New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-06-22
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
FAITH CURES.
TINY CASE OF THE REV. ARTHUR SLOAN.

THE CASE or THE REV. ARTHUR sLOAN'
TO the EdttOr Of-The Trioahe' 49,
SIR: Suffer me to traverse, very briefly your ou'o-
nal comment upon the recent healing ministry OF c''f
rvmau of the Protestant Episcopal Church I'D ouoo'
Mr.. Sloan is amiaby, or contemptuously' perhaps
rusbcd aside as an ecclesiastca crank, playing harm
less hut deliberate trick upon the creduous and eepe
minded or else as ptfu dupe to his own haliuciha
tons who should be unfrocked by his bishop and mana
ed over TO the remedial providence of some insane nos
pita II does not appear that Mr.. Sloan has done any
serious mischief. nodded with the statutes pNil VI
ecclesiastical unless it may. indeed be urged 'h'' Nus
healing lacks the Endorsement of vahd no'i''i
diploma Nor does il appear that in his re'l'e"'.''
from one Of the most delightful village parishes III
Connecticut and the social consideration peonS'hS "
his rectorshp he has exhibited much worldly shre"u
ness or financial sagacty Of high order in setting up
his rude tabernacle on the StatoTd pier among the
shippers. and b0Sybodies.
Until the dav of his new departure. Mr.. Sloan was
certainly counted among the rising younger Ger S
man Of solid character, sincerity and OF Sener"HH
healthy mind and conscience Today he st"huS "p"''
from his brethren and the headed community DIS
virtually apostac, either haif-crazcd or aNcou9 moHn'e
bank Now the head and front of Mr. Hloan's onenuAS
seems TO lie in this that he cannot content himself WIN
the narrow conventional Interpretation OF the preSlly
calling He is conscious Of larger gifts and RESPONSE
bilitics than lie in the old routine Of htargc and
evanoeli>iic services He dstIrbs the mouOtonous
harmony of the professional life by casting aside its
non natural minimizing conception of Catholic Christi
any and its ordained ministry. lie Is rash enough 10
conceive aud believe that church which Is inc organ
Of body of the supernatural Christ htcaS all Oathohc
minded Episcopaans agreed-is IA truly to-day
the minister of the rcgenerating enighenng healing
Life Of Jesus CHRIST through the workings OF the Holy
Ghost As was in Pentecosta days in brief that the
efhcacous Presence of Christ in His Church IA DOT a
mere theological dictum. but a tremendous verify:
that He who of old time gave light TO the blind made
Inc deaf hear the lame walk the lcpers every Whll
whole works today to will and TO do stretching form
healing hands for all human ills and mlng hesh ana
spirit alike. far the unfah and lndurdon OF MS
people give way that the mmanencc OF tins fountain oI
hoa.ag and lie. Tor body and soul together whin tho
Church which is Christ's living ystca Body Is the
supreme Justification. while 1t Is the sprtNa ueisu!
of the Christian Priesthood. ,. ,
think 1t Will be extremely dicult to estaOllsh INC
heresy of this position. Ii 10 substantially inc
doctrine Of Catholic Chriatcndom- THIS Hidm9 OF
Divine Power and life within the Church., breaking
forth at time in irresistible currents OF eNahgeHc
enthusiasm. al another in multiplied miracles "i meal
ing And is pretty generally conceded among con'eT
vative fro.estanis that a revival Oh the cary he."
would be accompanied with the early signs ana VOL
der, which witnessed the Ministry Of The word
There Is rublc canon OF the Episcopal Church
which torblds MI Sloans work or dlscrt outs ms posi-
ton Ii in all profound righteousness ard preSIhheN
he undertakes to follow III the footsteps OF HIS LOid
and the Holy Apostles, hndng himself dNHeH sc.
apart for the Cure of Souls and bodies too, what Is
- hinder. who l. ia gain-ay IT MI Sloan WORKS
of hcang duly atteSted by more than the eVange
Quota ot two three witnesses anu such "olk,
NhoevCr has the faith for accomplishing 1t, Is preshi
bly, of God. and not of man Surely we cannot throw
overheard the possibility of such works Of supernatural
healing. We read that Jesus began HIS ministry
"preachng the Gospel of the Kingdom. and hcahhS
ali manner of sickness and all manner OF diseases
among the people" And for all the three years ne
ceased not in doing good and healing 10 lies AS wei as
souls. Again, When lie called His Twelve DISCIPLES,
He gave them power against all unclean spirits 10 cast
thcrn ont and 10 heal al manner of disease lnpdrt
in their commi-> ion, lie SAID As We g. preach,
SAVING the kingdom Of Heaven Is at hand Heal the
suck, cleanse The lepefs lae the dead freely ye nave
received, freely give And they did 90 torth III
every place preaching and healing, and this donhe
ministry Is the perpetual golden thread running
through the Apostolic and po,t-ApoStolc times ~.
james writes Is any sick among Won let him call The
elders tpre>byters priests OF the church, ana let
them pray him. Amounting HIM with on Ill Ih name
OF the Lord and the prayer Of faith shall save the sick
and the Lord shall raise him up and II he have COM
united aims they shall bc forgiven him" 81 IA IA
LAYING down the Outlines of the Divine Constitution OF
the Young Church thus Ormuatcs l- mystery OF N"u-
illness - Now We are The Body of Christ, and members
in particular, and God hath some in the Church,
frst Apostles secoudarily, Prophets; thirdly, teach
crs alter that miracles; then, gIts OF BtdinS,,
helps, governments diycr,c~ Of Tongues. At oidi-
uaon Nj Sloan solcmny found himself invested with
With lu il il de nd, lei others interpret II as Their
measure of faith allows Time will determine whether
ls work are Of faith II they are they wall stand the
fire of secular criticism and ecclesiastical Judgment,
unhurt At rate. IN this age Of uualih ana scIli
iv in the Church there cannot bc mucn harm IA such
man; and from tne pIc,ch posture of the Gaze 1t doe,
seem ~ If this cth-ucd priest were "dihlh" IN me
Apostolic paths even while at lc5eerh'dds WIN ms
eecle-iastical supeTl0r-. GiOEGE l. RIDER
Att- ] Ork, June -. 1854