The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-01-25
THE FAITH CURE FOUNDER.
Rev. NJ. D. Hencox a Wicked Man
Until God Spoke to Him.


From the Neto York Herald
The Rev. NJ. D. Hancox the leader of the
faith curists and founder of the Church of
the First Born, is tall and spare In frame.
His long beard is surmounted by face or
an intellectual and refined cast. his eyes
are those of dreamer, and he evidently
believes in his mission and the new gospel
he breaches. In conversation he utters his
words rapidly as if they came too fast Tor
his tongue but there is an earnestness In
his manner only to be found in the enthu-
sjaSt.
At my request he promptly gave me an
outline Of his life, his aims and purposes IN
spreading the faith cure doctrine.
FOND OF WICKED PLEASURES.
81 was q man who lived fast and furious,
and | spent $500, 000 in twenty years While
pursuing life of pleasure aud dissipation.
| was in the steamboat business and after
ward a banker. During that period OF my
life was the companion of Jim FISK, Ned
Stokes and others like them, and was very
wicked. Though not exactly an lnt1del, l
was by no means O christian. l otten met
mini. tiers of the gospel and found that all or
them could make no better promise than
that if | repented and gained salvation L
would enjoy heaven and eternal rest after
death. This did not suit me, for,
like most men, 1 was not willing
to wait until the end of life to
enjoy heaven, but | made no step toward
repentance until was brought to what
now believe was my death bed. Expecting
to die every moment my eyes were opened
and saw that was lost Then | appealed
to God to save me, and my prayers were so
earnest and my faith so strong that was
converted in a miraculous manner, my
| health was speedily restored and l became a
new and different man. Before this hap
pened loved liquor and wine, and had
| reached that stage when | could not eat my
breakfast until had taken two or three
whisky cocktails to tone my stomach and
| give me fictitious appetite.
After asking the Lord to save me all
my taste for strong drink passed away, and
| | could not take it if | tried.
| 81 wanted 80 be saved here on earth, and
| the Lord, in answering my prayer, made
me feel that God was in my soul, aud | am
now in heaven with him and among his
angels. This is what people want. They
want to be saved now, right OFF, and not
wait until death to enjoy the pleasures and
peace Of heaven and a spiritual life. This
| is what | teach, and people who have faith
| in me find it so. There is longing after a
spiritual life implanted in every human
soul, but it wants to enjoy it in this life
WHAT THE LORD TOLD HIM TO DO.
| "When [ was converted and restored to
life, the Lord told me that in no church
were there pure chr-tia in his sight, and
he said | must establish a pure church for
| him. In 1884 | organized the Church of the
First Born, being assisted therein by Brother
Robert jackson and his wife, Sister Antoi-
| nette jackson 1t is the first body of visl-
| ible believers in the world. There is a
| false representation abroad that we claim
that we are able to repeat the miracles per-
| formed hy Jesus Christ. That is not true.
| Everything that is done for the healing of
the body IS done in the name of Jesus.
| Only the elders and myself possess
the power of laying Oh of hands.
| When we lay our hands upon a
believer it is done in his name and the
| healing power comes from him. The faith
! must be perfect on both sides or no healing
Will follow. When | lay my hands upon a
suffe er l believe that God will answer my
prayer, and if the convert believes it also
be viii surely receive health and strength.
| When the palsied man was lowered through
the roof to the feet of Jesus the man had
faith and was cured. The lepers called out
to him to help them and they found them
selves cleansed. So it was in all cases;
those who appealed to Jesus believed in his
power to heal them, and their faith was
rewarded When our converts have faith
they are healed"
| NOTICES OF THE FAITH CURE.
| Inc CuuTCl Oh bne tlrSG Born, at CDe
corner of Erie and Sixth streets, Jersey
City, has a very plain interior Its white
walls are relieved by numerous notices.
Behind the pulpit is "Hoiness Unto the
Lord" and directly over the reading desk
hangs a scroll with " Ehe Prince of Peace
in large letters. To the left of the platform
appears Jesus Christ, the Same Yesterday,
| To-day and Forever His Precious Bic d
| Cleanseth Us from All Sin" while on the
right is 1.-The Lord of Hosts is with us, who
| Forgiveth all Thine InlQuities, who Healeth
all Thy Diseases" On the front Of the desk
is placed The PRAYER Of Faith shall Save
the Sick, aud the Lord shall raise him up. y
Over the clock on the front of the small
gallery hangs Have faith in Cod On the
wall to the left letters cut out of gilt paper
announce "Surely He hath come up, our
Christ, and carried our scriptures" while
opposite is Himself took our lnfrmities
and bore our sickuesses." Between the two
entrance doors is painted "When ye pray
believe that ye receive aud We shall have.
THE COUNCIL of Pratt City, Kan, has passed
an ordinance requiring all law breakers to work
| out the fines imposed upon them on the streets