The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1878-02-14

Better than crown OF kings.
Better than fame-wreateed sword.
Is faith that softly clings.
About each simplest word,

0SesCA So8n 18AnS WICatCCu SWOIus
Is faith that softly cling.
About each simplest word.
-Neuie Reed.
-MAUCH CHUNKS s. MIRACLE.ss
The strangest story ef the Nine.
teenth Century woman
WAo Was Cured Of COnsumP.
tier The Recall 70 Life
and the Response.
From the New York Herald,
MAucH CHUNK, PENN, February 2.
The little village of East Mauch
Chunk has been to-day in a state of
intense excitement, growing out of q
supposed mircle, by which it is claim
ed by many devont people woman
was restored to life and strength an
hour after death occurred. They firm
ly believe that the woman's soul actu-
ally left her body, and after an hours
absence returned to its earthly tene-
ment in falfillmentof prophecy from
. supernatural source, foretelling the
miracle, just as it TO. day occurred.
There are plenty of skeDtics who
disbelieve the entire story, and de-
nounce it as a gross deception. They
also, assert that had a physician been
permitted to examine the SO called
dead woman who was the subject of
the alleged mircle while in the trance
state she would have been found to
t. be alive. Nevertheless hundreds
of people-not of the most intelligent
class, to be sure, but worthy men and
women and very devOut Catholics
implicitly believe that God has per-
formed q wonderful miracle in calling
back to earth the soul of woman
dead of consumption, and endowed
her with q new body, free from di-
seAse.
There is no time now to Investigate
thoroughly the facts; but, as the quar-
ter Of the town where the poorer and
more ignorant people live is wild with
excitement, it will be well to tell the
story a. it is recited by the coolest
headed of those claiming TO have been
eye-witnesses. In the first place it
must be stated that about two months
age Miss Amelia Greth, single wO-
man, who had been living at Reading,
removed to East Mauch Chunk. She
was about thirty-six years old, and
was very i'll with consumption, from
which she said she had suffered q long
time. She seemed to be an intelli-
gent woman, and was certainly very
religious one. She was q deyout
Catholic, and when she came here
went directly to the house of Father
Heine1, the Catholic pastor In charge
of the German congregation, there be-
ing two churches here, one where Eng
lish is spoken and the other for the
PeDnsylvania Dutch, of whom there
are many who can scarcely UNDER
stand English. Miss Greth made her
home at the pastoral residence of
Father Heinen, and was soon taken so
ill with hemorrhage that she was con-
fined to her bed.
She stated that for many years she
had been protected by a guardian an
gel which she has often seen, The
angel told her not long ego that
great miracle was to be performed on
ber and the promise would soon be
She convey ed the message
Of the angel to father Heinen, who an
nounced his belief in the prophecy.
So accurate was Miss Greth in her
that she announced a few
days ago that on the I'd of February
she was to die, or, at least, her soul
would leave her body, and, after she
had been in the state of ecstacy or
death, she was TO be restored TO life |
and consciousness, get up out of her
bed and go to the church, to Mass, a |
we'll woman. AS soon as the public |
became acquainted with the facts a
general desire was expressed TO see
the woman, and since last Monday
crowds of persons have visited her
'oOm daily. She was found lying in
he second-stOry front room of Faith
srHeinen's house on a low bed propped
up with pillows, herhands crossed on
her breast as if she were dead, and
hin. Around her neck was a gold
;hain, to which was suspended hand.
'Ome crucifix Of the same metal. Since
she has been unable to speak,
inf hor otfon1oufo ac,o che <. o<...: |
'us Of all that transpires. Another
hing which the believers in this mod
'rn miracle regard as very remarkable
. the fact that she partakes of very
title food. For nine weeks her whole
liet has been milk, water and dried
pples In very small quantities. 1t is
Iverred that in all this time she has
lot partaken of enough food 10 sus-
ain life.
She was attended by a little lady
ressed in black, who informed the
alters of all the facts in very good
ierman. 1t is thought a thousand
'eople visited her since Monday
1t il only proper to stale here that
diss Greth has not had any physicians
r any other professional medical at {
endance, and has gradually grown [
Teaker and weaker. The sick wo- &
IAN is declared to have had of late {
lpernatural visions, and the most re-
stories have been circulated
mOng the class to whom she belong
as to the wonderful things she has s
eheld. 1t is declared that the holy a
ngel which guards her is always vis- !
Ne to Miss Greth and sometimes to i
Or friends and attendants. This spirit, 4
appears, was that of a some time Q
sad friend, who foretold many things b
nong others that at half.past eight I
clock this morning, the feast day OF \