nowÓ. Absolutely not! She sings her song
and goes back and sits down. She has no business to tell the congregation what
to do. Now do you see how the
Whitehorse could ride? Do you see how the Nicolaitan
devil could come in? A brother could do that, but a sister is forbidden. And
remember, when she says, ÒLet us all sing this verse nowÓ, she is talking to
her pastor too, she is talking to the deacon and those who are in authority,
and she is plumb out of her place. She is plumb out of her limitations in the
church of God. Therefore, she is
not to be a song leader.
ÒThis has caused
great divisions here amongst the believingÓ, the brother is saying. They are persecuting the
believers because they would not adhere to these deeds of the nicolaitans.
We are standing with you down there brother and also with those of you who have
separated from such heresies to stand firm on what the prophet of God said, to
put down these deeds and these seeds of the nicolaitans. [Congregation says, ÒAmen!Ó] We are
standing with you, against these heresies. Yes Sir. And who wants to go, let
them go. Stand for whatÕs right, stand for truth and who wants to leave, let
them leave! Yes. Jesus told Judas, "What thou has to do, do quickly
". Yes. The quicker the better. The quicker that
Judas manifests himself is the quicker the Token comes, is the quicker the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit comes. And that is what is happening around the
world today; Judas
is manifesting himself; and these messages, these books and these truths
that are going out is the sop that Judas is now receiving before the outpouring
of the Holy Spirit. When Judas received that sop, it was a sop of exposition. And right now there
is a sop of exposition that is going out through videos, through tapes and
through the books. Yes. Let Judas
take this sop. Jesus did not have to say one word after or who is the betrayer.
All He had to do was to give the sop. And if you are reading the sop and
hearing the sop, you will be able to identify Judas. I donÕt have to call many
names, though like apostle Paul I call names, but you just hear the sop and
Judas will show up and be identified.
Question # 731: ÒIn special meetings, a meal is prepared to
serve after the service, but to my amazement, the people are served food and
drink right inside the building where the service had been conducted, which is
contrary to what is taught us by the prophet. Also people are allowed to talk
loudly and carry on in the building.Ó
E.O.D.H. Contribution: It makes a difference with a church
building that is put away for the Lord in contrast to, if it is a hall which
you may have rented. But if you have your own home and you are going to keep
service there, you should keep church order because you have control of that.
And absolutely, for eating and drinking in a little place you have put aside,
it is condemned, whether it is your home or church. Brother Branham dealt with
that on church order.
Jesus plaited rope
beat them out of the temple.
Mark 11:15-17 <And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into
the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and
overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold
doves;
And would not suffer that any
man should carry any vessel through the temple.
And he taught, saying unto
them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of
all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a
den of thieves.>
Matthew 21:12-13 <And
Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought
in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of
them that sold doves,
And said unto them, It is
written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a
den of thieves.>
On the basis of
these scriptures the prophet of God set church order. It ought to be the house
of prayer, and Brother Branham never allowed selling nor
exchanging of goods for money, not even books or tapes, inside the House of
God.
Jesus would not
even suffer a man to pass with an empty vessel through the building. Do you see the
reverence? Much more for selling ground nuts, channa
and doubles. That is blasphemy against the Lord. And on top of that one person
is calling out to another from one side to the next of the building, and
carrying on natural conversation in the House of God. It is unscriptural.
The Lord has given
us a little building for many years, and this church is set in order in such a
way that it really marvels people when they see the DVDs. This had been going
on for years. People come in reverently, the music is played, and we sit here
and people hear the Word of God. Unless they have an emergency they would not
even go out. Up front here where the preacher is, if a person is in and out,
they are not going to sit down there again. They will go to the back. They may
have some medical problem or something.
You cannot bring a
person up here who has a child. The child needs
attention. So these practices we have had for many years and we are established
in these things. Everybody knows what to do. Everybody knows where to sit. So a
brother would not come there and ask the other to move from his seat. All these
things are involved in church order.
