“The Halo” Photo
William Branham claimed that the light captured above his head in the picture shown here was not only the Pillar of Fire of God, but “the same Pillar of Fire that led the children of Israel.”[1] He also claimed that it was the “Angel of the Lord” on the picture.[2]
The picture was captured in black and white on January 24, 1950 during one of his services at the Sam Houston Coliseum in Houston, Texas.
The late Baptist minister, Dr. Wilbern E. Best, who did not believe in Divine healing had challenged William Branham the day before to debate him on the subject at the service. Although William Branham declined on the basis that he didn't want any “fussing”, he allowed the late Pentecostal minister, Fred F. Bosworth, to debate Dr. Best instead.
However, William Branham's claims that God wouldn't permit any pictures to be taken and developed of the two men are false because the Houston Press published a photo in its January 24, 1950 edition of Dr. Best pointing his finger at the Reverend Fred Bosworth during the debate, as shown here.
Dr. Best wanted his picture taken in front of the several thousand people who would be in attendance at the debate and hired Douglas Studios in Houston for that purpose. During the debate, two photographers named James Ayers and Ted Kipperman were present from Douglas Studios. Just before the close of the service, Dr. Best had the photographers come up on the stage and take his picture as he pointed his finger at Mr. Bosworth. Several newspaper photographers also were present and took pictures as well.
After a heated exchange ensued between the two men, Dr. Best insisted that William Branham come and dismiss the people. However, no one knew for certain that William Branham was there because he chose to sit far away in the third balcony with his family. A few minutes later, William Branham made his way down onto the stage where he greeted Dr. Best and began testifying about divine healing and his related ministry to the audience.
William Branham specifically claimed that the Pillar of Fire then came down into the meeting where it was photographed and everyone in the audience saw it at that time, as follows,
“And now, I said, "If I tell the truth, God will testify the truth." And I no more than said it, Something went, "Whew!" Here He come, sailing right down where I was. And this photographer run out and took a picture, when he seen me turn white in the face. And he took a picture. I said, "God has spoken."
And that's all Catholic people and all setting there saw It, looked at It. And many of them begin to scream and fainting. Come right down, a Pillar of Fire, moved right down to where I was at. He shot the picture.” “Testimony”, American Legion Hall, West Palm Beach, FL. L-31-32 (53-1129E).
“And about that time Something went, "Whew!" Here He come, uh-hum, right down.
He was testifying, about thirty thousand people looking at It. And they took the picture
of It, and there It was.” “Demonology” (53-1120).
William Branham also claimed that when James Ayers developed his film that night from the debate, all of the images he captured at Dr. Best's request came out blank and the only one that came out was the one of him with the “Angel of God” over his head, as follows,
“So then when he pulled the first picture out of Mr. Best with Mr. Bosworth, it was negative. God wouldn't permit that taken against that saintly old man. He pulled out
the next one: negative. He pulled out all six of them, and every one of them was blank.
And when he pulled out the other one, there was the Angel of God on the picture.” “Testimony”, L-34 (53-1129E).
“It was Brother Bosworth who stood there that night, and this young fellow just out of the seminary, pointing his finger in that old saints face, and having him take his picture like this. And he shaking his fist in that old saintly man's face, and saying, "Now, take my picture. And now take my picture," like that. 'Cause he wanted six pictures taken; he could publish it in his paper in such positions as that. And Almighty God would not permit one of them to be developed. Every one of them was perfect negative. That's right.
And then he run up and took the picture when I was standing there and the Angel of the Lord come. And the Angel of the Lord showed up in its place. So you see what the Lord will do.” “It Is I, Be Not Afraid” (54-0720E).
In the news story that accompanied the photo, which can be viewed here, there is also no mention or report of a “Pillar of Fire” or any extraordinary light appearing over William Branham's head during the meeting, despite his claims that everyone saw it and many people began to scream and faint.
In fact, the story merely describes William Branham as entering the platform, addressing the audience, concluding with a smile and leaving the platform, as follows,
At the very last the Rev. Branham walked slowly to the platform amid prolonged applause and spoke briefly. He is dark and slender with deep-set eyes and a soft, persuasive voice. He declared:
“I have never taken any credit for healing, or claimed to have the power to heal. Jesus didn't take such credit, but said it was the power of His Father.
