The Cecil Whig., 1885-11-21

an error. They are certainly very far
lacking in reverence or they would not
seek to debase faith to the depth their
doctrine carries it. The prayer sent up
by the individual in the chamber of
solitude, when backed by strong ard
abiding faith in its efficacy, will be an
swered inevitably by happy results.
This is the sublime acme of faith. The
heart that prompts the prayer uttered
in this way is an unfaltering and unds
mayed heart and God, therefore, thinks
it worthy of reward. This is not the
kind of faith cure the peculiar Phila-
delphia fanatics advocate, however.
Their plan is for a public demonstration
of what should remain absolutely and
sacredly private. Every man may have
bushels OF faith and yet never reap a
peck of reward from it. For the SIM
pie reason, maybe, that those who have
the most faith and the best faith desire
the least returns for it. 1t Is certainly
a ridiculous thing to make a practice
of depending upon faith for the cure of
every petty fleshly ailment. Faith is
more a medicine for the soul than the
body. Faith is the sweetest liniment
ever applied to wounded spirits But
when it is bartered by fanatics in the
public highways and meeting houses for
the alleviation of every necessary and
harmless pain or ache, it forfeits the
sanction OF high heaven, it is the base
fabric of fanatical dream, the tool of
man laboring on the structures of pro-
family Every holy and noble deed
ever accomplished can be traced to a
source in the fountains of Faith. The
waters of Faith form the cleansing and
purifying streams that Gltrate through
the ocean of Sin. But Faith is not
socialistic, it is an individual attribute,
and cannot be exchanged with neigh
Dor. The advocates of Faith cure IN
Philadelphia think differently; we are
afraid they are little, maybe a great
deal, blinded by the shiny aspect Of
their new theory. The new garment is
ottentimes deceptive, and when worn
short while offends and displeases. \
congregation Of mistaken souls gathered
in the streets or in meeting house, i'll
of body and crippled in spirit, pleading
with a universal voice for relief and
healing, doesn't appear nearly so sweet
as the individual in his closet of pray er
asking the blessings of divine dispen-
sation upon his mortal ailments, quiet
ly, earnestly, and unprofane 'ly. This
latter is the certain, the former the un
certain cure by Faith. The individual
performs his holy rites reverently of
soul, the masses utter their solemn plant
with one eye upon Heaven and the
other on the banquetting table or the
collection plate. Faith is virtue we
all need, but we must all be strong and
willing to support and sustain it in our
individual spirits, and wise enough
to use it for bodily cure only when it
can be held aloof from procurement and
closer to moral chastity. Every disci-
pie of true christianity is an exponent
of the cure by Faith. But it is such
faith and such & method of curing as
only the most refined and delicate ma
lures are acquainted with. Faith is
the grand monitor of accomplishment,
but to fulfill its dearest purposes it must
remain concealed from public contami-
nation in the bosom of its possessor
thus rooted in the breast of every indi-
vidual it will grow upward silently and
modestly to bear blossoms of sweet
pefume and pleasant to the eye of