Quote W.M.B.: 255 I've often wanted to come into a church; I've
longed to see itÉ where I could walk in theÉ doorÉ look across an audience and see
a perfect church all in order. Sin couldn't stay there; no, the Spirit would
call it out. You see? It just couldn't stay. Like Ananias and Sapphira, you--you just couldn't do it. (Paradox 61-1210).
The only way we could have
that is to start doing the
abcÕs in the House of God.
Quote W.M.B.: But when you have big meetingsÉ and push over one
another, and everything like that; we don't want that... Although it looks like
an arena, but it's now dedicated to the Kingdom of
God. It's a church. And we're here to have reverence and order. And we're looking for the
coming of the Lord Jesus and His Presence among us, and we must be reverent.
Now, I don't mean not
praising the Lord... I believe in worshipping the Lord. But we must come before
Him in reverence
in His Presence. (We Would
See Jesus 62-0627).
Quote: 4-4 {25} 017 É the buildingÉ itÕs going to be
dedicatedÉ to the worship of God, we should keep it that way. We should never
buy or sell in the building.
We should never do any
business in this auditorium hereÉ That is, such as permitting ministers to come
in and sell books and everythingÉ there's other places to do that for... we
shouldn't buy and sell in the house of our Lord. It should be a place of
worship, holy, consecrated for that purpose. See? Élet's dedicate it to Him and
dedicate ourselves with it to Him.
And
now, this may seem a little rude, but it's not a place to visit; it's a place
of worship. We should never even murmur a word inside of here, outside of
worship, to one another unless it's absolutely necessary. See?É
we should never run through the building or let our children run through the
building.
Éwhen
we enter that sanctuary, keep still to one another and worship GodÉ never
walking around where you can't hear yourself thinkÉ
we do not come into the sanctuary of the Lord to meet
each otherÉThis sanctuary's dedicated to worshipÉgo to one another's homes;
visit one another in places; but when you enter that door, be quiet.
You come here to talk to Him
(See?) and let Him talk back to you. The trouble of it is, we do too much
talking and don't listen enough. Then when we come in here, wait on Him.
Now, in the old Tabernacle...
The ushers stood at the door to see that nobody talked. When you done your
talking outside, you come in. If you desired to, silently you come to the altar
and prayed silently. You walked back to your seat, opened up the Bible. What
your neighbor done, that was up to him. You had
nothing to say. If you want to talk to him, say, "I'll see him outside.
I'm in here to worship the Lord." You read His Word or set quietly.
ÉAnd
mothers know now that there's a place there for your babies. You young kids
know different than to run around over the building. See? And you adults know
different than to talk and carry on your conversations in the auditorium. See?
Don't do that; it's wrong. It isn't pleasing to God.
Jesus said, "It is
written: My house shall be made a house of worship, prayer, called the house of
prayer by all nations." And they were buying and selling, and He plaited
ropes and ran the people out of the auditorium. And we certainly don't want
that to happen in this sanctuary here. (God In Simplicity 63-0317M).
Quote: E-38 038 It must
be perfect reverence. It must be eyes closed, heads bowed... This is not an arena.
And it's the house of God. And it's a place where we should respect Christ.
(Angel Of God 48-0304).
Quote: 1197-46 021 And
if any unbeliever would happen toÉ be disorderly; a kindhearted
person would go to them, such as an usher or a deacon, andÉthey would... asked
toÉ be reverent while the service is in order. É And this person must be told
in love, and not harshly. Unless it would come to a place where they were
drinking, or some disobedient, or something another that would be interfering
with the worship of the LordÉ then the person should be led out to one side, to
one of the back rooms, or somewhere, and be talked to, and dealt with, kindly. (Church
Order 58-1006).
Quote: 890-84 047 Others will not
listen to anything we say, especially the children.
