An article titled: "Another of John Branham's True Experiences in Sitting up with the Dead", and a portion of a second article about a "famous and renowned artist of the Negro Race."

"Another of John Branham's True Experiences in Sitting up with the Dead"

Mr. Branham relates this experience at the sitting up with a deceased friend:

     "In long past years, many of us remember the old style of sitting up with the dead.  Sometimes there would be a room filled out with sympathizing friends from near and far to sit up with the family of a deceased member, and many would remain until daylight.  There would be singing and praying, and quiet conversation in the deathroom, also the adjacent rooms.  These gatherings were for the purpose of being company and consolation to the distressed family; and on the occasion Mr. Braham attended. The deceased was a particularly deformed man, and after his death he had to be strapped in some way to the death couch where he lay shrouded, so as to keep his form in straight lines before getting cold, or being placed in his coffin.  There was an old man who was first at this gathering and he carried with him his huge black dog.  The old man being the first one there, he took his seat at the head of the deathbed and tied his dog to the headpost of the bed and the dog layed down quietly under the bed and no one knew he was there but the owner. So after a good many had gathered, about a couple of hours later the old man moved to go out forgetting the dog being tied to the bed.  The dog as usual made an attempt to follow his master and as he crawled from under the bed this large black dog being tied to the bedpost, certainly he frightened the entire crowd and as he started out the tie-chain rattled and pulled the bed, causing the strap or weights to loosen on the dead man and the peculiar crooked form of the body sprang up in double just as he was in real life.  Well the people ran out of the house screaming that the man had come to life and the Devil was under the bed.  Well the dog owner tried to quiet and explain to the folks, a good many left for home and a few others, mostly men, were persuaded to return to the dead-room, where they assisted partly shocked, in strapping the form straight again.  Many inquired the next day as to whether the man was dead or alive, and several were afraid and refused to attend the funeral.  By that huge black dog tied to the bedpost, the rattling of the chain, the moving of the dead body, and at night, caused a fright which was long remembered by those present, including John Branham.

E.J.H.

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The second column on this page is a portion of an only partially legible article about a "famous and renowned artist of the Negro Race."

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