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CHURCH ALTARS, EATING OF MEATS, DRESSING, CHRISTIAN LIBERTIES & CONDUCT
Questions Nos. 600 to 626


CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE


Question # 600: What did Brother Branham say about facing the east when praying or baptizing, and the placement of the altar (Altar direction); what are Biblical truths and stands on this practice?"


E.O.D.H. Answer: My precious brother, the Prophet, WMB, and the Scriptures did refer to the East as being symbolic, but there is no established doctrine set forth in Scriptures binding believers and ministers to practice such things. Yet if some wants to build their church East or West, I have no objections; even if they have an altar and they want it on the East, that's okay. But when people make it a point of C.O.D., they are doing wrong and make a heresy. All such symbolic things belong to the Old Testament, as they all spoke of the coming of Christ.
Brother Branham did some things like that according to his choosing, but he did not command the church to practice them as a general rule. He said that altars are okay, but they are not even scriptural for the New Testament. As for baptizing towards the East, maybe Brother Branham done so on certain occasions, but never established such as doctrine.
We want to observe carefully, the people who came out of the Catholic Church and old idol religions, have problems in being yet superstitious, and like to make ceremonial doctrines out of little statements that Brother Branham made, because their natures are not yet changed.

Quote W.M.B.: 12 "But now, many people continue on, persuading and calling to the altar, and so forth like that, which that's all right. I'll go with that; that's perfectly all right as far as I'm concerned, anybody that wants to do it. But to me it's not Scriptural (You see?), and so I--I just like to stay with the Scripture." (Perfect Strength 61-1119).

Quote: E-95 "The Tabernacle faces east and west. I built... It... When you come in from the front, you know where Eighth Street runs up this way? You're going right east then. See? And then, the... Then if you will stand up... And when I'm preaching, I'm preaching towards the west. And see now, I do that so the altar would be to the east, because Jesus is coming from the east. And then that let's me... The altar, we bow always to the east. See? Well usually, I don't know. It's just what I always did. I seen in the Bible, they... Usually back there, Daniel said he went and pulled up the windows, you know, and everything like that. And prayed to the east. And--and so...And I noticed in the old Mosaic temple, I think, faced the east, the altar did. And so, of course, God will hear you wherever you are. You see? Regardless... Yes, sir. Well now, I have seen a time when I'm prayed up and everything, I just don't get turned around. See? I just come around." (Thy House 61-0808).


Question #601 : "Can the End time believers eat pork, fish without scale or anything that had been prohibited in the Scriptures, while the Word of God never changed? Now, situations related in the above questions, have taken place here in this area amongst the Message churches so, please help, that as a sincere Servant of God, I may have the correct Scriptural answers and alert the brethren with the Message of the hour. For I want to be found ever faithful scripturally in the Message at any cost in everything I do and I preach and teach".


E.O.D.H. Answer: It is true that under the Old Testament (agreement, covenant) the Jews were commanded by Moses not to eat the flesh of unclean beasts, fishes and birds included, as the blood of Christ was not yet shed. Such creatures were typified as the Gentiles to Peter who was told, 'arise Peter, kill and eat'. The door of mercy was opened to the Gentiles through the Blood of Christ (Acts 9, 10), and likewise under the N.T agreement the church is allowed to eat the meat of every creature as it is sanctified by the Word of God and prayer through the Blood of Christ.
"Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained. But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness." (I Timothy 4:3-7).

Quote W.M.B.: "Not eating meats, and doing this, and perfecting the body, you'll never have it. And you've got to quit this, and do this, and do this, and do this, that's law. That's legalist. We don't believe in the legal forms of salvation. We believe it "by grace are we saved." (Hebrews Chapter.6 and 7. 57-0915m).

