By Roscoe Barnes III, PhD
Author, F.F. Bosworth: The Man Behind "Christ the Healer"
Copyright (c) 2020
#FFBosworth
#WilliamBranham
When a reporter asked Mark Twain about reports of his untimely death, Twain, according to legend, said the reports of his death were greatly exaggerated.
Interestingly enough, the same could have been said about William Branham in 1948. The evangelist had left the ministry for a short time due to exhaustion and illness. However, it wasn’t long before his followers, including the readers of The Voice of Healing, began to speculate about his demise. Some were convinced that he had died. In an attempt the squelch the rumors and fake news, the Voice of Healing published the following report in the May 1948 issue:
The Rumor of Brother
Branham’s Death
Here is an example of the amazing propagating power of falsehood. Up and down the breadth of the land a rumor has gone forth to the effect that Brother Banham has died. Every effort has been made to reassure excited people who write us, phone us and telegraph us, that this rumor is untrue. Yet it seems to persist, with the supposed date of our brother’s death gradually being advanced. Brother Branham is very much alive, although it is true that the great strain of praying for thousands of people in the campaigns and then upon returning home to find others waiting at his doorstep for help, bears heavily upon him. We trust that every Christian who has an interest in the Branham campaigns will pray daily that his strength will keep up.
It is hard to read this report without thinking about the crises faced by today's church. Because of the onslaught of misinformation on such topics as politics, the presidential election, and the Covid19 pandemic, many believers have simply lost their way. Many are divided because of the consumption of outright lies and misinformation fed by certain news media and promoted on social media. Many, unfortunately, have no discernment. They can no longer tell the difference between fact and fiction. They cannot see the truth, even when it's staring them in the face.
Sadly, as it was with the story of Branham, so it is with us today.
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Note: My book, F.F. Bosworth: The Man Behind "Christ the Healer," can be purchased here with a 25% discount. Use the discount code: BOSWORTH25.
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For more information:
Visit the F.F. Bosworth page here. Questions about the research and commentary on F.F. Bosworth may be directed to Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D., via email at doctorbarnes3@gmail.com or roscoebarnes3@yahoo.com. For updates on F.F. Bosworth history, simply follow this blog or @bosworth_fred and @Roscoebarnes3 on Twitter. #ChristTheHealer #BosworthMention #BosworthMatters
