Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-04-22
THE FAITH CURF


Unbelief and superstition are two opposites
that produce each other. When religion be-
comes stern, harsh, bigoted and cruel it pro-
duces unbelief, for any reasoning person can
perceive that such sentiments and conduct
are inconsistent with what ia best in hun an
nature, and what is just and merciful in
God. Denial of the truth OF a prevalent
faith, and unbelIef in ancient and popular
creeds, when accompanied by ridicule of the
popular notions and customs, or when
thee things are opposed in manner that
approaches neutrality-suspicious. fanau-
cism and superstition, fer E1en cling TO and
exsggerate what time and association has
made venerable and precious in their eyes. |
The present current Of thought turns toward |
unbslief, and the calm reasoning oil |
Huxley, and the taunting reckless |
nsss of Ingersoll both arouse deyout |
believers TO opposition, and incite the weak
minded among them TO go back 10 medieval
follies, to mummeries, and posturings, and
candle-burnings, while some even appeal to
visible miracle, and claim to obtain healing
OF the sick in answer 10 prayer. There are
some Of the exhorters and clergy who accept
The assumption OF miracle. power in earnest
faitb, and there are some creatures mean
enough 10 fall in with the weak ones, who,
like the Jews, look for sign, for what they
can make by it. Only let crowd of people
be got 10 believe, and there is never want Of
fanatic, dupe, or rogue, to do. Such
faith always produces works, such az they
are. Among the miracle workers who APP
pear to be honest, is Father Adams, of
Williamsburg, on the opposite side Of the
East river from New York. His bishop
suspended him for unknown reasons some
tine ago, but the Roman Catholic people
about him revere him and tell OF numerous
cases where his prayers and his blessing
have healed the sick and saved those for
whom physicians could do nothing. The
gentleman himself reasons logically from
the premises his Church lays down. From
his prayers and in his hands, he says, the
bread and wine are changed, and shese only
elements were now God il. After such
miracle all other miracles sink into little
ness. In all ages saints bones and relics
with miraculous power. Father Adams pro-
tests that he only prays. God does the rest
as he does in the case Of the bread and the
wine 0ther rrissfs. however, who were
quisl Toned upon the subject, vale they &C
kH0wledged the claim Of their Church 10
work miracles, denied or strongly doubted
The wonders imputed 10 Father Adams. An
Instance of cunning impostor ready to turn
the ignorance and superstitious folly he finds
ABOUND him to his own profit, is faith-curer
Of Brooklyn, n. Y, known as DIR. Monck.
He does things up in luminous style. He
takes the Grand Operahouse and gets as large |
a paying crowd as he can of an evening. A
I-porer OF the New York Tribune went to
See bis healing, and he found him with a
"good house," crowded in every part. Six
rows Of chairs In front were occupied by the
sick, Inc lame, and the afflicted. These were |
people evidently Of low intellect and defect
i've education, fit to become the dupes and |
aiders Of fraud. Most OF them had occuP pied
the same chairs the preceding nights, but
that was not mentioned TO the audience. At
MOuck's desire, some OF them related how
much they had been benefited, and how near
they were to recovery, and some showed
themselves az already recovered. Then
came the utterances to each appli-
cant from the wonder-worker, and
the manipulations, and the solemn
laying on OF hands. Stockings were given
where pain or powerlessness were expert
enced; the lower parL of the skull, where |
the neck joins the head, was evidently a
main psiat IN tho faith-curer's calculations.
for he.rubbed there hard and often. When
the same earnest pressure and passes OF the
wonder.worke1's hand were applied to the
kuees Of the women who were seeking relief
from rheuma tsm, the ungodly in the crowd
laughed loud and long; but the miracle
man, in earnest with his great and pious
work, rubbed on with solemn look.
while the poor patient, careless Of
tue laughter, had every nerve quivering
with hope and vivid faith of a relief from
suffering and restoration to health. Such
dlvotees and disciples to faith mainly
draw their belief from the words of
James ", IA: &C. Is any sick among
you, let him call for the elders
of the church and let them pray over him,
20 amounting him with oil in the name OF the
Lord, and the prayer of faith shall save the
sick." In Mark vi, Is we read Of the apostles
amounting the sick, whom they healed; the
COED Samaritan poured oil and wine upon
the sores and bruises of the unfortunate who
f,ll among thieves. Niebuhr, the celebrated
traveller, tells how he found both Jews and
Moslems having resource to oil when sick
To Jnoint the head and parts or the whole OF
the body as a remedy in sickness has been
common among several nationalities, espe-
cially in the Esst-they consider it refresh
Ing nod restorative. In their Dyes it
valuable medicine, and was applied for its
medical value, with prayers for an efficacy,
that would bring back health, as many pieus
Christians pray to-day that the pills the
doctor has ordered may, when taken, restore
health. Using the means blessed result is
asked for. The faith.curers to-day mostly
use oil. They appear to have no notion OF
the medical value attached by The
orientals to amounting the skin, and
they Just touch the forehead or the
suffering part with a drop of oil at the end
of their finger, which is soon rubbed off
again, This is as absurd Monck "a-rubbin'
for the rheumatic" in Brooklyn, which made
the audience laugh so heartily. That
strong impression upon the mind can both
cure and kill is certain, in particular cases,
but in all prayer it is Gods will, not mans,
that is 10 be asked to have done, and the
mothers prayer over her sick child is often
answered best when denied. The Christian
makes known his wants in prayer and leaves
tito God how the good desired hall come. The
best that ever moved among the sons Of men
prayed that the cup might passfrom Him and
the prayer was denied. Yet itwas granted, for
He who asked also prayed, "Let Thy will,
not mine, be DONE" Man may pray for what
he thinks is hest, then must trust all 10
Him who knotrs what is best. Such trust and
faith would save from the superstition of
faith-cure, for that superstition asks God TO
do what we want, and do it in the way we
want it. 1t is equal 10 saying, let natural
law be broken, let who may suffer from the
breach, and let my wish be complied with
and my want supplied.
THE FLUSH TINES OF OTHEg DAYS.
The present boom in the Mississippi river
is typical of the boom in the general pros
perity of Memphis. The outlook for our
city has never been 90 encouraging as now.
The business aspect reminds us of the flush
times of other days, when the increase oil
population was checked for the want OF
house-room, and new business houses and
private residences were built with the money
paid in advance for rents. More new build
ings are now going up than at any time
since the war. In every part of the city, on
almost every street, will be seen evidences OF
prosperity. Desirable houses are No longer
vacant. The old, familiar sign, "For Rent"
has disappeared, and the demand for COED
houses is equal to the supply. With The
fnAl settlement of the city debt and
the completion Of the several rail-