In Acts 15, there are some major commandments which were given to the Gentiles. Christians are to follow those guidelines. Take notice that the Apostles concluded that no greater burdens should be laid upon the Gentiles, out of the Law. If it was necessary for them to abstain from pork and other unclean animals, fishes etc., they would have specified that.
"For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well." (Acts 15:28-29)


Question # 602: "The Bible says nothing that enters a man defiles him. Now somebody that is drunken, is he/she not defiled? Somebody that eats food sacrificed to idols, willingly, is he/she not defiled? Please clarify this with that Scripture?"


E.O.D.H. Answer: Jesus truly said the natural things that enter a man defile him not but the things that comes out of the heart, defiles the man. This Scripture must be kept in its context. He was dealing with the Pharisees, who thought that spirituality and salvation were not to eat, drink certain things, washing of hands, pots and pans. He was trying to pull them away from the old covenant of ceremonies and rituals to a heart-felt religion, a changed nature. Thus his Sermon on the Mount is based on the sins of the heart. We must keep the commandments of the New Testaments, of not eating things sacrificed to idols, things strangled, fornication etc. (Acts 15, 16), separate from other items that are against the wishes of the Lord: drinking, smoking etc.
" As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one… Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled. But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse. But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.
For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend." (I Corinthians 8: 4-13).

"What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils…But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof." (I Corinthians 10:19-28)
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Question # 603: "Should Message believers be soldiers, going to war? Most of our brothers are soldiers at the war front in Liberia and Sierra Leone."


E.O.D.H. Answer: This should not be a Christian desire, because it involves violence and bloodshed, hate, anger and the wrong environment, numbered with ungodly men. A Christian should embrace every opportunity within the Law to avoid going to the battlefield. If it becomes necessary to be in the army of his nation, he should endeavour to do other kinds of work in the army other than combat with the enemy.
However, the law of many nations commands Christians and none Christians to join the army, especially in a time of war, which leaves a Christian without an option. In the time of Brother Branham men had to go to the army according to the Law of U.S.A and other countries. I noticed in Scriptures that Cornelius was a centurion soldier (Acts 10) over a hundred soldiers and history bears record of many thousands of Roman soldiers who were Christians. One example: there was a legion of Roman soldiers of six thousand six hundred and sixty six (6,666) who refused to bow to the Roman gods and were martyred in one day. We also noticed that there was no special prohibition by the Apostles against it in the New Testament. Brother Paul said "Live peaceable with all men as much as it lieth in our power."


Question # 604: "Couples are having mixed bathing together in their homes, is it against the Message?"


E.O.D.H. Answer: The Bible and the Message are against mixed bathing in public places, beaches, swimming pools, bath houses etc. This question specified mixed bathing of a couple at home. Neither the Bible nor the Message prohibits such for married couples; nevertheless, I believe that Christian couples must set the right examples in the home. If there are other occupants residing there: friends, relatives or children, it should be kept personal and be done in a private manner.


Question # 605: "Does the Message sanction families going out for dinner in public places?"


E.O.D.H. Answer: There is no prohibition in the Word or the Message. However, precautions must be taken in choosing the type of public place, where families are gathered to dine. Some places are not convenient for a Christian with loud, worldly music, obscenities, nudity and many other ungodly things that mar his Christian testimony. We take for an example the Prophet. Brother Branham, He went to a restaurant to eat and loud music was being played. He could not get those in authority to turn it off, even with an offer of payment. He left the restaurant. It would have been a wrong testimony, as a Christian, for him to remain there and eat. Brother Branham and his family ate in a popular restaurant together with many Message believers in Jeffersonville, after many special services. He commented favourably, about meeting the brethren and also about the restaurant.

Quote W.M.B.: 996-17 "I went into a place the other day; they was playing this--one of these old, dirty jukeboxes, all that stuff. I didn't even want to take my family. I said to that lady, "How much does them records cost?""Ten cents a piece." "How many will it play in a hour." She told me. I said, "Here's the money; unplug it." "Well," she said, "I couldn't do that. Them kids come in here to play that." Then I couldn't spend no money there; I went somewhere else. See? Well, that stuff would make you nervous… That just irks a Christian. If you like that kind of stuff, you know what's wrong with you? You need to get saved, 'cause what's in you is feeding on something besides the Word... You couldn't imagine Jesus doing a thing like that could you?" (Questions And Answers 64-0823e).


