<TITLE>14. Par 167-181</TITLE>L-167   But my heart was still heavy. And I was leaning against the bush, just like this. And I thought, "The great God of Heaven. That warm sun shining on me, not a cloud nowhere, and a few moments ago You just--You just contradicted the man's word. Nature did it. How could it be done, Lord? Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. It was His Word that You just had me to speak." I thought, "Father, how grateful I am!"

L-168 I heard something going... [Brother Branham taps twice on the pulpit--Ed.] And I looked; standing right before me was two, three deer, and they were looking at me. Now, them deer had been shot at, much, in the last week, and there was hunters in there. And here I was dressed in red; anyone knows [Brother Branham snaps his finger] that they're gone that quick. But they were looking at me.

L-169 And, for eating deer, there could a-been no better. It was a big doe, two big full-grown fawns. And I thought, "That's just right! We need three deer."

L-170 Something said, "You know, the Lord has put them in your hands."

L-171   But when I was with the Full Gospel Business Men, Brother Clayton, about a year before, he went with us when I caught that big record fish. That year, for man, I killed nineteen head of elk. And I... the...

L-172 Sometimes, businessmen... Excuse this, my brethren. Some of them are doctors, and, you know, they can't walk; and fat, you know, and many set up to a desk. They say, "Billy, get me one two-year-old. Get me a blue cow. I want a buck. Get me a--a full rack." Well, I just had a jubilee out there, shooting, getting the elk and things.

L-173 But the Lord told me not to do that. And I promised Him, in that blizzard over there in Colorado, not... years before that. I said, "Lord, I'll lead man to the game, but no more kill game for man." No. Not 'less it's an emergency and we have to have it.

L-174 And if you remember, boys, the night before we left. Poor little old brother down there, hadn't got a deer. What's his name? Palmer, come around, and put a ten-dollars tithes in my hand. He said, "Brother Branham, this is my tithes, put it in the church." He said, "Will you get me a deer?" Oh! I...

L-175   [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]... stood those three deer, and I had this rifle of mine on my shoulder. I just slipped my shoulder like that. I thought, "They can't get away from me. They're right here." I was too fast with the rifle. "I can get all three of them before they can turn around." See? And I had the rifle. I thought, "There they are, right." I just slipped the rifle...

L-176 Then I happened to think of that promise. I said, "I can't do it. I can't do it." I said, "I remember one time that a man told another, 'God has put Joab in your hands, or Saul,' Joab told David. David said, 'God forbid that I would touch His anointed.' That was my promise, that I wouldn't do it."

L-177 I thought, "They're right atop of this hill. I can roll them right down there; we can pick them up easy. Three fine deer standing there!"
I said, "No, I can't do it."

L-178   And here this coming up like that, of fawns, two full grown, male and female, and a mother deer. And they come, walking, looking around, great big fat fellows.

L-179 And I stood there a little bit. And I thought, "That's unusual, for deer, and me with this red on like that." I thought, "I'll scare them."

L-180 I said, "You're in my hands! You couldn't get away if you wanted to, but I'm not going to hurt you. Go on!" They just looked at one another, and they kept coming. And they got real close to me, looking at me.

L-181   Well, I set the rifle down on the ground. I said, "Mother, take your babies and go on out in the woods. I'm here enjoying myself in the Presence of God. I promised that I wouldn't kill game for other people." I said, "Now you take your babies and go on in the woods. I love that woods, too. Go on out!"


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