The children are supposed to
know discipline; they should get it at home. But even if it's my kids get in
here at anytime, they get disorderly, I don't want you to draw one string;
Sarah, Rebekah, Joseph, Billy, or whoever it might
be. You tell me; I'll see to it. If they can't behave, then they'll stay away
from church till they do learn to behave. This is not an arena; this is a house
of God. This is not a place to play, and skate, and write notes, and laugh, and
cut up; this is the house of God, and is to be carried out godly.
É This is not a picnic
ground; this is not a visitation place; this is the visitation place of the
Holy Spirit, listen to what He has to say, not to one anotherÉ children must be
disciplined, andÉ Let it be known, that if these parents of the children will
not listen to what these deacons said, then this parent should be corrected
themselves. (Church Order COD 63-1226).
Quote: We have talked to the parents about their
children, and they won't take care of them.
If they are members of this
church, then you should take two or three with you and call that parent into a
private meeting, into one of the offices. I don't care who it is, if it's me,
if it's Brother Neville, if it's Billy Paul and his little boy, if it's Brother
Collins and one of his children, or any of the rest of youÉ and sayÉ we've
asked you to make those children behave. See? If they won't behave, and you
can't make them behave in church, leave them with someone while you come to
church until they learn how to behave themself in the
house of God." See? But this is an order; it's got to be carried out. See? (Church Order COD
63-1226).
Quote: 892-94
050 Are we going
about it the wrong way?
No, it is the right way to
carry that. Let order be kept... Now, littleÉ
babiesÉ they'll cry, and if they get crying too much and
interrupting your pastor up there, remember, you are his bodyguards; you're his
Gospel bodyguards. See? And if it's interrupting the message of the Lord, then
you are deaconsÉEach one of you is duty bound to an office, and that's just
what we're here to do. (Church Order COD 63-1226).
Quote: 903-Q-234 074 234. Please explain just howÉ do we keep the
people quiet in the sanctuary before and after church?"-
É I would suggest to have your organist to get up there with some real nice
music. And if she can't be here, put it on tape and then play it, or something
another, and have music, real sweet sacred music going on... And if people goes
to talking and carrying on like that, let one of the deacons get up at the
microphone up there at the desk and say, "sh, sh, sh," like that. Say,
"At the Tabernacle here we want you to come to worship. Let's not make
noise now; listen to the music. Get your seat, set down, be reverent (See?),
pray or read the BibleÉnot to be running around, talking before the
servicesÉyou've come here to talk to the Lord. Either be in silent prayer, or
read your Bible." (Church Order COD 63-1226).
Quote: 905-153 077 And you could have heard a pin drop anywhere
in that church, and everybody in prayer for at least thirty minutes before the
first note was ever hit on the organ, the preludeÉ I thought, "How
wonderful it is."... I think they played one preludeÉ How Great Thou ArtÉ
And then when they did, everybody stopped praying and was listening to the
prelude. See, it give a change from prayer to the
prelude. And then when they played that, then the choir leader directed the
choir. Then they had a congregational song and the choir. And then they were
ready for their Sunday school class. See? And then when it was over, there was
nothing went on except divine worship, all the time, and that's what we come
there for.
And I think it would be a
good thing if our church... If it's a good thing, then let's do it. See? We
don't want to put off any good thing; we'll do it anyhow. (Church Order COD
63-1226).
Quote: 906-Q-235 080 235. Brother BranhamÉ in the beginning of the
service. We have... songs, testimonies, and prayers, and prayer requests,
special singingÉ but don't have too much time for the Word. Some of the people
get restless and have to leave before it's over... Please explain how many songs,
and what time to start the message.
ÉAnd now, many times that we
ruin our services by a dragged out testimony meetingÉ let some old brotherÉ offer a word
of prayer, and he'll pray for the mayor of the city, and for the governor of
the state, and for the President of the Union, and everybody like thatÉ
Éyour prayer is to be in secret, your main,
long prayer... Enter into a secret closet, close the door. There's where
you want to pray all day, all night, or two hours, pray there. But in here,
when you've got the attention of the people, make your prayer short, quick...