Question # 606: "Is the Message against computers for children in the Message?"


E.O.D.H. Answer: There is no prohibition in the Scriptures or the Message, yet there are certain things connected with the computer, which all Christians should beware. A computer, in itself, is very useful. It has replaced a typewriter in a much advanced form. On the other hand, it is being used as a television, DVDS and VCDS. The internet system can be used in a profitable way to propagate the Message through websites etc., but it is dangerously evil in many forms for children, young people and even adults (unregenerated church members), since they have access to all Sodom and Gomorrah practices, vices, pornography sites, ungodly music etc. It opens up a door for children to communicate with evil people when they are left unsupervised! Christian parents should take all precautions to protect their children from such access to destructive vices! It has replaced the television at home in an advanced form.


Question # 607: "Should believers practice student politics?


E.O.D.H. Answer: Student politics, I take your question to mean if a student can study politics as a subject in school and as a result practice the same in different ways. This sometimes, could be a problem for Christians in school and they may have to cope with the situation, but we must remember that all politics is of the devil! Church and State has nothing in common. If a Christian student could avoid this subject, it is better to do so.


Question # 608: "I want to ask if it is right for brothers and sisters to add attachments to their hair?"


E.O.D.H. Answer: Yes! Only upon the condition, if they are having a problem with their hair. Example, Brother Branham used a wig because he lost his hair as a young man from "carbolic acid" at a barbershop, and he was affected with colds by being bald. And he said, if you had no teeth you could put on some, and hair likewise.
The middle-line on this is that it must not be done for beauty or some style. None should pull out their good teeth, he said, because it is a little crooked, to put on false teeth. Many African descendant sisters here in Trinidad, 75 % at Bethel are Negroes, have difficulties with their hair. It breaks off and becomes shorter and shorter. We allow them to buy some hair called "braids" and attach it. They look very natural, and also cause the hair to grow out. We discourage the use of "hot combs" for pressing and grease with chemicals to straighten hair, because in the long term it destroys the hair.

Quote W.M.B.: 214 "Now, if you didn't have any hair, and you wanted to wear some hair, it'd be all right, but wear one that looked like human. And if you didn't have any fingernails, and you wanted to get some fingernails, don't get them like hulls off of navy beans, get real fingernails. If you haven't got any of these things, it's all right. If you haven't got any teeth, get you some if they make you some, get them. But don't pull your God-given teeth out just because they're a little crooked, and they're good teeth to get some. Don't dye your hair, or something, and look like something that come out of some mire somewhere. Don't... If you're colorless, and you want to make yourself look like you got some color, it's all right, I imagine. But don't make yourself look like Jezebel, like a barn somewhere being painted." (Why Against Organized Religion 62-1111e).

Quote: 14-3 "Notice now, if she hasn't got any fingernails and wants to put some on, if she hasn't got any teeth and needs some, haven't got an arm and you need one, haven't got hair and you need some, you haven't got these things, that's different. But when you pull out your real good teeth, because they're just not as bright as they should be, then you done wrong. If you've got red hair and you want black, and you go down here and color it black, just because... You done wrong…But the main thing... There's no Scripture for that. Only to bob your hair, there's Scripture for that, have plenty of that. So then, we want to insure that that's right. Now." (Blasphemous Names 62-1104m).


Question # 609: "What is bobbed hair?"


E.O.D.H. Answer: "Bobbed Hair" is a term used in the Western world and was often used by Brother Branham for when a woman cuts her hair, and more often, when it was cut very short like a man's. However, any form of cutting a woman's hair is wrong, according to Scripture, "for her hair is given for a covering" (1Corinthians:11:15). A woman cutting her hair dishonours her husband, who is her head, and could be divorced for her dishonour.


