The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-05-17
ABOUT THE MIND CURE.
now IT FLOURISHES IN BOSTO-I
AMONG THE FIRST FAMILIES.
Tie Ideal Zone Over Which Theological
Lions Growl-Thought Medicine
and How II Is Administered.
+, New Science.
Especial Correspondence.l

Especial Correspondence
BosroN, May H. "Transcendental medi-
cine is a term not easy to grasp outside of
Boston. Here it and other inexplicable kim
dred phrases are on everytody's lips. The
philosophy of idealism,n Christian sci
mce," ho-therapeutics," 'psychical
virus.n "phrenopathy.n ''the sympathetic
sense," all interIard table and parlor CONVEX
sation as beautifully as weather opinions in
New York. They are all different names for
the 'smind cure" which now holds Boston, so
50 speak, in the hollow of its ideal hand
This is not mercy the craze of few fam
atics; it is plant that has taken root in in
te1]ectual a I'd aristocratic soil, and fouriShes
TO an extent that would cause any ambitious
green-bay tree to hang its head in shame. So
powerful a bold has this new science taken
on the city that regular" physicians are
looking to both their laurels and their purses
with alarm / heard one say he was certain
that half, If not more than half, the practice
Of the city was in the hands of irregular
practitioners, phrenopathic, magnetic and
every other shade of departure from the old
established code. / don't doubt this asser-
ton 1t seems TO me that every other house
bears doctors single, and the 'sirregulars'
certainly take the lead.
But about this mind cure and its dis
pensers. They don't hang out their shingles
at least. not often don't think they are
given to other methods of advertising,
either. 1t is one of those things that gets
talked about to such an extent that its prac-
ftioners are overrun with patients and
pupils. 1t is so new, so mysterious and SO
fascinating that everybody wants to know
something about it. 1 saw one advertise
ment which read thus:
metaphysical Healing-This method dis
penses with all material aid or will power,
and is known as the mind cure. Those who
are unwilling to give up drugs are not in a
condition to be benefited
The mind cure is taught in term of twelve
lessons, usually one every day until a class
graduates. The pupils obligate themselves
not to teach until they have had two years
practice. Meantime they are sent forth to
operate on themselves and others, for good,
It may be supposed, since as they have naught
TO do with drugs they are not armed with the
power for harm which makes the new prac
titioner of the regular school creature to
hold in fear until he has demonstrated his
competency. Prices for the twelve lessons
yAy, am told, from $40 to $50, according
to the means and needs of the pupil So po-
tent power is the mastery of mental cure
Said to be that the natural supposition is no
one possessed Of ample worldly means would
ho=1f tot IL c<@ ~sxl-
curing bodily ills, but promises allur.
ing things in the way of correcting inherite.
tendencies Satanward, improving uncertain
dispositions, eliminating ignoble thoughts.
and making the subject not only lord of him
self, but of his surroundings In short, it
ushers In a sort of mountaineering era of
faith, very fascinating to such OF us as have
been putting in our time on mole-hills with
out brilliant success.
Faith is strong element in the mental
cure-faith in ones self, as well as faith in
higher powers ITO desire and to deserve is
the sum of il, " said one of its disciples. He
declared in a public meeting where it was
under discussion that in '79 he had cured
himself of rheumatism Of an aggravated
character snd long standing. Having read
Dr.. w. I. Evans books the greatest mind.
cure exponenD, he went to his room one
Sunday determined to stay there till he was
cured or proved phrenopathy failure. On
the following Thursday ne left his room,
walked down stairs and out in the street
without crutches-nay, forgetting his
eTutches altogether until he returned to his
room and saw them standing in corner
The audience heard this statement with
approving mods Here and there pair of
eyes bulged out far into space, indicating
that. to their owner, mind cures were new
sensations; but the majority seemed to have
BEEN previously saturated with recitals of
similar kind, which had left them in q condi-
zion Of receptivity.
The man who said he had effected this re-
narkable cure on himself also said he could
put himself TO sleep in five minutes at any
Time, no matter what torments, mental or
physical, beset him. asked for practical
directions. He said that on lying down he
put his head in a position to turn his eyes far
back, and then painted an imaginary spot on
his forehead or on the ceiling, at which he
forced himself to look with his minds eye.
The slight effort necessary to concentrate his
thoughts on that took his mind from any
thing else After four or five nights of this
practice he gained such mastery over him.
self that he could command sleep any time.
Miss Louisa NJ. Alcott asserts that after
thirty mind-cure treatments she was forced
70 consider the system failure. mentioned
this to one of the faithful. 'Oh, yes" he
aid, 81 have seen that statement in print.
But did you notice that she says she left
homeopathy and massage in the hope of find
ing q short and easy way to undo in month
the overwork of twenty yearsl Would she
have expected any other system under the