And put the most of your service time into that Word. That's the main thing.
ÉI would say that
the church should have its doors open at a certain time; let the congregation
come in; let the songs be playing. And let everybody come in to worship, not to
visit. And don't let them visit afterwards, tell them to dismiss and get out,
not to visitÉNow, if the Spirit of the Lord is dealing here, let's keep it the
Spirit of the Lord. And It'll keep moving. If you
don't, you just mark my words, it's going to fall; it sure will. And let's keep
it; it's our duty;É Let's keep this thing lined upÉ
But where you kill your meeting is all that drawn out stuff before you get to
it. See? (Church Order COD 63-1226).
Quote: 911-177 090 É if your services begin at
seven-thirtyÉopen your church half hour beforehand, seven o-clock... Tell the organist... we want
her a half hour before serviceÉmake a tape of some sweet organ musicÉ putÉ the tape on,
and let it be playing while the people come. See?É then let them
play for a half hour.
But exactly seven-thirty, let
that bell toll on top the building. See? You still have your bell out there? YeahÉ
Let the song leader be on the jobÉ right on the dot at seven-thirtyÉ then have
a congregation song, and then maybe a second congregational song, and thenÉ
have the congregation to standÉ up, and let somebody lead in prayerÉ just a
short prayerÉ If there's any prayer requestsÉ Write it, say, "Here."
"For tonight, in having prayer, we're remembering Sister So-and-so,
Brother So-and-so in the hospitalÉRemember them in your prayers as you pray. Brother
Jones, will you lead us in prayer. Let's stand." See? Let it be laid on
the platformÉ And if anybody wants to sing a special, announce it in the
church. Tell them that "Any specials, or anything that wants to be sang,
let them see the song leader before the church ever starts."
Then
while they're singing this second song, or whatever you're singing, you're to
take your offeringÉ Then... Let your last song (See?), be the pastor's call.
And as soon as that last hymn is sang, let the organ
start with your prelude, your pastor walks out. See,
everything's in order; everybody's quiet. There's nothing else to be
said, every deacon at his post of duty, the pastor standing there.
Come out, greet his audience,
turn to his book and say, "Tonight, we're reading from the Bible."É
And it is a good thing sometimes if you say, "In respect to the Word of
God, let's stand to our feet while we read the Word." See, then read. (Church Order Title COD
63-1226).
Question # 732: ÒIn some places no offering is taken up nor
are there any special provisions for tithes (like providing envelopes). Please
explain for their edification?Ó
E.O.D.H. Contribution: When I started to preach in 1967, I wanted
to get away so far from this money spirit on people and preachers, that I went
overboard and I would not take up an offering, and I just had a little box put
there and said, ÒWhoever feels to put an offering can do so.Ó, not knowing that
a person should pay his tithing and give an offering to the Lord, which is
scriptural. I wanted to play so good a preacher that is not on money that I
would not fulfill the Word of God. I went overboard.
So we have to
understand that certain people are afraid of this money spirit and they donÕt want to
take tithes and offering because they are afraid of the reproach and donÕt want
to be identified with Pentecostalism. So they run so far from it until they
would not take up tithes and they would not let the people give an offering,
but they are breaking the Word, and I was breaking the Word until I came to
Brother BranhamÕs message, and this is what I considered.
WE
HAVE TO PASS THE OFFERING PLATE TO MAKE IT
A
COMPLETE RELIGIOUS SERVICE
Quote W.M.B.: 16 But I think of these standing, and people saying,
"Who'll give fifty dollars? Who'll give twenty dollars?" I think
that's detrimental to your--to your intelligence. I--I think if the people
realizes that it takes money to--to run a--a meeting... And I never would let
them do it, the managers. I said, "Whenever you have to do that, then it's
time for me to return back to the Tabernacle. So we won't have to do
that." But I--I do think that we have to pass the offering plate in--in
order to make it a complete religious service.
