The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-10-02


favorable prognosis in the case 10 an
swer the questions raised let us examine
the teachings of the Scripture on TINS
subject.
MIRACULOUS HEALINGS OF OLD.
Take for instance our text: ITO
some the gifts of healing by the same
spirit" Here we are taught that in
apostolic times some were given, and that
by the spirit the power of unsual or mi
raculous healing. To deny this would
be to deny the Bible itself and to re-
duce the Apostles of Jesus Christ
to level with the charlatans and i'm
posters of modern times. / accept the
fact that to some was given the power
of miraculous healings. But by the same
spirit we are told was given to others
the power of speaking with tongues, that
is, of expressing themselves in languages
which before they had never used, and
to others was given the power Of inter-
preting tongues, whereby they were able
to understand languages of which they
knew not word before, and to others
was given the power Of working miracles,
and to others the gift of prophecy or fore
telling the future. Now all these are
classified together as the extraordinary
gifts of one and the same spirit. Then
if the gift of healing was continued on
from Apostolic times it would be equally
true that the gifts of tongues of prophe-
cy, and of working miracles have con-
tinued also. But where are the miracle
workers? Where are the prophets?
Where are the users and interpreters OF
divers and strange tongues? The possess
sion of these gifts is of such easy test
and denial that no one has Eeen foolish
enough to even claim them. Why then
do they claim the gift of healing, or put
forth the claim of unusual power in curing
Diseases
For the simple reason that there is
ever at work the recuperative energy OF
nature, whereby many of our diseases are
being constantly cured; and because many
of cur infirmities are really only imagi-
nary and this has furnished a field rich
in possibility for the faith cure, and So
called miraculous healing The divine
healers, the Christian Scientists and
quaoks and charlatans of every name
have entered this open door and reaped
for themselves as they chose rich har-
vests in shekels of silver or gold or
gathered great following of enthusiastic
but duped disciples, Let these pretended
healers once replace lost tissue or restore
an amputated limb and then they may
lay claim to unusual power or convince
us of the correctness of their faith. But
until then we will rest secure in the de-
NAL of their false claims, knowing that
among hypochrondriac men and historical
women there is an inviting field for eve
ry claim of cure however unreasonable,
for every system of healing, however un-
nj NH hCotxy
ever absurd that offers hope TO the de-
spcndent and restoration to the diseased
HEALING BY FAITH CURE.
But do you ask if / would deny that
headings have been wrought by the faith
cure and by the sacred relics of the
Romish Church, and by the vague philos-
ophy of Christian Science? No. l am
ready ito admit much that they claim
for under my own observation and within
the range of my positive knowledge re-
markable and curious headings have been
wrought, not only by faith cures and
Christian Science, but also by patent
nostrums, and by absurd mechanical con-
trivances, such as Oxydonor, Electropoise
and electric kclt, until verify it would be
a matter Of profound calculation which
has wrought the most remarkable cures
the Royal Germateur. the Electropoise
or Christian Science. | might enumerate
cases of remarkable cures indefinitely
not only those wrought by the agencies
which i have mentioned but also some
as remarkable as any of them wrought
through sudden fright, where, as for in
stance, from fear of an earthquake or to
escape burning building, bedridden
sufferers and paralytics who had not
walked for years rushed head-long down
flights of steps Contrary to the usual
way of dealing with this question have
frankly admitted the cures-for to deny
them would be to deny my own observa-
tion and the experiences of others. To
deny the facts in any argument always
puts one at a disadvantage and nothing
is gained by it.
Nor do | seek to explain these remark
able cures as many misguided church
men have done, by referring all the unu-.
suaI and remarkable things to the work
of the devil l regret the devil has been
a sort of pack-horse. upon whom have
been laid all the striking phenomena of
mesmerism, the strange occurrences of
spiritualistic seances and the profound
mysteries of clairvoyance. While l do
not think the devil is any too good for
these things 1 do believe he is too busy
to run up and down the world throwing
people into mesmeric sleep, or causing
tables to move and rap; too busy even to
practice the healing art through the
strange vagaries and unintelligible in
carnations of Christian Scence. Whence
then come these cures? If they are not
supernatural, if they are not the work of
the devil whence do they come?
THE SOLUTION OF THE MYSTERY.
The use Of a little common sense will
help us to solve the mystery. Remember
that all the plans, schemes, contrivances
and systems which l have mentioned do
perform or seem to perform the same
remarkable cures. The douching and
ducking of the cold water men, the bare
foot treatment, the Royal Germateur, the
Oxydonor. the sacred relics of the Romish
Church. the faith cure, the system of
Christian Science, and even the charms
and conjurings of the negro hOodoo doc
tors, are all performing occasionally re-
markabIe cures outside the pale of or
thodox medical therapeutics, and yet each
one denies and denounces the work of
the others; each claims to have an eXclu
sive monopoly on the business of heal
inc and each asserts that his is the ONLY