Message Statement of Faith

Early versions of William Branham's Stage Persona included the motto used by E. Howard Cadle and the Cadle Tabernacle. "No creed but Christ, no law but love, no book but the Bible." In the iterations of the Stage Persona welcoming of other denominations, especially the versions in which William Branham claimed to have started his ministry as a "Baptist", Branham avoided the appearance of an isolationist and segregationist with regards to religion -- in stark contrast with later versions of his Stage Persona.<br /><br />This motto, "No creed but Christ, no law but love, no book but the Bible", was used by E. Howard Cadle of Indianapolis. Branham claimed to have been an associate of Cadle, and Cadle's "Cadle tabernacle" was the location chosen when William Branham, F. F. Bosworth, Joseph Mattsson-Boze, and others helped to launch Peoples Temple cult leader Jim Jones' "Faith Healing" ministry.<br />_________________________________________________________________<br />Now, the little tabernacle has no membership, but we have fellowship. We have no creed but Christ, no law but love, no book but the Bible. That's the only Book that we know of, and the only thing that we know, as we have. As the Blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sins, we have fellowship one with the other, everybody.<br />Branham, William. 1957, September 15. Hebrews Chapter Six 3<br />_________________________________________________________________<br /><br />When compared to the later iterations of Branham's Stage Persona and the religious movement that continued after Branham's death, each of the three parts of this motto has been rejected. In his later years, Branham began promoting the idea that he was the return of Elijah the Prophet, and that the "Elijah" of the last days was Not A Man But God. His transcripts were sold as the "Spoken Word" or the "Voice of God", and literally became the additional books required along with the Bible. According to Branham, the "messenger" (himself) and the "Word of God" were one and the same.<br /><br />_________________________________________________________________<br />Then when a man comes with THUS SAITH THE LORD, he and the Message is one. And when Elijah come with THUS SAITH THE LORD, he and his message became one. Just as Jesus, when He come, He was the Word, Saint John 1. So the Word of God and the messenger of the age was the selfsame thing, all the time.<br />Branham, William. 1965, July 18. Spiritual Food In Due Season.<br />_________________________________________________________________<br /><br />This presents a problem when recruiting for the cult following; the early version of the Stage Persona's motto are in direct conflict with the later version's teaching. To reconcile this, the "Message" cult presents the early motto to the public as a "Statement of Faith" while promoting the teaching of the later Stage Persona in private. <br /><br />https://william-branham.org/si....te/topics/statement_