William Branham Historical Research
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VOGR Caught Withholding Sermons Critical To Jonestown

February 11, 2022

After William Branham was silenced by Gordon Lindsay and the Voice of Healing revivalists, now working with Joseph Mattsson-Boze and Jim Jones, leadership of his revival organization transitioned to Chicago.  It became known as the "William Branham Evangelistic Team of Chicago"[1]  During this time, William Branham began making trips to a location that would become the focal point of cult studies for decades to come: Uriah, California.  The problem?

After William Branham was silenced by Gordon Lindsay and the Voice of Healing revivalists, now working with Joseph Mattsson-Boze and Jim Jones, leadership of his revival organization transitioned to Chicago.  It became known as the "William Branham Evangelistic Team of Chicago"[1]  During this time, William Branham began making trips to a location that would become the focal point of cult studies for decades to come: Uriah, California.  The problem?

Voice of God Recordings and Spoken Word Publications are "missing" key sermons from Uriah.

While working with Jim Jones of Peoples Temple, William Branham scheduled a trip to Lakeport, California, just minutes from the then future Redwood Valley home for Peoples Temple just outside of Uriah, California.  Uriah newspapers announced that Branham was to speak on March 15, 16, and 17, 1957 at the Lakeport Fairgrounds.[2]  Of this very critical set of sermons, the Branham cult only permits followers to read or listen to the March 17 sermon.  Interestingly, it is the same sermon that William Branham used to help launch Jim Jones' career at the Cadle Tabernacle in Indianapolis, Indiana: "Hear Ye Him."  (57-0317).  Branham preached "Hear Ye Him" with Jim Jones on June 11, 1956, while lifting Jones into power as a "Message" cult leader.  (56-0611)

This series, however, is not as interesting as Branham's return trip.   [6]

Even without considering the fact that Jim Jones would migrate Peoples Temple to this location in the 1960s, William Branham's trips to the Uriah area were "fruitful".  He returned in 1960 holding revival meetings from July 20-24,[7] after having successfully planted a church.[8]  The "Gospel Tabernacle Jesus Name in Ukiah, California" was planted in April, 1960, as a church dedicated to the teachings of William Branham (and by cult leadership association as a "Message" leader, Jim Jones).

Only a few years after William Branham's successful trips to Ukiah, and after having filled Jones with fear from his predictions of the destruction of Indiana[9] and Illinois,[10]  Jim Jones and Peoples Temple left Indianapolis, Indiana, for Ukiah, California to settle in Redwood Valley, near Ukiah.[11]

References

[1] First Christian Assembly. 1957, Dec, 14. Courier News. "1957/14/12 First Christian Assembly A speaker from the William Branham Evangelistic Team of Chicago will be heard at the 11 a.m. worship service A speaker from the William Branham Evangelistic Team of Chicago will be heard at the 11 a.m. worship service."

[2] Coming - 3 Nights Only - March 15, 16, 17, William Branham. 1957, Mar, 15. The Press Democrat (Uriah). "1957/15/03 Coming - 3 Nights Only - March 15, 16, 17, William Branham The Press Democrat (Uriah) The Press Democrat (Uriah)."

[3] Branham, William. Questions And Answers On Hebrews #3. 1957, Oct, 6. Questions And Answers On Hebrews #3 (57-1006). "1957/06/10 Questions And Answers On Hebrews #3 Questions And Answers On Hebrews #3 (57-1006) William Branham Questions And Answers On Hebrews #3 (57-1006)."

[4] Don't Miss It This Time! Internationally Known Evangelist Rev. William Branham Returns to Lakeport. 1957, Nov, 10. The Press Democrat. "1957/10/11 Don't Miss It This Time! Internationally Known Evangelist Rev. William Branham Returns to Lakeport The Press Democrat The Press Democrat."

[5] Branham, William. I Stand At The Door And Knock. 1957, Dec, 8. I Stand At The Door And Knock (57-1208). "1957/08/12 I Stand At The Door And Knock I Stand At The Door And Knock (57-1208) William Branham I Stand At The Door And Knock (57-1208)."

