The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1903-07-31
THE SPIRITUAL
OUACk DOCTOR.

Many years ago there came into a
com munity an oil Indian doctor.
He was ugly, repulsive on account Of
his uncieanness and altogether lack
ing in those qualities that would be
likely to inspire confidence in his
ability. He put up at small cabin
in lonely piece Of woods. Here he
began operations. He gathered herbs
and brewed his medicines. At first,
only here and there "patient"
would seek the help Of the old Indian
doctor. Some of these reported mar.
velous cures. Arms that had been
paralyzed were said to be restored.
Backs that were lame were said to be
cured. Clutches were thrown away in
many cases. Soon there began great
movement towards this wonderful
healer. Crowds hocked to his cabin
by night and by day. Many people
began to sing his praises; and the
louder they praised the Indian doctor,
the more violently they condem ned
the practicing physicians. The In
dams stock in trade was q powerful
liniment to be applied externally and
a dollar bottle of medicine to be
taken internally. Brisk rubbing
and these two remedies, constituted
the treatment for any and every i'll
that affected mankind. For many
months the great work of healing
went on. Money, heaps Of money,
flowed into the Golfers Of the mighty
healer. After a time he gathered
his treasures together and moved on
to new fields Of conquest. 1t soon
became evident that the wonderful
cures were no cures. Those who
threw away their crutches had to
make themselves new ones. Lame
backs and rheumatic joints returned
with greater fury than they possessed
formerly. Those in position to know,
affirmed that five cents would cover
the first cost Of the "healing oint-
ment" which the Indian doctor sold
for fifty cents; while his dollar bottle
OF medicine cost less than ten cents.
But many people delight to be hum
bugged. Here is the strange part of
the matter. No matter upon what
line, no matter how crude the cheat,
no matter how unreasonable the
thing may be there are always, and
everywhere, some people ready to
take up with the humbug. AS it is
in the matter of medicine, so is it i'm
the matter Of theology and religion.
Indeed, the field of spiritual thought
is, il anything, more prolific than
almost any other. The cheat and
fraud has better chance to hide his
hand. Wider opportunities are af-
forded him to play upon the credulity
of men. A crazy fanatic, an ignorant
blatherskite, vociferous, pugnacious
expounder Of "new doctrines" will
always have their following. This
need not cause any anxiety to the
real spiritual leaders of the people.
The pastor of an organized church
need not be greatly worried over the
arrival of the spiritual quack doctor.
In fact, he need worry no more than
does the faithful physician over the
coming of the Indian doctor with his
ignorant effrontery and brazen frauds
The spiritual quack will come. He
will come with "new" methods and
new" doctrine. But he will also go
away. His victims will ultimately
come to see that for all his loud talk
and great display there was nothing
in him. Besides all this, there is con
ISOLATION in the thought that even as the
thoughtful and better element among
the people refuse to turn from the
skilled physician whom they know
to the dealer in vile nostrums, so the
great bulk of the people refuse to
turn away from the pastor of the
organized work to the follies of the
spiritual quack doctor.