Question # 610: "Will you please explain to me about the height of the shoes for ladies? What type of shoe has been called, 'HIGH HEELED SHOE?' Some shoes, heels have a little height; will it be called high heeled shoe? Some have no proper understanding of the high heeled shoe. They argue with the sisters who wear shoes with little height in the heel."


E.O.D.H. Answer: Flat shoes for women is the safest way to go, instead of establishing a certain height for heels, as un-regenerated church members do always find an excuse to go up high, and the pastor has a lot of problems examining heels. However, it is not always practical to establish this in a congregation, and heels should be level with the front of the shoe's sole, to level it off without narrow heels. Because of the built of women, a small heel can cause them to mince (Isaiah 3), while others do not.
Some message followers try to make a difference between high-heels and spike-heels. The prophet of God condemned both of them, using the same scripture in Isaiah 3, and never made a difference.


ISAIAH 3 SPEAKS OF HIGH-HEELED SHOES

Quote W.M.B.: 116 "The Bible speaks that, Isaiah 5. How she'd walk with high-heeled shoes on, tinkling her feet as she went along." (Flashing red light 63-0623e).


ISAIAH 3 SPEAKS OF SPIKED-HEELED SHOES (WOMAN ON HIGHWAY)

Quote: "Well, there was a lady come by, had on a great big pair like they wear today, spike-heeled shoes. And she come by and I said, "Wait a minute, sister. You can't walk that highway with that."...You know what the Bible said in Isaiah, 5th chapter…mincing as (have to twist…making a tinkling with their heels… the daughters of Zion in the last days. (Rising of the Sun 65-0418M).

The shoes could be an inch or half-inch; if it is narrowing down and tapering down, it is going to cause the women to twist. If a woman is honest in her conscience, and she wears a shoe that is causing her to walk in a certain way, she will try to change it. She wouldn't wait for the minister to tell her to take off the high-heeled shoe.


Question #611 : "Indian women's dress called "Churidhaar". Actually, this dress looks like a "pyjama" and looks similar like a "pants". Can sisters wear this type of dress? Most of the followers of the Malachi claim it as women's dress it's wide spread in India. Will you please explain to us whether this type of dress-wear should be worn by a woman who is in the Message?"


E.O.D.H. Answer: I have a better understanding of the Indian wear, now that you have mentioned "pants-like dress". There is a dress similar to that in the Western world. It is called a "coolant." It is a pants-like dress made out of pants material. I saw this in the Branham Tabernacle. At one moment it looked like a pants, and when the woman moved, it looked like a dress; and I seen it in other places. It is actually a hybrid dress and pants. People that wear such garments want the world and eternal life at the same time, and are hypocrites. If the "Churidhaar" fits this description, then it is not for Christian women. Quotations against pants wearing, throughout Brother Branham's Message, will support this standard. Once a sister published an article, justifying that garment: "Coolant"! We are not living by the standard of any sister, who is trying to preach on their literature. She needs to shut up and obey her father's Message.


Question #612 : "There is a little subject matter I wanted us to have understanding on: "BRAIDING & PLAITING OF HAIR". Now 1st PETER 3:3 spoke of Plaiting and 1st TIMOTHY 2:9 spoke of Braided hair. With the preview of what the prophet saw of the bride, I do not allow sisters in my local assembly to plait their hair, but rather have the hair fall backwards. Like I said, I want to stop where the prophet stopped. I therefore take that preview as the standard of plaiting in the local assembly where I minister.
I agree that they can wear a hair that is exactly the same colour with their hair. There is a great difference in sewing one to your hair and wearing one in the form of a wig. My precious brother in Christ, I would want you to shed more light on these areas to further enlarge my understanding on the above stated subject matter."


