Raymond Jackson
Raymond "Junior" Jackson, Jr. was a close associate of William Branham and later founder of the Faith Assembly splinter group, a movement that began as a Branham Tabernacle sister church before becoming Clarksville Gospel Chapel and eventually Faith Assembly Church. After recovering from a serious 1949 automobile-related injury and entering Branham's orbit through divine-healing revivals, Jackson moved from his Methodist background into Branham's Message movement, holding tent meetings, building a congregation, and becoming part of Branham's inner circle by the mid-1950s. Branham later used Jackson's alleged pyramid dream to support his shifting 1963 mystery cloud narrative, though Jackson eventually rejected Branham's version and admitted that Branham had exaggerated the account. Through Faith Assembly and The Contender newsletter, Jackson became one of the most important post-Branham splinter leaders, preserving parts of Branham's theology while also challenging elements of the main Message sect.
Raymond ("Junior", "Junie") Jackson, Jr was one of William Branham's close associates and leader of the Faith Assembly splinter group that branched from the main sect of William Branham's cult of personality. The sect began as a "sister church" of the Branham Tabernacle[1] in 1955,[2] eventually transitioning to the "Clarksville Gospel Chapel"[3] and finally "Faith Assembly Church". Jackson was used as a prop for William Branham's stage persona through a dream that Jackson allegedly had about a pyramid,[4] which was allegedly confirmation concerning Branham's 1963 Mystery Cloud event when Branham transitioned the focal point from a pyramid of five angels[5][6] to a cloud of seven angels.[7] Jackson later rejected Branham's claim, admitting that Branham had exxagerated.[8] Raymond Jackson is listed in the Intent To Sue documentation created by Gerald Lee Walker for Sarah Branham.[9]
Jackson was severely injured in 1949 when Robert L. Pfister of Memphis crashed into a corn-picker pulled by Jackson while driving drunk,[10] leaving him with a sizeable scar above his right eyebrow. Jackson sued for $25,000 (over $300,000 in today's money)[11] , and his father, Raymond Jackson Sr. sued for $1,500.[12] After the suit was finally settled, Jackson connected with William Branham's sect and began holding revivals in a "Gospel Tent" with evangelist Estle Beeler.[13] A few months later Jackson had gathered enough converts to start a church[14] in New Albany.[15]
Like Willard Collins who also held revivals with Estle Beeler, Jackson was a Methodist[16] before converting to William Branham's "Message" sect. Branham first met Jackson in April of 1953, and by December 1954 was adopted into the "Message" sect[17] preaching the "Gospel of Divine Healing".[18][19] According to Jackson, he and his congregation sat under the teaching of William Branham from 1952 to 1955.[20] By 1956, Jackson had become one of Branham's inner circle and assisted in the meetings in altar calls[21] and prayers.[22] One revival in February of 1956, entitled "Contending for the Faith",[23] had a significant impact on Jackson. In 1960, Jackson moved his church closer to the Branham Tabernacle in Jeffersonville and opened the "Clarksville Gospel Chapel" in Clarksville, Indiana.[24] Jackson later renamed his church "Faith Assembly", and in 1969[25] began publishing a newsletter called "The Contender" with a slogan, "earnestly contend for the faith".[26]
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