New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-12
"HORAI HEALING"

The Boston church which IS engaged in the
moral healing Of nervous disorders has taken
a leaf from the experience OF Christian Science.
but of course it Is not going TO the extremes Of
that belief. Man presents such n tangIe men
tally, morally and physically. that some OF his
symptoms of physical disorder do not respond
TO anything which comes out Of a bottle The
Boston church is not attempting TO cure pneu-
monia, typhoid fever or broken limbs by moral
healing" but Is merely attempting 10 reach the
disOrdered imagination in those diseases 20
which Imagination powerfully contributes.
There it IS in line with the best experience of
medical practice for every physician recognizes
that in most ailments pills and potions have
their limits. and some sort OF impression not
chemical must be made upon the patient The
Latin prescription itself used almost 10 be n
suggestion of a power over life and death
The mere word "auto-Suggestion," of which
hear much in connection with the Boston
movement. and which is by no means new To
medicine, should be almost n cure in itself 1t
makes q wellnigh Irresistible appeal 10 the i'm
aginaton, and that is often all that is needed in
the treatment Of nervous Diseases" Every
body recognizes that It is akin to hypnotiSm.
and hypnotism is a miracle worker of rcnown;
it is the modern black art. n strange, weird
wonderful something to which even the feeblest
imagination makes an instantaneous response.
But hypnotsm popularity has a certain disre-
pute; ii is too often offered only as an excuse
for crime. Suggestion is reputable cousin
OF hypnousm. and auto suggestion is bv far
the most imposing and high class member Of thu.
whole family. Besides, everybody suffering
from nervous disorder without LESSONS" one
which Will respond to moral healing will rec
ognize instantly the value of auto suggestion
as a remedy, for autOsuggestion is only a no.
lite and extremely considerable and imposinglv
scientific way of saying TO the sufferer: Brace
up and be a man: don't talk about your trou-
"bles: don't give way to your weaknesses but
fight against them.
II any one should give to a patient recurring
moral healing this old fashioned advice he woud
meet no response He would be accused of lack
of sympathy, of suSpecting that the ailment
was purely imaginary He would be told by tn4
patient that il the same old advice" and
that he mad heard II until lie was tired of IT,
But let the cheerful healer say: "Try auto
suggestion Suggest 10 yourself L shall brace
up and bc man: l shall not talk about nv
- troubles: l shall not give way to my weak
=" 'neSses, but shall fight against them " and the
novelty of the idea and the wonder that hangs
about the word auto-Suggestlon with IFS kin
ship TO the diabolic hyEnotisn, bring The
blood of health into the wan cheek of self-cen.
tired despair. The lack of novelty under the
sun is partly compensated for by new words 10
describe the old things. Brace up ana 1t. of
good cheer WAS probably said To the first man
who pinned, repned and Opined about himself
As moral cure 1t had become IA calIOus i'm
pertinence. The word "autosuggestion" gave IT
new validity. \ man may advise auto-sug
gestion with a heart trimming with sympathy
and the milk of human kindness II is brutnI
to say TO the neurasthenic: You imagine yor,r
SELF worse than YOU are" but it is kind and
sometimes curative to say To him: Just i'm
agne yourself well and see how you'll enjoy il"
We 90 not wish In the least 10 beIittIs the