Jim Jones and the Change in Branham's Ministry

How much of an impact did the split between Jim Jones and William Branham have on the "Message"? A lot. The "Third Pull". The "New Ministry". The "Seven Seals". The transition from "all are welcome" to "isolationist sect". More.

The full article, including Herald of Faith article excerpt can be found here:
https://william-branham.org/social/topics/jim_jones_and_the_change_in_branhams_ministry

In later versions of William Branham's stage persona, Branham insinuated that he was the "Messenger" for the current "age" and that the ministry of such importance was one that would never change. In fact, Branham claimed that a ministry of such importance could not change, and the Holy Spirit allegedly made Branham write down this fact to be kept safely with Leo Mercier.

But as I started to turn around, the Holy Spirit come upon me. I asked Leo for a pen. I got a piece of paper, and I wrote it. It’s in his trailer today, if you’re ever up where it’s at. It’s that old aluminum trailer where I had the loading outfit. Just as you go in the door, there’s a shelf on the right-hand side, right in front of the trailer. It’s laying under there. I laid it up there. Said, "Someday you can pull this out. ‘God will never change the ministry, but He will change the man with the ministry.’” That’s what’s to be done.[1]

This was not the case, however, with earlier versions of Branham's stage persona. During the most difficult times, Branham frequently wished that his ministry would change, and had discussions with Joseph Mattsson-Boze in which he described plans to change.[2]. Many of the ministers felt that Branham's doctrinal teaching was horrifically wrong, including Ern Baxter who was named partner in the Branham-Baxter Campaigns.[3] As a result, Branham often mentioned how he would be abandoning his doctrinal teaching and constrain himself to simply pray for the sick.

"My ministry, I find, I haven’t found the results yet; I’m trying to change it and get back to just a praying for the sick. Brother Joseph will probably write and tell me. But my ministry is this: it just declares that God is here. It don’t matter whether I pray for you or not in this particular meeting now, it’s your faith. It ain’t touching me; it’s touching Him. See? You touch Him; it’ll happen."
Branham, William. 1955, October 9. The Way To Have Fellowship (55-1009).

Though Branham frequently[4] commented how he planned to make this change, the change never seemed to come. Until June of 1956. During the launch of Jim Jones' career at the Cadle Tabernacle, Branham announced that he had recently changed his ministry and that he would be focusing on prayer for the sick instead of doctrinal teaching.[5] Then, during a series of meetings with the Peoples Temple leader, Branham continued attempting to teach as if nothing had changed. During multiple revivals sponsored by Jim Jones from 1956 through 1957, Branham seemingly had forgotten that his ministry had "changed".

This apparently angered several of his peers. In an "Open Letter to William Branham", the Voice of Healing Evangelists rebuked Branham for things that were said during a 1957 healing revival sponsored by Jim Jones. Several of the ministers began prophesying of Branham's death or destruction, and openly condemned him.[6] Jim Jones' prophecy about William Branham was much the same.[7] In the aftermath, Branham was curiously absent from the lineup of ministers advertised by Gordon Lindsay's Voice of Healing publication, which was originally created to advertise the Branham Healing Revivals.

William Branham continued to be defiant in his position against the other ministers until July 1958. By this time, Branham was no longer able to write articles for or be advertised by Voice of Healing, Branham decided to respond to the other ministers using Joseph Mattsson-Boze's Herald of Faith Publication. On the cover of the July 1958 issue of Herald of Faith, Joseph Mattson-Boze announced that Branham's ministry was, indeed, changing. An article spanning several pages, written by Branham himself,[8] was published. During the first few pages, Branham defended previous versions of his stage persona and the tactics used. In fact, an entire section was dedicated to "MISUNDERSTANDINGS". Branham claimed that critics had tried unsuccessfully to expose these tactics, not mentioning the staged healings,[9] or that the outcomes for the critics were seemingly invented as part of the stage act.[10] Branham claimed that he was finally going to change his ministry, and would limit his stage presence to prayer for the sick.

