Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-10-01
TlG Faith Cure Preacher.
SHE OCCUPIES A PULPIT At UPPER
STRASDURG.
HER LIFE AND CURE BY PATH
WHAT SOME PEOPLE THINK OF
HER,
ICharnbersburg Spirit.l


For the past few weeks Mrs.
Mary Ann CHASER has been preach
ing in Upper Strasburg, for several
evenings in the United Brethren
church, to large audiences. Mrs.
CHASER was, two years ago, cured
by faith, according to her state
ments, and at that time felt called
upon to "teach and work for the
Master and saving of souls" Since
then she has carried on her mission
in different places with varied sue
cess.
Mrs. Glaser's life has been an
eyentlfnl one in many respects. She
was born in Ohio but came to
PENNSYLVANIA when young girl.
She lived in the vicinity of Lemas-
ter, Mercersburg and Greencastle.
Her residence in Greencastle began
about twelve years ago. She had
not been there long until her hus-
band left her with a family of six
children. The oldest boys secured
employment and in few years
were able to support her. They
rented comfortable house and
furnished it as well as their means
permitted. According to the testl'
mony of neighbOrs and those who
frequently visited at the house the
children were exemplary in their
conduct and Obedient, attentive
and very kind to their parent. In
April or May Of 1882 Mrs. Chaser
was taken sick and for sixteen
months lay upon her bed unable,
according to all reports Of friends,
to rise. She was member OF the
United Brethren church and was
frequently visited by fellow mem
bers in the church. Among others
Rev. G.. w. Bingham, he who
afterwards obtained unpleasant
notOriety as a bigamist, called at
her residence and offered up pray
ers with her and for her.
All this time she was attended
by q skilled physician, but no
medicine seemed to improve her
condition. Suddenly one evening,
Wednesday, August 22, 1888, she
seemed, as she relates, to hear a
voice saying to her, "Belleve and
YOU shall arise and walk" She
arose and dressed herself and sent
for a number of the persons who had
been accustomed to visit her in her
illness. With them she engaged
prayer because Of her marvellous
cure as she called it. Since that
time she has had almost perfect
health.
Mrs. CHASER soon after she had
regained her strength became con-
vinced that she had been chosen to
preach to the people of this world,
and she left her family and started
on her tour. At her hOmein Green
castle remained the six children,
four of whom were boys. The
oldest boy was about twenty one
years of age and the youngest OF
the children a girl of about ten
wears. so discouraged were the
older boys who had made for her a
home that they disposed Of the fur
niture and the family was scattered,
the younger children receiving
care from friends in Greencastle
and afterwards obtaining employ
ment in different portions of the
State, and the others going West.
The mother continued her travels,
telling of her cnres by faith and
preaching. Her former neighbors
in Greencastle viewed her actions
with regret, not to say disfavor.-
They deprecated her action in
abandoning her children and yester-
day one who had been her nearest
friend told a Spirit representative
that while she believed Mrs. Glas-
er was sincere in her belief that
she was cured by faith and
that she had been called to preach,
vet she did not think she possessed
sufficient education or religious
training to do so. Another mem
Der of the United Brethren church,
one of much prominence in the
church here, said last evening :
"There was time when believed
in Mrs. CHASER. That time has
passed. Her actions in deserting
and scattering her family haye con-
vinced me that she is not sincere
in her religion or she would never
have violated its primary tents as
she has thus done. | believe that
she is injuring our church. She is
going about without the sanction
of the church to evangelize and
will undoubtedly do more harm
than good to us. may say that
lost confidence in her when
learned that she had been cured in
the same way once before, while she
lived in Mercersburg, | think" On
the occasion to which the gentle
man referred Mrs. CHASER, it is
said, picked up a glass of water
and expressed the belief that II
she had faith the water would turn
to wine and strengthen her. She
drank it and was cured, according
to her version of the incident.
Another lady who had once been
a warm friend of Mrs. Glasers sald