E.O.D.H. Answer: My precious brother, I understand your question and what you allow for the sisters in your assembly, as Pastor. For the many decades, I try to follow the guidelines of Brother Branham given on the quotations under on questions and answers. It did not seem very much to him of how the sisters wear their hair as long as they did not cut it off. I accept his explanation, concerning plating of the hair, that it was the mark of a street woman in Paul's day. He also commended it as looking pretty and unlike the world today. He did not specify about portion of the scalp exposed, since that is not being shorn of shaven. As ministers, we should follow the message to the letter and also the written Word. I understand what you mean about Brother Branham's experience, beyond the curtain of time, women hair flowing to the back. I like to see the sisters like that, but for me to establish that as doctrine, I may be presumptuous, since the prophet never made it a point of order, even after he had the experience.
The way that I consider certain things in that experience, is that some things were for the hereafter. The women hair was long right down the back and the dresses were almost to the floor. They were hugging Brother Branham with all purity, since the sex glands were no longer there. We cannot practice all what Brother Branham seen and experienced. A certain man tried to practice divine love, baptized a group of white women in the USA and showed me their photograph with his hand around a woman's hip. I condemned it as immoral. He in turn told me that it was divine love and I was too unspiritual to understand it. He fell in adultery shortly after and later died in that condition. He tried to practice something that was for the hereafter, which Brother Branham seen.
I remember a church here and a wonderful pastor. He used the same experience to have the sisters wear their dresses at ankle length, saying that Brother Branham seen women with that style, and it must be practiced now. It did not last too long, as it did not fit in just right, as women have to work and be in public etc., and besides, there is no place that the Prophet said to dress like that. His instructions were over the knees and loosed dresses, not one hugging the body. That same minister now has the sisters in sack dresses like a mermaid shape, hugging their bodies, transparent and disgraceful looking. I think we will do better by following the prophet's direct instruction on certain items instead of capitalizing on things that he experienced or seen by vision. If we don't, we will have to readjust many things for both men and women, and we will find ourselves contradicting his instructions. Whatever policy that I set in the church, I must be able to prove it by the Word and show it in the message.

Quote W.M.B.: 1032-Q-305 305. "Brother Branham, how should women (Oh, my.) wear their hair? Again, just any way you want to. I Timothy 2:9. See? "Let the women adorn themselves in modest apparel. "I want to--I want to wear mine pleasing to God. (God bless you, Sister dear.) Thank you. May God bless you. Pray for us." And the person signs her name. Sharon, sure, sis, God bless you. Wear it just long as it's long, sister. It's a little girl. God bless you, honey. It's okay, you go right ahead". (Questions And Answers 64-0823E)

Quote: 959-Q-251 251 "Brother Branham, does this I Timothy 2:9 mean a woman cannot braid her hair? Does "broid" hair mean "braided" hair? Now look, sister, now this... I'm glad that followed this. I never fixed it there, but it just--it followed that good.
Notice, a braided hair in that day was the sign of a street woman; that's what she done, braided her hair. And Paul said to the Christians, "Now, that adorning, not let it be of a braided..." (or 'broided' and 'braid' is the same thing)--to braid their hair, because it looked like the rest of the world.
Now, you're supposed not to look like the world or act like the world. See? The women are supposed to be different there. See? No, now, braiding hair... Now, today braided hair is pretty, and it's a long ways from the fashion of the world. Now, you see the women, the way they do their hair today... Just keep your hair in any way; just don't look like the world. See? Don't look or dress like it. If they wear shorts, you wear a dress. If they do their hair all--cut it all off and bob it, and do them ever... You just let yours alone. See?" (Questions And Answers 64-0823M)


Question # 613: "I am a believer in the Lord and I also love E.O.D.H. work. I face some legal problems in my area. What should I do? Should I take the help of the court? Being a believer, can I take justice from the court, since there is no way for me? Please answer me."