FORMER GLORIOUS — LATTER MORE GLORIOUS
Now all these years the memory of the call of God had sounded in my heart, for I was "called to pray for the sick". No matter what the signs and evidence, the call and purpose of God in my life was to "pray for the sick". And it was just three days before the end of these meetings in New England that God showed me that the visions were fulfilled, and it was time to take the authority He had given me and to begin to pray for the sick. The signs will not leave me. They are with me to be used as it might be required, but now my duty is to come before the people with the one primary object of prayer for their bodies after I have preached and called the sinner to repentance. The signs have vindicated God and my ministry. Their work has been fulfilled. The whole world knows the reality. Thus, I shall now direct my ministry to the original pattern, and minister to the sick.[11]

Branham began mentioning the same change during his healing revivals but did not mention the change coming as a result of things said during his revivals with Jim Jones and Peoples Temple. Instead, Branham claimed that it was a result of his tax evasion investigation by the I.R.S.[12]

By 1959, however, Branham decided to ignore the other ministers. In March of 1959 during a meeting in his Jeffersonville, Indiana Branham Tabernacle, Branham described a meeting with Leo Mercier wherein the two decided to push back against the other revivalists. Instead of a change in the ministry, and hoping to appease the others who felt his teaching was out of place, Branham said that he would experience a change within.

"The other day, Leo and I was sitting on the street, and some of us talking. And I keep feeling there’s a change coming, a change coming. When we spoke of it, it won’t be a change in my ministry, ’cause it can’t be no more, but it’ll be a change in me."[13]

This was apparently a secretive plan, however, and not to be mentioned outside of his home church in Jeffersonville. When speaking during a meeting with Joseph Mattsson-Boze back in Chicago, Branham continued to say that his ministry would change. In fact, Branham claimed to have received a vision telling him exactly when his ministry would change.

No, it’s in my other Bible. When the Lord gave me a vision and said the change will be when a woman will come to the platform, how she’d be dressed, and would have a little baby that was uncurable, wrapped in a little blanket, and the baby would be healed. She’d be wearing a coat suit, and how she’d look, and all like that. And that would be the time that my ministry would change.[14]

This "change" would continue to either be "coming" or "cannot change" for the rest of Branham's life. Branham seemed to be uncertain whether the vision telling him when it would change or the contradictory instructions by the Holy Spirit that it could not change was the pathway he would choose. Even in his home church in Jeffersonville, Branham would at times announce a coming change in his ministry.[15] In California, Branham announced that he would continue his current strategy and change his ministry later.[16] In Phoenix, Arizona, Branham claimed that the change was beyond his control, and he hoped that it would happen that night.[17] In 1960, also in California, Branham claimed that his ministry did change and that he would have to change back to the old ministry for one night,[18] and that he would switch between the two.[19]

By 1960, Branham had all but fully abandoned the notion of changing. During his famous Seven Seals sermons, Branham fully disregarded the requests for his change by admitting that some disagreed with his doctrinal teaching but "angels to the church" had the "same ministry of the beginning".[20] This presented a problem, whoever, for those in his home church that remembered his alleged "vision" of the "coming change". In an attempt to ward off questions from curious minds, Branham decided to link his "upcoming change" to his "tent prophecy". He held a meeting describing the "Present Stage of My Ministry" to settle the discussion of change once and for all.

And so far as I know, that every vision that He’s ever give me has been fulfilled, except the one that I’m a change in my ministry, to where I’m to pray for people in a little place like a little room under a tent, or a big auditorium or something. It looked, to me, like a tent.[21]

Ironically, William Branham's incident with Jim Jones is the very thing that caused the isolation of Branham's sect from the other churches and the formation of a destructive cult. Branham began referring to his doctrinal teaching as the "wheat", and those who disagreed with his teaching as the "shuck", meaning that his teaching had life while his opposition would soon rot and vanish.[22] One could go as far as to say that Jim Jones and the incident at the revival hosted by Peoples Temple was the reason for the fundamental "Message" cult doctrines. Many core doctrines were closely linked to this "change" in ministry, such as the "Third Pull Doctrine", the "Tent Prophecy", and his own claims to be "not a man but God in the form of a prophet".[23]

References

[1] Branham, William. Come, Follow Me. 1963, Jun, 1. Come, Follow Me (63-0601). "1963/01/06 Come, Follow Me Come, Follow Me (63-0601) William Branham Come, Follow Me (63-0601)."

[2] Branham, William. The Way To Have Fellowship. 1955, Oct, 9. The Way To Have Fellowship (55-1009). "1955/09/10 The Way To Have Fellowship The Way To Have Fellowship (55-1009) William Branham The Way To Have Fellowship (55-1009)."

[3] New Wine Magazine, "New Wine Interviews Ern Baxter", Christian Growth Ministries, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, pp. 4-7, 22-24. "I think there can be a lesson in this. Branham, as a miracle worker, had a real place. Branham as a teacher was outside of his calling. The fruits of his teaching ministry are not good.". "New Wine Magazine, "New Wine Interviews Ern Baxter", Christian Growth Ministries, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, pp. 4-7, 22-24. "I think there can be a lesson in this. Branham, as a miracle worker, had a real place. Branham as a teacher was outside of his calling. The fruits of his teaching ministry are not good."

