William Branham and Leo Mercier

Podcast:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5WZkc5N2TsLiQsVP8F9ogY
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/william-branham-and-leo-mercier/id1487707452?i=1000458857047

Research Material:
https://william-branham.org/site/people/leo_mercier

Growing up in the "Message" cult following of William Branham, in the family of what was arguably one of the leaders of the movement, there was a great deal of information I had access to see and hear that most members of the cult following did not. My grandfather was for almost fifty years the leader of William Branham's "Branham Tabernacle in Jeffersonville, and during almost all major events, other leaders would discuss the details. He did not always share those details, of course, and some conversations were held in secret. Grandpa liked to talk, however, and discussions of those discussions often happened between the men in the family. Looking back, I really wish that I'd paid more attention. I wish that I had been there with a tape recorder! Many of the details that I remember from those conversations have paid off well when used as focal points of my research. He knew so many things about so many people, and he loved to talk!

I am always taken aback by the surprise on the faces of former members when they first learn that William Branham knew about and supported an authoritative commune in Prescott, AZ, led by men most people -- including William Branham knew to be homosexual when the cult doctrine is so strongly against homosexuality. They are even more surprised when they hear the names of the two leaders of the commune; these were men that William Branham traveled with, often alone, and entrusted to oversee his entire recorded "Message".

One of those two men was Leo Mercier.

Leo Mercier (alt. "Mercer") was one of two men that William Branham entrusted for safekeeping and distribution of the "Message" in the form of over a thousand audio recordings of sermons recorded from 1947 to 1965. Along with Gene Goad, Leo Mercer traveled with Branham to record the sermons, for pleasure on hunting trips, and attended private business meetings as the men planned their strategy of editing and distributing the sermons.

Around 1955, the two men apparently researched some of William Branham's prophecies they found questionable. Though their findings were never discussed, after presented to William Branham, the two men were given full control of Branham's recording and distribution. Branham often joked that they had "formed a little F.B.I."

The boys now have the tapes, and this will be the last night that they'll be able to sell them. Anything to be sold has to be finished tonight, because we don't sell on Sunday. We just make... I've always made that a policy, that we would not sell on Sunday. All the tapes... They have some five hundred messages from sometimes when we wasn't hoarse in great healing lines. Mr. Mercier has them back there at the stand wherever it is. I said back there--at the front. And you may obtain them. They sell them real cheap. I ordered a tape here some time ago from an evangelist, and it cost around nine dollars. The boys sell theirs, I think it's for three. And they just barely make enough that they can stay out in the service with me. This Mr. Mercier and Mr. Goad, one of them was Catholic, and the other one I don't know... I don't believe he belonged to any church, Gene. And they formed themself a little FBI to come down and find out whether those visions happened at home or not. You only see one side. You see the little side of it here. It's home when the real visions take place. This is what you're doing here with your own faith. At home is what God does. Out somewhere when we are to ourselves, or out fishing, or somewhere when we have a little time of recreation..
Branham, William. 1958, Mar 29. The Mighty Conqueror Middletown (58-0329)

Also, William Branham entrusted the men to become keepers of the alleged "prophecies", allowing them to revise Branham's predictions and essentially re-write "Message" history. These alterations were not limited to minor predictions; William Branham allowed the men to alter what would become known as Branham's "1933 Prophecies". In 1960, and allegedly in the form of a written document Branham read to members of his congregation, they were known as the "1932 Prophecies".

I'd like to read you a prophecy that was given. I got on… And may…By the way, Mr. Mercier and many of them are going to take some of these old prophecies, and dig them out, and revise them a little, or bring them up to date, and put them in papers. I'd like to read some things that I'd like for you to—to…This one, first. I'd like to read something to you. "1932." Listen to this. "As I was on my way, or as I was getting ready to go on my way to church this morning, it came to pass that I fell into a vision.
Branham, William. 1960, Nov 13. Condemnation By Representation (60-1113)

Those who knew Leo and Gene personally were aware that the two men were homosexual, which many in the cult following believed to be an unpardonable sin. While other homosexual men in the cult following would have been ex-communicated for their sexual orientation, because of their position and close relationship with William Branham, Leo and Gene were permitted to both high-ranking positions as "keepers of the 'Message'" in the cult and eventually leadership positions.

I believe it was about 1956 and no later, that Leo and Gene, Leo Mercier and Gene Goad, God told Bro. Branham to hire them; two homosexuals. So I want you to get the drift of what I'm saying. This, what I'm talking about here, where God made Himself known, and through a Prophet, is where men turned back and the homosexuals were standing right there to take over. And you're going to see more and more of it, and you're going to see more and more corruption, and you're going to see more and more people dying from AIDS.
Lee Vayle, Godhead P19, July 1, 2000

In approximately 1961, Mercier and Goad started a cult commune in the Pine Lawn Trailer Court on W. Gurley in Prescott, AZ. Families from West Virginia, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Georgia, Kansas, and Canada migrated west to live in the commune. Many of the families were interrelated through marriage. In 1964, William Branham dedicated the commune, nicknaming it "Little Goshen", referring to the land given to the Children of Israel by the Pharoah before leaving in the Exodus. Though making the comparison with a spiritual reference, Branham never publicly stated who represented the "Pharoah".

Brother Leo, Brother Gene and pilgrims, I—I deem this one of the grand privileges that I've had, to come here to see for myself what you have here on these grounds. It's a…I have been blessed as I moved across the little creek there, and see this court. And I…One time when Brother Leo was making tapes, and I told him that surely there was something greater in life for him than to make tape. And, course, tape-making is something that we must do, but it's blessed us, but there is something else. We're all cut out for different things to do.

to come here this morning and look, this fine little Jerusalem setting out here, little, what I called, it Goshen, I believe, when we come over this morning. Remember, Goshen was one of the places that they worshipped, one of the first places the tent was pitched. And to meet old friends, and—and new, and to have this time allotted to us, I just…It seems like that—that you just don't want to leave. There's just something that wants to hold you. I can see why you people would want to stay here. See? It's something that grips you.
Branham, William. 1964, May 31. The Oddball (64-0531)

According to government record, Mercer became more authoritative after Branham's death in 1965. He began employing various forms of punishment, from "shunning" members of the commune to physical and sexual abuse. Children were marched around the communes military-style, and were physically beaten if caught talking during a march or not properly tying their shoes. Girls were punished by cutting their hair, which the cult believed to be a "sin" which marked females for life. Boys punished were forced to wear girls' clothing. Evidence collected by police investigation confirmed that children were sexually abused. Some families were forced to live separate, while others were forced to work as Mercer's personal servant.

Education was devalued in the cult, based upon William Branham's doctrinal statements against education. Many children dropped out of school, yet were forced to marry and have children at age 18. Also following Branham's doctrinal teaching, children were taught that those outside of the cult following were "atomic fodder", and would all die while those in the cult following would be saved.

Mercer held authority over the sexual relations of the group. Former members of the group described enforced abstinence for weeks at a time, and government record confirms forced sexual relations between men and women in the commune. Men who refused were beaten.

Mercer forced Danny and Mark to live with different families for about three years. Shortly before defendant's birth, the elder boys left the park to live with their father. Roger Loker was perceived as homosexual by church members. He was beaten so that he would have marital relations with Marietta, leading to the conception of defendant and his older sister Hannah. When defendant was between 18 and 30 months old, Marietta would leave him at home alone for an hour at a time to run errands for Mercer. Defendant did not speak, except perhaps to say "mama," until he was three years old. Mercer ordered Marietta to whip and slap him because "he was being stubborn."
2008, Jul 28. People vs. Loker.