The herald., 1896-09-25
He CLAIMS DIVINE POWER
Healer Schrader Arrives
in the City
QUEER CHARACTER IN Strange GHRB
Has a Mission From God to Heal
the Afflicted
HISTORY OF HIS LIFE WORK
Has Just Completed q Tcur Through
the South
Will Make His First Appearance at West.
lake Park
Has Just Completed q Tour Through
the Sou;s,
Will Make His First Appearance at West.
lake Park
Remarkable Cures Attributed to Him
in the East-He Asks No Fee, and
Meets All Who Come-Strik-
ing Personal Appearance.

Los Angeles has had in times past a
superiority of divine healers, mag
netic healers. boy wizards, and
other persons who claimed to
cure the sick by all manner of means,
but no one that has as yet appeared
came in as romantic gaise as the per
sonage that alighted from the afternoon
overland yesterday, and is now located
in this city. August Schrader has at
tanned considerable notoriety during
the past few years all over the United
States by his actions in going from
place to place, clad in strange garb and
claiming to heal the sick ard afflicted
by divine power, and has reached Los
Angeles, where he says he has been
called to relieve suffering humanity
He does this, it is claimed. by means OF
prayer and the laying on of hands. also
the blessing of handkerchiefs, which are
handed to the applicants for relief and
are to be used by that person in apply
ing to the diseased body and complet-
ing the cure commenced at the hands
Of the healer.
Schrader used to walk from town to
town, but at present is under the man.
agership of George r. Rerr,man, who
attends to the business details of the
alliance and sees to it that 1t is not
necessary to leave town afoot EMhlle
the seIf-styled healer makes no charge
for his services, he accepts the contri-
buttons of those who have been bene-
flied and thus manages to- procure
living. He looks to be man OF not
less than 80. He has, however, just en-
tered upon his twenty-siXth year. 1t
his manner and his garb and style of
hair and beard that gives him the more
mature appearance. - t,N ~
In conversation he is a man who lis
all soul, and the life that is in him is
easily excited into manifestation. rms
animation readily becomes apparent IN
the expression of his face and his whole
demeanor, lighting up the eyes and
making him withal one of the most
striking and characteristic persons that
one chances to meet anywhere. =
He has high, smooth forehead, q
large nose, somewhat fiattened. and
small blush gray eyes. His thick hair.
which falls to his shoulders, Is of slight
ly reddish tinge. The cut of his hair
and beard and the continual expression
of meekness on his face are what call
to mind his striking resemblance to the
pictures and paintings of Christ. He Is
a man Of good height. about feet 10
inches, and has a strong, well-built
physique.
His dress is robe. which drops from
his shoulders, and Is caught up at the
side with buttons. Over the black robe
a pink piece of drapery Is passed over
the left shoulder and under the right
arm, falling at the side. Around. his
neck is worn white collar, similar to
the ones worn by the Catholic clergy.
Upon his breast, suspended by small
chain, are two silver crosses and cruci-
fix.
Schrader is not averse to giving full
account of himself and his belief, and
cheerfuIly furnishes such information
as lies in his power. Last evening he was
seen in his rooms at the Burlington
hotel, on Second street. and ,interyogat-
ed as to his reasons for coming here and
the length Of time he expected to stay.
Speaking of his life and works, he said
II go to places where I feel am
called, and stay as long as can do good.
My movements are directed by God
alone, and have no reference to my
choice or desire in any manner or form.
felt that was called to Los Angeles.
and came. feel that can do good
here and that my work will be appre-
ciated.
HIS LIFE HISTORY.
II was born" said Schrader, in going
over his life and experiences, "in Mani
towoc county. Wisconsin, on July 20.
1871, about twenty miles from Green
Bay. and lived in that immediate vicin-
ity until I was 13 years of age. 1t was
then that found that could cure peo-
pie by laying on Of hands. and I felt
called by God to carry on this work
among the afflicted.
MY first call was to Ellisville. went
and was received. There cured people,
and have since then been carrying out
the will of God in this work.
"At first my mother was opposed to IT..
She would say to me, How do you do
this? Where do you receive this power
from? 1 replied, 1T is from God: it is
Gods work, and not my work..
IT always go fasting for forty days
during the year, and when was called
to go away and fast, told my mother.
She was very angry and wanted me to
do this and do that, but said would
rather obey God than man. She said, IF
you don't quit talking like that / will
lock you in a ROOM and she did. es-
capped in the night, and they did not hear
of me for forty-two' days. when I re-
appeared among them again.
They have over 400 men out on horse
back looking in the mountains and
woods for me, and thought that some
wild beast had devoured me. do. not
know where went or what did. Twas
ID year OlQ Then. Wnen returned my
mother said: August. where did you
go tor answered that I was on my
fathers business. She said Who? and
replied God, who Is my father; obey
His commandments and He told me
what to do She wanted to know where
got anything to eat and / told her that
lived not alone on bread and water,
but upon the heavenly food given me by
my father. So today when 1 fast go
but into the mountains where no one
knows where am
BLESSING HANDKERCHIEFS.
In reply to the question as to what au-
thority he had for blessing handker-
chiefs he said: af
"I bless the handkerchiefs because
there are 80 many people whom can
not reach, and the effect Of the hand
kerchief is as good as II I had laid my
hands on them.
II have the same authority for bless
ing .handkerchiefs that the apostles had.
A great many people do not understand
my work; they cannot understand me
when I say that God has sent me into
the world to heal the sick. but when
they see my work they are persuaded. !