The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-08-30
A HOLY HEALING FOUNTAIN.
It's Stream More Beneficent Than
ALBANIA, Pharpar or Jordan.
MIRACULOUS CURES.
The Blind Restored to Sight, the Lame Drop
Their Clutches, and Those Given Over
toDie Recover Health by Prayer,
Faith and Penitence at
the Blessed GrOtto.
STATEMENTS OF MANY WITNESSES.

STATEMENTS OF MANY WITNESSES.
LoURDEs. July 80. 1873.
- ''THE MIRACLE OF THE FOUNTAIN"
Very great was the emotion OF the multitude
who had gathered round the grotto when they
saw that water nowed from the dry rock. Every
one pressed round ttook at 1t and to see II 1t was
real and the mass surged around the child like the
waves OF tumultuous sea. In proportion as the
crowd drank Of this water and bathed their hands
and stepped their clothing in At the miraculous
stream grew ever more abundant and thousands
and tens OF thousands of persons now living saw
the wonder and believed. Then great shout rose
up from the multitude, and as the frail
little child who had been chosen
servant Of the Most High passed
back with downcast eyes to her humble home the
people acclaimed her with one voice, and cast
themselves in hundreds at her feet, so that they
might but touch the hem Of her garment. For this
miracle, mind you, my money-lending oficial and
generally reasonable stockjobbing friends had
been wrought in the light Of day and could not be
gainsayed in the ears Of the thousands who had
witnessed 1t.
"Pooh, pooh ~ stin said the venal. French ofical;
81 get no fees out Of all this The government
must set its face against It," But he was now
obliged to speak in . whisper, as the Scrbes and
Pharisees did when the Jews called out, 'Hosan.
nal" and spread palms in the way Of the carpen-
ter's son, who rode upon ass. as not this the
millers daughters" said the Official with
handkerchief, ''and are not her brethren
Jack and Gill and her sister Nary" The
whole affair was unintelhgible to him. But
the multitude remained all that night In the
wilderness in fasting and In prayer. Between five
and six thousand persons were waiting for the
coming OF the little child when morning dawned
again. and the miraculous water, rejoicing in its
course, sparkled ana danced in the rays of the
rising sun like living thing. When Bernadette
came among them with her quiet footstep and
her modest eyes, they hailed her as saint and
asked her blessing 1t may be that some worldly
thoughts, some siemlnine vanity, might have found
her heart opened by so much applause and glided
IN; for that day the Virgin came not. Bernadette
prayed in vain. Either her eyes were darkened or
her faith was weak. Perhaps it was as well that
the child, In the midst OF popular reclamation,
should be taught that she herself was nothing. AS
the morning wore on rumor spread that the mirac-
ulous water cured the sick. Now there lived In the
town ofLourdes poor man named Louis Bourriette,
and some twenty years before a sad disaster had
befalen him. As he was working in the quarries
q little way OF from the city mine had exploded
beneath him and he was frghtfuy disfgured.
saved after many months Of doubt and suffering
Surgeons and physicians could do nothing for him.
and time, which works many cures, had been
equally powerless. He could scarcely distinguish
men from trees walking they appeared to him
like black things moving about in deep shadow.
The man was well known to all the country round,
and many peope pitied, and some helped him, for
he was member OF the numerous trade union or
brotherhood Of quarrymen.
THE BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT.
When the poor man heard OF the miraculous
water he babe his daughter bring him some of 1t.
And behold he rubbed his eyes with the water and
cried out with loud voice and fell upon his
trembling limbs and prayed earnestly for miracle
had been wrought in him and he had received back
his sight.
Some days afterward ne met with his physician,
that DR.. Dozons, VINO did not believe in the word
''catalepsyr as probable explanation OF Berna-
dette's visions.
81 am cured, sir" said the quarryman.
"You don't say So" replied the doctor. IL have
done my best for you; but l cannot cure man
whose sight has been destroyed by gunpowder."
"No sir" returned Bourriette, 'you have not
cured me- l have been cured by the Holy Virgin
OF the grotto."
The man of-scence shrugged his shoulders
THAT Bernadette Is In state of health which,
certain, ana have said so but that the spring
which she has, by some means or other, found out
at the grotto can heal incnrabe ills is not posi-
ble." so saying the doctor drew a note book from
his pocket and, with q wry smile, he placed his
hand upon the left eye OF Bourriette and wrote
short sentence. "If you can read that now,n said
he. III shall know what to think OF the miraculous
water"
A crowd OF people had collected round the
doctor ana his his patient, for 1t was market day
at Lourdes.
And the blind man read is incura.
bly, blind in the right eye, and can never be healed"
The doctor started like q man who had been sud-
denly shot. al cannot deny fact" he rem arked
.and, however displeasing it may be to the faculty
OF medicine, must believe the evidence OF my own
senses rather than the dogwas Of poor human
science.n
Dr. vergez, OF Tarbes, also professor OF the
faculty OF Montpelier, being called into consulta
ton upon this strange event, endorsed the opinion
OF Dr. Dozons as TO It's miraculous character. lie
had never known such cure. IL was not WITHIN
the skill Of the physician, said DR.. yergez.
THE SICK ARE HEALED
Other poor persons OF Lourdes who had been
bedridden for years. bowed down by the weight OF
incurable diseases and who had spent all their
substance on physicians, suddenly rose up and
walked. Their names are Marie Daube, Bernardo
soluble, Fabien Baron and Jeanne Crassus.
DIVINE service was now going on all day and all
night at the grotto without the help OF priest or
9eacon. The people locked there in one endless