Speaking In Tongues
William Branham's teaching on speaking in tongues shifted between contradictory stage personas, sometimes rejecting tongues as evidence of the Holy Spirit, sometimes affirming it as true evidence, and at other times denying that he had ever supported the doctrine; his later claim that he supernaturally spoke Finnish in a trance during a prayer line is especially problematic because the phrases he used, "Jumalan rauhaa" and "kiitos," were words he had publicly learned, translated, and repeated for years after his Finland meetings, showing how an ordinary memory of foreign phrases was later repackaged as a supernatural manifestation to support his prophetic and charismatic authority.
In some versions of William Branham's stage persona, Branham took a strong position against the Pentecostal Assemblies claiming that he did not believe that speaking in tongues was evidence of the Holy Spirit.[1] He clearly affirmed that he did "not believe that speaking in tongues is any evidence of the Holy Ghost."[2] Other versions, even during the same month of his declaration, strongly affirmed his position that he believed speaking in tongues was the evidence of the Holy Spirit.
"Luther organized upon, "The just shall live by faith.” John Wesley organized, "Sanctification, second definite work of grace.” The Pentecost organized on, "Speaking in tongues, as the evidence of the Holy Ghost.” All those things are true.[3]
"Now, when we stop on one evidence of speaking in tongues being the Holy Ghost, which is all right. That’s true. That’s the evidence of the Holy Ghost, but just look at the other things goes in there."[4]
William Branham's stage personas actually argued against themselves on the issue. At one point Branham vehemently denied having ever held this position.
"I’ve never believed, and there’s no one can prove it by God’s Word, that the initial evidence of the Holy Ghost is speaking in tongues. I want the man to come do it. I’ve challenged that all along."[5]
In the tongues-as-evidence versions of his stage persona, William Branham claimed to have spoken in unknown languages during his prayer lines. Branham claimed that it was not his voice speaking, implying that the words were flowing through him supernaturally in what he called a "trance". In one particular instance, he used the phrase "Jumalan rauhaa" and the word "kiitos". After using them, he exclaimed, "What did I just say!"
Visions to me are just like a trance. And they were telling me of a woman that I had called back in--somewhere in the audiences, and had told her that a certain affliction had gripped her. But she was--couldn't understand me because she didn't--she was from a--another country, a Finnish woman. And then the Holy Spirit, to show that He's no respect of person, spoke through here, and called her name, and told her to bless God. Spoke in a language that I didn't know, and called the woman, and give who she was, and something about to--the Lord's blessings upon her, something another, in Finnish language. I don't even know English, let alone Finnish. So it goes to show that God speaks in all the languages and all human beings belong to Him. How wonderful. [6]
Right straight back, the back of this place here, about middle ways of this aisle, there's a little--there's a woman, and she's suffering with a high blood pressure. She--she's not from here, she a Finn. She's from Finland. If you believe, sister, you receive your healing. "Jumalan rauhaa," rise up to your feet and accept your healing and be made well. God bless you. "Kiitos Jesus." Hallelujah! What was I saying? [7]
Prior to this claim of speaking in tongues, William Branham toured Finland holding healing revivals. In 1951 - eight years earlier - Branham described the meetings and the new words he learned while touring another country. Among them were the same phrases he claimed not to know in his "trance".
Now, we were in Finland, or England; we flew to Finland right away to start. At Helsinki we had a marvelous congregation. The Finnish people are so lovely and sweet. And many times when I think about how poor they are there, and how much that we ritzy Americans have, we should be ashamed of ourself. That's--that's right. Those poor people... There's a Finnish woman come on the platform the other night. And I was trying to keep myself under anointing, but when she passed she said, "Jumalan rauhaa," that's "God's peace upon you." And I said, "Kiitos," to her, it means "thank you." [8]
"Jumalan rauhaa" was a phrase that Branham used frequently after hearing it. Though he later claimed not to know the translations in 1959, Branham explained the meaning of both "jumalan rauhaa" and "kitos" in 1956. In fact, Branham explained in a 1951 sermon that he learned the phrase while in Finland.
And over in Finland, the only thing that I learned was 'Jumalan rauhaa.'[9]
1951: [Finnish brother speaking: And that very great service with Brother Branham and his party was doing in Finland, it is still growing and bringing fruit for God's work. Praise the Lord."--Ed.] Amen. God bless you, brother there. So glad to get to see you again. God bless you. Jumalan rauhaa. God bless you. Let's say, "Praise the Lord," everybody. All the way from Finland. [10]
1952: As the Finns would say, many of them in here, "Jumalan rauhaa."That's "God's peace rest upon you." [11]
1953: Anything that'll make a Finn put his arm around Russian and a Russian around a Finn, will settle every war. Jesus Christ is the answer. Yes, sir. They had nothing against one another. They wept and cried and hollered, "Jumalan rauhaa," that's "God's peace rest upon you." [12]
1956: And I was passing through here the other night, and the custodian said he was from Finland and his people was from Finland. I spoke a few words of Finnish to him. And I said, "Kiitos" and "Jumalan rauhaa." And he looked at me. "Kiitos" is "thank you," and "Jumalan rauhaa" is "God's peace be upon you." And so I think I'd speak a few words in German, and they'd be a whole lot of people understand me.[13]