E.O.D.H. Answer: 
"Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? How much more things that pertain to this life? If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers. Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?" (1Corinthians 6:1-7)
'Do you have this matter against a brother? Or is it against others?' Now, according to Scriptures, as believers, we should not take another believer to court before an unjust judge. We should take our matters to the church for judgment. The Scripture is the law for believers.
Now you have said that your legal matter is in your area. I would assume that it involves the unsaved. The unsaved will not adhere by the rules and principles of the Scriptures. This rule is only for believers. So in a matter that involves the unsaved, it becomes necessary at times to go to the law of the land to obtain the needed verdict.


Question # 614: "In the light of the message and Bible, is it wrong for one to wear sandals to church since some say it will cause men to lust?"


E.O.D.H. Answer: 
"I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire." (Matthew 3:11).
"And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose." (Mark 1:7).
Now my brother, according to your question, some say that a sister wearing a pair of sandals will cause men to lust. Lust is an evil, burning, unrestrained desire. It is in the imagination. This wars in your members. It is better to marry than to burn in lust.
"But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." (Matthew 5:28).
Many things can cause lust. E.g.
a. Using the eye to send messages to the opposite sex.
b. Touching, holding or shaking hands with the opposite sex with intention to satisfy sexual desire.
c. Wearing clothing/footwear in such a manner as to cause an attraction to the opposite sex.

Sandals were used by the Hebrews to protect their feet. Even now we do the same. It was an indication of mourning to appear barefooted in public. 'Shoes' in Scriptures above and many others in the Gospels and Acts, according to the Analytical Concordance by Robert Young, means 'Sandal'. Sandals were made in various patterns. Wearing of footwear depends on your purpose or motive; the patterns and designs. Some footwear are designed today in such a manner for woman to attract the lust of men therefore any footwear that should not be worn by sisters is so desired.
Anything worn that will cause an attraction for men to lust should not be worn. She should be dressed modestly. In the wearing of shoes, we are sure that high heeled shoes cause a woman to walk in an immodest manner and then cause attraction and lust; but a man has to be in bad shape of uncontrolled lust to lust after a sister's toes, showing out of her footwear. Just compare her face with her toes. The face is exposed along with her ears and her facial beauty could cause more lust than her toes. If she must cover her toes then it will be needful to cover her face. I think that some need to control their passions and lust instead of trying to control sisters in a fanatical way. So please give them some answers that they do bring sisters under heavy burdens.


Question # 615: "Also, is it wrong for a brother to have hair on the face (even if shaved neatly)?"


E.O.D.H. Answer: 
"Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." (1Timothy 4:12).
"Be thou an example." This is a question of concern to many brothers; The beard was used as a badge of the dignity of manhood. It was regarded as an object of oath. It was shaven or plucked out in mourning. It was neglected in permanent affliction. It was an object of salutation. Dressing, trimming and anointing of the beard was done with much ceremony by people of wealth. Removal of the beard was part of the ceremonial treatment of a leper. Of recent times, beards are kept by highly educated people as a sign of their education, profession. It portrays a person's motives and objectives standing in society, communism and religious cults.
In 1Timothy 4:12, Paul exhorted Timothy to be an example to the believers. Our prophet messenger, Brother William Branham was our example. He kept a clean face.

Quote W.M.B.: "Now, that doesn't mean that we have to grow a long beard, as the artist pictures Him having. And neither does it mean that we grow long hair as the artist pictures Him having, or to wear robe as He wore; for we're living in another day. We don't necessarily have to be that to reflect His physical image; but we must, in our souls, reflect His Spirit image and His manner of life." (Images of Christ 59-0525 P:18).

Quote: 15-3 "The people don't want to act any different than what the rest of the world acts. They don't want to get on the street and to have their face washed, and men with clean countenance." (Rejected King 60-0515M).

Quote: E-10 "I want to pass a compliment on a man that's in the building. He's conspicuous in one way… Brother Ryan, I'm speaking of you… he wears a long beard, and a long hair, or hair to his shoulder." (For Him Will I Accept 52-0718).

