The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-09-08


Bank OF California, has "busted." A re-
cent Paris dispatch to the London Times
says;
According to Brussels paper, Louise
Lateau, the Belgian girl whose alleged
fasting and stignata have been go much
Wanted by the ultramontanes, has re-
sumed the habits Of ordinary life. Her
sister, concerned at seeing her wasting
away, refused admission To the house TO
the parish priest and the Episcopal dele
gates, from which time the lasting visions
and stigmata have ceased.
But Louise Lateau does not furnish the
only case of nineteenth-century super
naturalism. The United States is not to
BE- outdone by Belgium, nor the Method
lists by the Romanists. The Rev, Mr..
Plat, in the DeKalb Avenue Methodist
Church, New York, last Sunday told to a
crowded congregation the story OF his
miraculous recovery from lameness OF
twenty-five years. duration through the
religious efforts Of a pious lady. He
said;
was sitting in my cottage door at
Ocean Grove, when two ladies appeared,
one introducing herself as Miss Moseman,
and saying, | have come because the
Lord has sent me to tell you that you can
DO cured Of your lameness." | said, 81
am glad; come in. | don't doubt the
Lords ability but his willingness" We
had n long argument, she advancing
Scripturul quotations and SkeptiCal
saying, ~ must have an intimation."
When Miss MOseman relatCda most Won
deriul iaith.cure OF woman inSyraCuse,
I thought, ia not the fact Of this strange
woman coming to me an intimaIion from
God2 and said so, "Let us pray" she
said, not waiting for my words to cool.
Kneeling down she laid her two hands
lightly OH my knees and prayed, | felt
nothing. She rose and began talking. In
few moments | experienced a singular
sensation. It began midway between my
ankle and knee, enCircling, condensing
and toning up, lasting five minutes. She
said, "YoH are cured" The next day |
was getting my family ready to come
back, and walked good deal, swinging
my cane in my hand, but not using 1t. l
had never preached without sitting in
my high chair. How could stand,
even though | could walk went to the
Bible and opened It, and the first thing !
saw was, "Having done all, to stand" and
did. The next Tuesday was to preach
ut Sea Cliff, and there l stood and told
my story. went TO Merrick, and there,
having no Bible to turn to, said, "NoW,
Lord, show me Thy will" and u voice
said, "Hadn't you better throw away that
cane altogether? It looks like distrust."
And in my study the same voice told me
to lay aside that cane. Still took the
cane back to MerriCk, but / shouldered 1t
with my bag, and marched the whole dis
lance in a kingly way, tell you. The
pain now, MS a rule, has passed away, but
| wouldn't walk n block out Of curiosity.
When walk up stairs say, Lord, put
power in my legs. That's the way live.
II would fail In that faith tonight, in a
week I'd be as bad As ever. Now what do
make out ofthis? Nothing, but | know
its the best blessing I've had since | had
Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ and walk
arm.in.arm about the pavement. Now |
get into bed and shout. used TO sleep
with pillow between my knees, but now
| can 20 In broad.side or kick outstraight.
OH | do have good times shouting In
bed, though | may sometimes disturb the
sexton.
II appears to be pretty certain thing
that Brother Plat was formerly obliged
to Use cane, and that now he can get
along without one; but that the unsound
tendons Of his legs were all at once given
their normal vigor by fiat from Heaven,
in Contravention Of the laws governing
other peoples legs, is something as to
which most people will feel decidedly
skeptical. The New York Riine@-a
paper conducted on strict Evangelical
principles-makes the following remarks
in this connection
In the case Of Rev. Mr.. Plat, we be-
ieve he has been at Ocean Grove for
some considerable time this season, prob.
ably bathing daily; and in such n way OF
life 1t Is no miracle that bones, and
sinews, and muscles, should receive
strength. We are somewhat jealous OF
the reputation Of that salubrioIS retreat,
and would not like to sec 1t deprived Of
its honest share In this remarkable cure.
We BY no means deny that the Lord
could perform miraculous cures now as
lie did when on earth, and afterwards
through his Apostles; but we grayely
doubt that there Is any adequate evidence
Of His doing 80, though there il no ques-
ton Of His working numerous cures by
natural means In answer 10 prayer.
Taking all these things into conSid-
Grafton, we prefer to believe In grad
ual strengthening going on for years, and
completed at Ocean Grove, but only found
out when the strong stimulus Of an eX.
cited Imagination supplies the necessary
nervous energy to tho muscles, sinewS,
and tendons, which were already capable
oil healthy action.
The conclusion Of the Witness will be
Endorsed by most sensible people, whether
religious or otherwise. "Order Is Heav-
ems first law" Such supernatural mani
festutions as are claimed in tho Lateuu
and Plat cases would I've violation of
order, and consequently violation of
the first law Of Heaven.