Looking back, I see the hand of the LORD throughout my whole life. When I was fourteen, I was already reading my Bible daily. That might sound peculiar, but I did it because of a desire in my heart. My father, who was also a friend and a brother in Christ to me, was preaching and holding daily family devotions. Often ministering brethren would spend the evenings in our home to exchange their views on certain scriptures. I did participate then, but could only listen in. One would ask, -How do you see it? What is your opinion?,, On my heart it has always been that I wanted to know how it really is according to the Scripture. Therefore, I would read the reference scriptures in question, asking my LORD to enlighten me. Thanks be to Him, Who from the very beginning when I started preaching in 1953 has protected and led me, so that I only taught as I would do if He should be personally present in the congregation. That applies to the entire span of the past 47 years. As every believer, I grew spiritually and was led from knowledge to knowledge in a progressive revelation and things became clearer, but always remained in His Word. I preached the counsel of God and scriptural doctrines as I found them in the Scriptures and as they were illuminated to me. In the thousands of sermons I preached, I did not have to make a single correction. The guidance and inspiration of the Holy Spirit has always been perfect.

Looking back to the past years in God's Kingdom. I can only select a few of the many experiences. The outstanding ministry of Brother Branham, whereby we were placed into Bible days again, I experienced for the first time in August 1955 in Karlsruhe, Germany.
Already in the very first meeting I recognised that the man on the platform truly was a man sent from God. After the sermon he prayed for those who wanted to dedicate their life to the LORD. Then he called the sick to the platform. The audience of over 20 thousand people saw and heard how he told the individuals details from their life which were impossible for him to know. It became clear to me that we were seeing repeated what already happened in the ministry of Jesus Christ and that it was the same sign of the Messiah. “Nathanael saith unto him, How knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.” (Jn. 1: 48). To the woman at the well of Samaria He said, “... for thou hast had five husbands, and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband ... The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. ... I know that Messiah cometh, who is called Christ; when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.” (Jn. 4: 17-26).

Right after the first service I had the desire to meet this man of God personally and to speak with him. The next morning before 8.00 o'clock I inquired about him at the hotel reception. As I was asking, the gentleman said, -You need no further information. Rev. Branham and his team are now entering the lobby.- I turned around and saw Brother Branham coming toward the reception, stopping just in front of me, pointing to me, saying, “You are a preacher of the Gospel!” Then he pointed to his left and said, “There at the entrance is Your wife!”, Being touched deeply in my heart and overwhelmed I shook his hand and we spoke together. From this time, I had the desire to know more about his

ministry. Ever since I can remember, I had a longing to meet a man who had met God and knew Him personally. In June 1958 1 participated in the -Voice of Healing- convention, arranged by Rev. Gordon Lindsay in Dallas, Texas, USA. Brother Branham was announced to be the main speaker. In comparison to the many other evangelists present, I could well see that this humble man of God was an exception. And I recognised him to be a prophet like John the Baptist, a man sent from God. There Brother Branham also told people from different cities, who came for prayer, what their needs and their illnesses were. Some were told where they lived, even the city, street and house number, among other details. The reaction wag a tremendous boost of their faith and they were healed on the spot, as in the ministry of our LORD, even some who were born blind! The same prophetic ministry which happened with our LORD as Son of man repeated. Jesus said in Jn. 5: 19-20, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do ... For the Father ... showeth him all things...” In that same way Brother Branham could tell various things by vision and divine revelation, even hidden thoughts by the gift of discernment. He spoke of a message that he had received for God's people.
Now I wanted to know what he believes and teaches, for I saw that God is with him. I left my address

with the brethren responsible for the tapes, Leo and Gene, so his sermons could be sent to me, but also had a personal talk with Brother Branham. At the end of that conversation in Dallas he looked at me and said, “You will return to Germany!” For me that was unbelievable, because in March 1956 my wife and I had immigrated to Canada and would never have thought of returning. But already in August 1958 we came back to Germany, according to the direction of the LORD, which was once again confirmed. I continued preaching in churches known to me from the time before.

It was in October 1959, when the district overseer in the congregation in Krefeld, in which my father and I were also preaching, warned against Brother Branham and his teachings. From that moment on, we were not welcome any more and could no longer preach freely. Some brothers and sisters withdrew from that church, including our entire family. Towards the end of December, we had a prayer meeting where I translated the first sermon of Brother Branham from a tape. It was a house-meeting of about 12-15 people. Our objective was clear: “Sola scriptura” - the Scripture alone should be valid in faith, teaching and life. By God's grace, a new beginning broke forth and He gave continuing growth and much fruit for eternity. Soon we had to rent a hall seating about 70 people, then another one with exactly 120 seats, after that one with 250, until we bought some property in 1973, as shown in a vision, and were able to build our own church, which has a seating capacity for over 600 people.

With deep gratitude I wish to mention that the same brethren Leonhard Russ, Paul Schmidt, Alfred Borg, Reinhold Illing and my Brother Helmut, who were with me from the very beginning, are still with us today after 40 years, serving in the local church. That is not only close to a miracle, that truly is a miracle. As experience teaches, brothers very quickly lean towards independence, mostly to prove that they can gather people around them and be pastor. Under all circumstances God has watched over His Word, His servants and His people. The reward to such brethren, who serve the LORD unselfishly, will be great.

God blesses the faithful cooperation. One has planted, the other did the watering and God gave the increase (I Cor. 3: 5-9).

Brother Russ has led the services as minister and elder throughout these 40 years. Brother Schmidt has faithfully stood by his side, also as an elder, serving in the local church as well as in the mission work, especially in the countries of the former Soviet Union. I shall never forget that evening, in the mid sixties, when the LORD spoke to me with a commanding voice, saying, “MY SERVANT, DEDICATE UNTO ME LEONHARD RUSS TO BE ELDER AND PLACE TO HIS SIDE PAUL SCHMIDT, FOR THEREUNTO I HAVE ORDAINED THEM!” That was the precise wording. In the following meeting both brethren were unanimously accepted by the church and were dedicated as elders by the laying on of hands. Brother Borg and Brother Illing also have taken responsibility in the board of trustees, together with my brother Helmut. Also all brethren who joined later have kept their place and done their respective work faithfully in the church and the mission outreach.

It is our destiny to be in the service of the LORD, so He can continue His work through His Church, as it is written, “ must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day; the night cometh, when no man can work.” (Jn. 9: 4). At the end of the time of grace, the ever faithful God has placed us into His end-time plan in a marvellous way. We are consciously participating in the last part of the plan of Salvation. At the first coming of Christ, only the true elect believers saw and partook in the fulfillment of Bible prophecies. So it is again in this generation before the second coming of Christ, only the true elect will recognise what God does. It remains true that many are called, but few are chosen (Mt. 22: 14), as it is also written, “Even so, then, at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace ... What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it...” (Rom. 11: 5-7). The same applies to the Church from the nations. All nominal believers have their own plans and Christian programs, according to the church and the mission work they belong to. Only the true children of God are the children of promise (Gal. 4: 8). They recognise the merciful visitation and experience what God has promised.