And so they probably will
pass a little offering plate each night, say something like, "Well, we're
take up the offering now." And they'll pass the offering plate, and
that'll be the end of it.
(Man Running From Presence 65-0217).
Brother Branham
divided the line. He said donÕt go up on the pulpit and say, "Who'll give
fifty dollars? Who'll give twenty dollars?" That is so-called
Pentecostal hogwash, making people pledge what they donÕt even have; sell their
cattle and bring the money. But he said that the service is not complete until
the offering plate is passed. Jesus set the example. He had a treasurer. That
is God veiled in human flesh and pride never kept Him down. That is pride in
man sometimes, that he wants to show the congregation that he is not here for
their money and he donÕt beg for money, and he wants to play this kind of a big
holy man, that he forgot the scriptures.
PAYING
OF TITHES - THE TENTH SHALL BE HOLY UNTO THE LORD
And
concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD.
(Leviticus 7:32).
Malachi 3:8-9 <Will a man
rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein
have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are
cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.>
EVERY CHRISTIAN SHOULD PAY TITHES
Quote W.M.B.: 617-Q-146
146. Brother Branham, don't you feel that everyone who claims to be a Christian
should pay tithes, into the storehouse of the Lord? Please give Scripture to
this question.
That is right, that the Bible said in
Malachi the 4th chapter, "Will a man rob God? And you say, 'Where have we
robbed Thee?' In tithe and offerings. Bring all your
tithe and offerings into My storehouse and prove Me," saith
the Lord, "if I will not open up the windows of heaven and pour out a
blessing that there'll not be room enough to receive." That's a challenge
to any individualÉI have never seen in my life, that any man or a woman, that
if you only make one dollar a week, will bring the ten cents of that money and
put it into your storehouse, your church where you come, if God don't bless
that, call me a hypocrite.ÉEvery Christian should pay tithes. That's right. It
should be done. (Q&A God being
misunderstood COD 61-0723e).
MY FIRST DUTY TO GOD
Quote: 13 First thing, Mr.
Mason, as my duty to God, I owe Him my tithes. I want to pay Him my tithings first. (Christ
Revealed In His Own Word 65-0822m).
GOD MADE A PROMISE THAT HEÕD TAKE CARE OF YOU
Quote: E-71 It comes
to paying your tithes into your church, you're afraid to do it, because you're
afraid you'll starve to death, even though, God's made the promise that He
would take care of you. (Putting On
The Whole Armour Of God 62-0607).
Question # 653: ÒAre you out of the faith if you fail to pay tithes?Ó
E.O.D.H. Answer: Tithe paying is a part of the faith like
any other ordinance: communion, feet washing etc. To be in the faith, a
Christian must be faithful to such ordinances.
Question # 733: ÒSome young ministers that really love this
message and sheep under their care are uncertain whether they are doing right
or wrong, by holding a job and pastoring a small
congregation at the same time.Ó
E.O.D.H. Contribution: This is very plain in the scripture. We
have the example of Brother Paul. He said I have laboured with my hands and I
did not want any reproach, and he was a Tentmaker by trade, and he was
everything, from apostle, prophet and right down to pastor.
Acts 20:34-35 <Yea, ye
yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to
them that were with me. I have shewed you all things,
how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words
of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.>
Acts 18:1-3 <After these
things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth; And found a certain Jew
named AquilaÉAnd because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and
wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.>
That doesnÕt mean
to say that he did not say to pay tithes and offerings. He left that for church
use. Brother Branham pastored seventeen years and he was a warden.
So there is no question whether a minister could work or not. I would say that
if his congregation is big enough and they could take care of his needs, I
think that he should not be greedy after money, and I believe that he should
very well give his full time unto the Lord. And he could go on like that and
serve the Lord and serve the people and be contented with God paying him.
