From Critic to Believer: A Baptist Businessman’s Apology to William Branham

Описание: From Critic to Believer: A Baptist Businessman’s Apology to William Branham

Demos Shakarian introduces a Baptist businessman that shares a testimony explaining why he apologized to William Branham at the January 1965 Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, just before Brother Branham preached the sermon “Broken Cisterns.”

He explained that he had originally attended William Branham’s meetings with the intention of gathering evidence to criticize and disprove the healing ministry. Influenced by tradition, prejudice, and negative reports, he misunderstood what he saw and believed that William Branham was a fraud.

Over time, however, his perspective began to change. Through reading the Scriptures, meeting believers, and attending services, he felt his heart being challenged. During a prayer time with his wife and another believer, he experienced what he believed to be the love of God and the baptism of the Holy Spirit, even speaking in tongues. That experience deeply transformed him and removed the hostility he once carried.

Demos Shakarian then introduced the Baptist businessman, Brother Daulton, at the January 1965 Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship meeting in Phoenix. Brother Daulton openly testified that he had previously attended Branham’s campaigns with the purpose of gathering information to prove how terrible the healing meetings were. He admitted that he once believed William Branham was a phony.

But he explained how the devil can influence a person’s thinking through the negative voices and influences they surround themselves with. As the Holy Spirit began to deal with his heart, he decided to meet Brother Branham personally. When he finally spoke with him face to face, his perception completely changed. As he testified, “When you meet him face to face, it’s different. You can feel the love of Christ radiating from him.”

Realizing that his earlier judgment had been wrong, he apologized. He concluded that true spiritual understanding does not come through argument, criticism, or pressure, but only through the work of the Holy Spirit. He expressed gratitude for how God had changed his heart and given him a new perspective.

Brother Branham later referred to this encounter in the message “Broken Cisterns.”

65-0123 BROKEN.CISTERNS_ PHOENIX.AZ
I have sat this morning and listened close to the service, enjoyed the testimonies, the different ways each one has of expressing themselves. And to hear the newcomers, the Baptist brother here that come to apologize for thinking that a little wrong. So I--I certainly appreciate the human, somebody that can be human enough, or--or gentleman enough, too, if he thinks he's made a mistake. He didn't exactly apologize to me, it wasn't me he was apologizing to, it was God. So I--I appreciate that, see. God bless our brother, and his evangelist brother.
5 My, that Baptist, you know, I used to belong to the Baptist church myself. I was a member of the Missionary Baptist Church. When I come among the people, I know how you feel. I felt the same way, just full of something that I--I didn't know.

Brother Branham also preached a Sermon Series (listed below) during the Full Gospel Business Mens Fellowship hosted in Phoenix, AZ.

65-0117 - A Paradox - Phoenix AZ (Sunday)
65-0118 - The Seed of Discrepancy - Phoenix, AZ (Monday)
65-0119 - The God Who is Rich in Mercy - Phoenix, AZ (Tuesday)
65-0120 - Lean Not Unto Thy Own Understanding - Phoenix, AZ (Wednesday)
65-0123 - Broken Cisterns - Phoenix, AZ (Saturday)
65-0124 - Birth Pains Phoenix, AZ (Sunday)
65-0125 - This Day This Scripture Is Fulfilled - Phoenix,AZ (Monday)
65-0206 - Doors In Doors Flagstaff, AZ