[4] Branham, William. Jehovah. 1957, Mar, 9. Jehovah (57-0309E). "1957/09/03 Jehovah William Branham Now, He met me some time ago, several months ago, and there's fixing to be a change in my ministry. It's a change for the better. Jehovah-"

[5] Branham, William. Faith Once Delivered To The Saints. 1957, Jun, 10. Faith Once Delivered To The Saints (57-0610). "1957/10/06 Faith Once Delivered To The Saints Now, the last few weeks has been a change, that I—the Lord has given me in the ministry. The first time I ever tried to pray for the sick in the manner that I shall start here in the tabernacle, the Lord willing, was a few days ago in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, at the ice arena William Branham Now, the last few weeks has been a change, that I—the Lord has given me in the ministry. The first time I ever tried to pray for the sick in the manner that I shall start here in the tabernacle, the Lord willing, was a few days ago in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, at the ice arena."

[6] Christian FELLOWSHIP convention Replies to 'Open Letter' to William Branham. 1957, Jul. The Voice of Healing. "1957/07 Christian FELLOWSHIP convention Replies to 'Open Letter' to William Branham"

[7] Q612 Transcript. Accessed. 2021, Jun, 22. Jonestown. Accessed 2021, Jun, 22 from https://jonestown.sdsu.edu/?page_id=27492. "2021/22/06 Q612 Transcript. Accessed Some are listening. They won't tell you the truth, because the black book is the easiest gravy train that they've ever been on. Yet Allen [A.A. Allen, Pentecostal evangelist] came to me, Oral Roberts [Pentecostal evangelist] spoke this, Billy Graham came right to us – Ijames [Archie Ijames], Jack [Jack Arnold Beam], and me – in Claypool Hotel, said I don't believe a thing in that Bible hardly. But he said, it's the way to make a living. Billy Graham, who I prophesied his death, Billy Branham rather, said his head would be— I said he'd lose his head. His head was cut off in Texas. [Editorial note: The reference is to William Branham, an evangelical preacher and acquaintance of Jim Jones during the Temple's Indianapolis days. Branham died in an automobile accident on Christmas Eve 1965 in Texas, but was not decapitated.] He said you can't preach the truth about that Bible, he said (tape cuts out about three seconds) preach reincarnation, you cannot preach the truth about the Bible, you will be in trouble. I said, I choose to treat th— preach the truth. He said, well, I'll be around, while you will be in trouble. Well, I'm still here, and his head is cut off from his body Some are listening. They won't tell you the truth, because the black book is the easiest gravy train that they've ever been on. Yet Allen [A.A. Allen, Pentecostal evangelist] came to me, Oral Roberts [Pentecostal evangelist] spoke this, Billy Graham came right to us – Ijames [Archie Ijames], Jack [Jack Arnold Beam], and me – in Claypool Hotel, said I don't believe a thing in that Bible hardly. But he said, it's the way to make a living. Billy Graham, who I prophesied his death, Billy Branham rather, said his head would be— I said he'd lose his head. His head was cut off in Texas. [Editorial note: The reference is to William Branham, an evangelical preacher and acquaintance of Jim Jones during the Temple's Indianapolis days. Branham died in an automobile accident on Christmas Eve 1965 in Texas, but was not decapitated.] He said you can't preach the truth about that Bible, he said (tape cuts out about three seconds) preach reincarnation, you cannot preach the truth about the Bible, you will be in trouble. I said, I choose to treat th— preach the truth. He said, well, I'll be around, while you will be in trouble. Well, I'm still here, and his head is cut off from his body."

[8] Rev. Branham and the Future. 1958, Jul. Herald of Faith. "1958/07 Rev. Branham and the Future This most outstanding article is written by Rev. Branham himself This most outstanding article is written by Rev. Branham himself."

