Source of Branham's Healing Claim Identified

In the later versions of William Branham's stage persona, Branham began claiming to have more power to heal than that of God through Jesus Christ when Christ was on earth.  According to Branham's Manifested Sons of God theology, Christ was a "manifestation" of God, and he was the same "Son of Man" manifestation of God as a modern-day "Elijah".[1]

He had more success in Jeffersonville than He did in Nazareth. He did in that wicked city and this wicked city. Amen! Glory! Cause, “He could perform no miracles there,” but He did here. He finally broke through, here. He got it done here. He might have had to get people somewhere else, but He—He got it done, anyhow. So, He had more success right here than He did in—in Capernaum or—or Nazareth, in that. He done more miracles right here in this tabernacle than He did in the entire ministry on earth. That’s right, He did it. Now what about the rest of the world? Oh, my! Now that’s what He done.
- William Branham[2]

John Alexander Dowie, who also claimed to be the "manifested" Elijah and cult leader of Zion City, IL, first made the claim.  High-ranking members of Branham's campaign team, including Gordon Lindsay and F. F. Bosworth, were raised under the teachings of Dowie, and Bosworth was an elder in the sect in Zion who traveled with Dowie.

After the purchase of land for Zion City and before the building of the communal city north of Chicago, Dowie began claiming to have had more healing miracles in his ministry than that of the Christ. 

Look through the Bible, page by page, and leaf by leaf, and you will find that God — through his own Son — effected less than thirty cures during the Savior’s lifetime.  I, Dr. John Alexander Dowie, in less than four years have effected more than 10,000 cures.
- John Alexander Dowie.[3]