Brother Branham said that God pays the preacher.
And if much funds
comes in, that minister must not get greedy and start buying a motor car every year and buy a new couch and have his wife
in a new dress every Sunday. What kind of example is that? I believe that a
true minister, no matter how much tithes come in, he will live in a
conservative manner. I have set that example before you.
Question # 734: ÒIs a minister fit to be behind the pulpit
who allows his wife to wear immodest clothing, example pants, slacks, etc. body
parts exposed, called in India Churidar?Ó
E.O.D.H. Contribution:
SQUEEZED UP IN A DRESS - I BLASTED IT
Quote W.M.B.: 29-2 Minister's wife setting there all squeezed up in a dress Éwith a dress
that she couldn't even keep her underneath skirts from shining (She couldn't
get down over her knees, was about four or five inches above her knees setting
up there.)ÉI blasted it just as hard as I could. 'Course he won't invite me
back. I don't expect to, but he knows what's right and wrong. (Way Of A True Prophet 62-0513).
BECAUSE SOME PREACHER FAILED TO HOLD HIS POST OF DUTY
Quote: 149 What
makes good
women put on them vulgar clothes and get out there?ÉIt's
because, not that child; that child don't know any better; but because some
preacher in the pulpit has failed to hold his post of duty. That's exactly
right. Sure. Women get on the street, and all sexy-dressed and things like
that, and sinners look at them and don't know that she is actually just as
guilty as she lived with that man.Ó (Strait
Is The Gate 59-0301m.)
Brother Branham condemned this
in so many words and quotations that a man who would not set the church in
order, cause the women to dress right, preach the right thing and be uncompromising,
he is doing wrong, he is responsible for the peopleÕs souls and he should not
be behind the pulpit. Now, itÕs very serious to handle the Word of God. YouÕve
got to have a backbone. And he called those preachers by all sorts of names. He
said you have a wishbone instead of a backbone. He said you ought to take off your
clergy coat and put on a petticoat.
Quote W.M.B.: 111 If the Bible says it's wrong for a woman to put on
a garment that pertain to a man, and you wear these little old overalls and
slacks out here on the road... you grown women fifteen, sixteen, eighteen years
old, and up to grandma, out here on the road... And the Bible says it's an
abomination in the sight of God for a woman to wear those things, and you wear
them anyhow, and say you got the Holy Ghost? I wonder sometimes. The Holy Ghost
will follow God's Word to the letter. And a preacher behind the pulpit that ain't got grace
enough to preach it, I doubt he's got It. Well, that's what the Holy Ghost
is for. (What Holy Ghost
Was Given For 59-1217).
Quote: E-81
It's a--it's an abomination. A woman said to me,
"I don't wear shorts." Said, "I wear these--what do you call
them, when they pull like? Slacks." I said, "That's worse than ever.
The Bible says it's an abomination for a woman to wear a garment that pertains
to a man." It's a shame. Oh, our women, our men... And you men with a wishbone
instead of a backbone, to let your women smoke cigarettes, and act like
that. Shame on you. I don't call that a ruler of his
own house. I call that led around by the ears somewhere. Shame
on you. Oh, "Our whole body," Isaiah said, "has become
putrefied sores." We need a house cleaning and a Holy Ghost revival, for
the coming of Lord Jesus Christ a cleaning from the...?... That's right. You know
that's right. (Greater
Than Solomon Is Here 62-0628).
Quote: E-38
When God made a man first, he made him both male and female in spirit. He made
him in His own image, and God is a Spirit. When He separated him, and put him
in flesh, he put the masculine spirit in a man, and the feminist spirit in a
woman. And if anything's contrary to that, there's a bit of perversion there.