[9] MacFarlane, Charles. Girl 'Cured' Second Time By Healer, Only 'Miracle' Here. Vancouver Sun. 1947, Nov, 6. Girl 'Cured' Second Time By Healer, Only 'Miracle' Here. "1947/06/11 Girl 'Cured' Second Time By Healer, Only 'Miracle' Here. Vancouver Sun Then the young girl got up from her stretcher and walked from the room. I followed her and her mother, and found out this is the second time she has been "cured" by Branham. Several weeks ago, her mother told me, she went to Calgary where Mr. Branham "drove out the evil spirit" and showed signs of improving, but "the spirit" came back. Wednesday night she went again to be cured. Her mother, Mrs. Ethel Gledhill, 4097 Victoria Drive, said her daughter Helen is suffering pernicious anemia following a bout with pneumonia, and was really not a stretcher case, but is confined to her home, unable to work Charles MacFarlane Then the young girl got up from her stretcher and walked from the room. I followed her and her mother, and found out this is the second time she has been "cured" by Branham. Several weeks ago, her mother told me, she went to Calgary where Mr. Branham "drove out the evil spirit" and showed signs of improving, but "the spirit" came back. Wednesday night she went again to be cured. Her mother, Mrs. Ethel Gledhill, 4097 Victoria Drive, said her daughter Helen is suffering pernicious anemia following a bout with pneumonia, and was really not a stretcher case, but is confined to her home, unable to work."

[10] The Man from Windsor. Accessed. 2021, Oct, 18. En. Accessed 2021, Oct, 18 from https://en.believethesign.com/index.php?title=The_Man_from_Windsor. "2021/18/10 The Man from Windsor. Accessed"

[11] Rev. Branham and the Future. 1958, Jul. Herald of Faith. "1958/07 Rev. Branham and the Future"

[12] ex: Branham, William. By Faith, Moses. 1958, Jul, 20. By Faith, Moses (58-0720M). "1958/20/07 By Faith, Moses And my ministry has taken a change right now. You remember when I used to take a hold of the person's hand, and just stand there, and the Lord would tell me what was their trouble. Said, "Then it would come to pass, you know the secret of the heart of the people." Every one of you know that's happened just perfectly the way It said. Now this is the next step, which has been prophesied and foretold, which is going to be far beyond any of It, you see. And it's right now in the change. And that's the reason Satan's fight me with the income tax, trying to tell me, the government, that I owe income tax on every penny I taken up, as a minister, since out of twenty-seven years ago, entered the ministry. It's not so, 'cause it passed through the church here William ex: Branham And my ministry has taken a change right now. You remember when I used to take a hold of the person's hand, and just stand there, and the Lord would tell me what was their trouble. Said, "Then it would come to pass, you know the secret of the heart of the people." Every one of you know that's happened just perfectly the way It said. Now this is the next step, which has been prophesied and foretold, which is going to be far beyond any of It, you see. And it's right now in the change. And that's the reason Satan's fight me with the income tax, trying to tell me, the government, that I owe income tax on every penny I taken up, as a minister, since out of twenty-seven years ago, entered the ministry. It's not so, 'cause it passed through the church here."

[13] Branham, William. Strait Is The Gate. 1959, Mar, 1. Strait Is The Gate (59-0301M). "1959/01/03 Strait Is The Gate William Branham Strait Is The Gate (59-0301M)"

[14] Branham, William. All The Days Of Our Life. 1959, Jun, 12. All The Days Of Our Life (59-0612). "1959/12/06 All The Days Of Our Life All The Days Of Our Life (59-0612) William Branham All The Days Of Our Life (59-0612)."

[15] Branham, William. My New Ministry. 1959, Nov, 15. My New Ministry (59-1115). "1959/15/11 My New Ministry William Branham I said, "Lord, are You changing my ministry? Is this the change You been speaking of? Is this what it's coming to? Is this what it'll be? Something in that little house that I saw in the vision, is this it?"

[16] Branham, William. A Prophet Like Unto Moses. 1959, Nov, 20. A Prophet Like Unto Moses (59-1120). "1959/20/11 A Prophet Like Unto Moses We are going this week, if the Lord permitting… I truly am expecting a great change in my ministry right away. Until that comes… It's happened once, until it comes, I'll remain with my regular ministry William Branham We are going this week, if the Lord permitting… I truly am expecting a great change in my ministry right away. Until that comes… It's happened once, until it comes, I'll remain with my regular ministry."

[17] Branham, William. Be Not Afraid, It Is I. 1960, Mar, 5. Be Not Afraid, It Is I (60-0305). "1960/05/03 Be Not Afraid, It Is I And I told you the last time here there was a new ministry coming. I spoke with some of the brethren today, and was telling them about what's happened. Just remember, that the first time I was here, you remember the Lord had told me something was going to happen: change in the ministry. It happened. Said another one's going to happen, and it happened. Now, there's a another one greater, far greater than all the rest of them put together, already confirmed and ready. I hope it happens tonight William Branham And I told you the last time here there was a new ministry coming. I spoke with some of the brethren today, and was telling them about what's happened. Just remember, that the first time I was here, you remember the Lord had told me something was going to happen: change in the ministry. It happened. Said another one's going to happen, and it happened. Now, there's a another one greater, far greater than all the rest of them put together, already confirmed and ready. I hope it happens tonight."

