The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-09-13

HEALER
IN TOWN
Rev. ". Francis Ireland Se-
cures Permission to Preach
and Practice Healing.

A stranger is within the city's gates
who comes in the guise OF Divine
Healer" He is none other than Rev w.
Francis Ireland uative OF Cape Cod.
Mass. and erstwhile a Baptist clergy
man in the west. Mr. Ireland. with his
wife who accompanied him In his Jour
neys and assists I'm his work. arrived In
this city yesterday afternoon from New
port
He at once sought out the police COM
missioners, informed them OF the pur-
pose OF his visit here and was given per-
mission to expound his doctrines and to
practice the healing OF the sick In the
following places: Market square At $50
o. m. daily. corner OF Weybosset and
Mathewson streets at 1880 p. m. He was
also granted permission TO speak on the
square at tho corner OF Westminster and
Cranston streets.
Mr. Ireland spoke TO a large crowd on
Weybosset street last evening
The healer Is q man who would at
tract attention anywhere. He wears at
his street meetings a costume consisting
OF long black robe and beneath the
robe. at the neck, instead OF a white
shirt front one sees a cross OF purple on
background OF white.
The cross he wears always whether IN
street dress or at home.
The healer asserts that he Is the hum
Bile medium for performing the duties as
signed to apostles by Christ. He repudi-
ates hypnotism, mesmerism and spjritu-
alism in connection with his mission as
healer. He believes moreover that ev-
cry ordained preacher ought to heal the
sick as well as TO preach the Gospel.
In an interviews with the healer this
morning. he outlined his method OF heal
ing as follows:
II first preach a Gospel sermon, out
line the Biblical teachings OF healing and
call at the close OF my sermon for any
afflicted people. who may be In the audi
ence. to come forward for treatment.
There ts no price upon the treatment ALL
ask Is that they shall give me the same
amount OF faith that they place In a ply
sician. My method of heating Is the lay
ing on of hands and prayer. ! prove that
my method Ia also scientific. IN this way:
There are two diseases In each case-the
mental and the physical. The faith OF
the individual overcomes tho mental dis
ease by the appliance OF the hands TO the
diseased part of the system. and then
there is a magnetic or spiritual touch
which overcomes the spiritual. These
are the two factors in healing"
"Eghty-five p er cent. of all the cases
that have come to me-" added the healer,
have either been cured or greatly re-
lieved In one treatment"
Mr.. Ireland ~ a young man. q years of
age. His wife Is SEVERAL years his senior
and appears at all his meetings.
In response 10 query concerning how
he managed to exist. since he treated his
patients without money and without
price. he said that collections were taken
after each meeting and those OF his pa
tients who were benef1tted by him gave
him whatever sum they felt disposed to
give. In this way he lived. giving no
thought to the morrow.
Mr.. Ireland declared that he had made
no plans for the future. and did not know
how long he should remain In Providence
He Is located at IS Empire street. former
ly Walker street. for the present and will
hold morning afternoon and evening
meetings In the various squares of the
city. where permission has been granted
him.