“Our friend (referring to the Rev. Best) has spoken of 'religious racketeers.' During this meeting 3000 have been saved. If that is racketeering, God give us more racketeers.
“If I am not doing good in Houston you won't have to run me out, I'll leave.”
“No. No. No. No, came the shouts from the audience.
“But if you want me to stay . . .” the Rev. Branham concluded with a smile, and the applause was deafening.
As the Rev. Branham left the platform a group of followers quickly surrounded him and the group marched in almost military fashion to a rear door and the evangelist disappeared into the night.
His associates ended the meeting with prayers.
In addition, there is no eyewitness account or any historical record from any other media outlet or anywhere else to substantiate William Branham's claims that the “Pillar of Fire” or “Angel of God” appeared during the meeting when the photo of him was taken with the light over his head.
What's more, William Branham also falsely claimed that the head of the F.B.I. determined that the light above his head in the photo was a supernatural Being, as follows,
“You seen the picture of It awhile ago, that Pillar of Fire. Did you ever see It? . . .This is by the American Photographer Association, hangs in the religious hall of art in New York City, the only supernatural Being that was ever taken in all the world's history. You can see the Pillar of Fire. Here's George J. Lacy the head of the FBI. There's his signed signature that It was a supernatural Being there, when It was taken before thirty thousand people.” “Expectations” (53-0507).
“Mr. Lacy said it was the first time in all human history that a — a supernatural Being was ever photographed. “At Thy Word” (50-0714).
The very best we have, George J. Lacy... And there's his signed statement that it's the first time in all of the world's history that it could be scientifically proven that there was a supernatural Being, that same Angel of God that's right here, you see nightly, moving. There It is on pictures. “Do You Now Believe” (52-0817E).
William Branham's claims about George Lacy are false because he was not the head of the F.B.I. and was never employed by the F.B.I. Instead, Lacy was a sitting board member for the American Society of Questioned Document Examiners, which the F.B.I. used occasionally.
Pictured below is his January 29, 1950 “Report and Opinion” of the light streak over William Branham's head in the photo. (As is evident, George L. Lacy's title is stated as, Examiner of Questioned Documents.)
William Branham's claims about George Lacy are also false because there is nothing in George Lacy's signed “Report and Opinion” above, which states that the light captured in the photo was a “supernatural Being” or that “it's the first time in all of the world's history that it could be scientifically proven that there was a supernatural Being.”
Instead, the document reflects that George Lacy's opinion of the light streak was that “the negative submitted for examination, was not retouched nor was it a composite or double exposed negative” and that “the light streak appearing above the head in a halo position was caused by light striking the negative.”
As such, no conclusion can be made or reached from George Lacy's “opinion” of the cause of the light striking the negative.
Is there a reasonable explanation and natural cause for why the “light streak” appeared and was captured over William Branham's head in the photograph?
The floodlights that were used at the Houston Coliseum at the time are apparently the most reasonable cause for the light to have appeared above William Branham's head in the photograph.
As is apparent from the photos shown here, floodlights and other lights were commonly captured in photos above people's heads at other stage-lit events:
Footnotes:
[1] William Branham often declared that the light captured over his head was, in actual fact, the same Pillar of Fire that led the children of Israel, as he did here,
“This was by the FBI, fingerprint and document; here it is, the same Pillar of Fire that led the children of Israel. It's in Washington D.C. as the only supernatural Being was ever photographed.”“The Door of the Door” (57-1212).
However, all of those affirmative claims are contradicted by his statements in which he made it known that it was only his “opinion” that the “light” was that Pillar of Fire. Sermons in which he did so are quoted here.
[2] William Branham specifically claimed that the Lord's Angel was recorded on the
picture, as follows,
“Mr. Kipperman went upstairs to go to bed, and Mr. Best, or Mr. Ayers setting, smoking a cigarette. And after while he went in, took them out of the acid, took out one, blank, two, blank. Took out all six of them, they were blank. And when he took the next one out, there the Angel of the Lord was on the picture. And he had a heart attack.”“The Angel Of The Lord” (51-0718).