In November 1949, William Branham notified Rev. Jack Moore and Rev. Gordon Lindsay, who had already witnessed his ministry on the West Coast of the U.S.A., that he would be holding meetings in Houston, Texas in January 1950. Word spread very quickly and people came from the surrounding area, so that the whole city was on the move. The spiritual leaders, who had no spiritual understanding, got excited and made scathing criticisms of these meetings. Among them, the Rev. Dr. Best stood out, calling for an open panel discussion with William Branham on the subject of "Healing the Sick Today" on January 24^th 1950 before the 8,000 or so people who filled the Sam Houston Coliseum. He also invited the two professional photographers, Mr. James Ayers and Mr. Ted Kippermann, to capture particularly impressive moments.

The challenger, Dr. Best, was opposed by the Bible teacher Dr. F. F. Bosworth, whom I knew personally. He was a companion of William Branham and was asked to lead the discussion. Hours passed with this undignified spectacle. The crowd joined in the discussion with loud affirmative shouts of "Amen" or loud "No" objections. When the audience was then asked, "How many of you have already been healed by God in the meetings?" hundreds stood up. The opponent had to admit defeat, albeit with loud remarks. When this part was over, William Branham came to the podium. He had taken a seat in the gallery and listened to everything, because it was about him and his ministry, especially about the gift of healing the sick. He calmly stepped in front of the microphone and said: "I have not come to defend myself. If it is God who has sent me, then He will argue for me."

At that moment, Mr. Ayers snapped the photo with the pillar of light over William Branham's head. The end of the meeting was late, and it was almost midnight when Mr. Ayers, who had sided with the critic Rev. Dr. Best, was amazed. All the other photographs he had taken had come to nothing, only one picture, the one – with the supernatural light over William Branham. Mr. Ayers hurried to the hotel that same night and asked William Branham if he knew that a supernatural light had been above him.

Since it was such a phenomenon, it was decided that this negative would be given to the first man in the state who was responsible for examining questionable documents. Dr. George J. Lacy gave his verdict in writing and confirmed that neither retouching nor double exposure had taken place and that this pillar of light was indeed there, otherwise it could not have been picked up by the camera at all. See Dr. Lacy's original report.

This light descended each time upon the person for whom William Branham was to pray for healing through the gift of revelation and discernment. He saw all that he had to share with the person from God in order to strengthen and build up their faith in the presence of God and thus in their own divine healing. Among the many thousands of cases in almost twenty years of this unique ministry, there was not a single failure. Everything was always right, one hundred percent. Asked if he was not afraid to tell people he did not know and of whom he knew nothing, he replied: "Why should I be afraid that something is wrong when it is God who shows it to me and speaks through me?

William Branham mentioned several times that this strange photograph is the only one in the world with a supernatural being in Washington, DC. I myself saw the picture with the pillar of light in December 1969 at the Hall of Art. However, the elderly gentleman who accompanied me said to me: "This photo will not find public interest and will disappear in the drawer." Supernatural events were not uncommon in the lives of the prophets and apostles, but can only be believed by those who truly found grace before God. When Saul saw the bright light outside Damascus, he heard the voice of the Lord speaking from it and received his commission. Grasp it who can, it has been confirmed in our time that God does not change, and it remains that Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and the same forever. If it is a repetition of the supernatural work of God, and we find the same already in the Holy Scriptures, then with the highest reverence for God the Lord we should respect His doing. In the time of Moses, the Lord came down in the pillar of light and fire and thus came with His direct visible presence over the Tent of Meeting. God is not dead. God lives and reveals Himself even today where He is believed and trusted. God is light and dwells in the light. He can reveal Himself in a supernatural cloud or even in supernatural fire. HE has done it; to Him be the glory.

In November 1949, William Branham notified Rev. Jack Moore and Rev. Gordon Lindsay, who had already witnessed his ministry on the West Coast of the U.S.A., that he would be holding meetings in Houston, Texas in January 1950. Word spread very quickly and people came from the surrounding area, so that the whole city was on the move. The spiritual leaders, who had no spiritual understanding, got excited and made scathing criticisms of these meetings. Among them, the Rev. Dr. Best stood out, calling for an open panel discussion with William Branham on the subject of "Healing the Sick Today" on January 24th 1950 before the 8,000 or so people who filled the Sam Houston Coliseum. He also invited the two professional photographers, Mr. James Ayers and Mr. Ted Kippermann, to capture particularly impressive moments.

The challenger, Dr. Best, was opposed by the Bible teacher Dr. F. F. Bosworth, whom I knew personally. He was a companion of William Branham and was asked to lead the discussion. Hours passed with this undignified spectacle. The crowd joined in the discussion with loud affirmative shouts of "Amen" or loud "No" objections. When the audience was then asked, "How many of you have already been healed by God in the meetings?" hundreds stood up. The opponent had to admit defeat, albeit with loud remarks. When this part was over, William Branham came to the podium. He had taken a seat in the gallery and listened to everything, because it was about him and his ministry, especially about the gift of healing the sick. He calmly stepped in front of the microphone and said: "I have not come to defend myself. If it is God who has sent me, then He will argue for me."

At that moment, Mr. Ayers snapped the photo with the pillar of light over William Branham's head. The end of the meeting was late, and it was almost midnight when Mr. Ayers, who had sided with the critic Rev. Dr. Best, was amazed. All the other photographs he had taken had come to nothing, only one picture, the one – with the supernatural light over William Branham. Mr. Ayers hurried to the hotel that same night and asked William Branham if he knew that a supernatural light had been above him.

Since it was such a phenomenon, it was decided that this negative would be given to the first man in the state who was responsible for examining questionable documents. Dr. George J. Lacy gave his verdict in writing and confirmed that neither retouching nor double exposure had taken place and that this pillar of light was indeed there, otherwise it could not have been picked up by the camera at all. See Dr. Lacy's original report.

This light descended each time upon the person for whom William Branham was to pray for healing through the gift of revelation and discernment. He saw all that he had to share with the person from God in order to strengthen and build up their faith in the presence of God and thus in their own divine healing. Among the many thousands of cases in almost twenty years of this unique ministry, there was not a single failure. Everything was always right, one hundred percent. Asked if he was not afraid to tell people he did not know and of whom he knew nothing, he replied: "Why should I be afraid that something is wrong when it is God who shows it to me and speaks through me?

William Branham mentioned several times that this strange photograph is the only one in the world with a supernatural being in Washington, DC. I myself saw the picture with the pillar of light in December 1969 at the Hall of Art. However, the elderly gentleman who accompanied me said to me: "This photo will not find public interest and will disappear in the drawer." Supernatural events were not uncommon in the lives of the prophets and apostles, but can only be believed by those who truly found grace before God. When Saul saw the bright light outside Damascus, he heard the voice of the Lord speaking from it and received his commission. Grasp it who can, it has been confirmed in our time that God does not change, and it remains that Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and the same forever. If it is a repetition of the supernatural work of God, and we find the same already in the Holy Scriptures, then with the highest reverence for God the Lord we should respect His doing. In the time of Moses, the Lord came down in the pillar of light and fire and thus came with His direct visible presence over the Tent of Meeting. God is not dead. God lives and reveals Himself even today where He is believed and trusted. God is light and dwells in the light. He can reveal Himself in a supernatural cloud or even in supernatural fire. HE has done it; to Him be the glory.