The Prophet said to keep a clean countenance. We try to obey the prophet as close as possible. He was our example. He left no hair on his face, except he was in the woods and could not shave. However, we are not fanatical on the subject. There are youths that appreciate their hairs growing out, making them feel manly; so we don't press them, until it starts getting plentiful; but generally, men keep a clean countenance under this ministry, as Brother Branham got down on many brothers who wore hair on their faces.

Quote W.M.B.: E-7 "And you know, there was an old man used to follow meeting. Many of you might've seen him, a few of you maybe. He had a long beard. His name was Ryan, John Ryan... I used to get on him about wearing his beard." (Blind Bartimaeus 57-0127e).


Question # 616: "Brother Branham said Christmas is of the devil. Some preacher in A.P. said Brother Branham contradicted Christmas, but he practiced Christmas. What is the reply to give to the denominational preacher regarding it?"


E.O.D.H. Answer: 
"Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him." (Matthew 2:1).
According to Scripture, there was a date when Jesus was born, but that date is not recorded in Scriptures.

Quote W.M.B.: "I don't believe that Christ was born on the twenty-fifth day of December. I--I do not believe that at all. It would be impossible for the things to happen. The hills of Judaea are snowier than, why, snow is waist-deep in there in the month of--of December up in Judaea. But we realize in studying history, Christ was probably born in the spring, along maybe April or May, somewhere like that. But when it was changed this, they--they brought it... When Christianity was converted into Romanism, they made the sun god's birthday, which was the solar at the twenty-fifth, from the twenty-first to the twenty-fifth of December, the sun setting like, almost hardly changes at all. And then that was the sun god's birthday, so they changed it to the Son of God.
But remember, what--ever what day it might be, we still doesn't take away the sacredness of what it's supposed to be. Where Satan has robbed us of this, has made the great commercial, and Santa Claus stole all of the worship. And it's become a--a day like Easter, like bunny rabbits and pink ducks. And--and then what's that got to do with Easter? What's that got to do with the resurrection of Christ? It's just like the world today. (Why little Bethlehem 63-1214 P:13).

Quote W.M.B.: "If we could bring the humility back to Christmas of what it ought to be, not a commercial day, not lights and Santa Clauses, but back to worshipping the God of creation Who come in a stable and was borned a baby, God made flesh and dwelt among us. (Why Little Bethlehem 63-1214 P:72)

The twenty-fifth of December is celebrated by the nominal Christian world as the birthday of Jesus. When one refers to the Christmas season, he means the time between November and December. Jesus was not born on the twenty-fifth of December. His birthday is unknown, but he was born around the time of spring. Christmas is one of the world's greatest celebrations. December twenty-fifth was a major festival in the pagan Roman world before Jesus was born. Jupiter was the Roman god of the Sun. It was the birth day of the unconquered Sun falling with the week-long celebration of Saturnalia - a feast honouring the renewal of the Sun at the Winter Solstice.
Solstice: Time when the Sun is furthest from the equator and appears to stand still, occurring twice yearly, (Summer and Winter Solstices) and corresponding with the longest and shortest days of the year.
Saturnalia: The yearly festival of Saturn held in December, observed as a time of unrestrained merry making; predecessor of the modern Christmas tide. (Roman Circus celebration of the Sun god's birthday)
Celebrations included feasting, dancing, lighting bonfires, decorating homes, giving gifts, revelry and drunkenness. The Roman Catholic Church adopted this pagan festival as a Christian festival, the nativity feast in the third and fourth century. They took the Son of God and the Sun god's birth days and put them together, blending Roman paganism into Christianity. They continued in the same customs as the pagans.
December twenty-fifth is not the birthday of Jesus Christ. This is the worship of the Sun god. It is Baal worship; worship of the Son of the Queen of Heaven. Christians should not have any participation whatsoever in this.

