The Reproach For The Cause Of The Word

December 23, 1962

Little Willie Pruitt was out at sea on a ship, and the old captain was sick and dying. The captain asked if there was a Bible on board, so they went and found Willie. Willie brought his Bible before the captain, and he read him Isaiah 53:5: "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." Willie went on to tell the captain how his mother used to read it to him. He said, "Here is the way she wrote it. 'He was wounded for Willie Pruitt's iniquity. And He was chastised for Willie Pruitt. And all these things that He has done, was for Willie Pruitt.'" The old captain liked that, and asked Willie to read his name in it. He said "I'll try." And he read, "He was wounded for John Quartz' transgressions. He was bruised for John Quartz' iniquity. And with His stripes John Quartz' was healed." Something struck the captain when he heard that, and he said "I see it!" And the Lord healed him.

Brother Branham continues on in this message to tell us to read our names into the Scripture, because Christ did that for each one of us. Brother Branham liked to bring the Scripture to his people this way. "...what He did for somebody else that obeyed Him. What He did to somebody else that was true to the Cause, and what He did to somebody else that was untrue for the Cause, then you read your name in it. If you'd have been there, what stand would you have took? And remember, you got the privilege, today, to take the same kind of stand."

While listening to God's prophet tell these inspiring stories of Moses, Noah, Abraham and Sarah, Zacharias and Elisabeth, our Lord Jesus, and of his own ministry, consider the great reproach they all bore for the cause of the Word, and then read your name in there. If you had lived in those days, would you have taken the same stand that those great patriarchs took? Would you be able and willing to stand the reproach that went with the Truth?