The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1883-01-26
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Cured BY Faith.
THE MOST REMARKABLE FAITH CURE YET
NOTED.


A Huntingdon correspondent write.
that the partial and probably total re
covery of John II. Neff, of Potter
township, from chronic rheumatism o.
Ia years standing, which rendered
him entirely helpless, and was believed
to be incurable, is exciting the wonder
of the people of that county. The
cure is alleged to have been effected
by means of prayer and faith, and by
many is regarded as miraculous, while
Others have different theories by which
to account for 1t. When 10 years OF
age young Neff was assigned some
light labor in harvest field on his
fathers farm, such as is usually per.
formed by boys, and becoming over.
heated sought rest and relief upon the
ground under tree. He then con.
tracted severe cold, which was the
cause of the disease with which he has
since been so seriously afflicted. Every
remedy that human skill could furnish
has been tried in vain. Medicine,
electricity, travel, visits to the Mineral
Springs in Michigan, to Florida, and
to other places where he hoped to OBJ
tain beneficial results, were
ALL UNAvAILING.
Instead of receiving help, his limbs
became more powerless, his joints
stitfer and his body more emaciated.
Almost abandoning hope, he has for
some time past been at home with his
mother, his father being now dead,
and has been unable to rise from a
chair or to walk more than few steps
even with crutches. Recently a lady
who formerly resided in that county,
but who now lives in the west, and
with whom Neff's mother was ac-
quainted, is said to have been cured
from faith of a lingering malady
which refused to yield to medical
treatment. A correspondence resulted
between these two women and subse-
quently Mrs. Neff and a Mrs. Judd, of
New York, through whose instrumen-
tally the cure had been brought about.
The latter informed Mrs Neff that if her
son had sufficient faith like result
would be secured in his case and fixed
Wednesday morning following at s
o'clock, as the time for the important
event to take place. The young man
expressed confidence in his recovery, and
his faith grew stronger as
THE HOUR APPROACHED.
Before the appointed time the neigh
bors and relatives of the family to the
number of so or 60, had gathered at the
house to await the working of the al
legged miracle, some hopeful and others
doubling. They spent the time in sing
ing and praying in which the invalid
Joined. AT 10 minutes before the lat
ter announced, with evident belief in his
assertion, that exactly at the hour he
would walk without his crutches. As
the moments passed the interest of those
present became intense, and, at the
stroke of the clock, to their great sur
prise, he arose unaided from his chair
and walked around the room, shaking
hands with his visitors. He then went
to another apartment, descending a
stairway and using his limbs as he had
not done since contracting the disease
in his boyhood.
HIS RECOVERY
does not seem to be temporary, but he
has continued to improve, and has not
since used his crutches, aud saws that he
never will use them again. He has done
more walking during the six days since
the cure than he had done in months
before, nas been out of the house, al
though there has been ice and snow
upon the ground, and has experienced
no Inconvenience except little soreness
in his limbs and joints so long unused
to the exercise they are now receiving.
The young mans faith is undated, and
If this remarkable case is attributable
to the power of the will over physical
inflrmity it is not impossible that his
restoration to health may be complete.
A majority of the people, however, at
tribute it to prayer, faith, and a special
interposition of Providence. Mr.. Neff
expresses the intention of entering the
ministry.