[6] The Table. Accessed. 2022, Feb, 5. Table. Accessed 2022, Feb, 5 from https://table.branham.org. "2022/05/02 The Table. Accessed"

[7] ATTENTION PLEASE: Announcing the coming of EVANGELIST WILLIAM BRANHAM. 1950, Jul, 14. The Press Democrat. "1950/14/07 ATTENTION PLEASE: Announcing the coming of EVANGELIST WILLIAM BRANHAM July 20-24 - 7:30 p.m July 20-24 - 7:30 p.m."

[8] Gospel Tabernacle Jesus Name in Ukiah, California (CA). Accessed. 2022, Feb, 5. Nonprofitfacts. Accessed 2022, Feb, 5 from http://www.nonprofitfacts.com/CA/Gospel-Tabernacle-Jesus-Name.html. "2022/05/02 Gospel Tabernacle Jesus Name in Ukiah, California (CA). Accessed Ruling Date: 04/1960"

[9] Branham, William. And Their Eyes Were Opened And They Knew Him. 1957, Apr, 21. And Their Eyes Were Opened And They Knew Him (57-0421E). "1957/21/04 And Their Eyes Were Opened And They Knew Him Now, friends, my home town. And I want to say this now, before closing this revival. One of these days there won't be even an ash left in Jeffersonville, there won't be one left in Charlestown, won't be one left in Louisville. This world is ripe for judgment. They have got a hydrogen bomb now that Russia can shoot from Moscow, land it on Fourth Street, and take every one of these powder plants around here, and sink it seventy-five feet under the ground, with one bomb. One bomb; fifteen miles square, it'll go to a hundred and fifty feet in the ground. The hand is on the trigger. The clock is ticking away. It's later than you think. Why wait till that time William Branham Now, friends, my home town. And I want to say this now, before closing this revival. One of these days there won't be even an ash left in Jeffersonville, there won't be one left in Charlestown, won't be one left in Louisville. This world is ripe for judgment. They have got a hydrogen bomb now that Russia can shoot from Moscow, land it on Fourth Street, and take every one of these powder plants around here, and sink it seventy-five feet under the ground, with one bomb. One bomb; fifteen miles square, it'll go to a hundred and fifty feet in the ground. The hand is on the trigger. The clock is ticking away. It's later than you think. Why wait till that time?"

[10] Branham, William. God Keeps His Word. 1957, Jan, 15. God Keeps His Word (57-0115). "1957/15/01 God Keeps His Word And going through those places, and there they could time that bomb and throw her into Chicago, and blow Sturgis plumb off the map with the same thing, and never leave Moscow. It's all laying right in the hands of sinful, Godless men tonight. That's right. 193 And there no need to try and run; ain't going to do you no good. One of those hydrogen bombs (We're in the direction on it, and you have, here, your—your air watch and things.) when that bomb hits, fifteen miles each way, it blows a hole in the ground a hundred and seventy-five feet deep for fifteen miles; that's thirty miles square, any way it falls, just one bomb. Then it'll go out yonder for miles and miles and miles beyond that, busting trees, and tearing things, and just turn it back to dust and back to cosmic light. That's what's happening William Branham And going through those places, and there they could time that bomb and throw her into Chicago, and blow Sturgis plumb off the map with the same thing, and never leave Moscow. It's all laying right in the hands of sinful, Godless men tonight. That's right. 193 And there no need to try and run; ain't going to do you no good. One of those hydrogen bombs (We're in the direction on it, and you have, here, your—your air watch and things.) when that bomb hits, fifteen miles each way, it blows a hole in the ground a hundred and seventy-five feet deep for fifteen miles; that's thirty miles square, any way it falls, just one bomb. Then it'll go out yonder for miles and miles and miles beyond that, busting trees, and tearing things, and just turn it back to dust and back to cosmic light. That's what's happening."

[11] 30 years later, former Peoples Temple followers in Ukiah still trying to forget. Accessed. 2022, Feb, 5. Pressdemocrat. Accessed 2022, Feb, 5 from https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/30-years-later-former-peoples-temple-followers-in-ukiah-still-trying-to-fo/. "2022/05/02 30 years later, former Peoples Temple followers in Ukiah still trying to forget. Accessed"