The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1889-06-13
HEALED BY FAITH
The Old Lady Who Was Cured by tbs Fe-
male Evangelist-A Story Which Seems
Truteful Beyond all Doubt.
CGreenville News, 9th. ]

I
"Is there any truth in it9' I don't
believe word of it." and such ejac-
ulations were heard on the streets when
the alleged healing an old woman at
the meetings of the lady evangelists
Monday afternoon was mentioned. No
one believed such a thing could happen
and most people expressed themselves.
as opposed to such meetings and be-
lieved all reports of hearing "bosh," as
they called it.
| To determine the truth or falsity Of
the alleged healing News reporter de-
voted some time yesterday to an inves-
tigation and gives to the readers of The
News just what he has seen and heard !,
and leaves it to them to- Judge of the
matter as best they can.
He first saw the Evangelists them
selves and endeaver to "punp" them,
but they answered that the best plan to
find out would be to be present at the
afternoon meeting when the old wonf-
an would be there and get from her
own lips statement of what happened
He attended the meeting, at which
were present about eight or ten people,
including the reporter and evangelists.
Prayer, singing, reading of chapters
from the Bible and exhortations from
the two ladies constituted the program
of the services. The exhortaticns were
delivered in calm manner and all the
words were directed in the same way
| to a belief in the power of healing by
faith in the Lord. Instances were ei-
ted and names and places given Of
people who had been healed by firm
belief in the power of God to accom-
plish these things. There was no
one present who appeared anxious to
test the assertions of the evangelists,
and as the old woman was not at the
meeting, the reporter left. He discov-
cred by inquiring that her name was
Mary Ann Hall and that she lived near
the Fair Grounds.
A VISIT TO THE HEALED.
To that part of the city be directed
his steps and by more questioning
found the place. In little alley rum
ming north from the Echols Street, in
the forks of fBuncombe and Rutherford
Streets, was acottage with four rooms.
In one of the ROOMS was an old fash-
ioned spinning wheel and small
amount of furniture. A young woman
standing in the front door said that
''mother is in the back yard" The re-
porter walked around the house and
saw sitting on the curbing ofa well the
object of his search. She is short and
stout, about sixty years ofage and wore
pair Of spectacles that had slipped
down nearly to the end of her nose.
Taking seat beside her, the reporter
proceeded to ask a series of questions
which the old lady answered in a
matter-of-fact way, displaying not
great deal of earnestness but telling in
| detail what had occurred.
MONDAY evening, she said sI went
down street, I had heard Of these wo-
men folks and as I had been Ealing for
more than twenty years" with rheuma-
tism 1 wanted to see if I could be heal
ed. I hobbled down with my stick and
found the place and wentin in. The wo-
men prayed for me and rubbed my;
arms with their hands and before T.
/ knew it too knelt down, a trick that
had not done in fifteen years. When
I finished praying I got up and could
move my arms above my head. My
left ear had been deaf for many years.
I heard out of it as good as out of the
other"
"How did you feel when this change
took placer"
~ felt like something had popped
and broke loose. 1t was so queer, and
fsheuted for joy. When I went home
did not need my stick, and the pain in
my back had gone. I suffered with it
every day, but to-day it is well. lam
well all over except little remaining
stiffness in my arms and limbs. Butt
don't mind that" she said, as she
Strengthened her arms above her head
as an evidence of what she had said.
''There Isl little pain in my left leg yet,
and wanted to 60 down this evening
and get the ladies to rub it and cure it,
too, but it looked so much like rain +
didn't 60"
"Do you feel as if you had been pe.-
manently healed?"
ayes, I know I have, when 7 could
not raise my arms to wash my face and
now can do it easy. The Bible says,
ASK and you shall receive, and I
know the Lord was good to me-"
Numbers Of people have stated posi-
lively that the old woman was de-
crepit invalid and never walked with
out the assistance of staff until the
day before yesterday. If the story is
correct, and if she was in the feeble con-
dition previous to her alleged healing,
and her story carries the evidence OF
truth with it, there is every indication
that change has taken place. Whether
it was wrought by Divine power or
magnetismior imagination isa matter
to be decided as the reader is inclined
to believe.