<TITLE>06. Par 20-23</TITLE>L-20 Mr. Wright came out of the store, the man that's with me, said, "I've got to go up on the hill here to take a man some eggs. You want to go up with me."
And I said, "Yes, sir."
We went around the hill and came up. We passed by a big old church, big white church. And I said, "That's a lovely old church, overlooking the city."
He said, "That's the old Baptist church, Brother Branham."
I said, "What Baptist is it?"
Said, "Missionary."
I said, "Oh, well that's the Baptist that I..." I said, "What happened?"'
He said, "Well, something went wrong here years ago. A minister got in some trouble, and there was a big shooting scrape." And said, "The church went down, and the--the church people turned it over to the city. They just have funeral services."
I went up towards the door. And as I went towards the door, it seemed better. I tried to open the door, and it wouldn't open. And I--I said, "You go ahead. I'll wait here at the steps till you come back."

L-21 When he went up on the hill, I knelt down. I said, "Lord, if this is the place You want me, You want me to hold a meeting here, open this door for me. Open the door."
I was... While I was yet in prayer, I heard someone coming around and across the hill this way, and it was a man, whistling. He said, "Hello, preacher?"
I said, "Hello."
He said, "You looking at the church?"
And I said, "Yeah. How'd you know I was a preacher?"
Said, "Mr. Wright said you was a preacher. Thought you maybe wanted to look into it." I just brought the keys, opened the door.
And I said, "Thank you." I walked in and looked around. I said, "Thank You, heavenly Father." Looked around, a nice church, it seat about three hundred people. I said, "Who owns it?"
Said, "The city."
And I went down there to see them. And they bought electricity from the company, the public service company where I was then employed.
And he said, "Go ahead up there. Put a meter in it. It's yours as long as you want it."
"Thank you." And I put a meter in. I announced a revival for the following Sunday.

L-22 That night... The day I went out, and I said to a man around close to the hill, I said, "Sir," I said, "I'm Brother Branham. I'm going to have a meeting up here. Will you come up?"
He said, "Look, preacher." Said, "We ain't got time for religion down here. We raise chickens."
Said... I said, "Well, all right, partner. But one of these days, you're going to find time to die." Three weeks from then, they buried him.
And so I went on around on the side of hill. I met many others who were very indifferent. I started the meeting, and the first night I had Mr. Wright, his daughter, his two daughters, and his son, his wife, five people. I preached just as hard as I could.
And so we went on. The next night we had the same group, only about time I was setting in the platform reading some of the Scriptures... Had to drive quite a distance.

L-23 And I heard something beating on the side of the house. There was a fellow knocking his old corn cob pipe against the house. Come in, a... Oh, a horrible looking fellow, the hairs hanging down in his face. He looked around, like that, one tooth out in front. Looked all around the building, said, "Where is that little Billy Sunday they talk about?"
Mr. Wright had told me, said, "There's a tough guy." Said, "He's a... He used to belong to Nazarene church, but he's backslid and cursed every preacher that comes in the country."
I went back and said, "This is Mr. Hall, Mr. Branham."
I said--I said, "Glad to know you."
Said, "You're the preacher?" Said, "You don't look like it." And ripped out with one of them about that blankity-blank, like that.
I said, "Will you set down?"
Said, "Well, I might set a little while. I like singing."
And I said, "Well, we'll do our best to entertain you. Set down." I said, "Will you come up forward?"
He said, "No, I don't care to get up there." Said, "I'll set right here."
Said, "All right. Have a song book. Make yourself at home, sir." Walked on back up.


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