The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-10-31

| * NEMANGlUN
d 7o6 East I
d Richmc
: So019saaae0ae
! from Halifax county. stephen Palmer
was employed at the Richmond Cedar
Works. He was then believer In divine
with him from Halifax. He fell easily
into the ways of tho Apostolic Church.
| established in Fulton by the Rev Mr..
| Dausherty. and with his wife became a
| member Of the congregation. Eight
months ago Palmer had his hand badly
mashed while at work at the Cedar
Works. Despite his faith the pain drove
him to a physician. The Apostles rose up
| IN protest. Mrs. Palmer says they CON
demned" her husband. The latter ceased
/ lis visits to the physician and died from
blood poisoning. His widow thought yes
tercay that If he had continued the use
OF the medicines he would now have been
~alive. Nevertheless she Isl an ardent
! faitll-curist She explained her position
by saying that her husband was uncon-
scious during his Illness; that the prayers
! said over him could not be efficaciouS
| while he was unable TO unite in them,
and that being in this peculiar condition,
the dcspsed medicines might. she thought,
| have been of avail where the invocations
failed
Tho widow was left with five small
| chldren-a boy of about nine, two smaller
| girls "a boy of three and an infant of
! eight months. The family lived in one
! rbtwo upper rooms of a wretched house
on Denny Street, Fulton, and We're FREE
quently at the point of destitution. Last
| Thursday the three-year-old boy, Paul,
| was sick. and on the next day was
choked with cold. Mrs. Palmer saw no
occasion for alarm. She watched sthe
child through the night and gave him
some simple embellishments and
sugar and camphorated oil. She said yes
terday that she did not believe the use
| of such simple medicines as these con-
| nicted with the faith she professed. The
| Rev. MIR. Daugherty was sent for and
came Saturday afternoon. by which time
| the boy was much worse, and was gasp
| ing for breath. Meanwhile some of her
| friends had besought Mrs. Palmer to call
in a physician. At the same time mem.
bers of the church visited the house and
urged her to stand fast in the faith. and
she took their advice. The pastor prayed
| over the boy. He said yesterday he ad-
| vised the mother to get doctor
! About S O'Clock Saturday night Mrs
Palmer sent for DR.. George F. Barksdale,
! who reached the house within an hour
! He found the boy In a dying condition,
racked with dphtheria. The mother was
unable to pay for the attention he needed.
DR.. Barksdale procured $50 worth Of
anttoxin from DR.. w. T. Oppcnheimer,
president OF the Board of Health, and
administered what Is known as the ''cura-
tive" does to little Paul. The only effect
was to prolong his life until midnight,
when he died. DR.. Barksdale then pre-
pared to administer what is known as
tho "mmunizing" dose to the other chill
dren. so as to prevent them from falling
| victims to the infection. Mrs Palmer
| refused to permit this, declaring 1t would
virtually be a remuneration OF her faith.
| Dr. Barksdale had no other option than
| to leave. He reported the condition to
DR. Oppenheimer. who had the house
| fumigated. Nothing further could be done
| The people could not be forced to submit
| to the antItoxin treatment If they did
| not wish It,
! Whcn,s seen yesterday Mrs. Palmer ta!n-
| ed freely Of tho illness and death of her
| boy. The other children were scattered
| around the floor, while she spoke
healthy looking youngsters. though one or
| two were seized now and then with fits
Of coughing. An aged woman. a friend
of the family. was present at the time,
| and interrupted the conversation at in
I tcrvals to intcrject some incident Illus
| trnting the powers Of divine healing.
| Mrs, Palmer told of the death Of her nus
| band, and of her own faith In the divine
cure without the aid of drugs She pro-
fessed to have no belief in the efficacy
of medicines and declared that while she
would permit her children to he doc,ored
I she did not think she would allow n ply
scan to treat her under any clrcum-
stances. In this connection she an
nounced that shc would no longer object
Ito the treatment OF her other children by
DR.. Barksdale. The latter said last H.,
that he would visit the house again to-
day and administer the ant.toxin which
would remove the four from any danger.
The report that they have shown
symptoms of diphtheria Is incorrect.
What Pastor Says.
1t was exceedingly difficult to obtain
from Mrs, Palmer clear idea of what
she really did believe as to the virtues
of drugs and the value of physicians, A
conversation with the pastor was scarcely
y more Illuminating, the Apostolic faith he
ing somewhat complex In It's operation
Mr.. Doughterty said that the doctrine
of divine healing was not tenet of his
church. and that belief In 1t was not al
all necessary to membership In the body
There are. In fact, no laws In his church
except the Inv that there shall be no law
He as pastor preached the scriptures. ac
cepting the words, written in, them as
T the law Of life. The congregation heard
and believed and believing, acted In &C