Exactly. You see a woman trying to act like a man, there's a little something
wrong there. The cell's crossed up somewhere. That's right. You see a man so
sissified that he won't preach against sin or nothing else like that, to
hurt somebody's feelings, there's a cross up there somewhere too, not only his
natural birth, but spiritual birth. Oh, what we need today is that a man be a
man, a woman be a lady. God didn't intend to be that way. Dress different. (Lamb And Dove 60-0805).
IF HE DONÕT TELL THEM-HEÕS NOT A FIT SERVANT FOR
CHRIST
Quote: 126 And you
pastorsÉIf he's got no more respect for Christ than to let his congregation get
by with that without... Now, They might do it out there behind him, but if he don't tell them about it, he's not a fit servant for Jesus
Christ. That's exactly right. He is not fit to be a servant of Christ. A
servant of Christ should be fearless; it's a cause that comes to the Bible.
Certainly. (Why Are We Not A
Denomination? 58-0927).
SISSY PASTOR LET HIS CHURCH GET BY WITH SUCH THINGS
Quote: E-84 And a
pastor will let his church get by with such things as that without blasting the
tar out of it from the pulpit, he's a sissy. What we need is
men. The Gospel--not with rubber gloves, but with the power and
demonstration of the Holy Ghost with the Word... The Bible says these things
are wrong. It's wrong for people to do that way, to act that way. It ought to
be preached, and lived, and everywhere. Ought to... The church needs a purging,
a cleaning out.
(Marriage Of The Lamb 62-0121e).
Quote: But we begin
to creep in and let down the bars. We took the wrong example. The women acted
like the pastor's wife. He let her go haywire, cut off her hair, wear any kind of sexy clothes, never rebuked. And the other
women say, "If Sister So-and-so can do it, I could too." Don't make that
your example. God told you what to do; stay with that. Then when you do that, you fail God and
you also fail His people, failing His people. When you fail them, you fail God.
God set you there to be a watchman, and when you see sin creeping in, instead
of cutting the thing off, they entice it. (Just One More Time Lord 63-0120e).
Quote: E-55 But
Marilyn Monroe, or somebody, bobbed off their hair. And then some preacher's
wife did the same thing, and you think you got a right to do it. That don't excuse you from the Word of God. (Investments 63-0126)
Quote: 51 And you
men, you poor, little, boneless, sissified things, you, that would let your
wife do such a thing as that, that shows what you're made out of. That's the
reason you ain't got the Holy Ghost like you profess to have, or you'd have
enough something about you to make her act like a lady, as long as she lived
with you anyhow. Amen. That sounds old fashion, cutting. But that's what the
church needs today is an old fashion, Holy Ghost washing out, and hanging out,
and drying out, and ironing out by the Holy Spirit. Sure. (Church And ItÕs Condition
56-0805).
Quote: E-55 And you preachers let your wife lead you around. What a
shameÉA servant of Christ can't control his own house, how's he going to control the house of
God? "Well," you say, "Brother Branham, that's just some minor
things." All right, let's get the minor things straightened out, then
we'll go to something bigger. Then we'll talk about the Holy Ghost, and the
things of how to receive Divine gifts. (Investments 63-0126).
DRESS ORDERLY FROM NECK TO KNEES
Quote: E-20 Whole world's become a conglomeration of
immorality. I heard the other day that some man down in Florida was going to
pass a law, that women had to dress orderly from the
neck to the knees to come on the street. I'll move to Florida if it is. Yes,
sir. (Prince 56-0815).
YOU'RE TRYING TO EXPOSE YOURSELF TO BE MODERN
Quote: E-76 Those naked women, five minutes before that didn't know they
were naked. And as soon as the Holy Spirit struck that bunch, them women folded
their arms and walked off the ground. Now, you mean to tell me in your modern
churches, you let your women strip theirselves off
out here half naked before men, and tell me that is Christianity? It's worse
than heathens. A heathen can realize and accept Christ; they'll cover up their
nakedness, and you're trying to expose yourself to be modern. (Stand Still 57-0518).