<TITLE>06. Par 35-39</TITLE>L-35 Now, then when we come to this age, you see how far Pentecost comes up? Can you see it in the back all right? Can you make it out way back there? All right. Now, here come, last night, the great age that we're in here, Constantine, Constantine, "C-o-n-s," I'll put it. He, being a pagan, was--asked these Christians here (the ones that had the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes) if they would pray that he would win a certain battle, well, he would become a Christian. During that time when he was at battle, he dreamed a dream that he should... By a white cross that was put before him, he said, "By this you win." And that's right. Then he woke his army up and painted on their shields a white cross, and that was the birthplace or the beginning of the Catholic order today, called the Knights of Columbus.

L-36 Now, now, Constantine, there's... You can't glean one thing from the histories of him being converted. He was nothing but a crooked politician. He had in his mind the idea to--to unite his kingdom and make it strong. So he himself, being a pagan, worshipped the idols; then he seen that the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes had almost squeezed out to a place, so he used the same strategy that we found out last night.
And Jesus predicted it three hundred and four years before it come to pass, that he would teach the doctrine of Balaam, how that Balaam deceived the children of Israel, caused them to commit fornications and--and offered--take things offered to idols, eat things. Now, we know that eating these things offered to idols, what it really was was worshipping. Going in, they were bowing down to idols, putting idols back in the Christian church; just like Balaam did back there, had Israel to commit fornications, to go to this big feast of the idol.

L-38 Well, Constantine did the same thing with his strategy, and he made a church. He gave a lot at the Nicene Council, and then they... He made a--a lot of great buildings that he had, and he converted these into churches. And then he made a big marble altar, decorated with gold and gems. Up above there he put like a throne, and he made one man the head like a... He was called then a bishop. And they put him upon this throne. Boniface III was throned. Not only did he walk around with clothes on like the--the peasant did, but they made him a--a great fine robes and dressed him up like a god, and set him up there, and called him "The Vicar." Vicar, or the "Vicarius Filii Dei," it means "instead of the Son of God."

L-39 Now, here's to him that has wisdom, draw, write that out: VICARIUS FILII DEI. And then when you draw a line under here and add the numbers, and you got exactly what God said the mark of the beast was: 666. See, Vicarius Filii... Now, I've been in Rome and been in the Vatican. And the triple crown: jurisdiction of hell, heaven, and purgatory... See? Seen the crown, seen the vest, seen right there...
Actually, on a Thursday afternoon at three o'clock I was supposed to meet the last pope that was there. Baron Von Blomberg had the... And he said, "Now, when you go, Brother Branham, the first thing you have to do is bow down on your right knee and kiss that ring."
I said, "That's out. That's out. Just forget it." I said, "I give... I have nothing against the man, he...?..." But I said, "There's one thing, I'll give a man his title. If he's "Reverend," that's all right, a "Bishop, Elder, Doctor," whatever, I'll gladly salute a man, but do a worship to a man? I owe my homage to one Man Jesus Christ. That's the only Man I'd bow--bow before." I said, "Just forget it. Just cancel it out." I wouldn't take it. And so I...
After coming home I found out there was another great American did that too, Teddy Roosevelt. He refused to do it on account... Remember that in history? That he refused to see the Pope because he had to kiss his ring or... They had it on a big toe also, you know. So... Oh, no. No, that's out. So then...


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