The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-08-23
A GREAT CROP OF HEALERS.
THIS YEARS GROWTH OF FAITH
CURES AND PROPHETS.

Man, Black Man. Beggar Man ana
History.
From the New York Times.
One OF the most remarkable phases in
the experiences OF very many people this
year has been the mulutudinous recogni-
ton OF spiritual "healers" religious
prophets. and other variously named but
equally endowed being. supposed to pos
sess powers superior to those possessed
| by the rest of mankind. The year 1896
| can be said TO date the renaissance OF the
/ movement. Never has there been so sreat
a manifestation Of real or feigned super
natural powers. No fewer than twenty
| five healers. prophets. or special sect
leaders have gained widespread fame. and
| hosts OF the smaller fry have existed and
| thrived within the limited horizons "
local districts. The range of power claim
ed by these persons has extended from
the simple therapeutic precepts of the
religious doctor" to the more advanced
and ambitious assumptions of the Mes
siah." The igurants have sprung from
every walk Of life, from that of the hum
bic peasant to the refined man Of science.
Nationality has offered no bar to the
aspirants. French, Irish, Mexican, ItaI-
| ian, Swiss, negro. Indian and American
have all figured in the movement. The
masses influenced have been heterogenc-
Gus.
The gatherings such. for instance as
clamored for the laying on Of the hands
| of Schlatter have been made up of the
/ dregs of society, as well as Of its more
/ favored members; urbanites, country peO-
pie, natives, fore, gners, old, young, the
| weak in intellect, the physically perfect
who wished to gid the lily; the physically
/ imperfect who wished TO get we'll; the
lame, the halt and the blind; in short, all
sorts and conditions of men, women and
children. Their faith was unbounded in
| many instances, and where this was the
case many cures have been reported. 1t
| has been asserted, on the one hand, that
| 1t is simply the parable of the apostle
| walking on the water, and that on the
other, it is simply hypnotic effect, similar
| to that which the Hindoo exerts on his
| audience at long range, making it see
snakes, growing plants and other objects
which do not, as matter of fact, exist.
/ Be this as it may, it is proper to say that
/ that faculty of modern healers and
! prophets is divided between earnest be-
| levers in heaven-sent power and
| charlatans.
! This has also been year Of spiritual
manifestations, of visions, and shrines.
! Thus we have had Tilly-sur- Seulles, the
! visions of Pauline DelpOnt, those of De-
! lores LUZ, the Mexican Joan of Arc; the
| visions of Ida Nelson of Pleanst Valley,
Ind; the marvellous cures by the bone of
! St. Anne, and those by the relic of St. An
thony which is preserved in the Catholic
Church of St. Anthony of Padua, in this
| city. Among the modern healers and
| prophets we have the Schlatter, the heal
/ err" Huntsman, the Modern Christ"
Bedward, the BLACK Prophet" Rodgers
of bogus Bible fame; Mile Couedon, the
| "Mouthpiece of the Angel Gabriel" Wig
mes, the Swiss healer; ''Dr. Dervin," who
distributed "Heaven-sent ointment" Do
| lores LUZ, mentioned above, the Vision
| Seeing Maiden of Tabasco;" DR.. John S.
| Willetts, who was the predecessor of Rod
gers; Ferdinand Stutski, the head of the
! Apostolic Christians; w. Hammond, the
| young Illinois farmer, who heals by the
| spirit aid" Dr. Cyrus Teed who lives in
| state on Estero Island in Florida, and is
| the leader of the "KOreshans;' F. w.
| Sanford Of Maine, who styles himself
| the "Chief Apostle of the Holy Ghost and
! w. Bible SCHOOL," Bill James, the PuyaI-
lup Indian healer; Bradley Newell, one of
whose ambitions it is to treat the Prince
of Wales and who is rapidly becoming
a millionaire; George Clark, 1.-THE great
Director Of the Vermont legislatures" AL
bert Larrabee Manley Rawson, and 9TH
ers. The list could be continued indefinite
ly, for healing and prophecy seem to be
bred in the air, and to be contagious. In
addition, we have had a publc-prayer test,
colonies of religious free lovers, and re-
ligious sect the members of which sleep
In collins.
one of the greatest "healers" of all
time was Alexander of Abnoticus. He
hourished in the early years of the Chris
tian era, and by means of his prophet
snake, Esculapius, drew thousands to his
temple But his fame was not compare
lively greater than that of Francis Schlat-
ter. the Man Christ" The reason is cas-
lily found. Alexander lived when credul-
ity and superstition were rife in nearly
all breasts; Schlatter lives after centuries
of progress. The encyclopedia and gem
erai enlightenment have raised the pres
ent human race to a level far above that
of the time of Alexander Schlatter be-
comes the more wonderful for all this,
or else he must be held as an argument
in favor of the unchangeability of man
kind. He was born in Alsace-Lorraine
forty years ago, but his healing career
began in New Mexico At one time he
lived in Jamesport Il. l., and worked at
his trade of cobbler. He made money
readily, but spent it all in trying to ac-
quire a thorough knowledge of English
He is a Roman Catholic, but is very lib
eral minded, and in Denver, where his
sway was greatest, he was equally liked
by clergymen of both Catholic and Prot
estant denominations. The man, person.
ally, is simple, uneducated and uncouth
in appearance. His magnetism was ac-
knowledged to be profound by all who
came in contact with him. and
he exerted definite influence
even on the unbelievers who
were treated by him. His manner of wear
ing his hair gave him an appearance re-
sembling that of the Christ. He looked
like an ancient type of spiritualism placed
In modern setting. One of the schools
Of painting in France delights in pictures
like one which shows the cruciixion TAX
ing place, but with the cross surrounded
by figures of men and women wearing
modern blouses, trousers, and skirts. The
scene in front of Schlatter's abode in Den
yer contained just such a motif. His dis
appearance from the home of Mr.. Fox, his
patron, was as mysterious as was the
first public manifestation Of his power His
cures were lauded and his failures were
hushed up, but that he did undoubtedly
v,arforrr1 r1lraeI1IOn1s cures cartai,,