Quote WMB: There's got to be a right to every wrong, or it would be right. So there has to be a pro and con, negative and positive set.'" Celebration of Christmas, pagan, devil-worship." (Presuming 62-0117 P:27).\

Quote: 197 "I want to get away from all this here Christmas tinsel and things, because someday it's going to be burnt with unquenchable fire." (We Have Seen His Star 63-1216).

Quote: 26 "Now, Christmas... I wish that really the people could understand in this world, what really Christmas is. Now, the first word Christmas is a kind of a Catholic expression. It means "Christ's..." C-h-r-i-s-t-m-a-s," (See?) "Christ's mass." It…begin with the Roman church. And Christ was no more borned on the twenty-fifth day of December than I was. It's just a complete conglomeration of dogma. That's all there is to it. "The whole world," as the prophet said, "has become a putrefied sore." That's right. Just it's just no clean thing nowhere... Why, Santa Claus took Christmas' place, the birth in the manger. The rabbit, and chicken, and new hats took the resurrection. And where does God appear in all of this at? The reason of this is because that man and commercial... Why, they started buying Christmas present months ago, and what is it but a heathen trait. There's nothing about it godly. Oh, they try to say, "Give gifts, to the wise men." That's just a oasis for a devil's excuse…it's got to a place where it's a curse to little children." (Falling Apart Of The World 62-1216).


Question #617 : "Shall we celebrate New Year as a festival/celebration? Some one said that 'JANUARY, is the calendar of the devil; we should not follow that calendar but Jesus' calendar as Christians.' Help me my Brother Bruce. It is the tradition that's conducting watch night service up to 12:00 PM on every 31st night of December & love feast on 1st January}. Shall we practice this as message believers?"


E.O.D.H. Answer: a. Watch night service or old year's night service is a tradition. We observe this service annually. We usually begin service at 7p.m. and end after 12 midnight. Brother Branham also kept this service.

Quote W.M.B.: "God willing, we're going to have a service here, that's just before New Years Eve, if the Lord be pleased with us to have this service. And we want to have a morning service, and prayer for the sick, and perhaps a baptismal service. Then I thought, advertise it out to our friends that they could come in. Then we'll have Sunday morning and Sunday night, and then the people want to stay over for New Years, then we a--going to have watch this time. There'll be several ministers here will be speaking New Years night, plumb on till midnight, and we invite such ministers to come and speak. The Lord willing, I want to be one of them that's something to say on New Years night." (Reproach for the Word 62-1223 P: 4).

Quote: "And Brother Ruddell had asked me for that watch service, but thinking maybe I'd come back at the Tabernacle for that night, because I've always tried to be at the Tabernacle on New Year's eve, and I wanted to come back down here with the brethren here." (Why little Bethlehem 58-1228 P: 8).

I think it is very convenient and edifying to practice this watch night service or New Year's eve/Old Year night service.
Jan, in English is equivalent to Tebeth, the tenth month in the Jewish sacred calendar. The Jewish calendar is strictly lunar and almost identical with the Babylonian. Today most of the world uses the Gregorian calendar. This calendar was a revised calendar by Pope Gregory VIII for the purpose of reconciling civilian and church calendars. January is the first month of the modern calendar and it got its name from Janus (Roman myth) an ancient Italian deity - guardian of the gates and doorways.
(c) As far as having a love feast on the 1st of January, I am not familiar with this tradition. We have no such custom or habit. We don't have any celebration on New Year's Day. This day is treated as any normal day of the year.

Quote W.M.B.: "There's only one creed in the Bible: that's Christ. See? We only have to know Him is to have Life. Outside of that, there is no way to Life, outside of knowing Christ by your personal experience with Him, and not by joining a church, or reciting a creed. And when we only bring it to that shallow condition, that's why we have drunken New Year's parties by Christians, so-called. That's why we have celebration of Christmas, and New Year's, and other holy days, and so forth.

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