[18] Branham, William. It Is I. 1960, Jul, 20. It Is I (60-0720). "1960/20/07 It Is I There's so many here that's never been in my—in my meetings before, never have been, well, then I—I'd better go back to the old ministry tonight, and then have the new ministry start tomorrow evening William Branham There's so many here that's never been in my—in my meetings before, never have been, well, then I—I'd better go back to the old ministry tonight, and then have the new ministry start tomorrow evening."

[19] Branham, William. The Unchangeable Word Of God. 1960, Jul, 24. The Unchangeable Word Of God (60-0724). "1960/24/07 The Unchangeable Word Of God And now, we want get a little something to build up some faith. How many of you will pray for me, somebody who really needs it? Thank you. As I go, I'm just in a change now between one ministry and the other William Branham And now, we want get a little something to build up some faith. How many of you will pray for me, somebody who really needs it? Thank you. As I go, I'm just in a change now between one ministry and the other."

[20] Branham, William. The Ephesian Church Age. 1960, Dec, 5. The Ephesian Church Age (60-1205). "1960/05/12 The Ephesian Church Age Now, these others you might disagree, but I've set there for days and days in under inspiration till I felt the Holy Spirit strike me and anoint me for it. That's the reason I know. And watch these men that has been picked, if you're a historian, they…The same men that I have got here, and know by revelation that they was the angels to the church, they had the same ministry that these did at the beginning. And that ministry cannot change, it must stay pentecost all the way through William Branham Now, these others you might disagree, but I've set there for days and days in under inspiration till I felt the Holy Spirit strike me and anoint me for it. That's the reason I know. And watch these men that has been picked, if you're a historian, they…The same men that I have got here, and know by revelation that they was the angels to the church, they had the same ministry that these did at the beginning. And that ministry cannot change, it must stay pentecost all the way through."

[21] Branham, William. Present Stage Of My Ministry. 1962, Sep, 8. Present Stage Of My Ministry (62-0908). "1962/08/09 Present Stage Of My Ministry Present Stage Of My Ministry (62-0908) William Branham Present Stage Of My Ministry (62-0908)."

[22] Branham, William. The Harvest Time. 1964, Dec, 12. The Harvest Time (64-1212). "1964/12/12 The Harvest Time What happens to it? What happens to that Church? Finally, listen, that shuck pulls away from that wheat, when it begins to be manifested. What happened? The Life that was in the shuck, went on out in the wheat. The Life won't change. The carriers change, they denominate; see, the blades, the tassel, the shuck. But the wheat can't change. It's got to be a ministry just exactly on the Word like He was on the Word, and like the first Church was on the Word, Spirit filled, Word fed; not denominational fed. Word fed William Branham What happens to it? What happens to that Church? Finally, listen, that shuck pulls away from that wheat, when it begins to be manifested. What happened? The Life that was in the shuck, went on out in the wheat. The Life won't change. The carriers change, they denominate; see, the blades, the tassel, the shuck. But the wheat can't change. It's got to be a ministry just exactly on the Word like He was on the Word, and like the first Church was on the Word, Spirit filled, Word fed; not denominational fed. Word fed!"

[23] Branham, William. Trying To Do God A Service Without It Being God's Will. But the Elijah of this day is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is to come according to Matthew the seventeen-…Luke 17:30, is, the Son of man is to reveal Himself among His people. Not a man, God! But it'll come through a prophet. 1965, Nov, 27. Trying To Do God A Service Without It Being God's Will. "1965/27/11 Trying To Do God A Service Without It Being God's Will. But the Elijah of this day is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is to come according to Matthew the seventeen-…Luke 17:30, is, the Son of man is to reveal Himself among His people. Not a man, God! But it'll come through a prophet Trying To Do God A Service Without It Being God's Will. But the Elijah of this day is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is to come according to Matthew the seventeen-…Luke 17:30, is, the Son of man is to reveal Himself among His people. Not a man, God! But it'll come through a prophet William Branham Trying To Do God A Service Without It Being God's Will. But the Elijah of this day is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is to come according to Matthew the seventeen-…Luke 17:30, is, the Son of man is to reveal Himself among His people. Not a man, God! But it'll come through a prophet."