The herald., 1897-02-28

der of the patients committal to High
land was made out. The sole ground
of his insanity was entered IN the
words: He has made great discovery
whereby life may be sustained without
food"
Viewed from a strictly materialistic
standpoint, Gardner may have COM
mitted an asinine folly in engaging in
his prolonged fast, but that he is in the
truly legal sense insane is by no means
apparent to the lay mind-with all due
Difference to the medical examiners.
Drs. Tanner and Succhi are most nota-
BILE among number of men who have
shown that Furnishing the body does not
necessarily result in weakening of the
brain, save in the sense that everyone
is more or less given over to folly which
in itself is a modified form of insanity.
AN EXPLANATION OFFERED.
An explanation of the action taken by
White and Gruwell, in baptizing Gard
ner, despite the objections offered by
several parties, was last night made by
Gruwell, who claims that they have been
misrepresented in the matter, and who
says that at no time did they urge Gard
ner to be immersed at once, but rather
cautioned him against such proceeding
while he was In such weak condition.
Gruwell has known White for about a
year, and both have done more or less
street preaching. Hearing of Gardner's
case they resolved to visit him, both
being interested in fasting as a means
of clarifying the spiritual insight
On Wednesday they failed to secure
admittance but Thursday morning were
admitted into the faster's presence.
White did most of the talking, saying
that both he and Gruwell had had ex-
perence in similar matters and were in
terested as to whether Gardner had ac-
complished his purpose-that is, wheth-
er he had so far purged his body of
earthly contamination that he was able
to perform miracles, as was done in
olden times. At first Gardner was very
reserved, but on seeing that his visitors
were in earnest. finally talked freely.
White had several charts with him,
which he had prepared, giving the re-
suits of fast he had once undergone,
and these were explained TO Gardner, to
his great delectation. Finally the con-
versation drifted to the apostolic method
of baptism, and Gardner remarked that
he had never been baptised. He was by
this time convinced that his visitors had
been sent to him by God and expressed
his sorrow that he had not met them
before
After Gardner had been enlightened
upon the subject of immersion, he pro-
fessed desire to be baptised. and asked
White replied that the river was handy.
At this. Gruwell. claims. he interfered
and advised Gardner against precipitate
action, saying that he had first better
break his fast and gain strength be-
fore taking a plunge. In this Waite
concurred, but Gardner had become i'm
pressed with the idea that he must i'm
mediately be immersed and would not
be put off. White finally agreed to per-
form the baptismal rite. and he and Cru
well departed, returning several hours
later with robes ready in satchels.
White was the prime mover, and once
he had made up his mind to go ahead,
was considerably put out at the move
ments to prevent him from accomplish
ing his object. Failing to get their man
out on Thursday, on account of the in
reference of the police, White and Cru
well met him Friday morning by request
took him to the river, and the baptismal
rites were gone through with according
to the apostolic program.
On reaching the hotel again Gardner,
somewhat tired, said that he
felt no i'll effects from his ducking and
made an arrangement for Gruwell to
call for him Sunday morning and take
him to church. This appointment will,
perforce, not now be kept, as Gardner
will at that time be en- route to High
land. In regard to the length of time
Gardner has actually gone without food.
Gruwell says that the faster told him
that he had been.forty-seven days with
out mouthful of anything but water.
He had counted in, to make the total of
fifty-two days, period of time when he
was taking only one meal day, count
ing one day as tasted when he had
skipped three meals. Had he continued
to fast until today, he would have gone
exactly fifty days with no food a all.