The Pensacola journal., 1908-08-28
MCKEEVERITES
FAITH HEALING
Child Of Mobile Narrowly
Escapes Death From the
Lac of Medical Aid.

The Mobile Item says. Little Flor
ence Adams. who Wa rescued from
the clutches Of her religious crazec
surroundings none TOO soon yesterday
and admitted To the Southern IuIirm-
airy II a critical condition from ~
phOid fever. was reported today Is
somewhat improved.
The little one was very i'll when
brought here, said an attendant Al
the hospital. but this morning she
shows encouraging improvement.
Some hope of The child ultimate
recovery Was entertained at he in
f1Tmary. though jt was said that the
disease had secured q strCag hold
upon the patient.
Disclosure OF the fact that the teach
ings Of Rev. Mckeever" were StilI
being praCticed in the extreme west
eTn end of the city came as a sur
prise 10 many persons vino believed
that The departure of the Rev. Nc
keever" from Mobile had caused the
converts TO drift away and become
recOnciled TO more sober ideas of Te-
ligiOus duty
The Rev. NcKeever" went from
MOBILE to Wilmer, Ala. where a COM
mittee of the residents gave him a
certain number of hours TO disconnect
himself with that place Recently he
was heard from in a word sent here
by one of MS followers, and 10 the
effect that he was going TO have the
wrath Of God visited upon the inhah-.
itants of Mobile
Circumstances surrounding the
death of the little Simmons child
about a year ago were first exposed
by the Item at the time Facts in
connection with the case are idenrf-
cal with those surrounding little Flor
ence Adams, now lingering between
life and death at the Southern Infirm-
AIRY
Although McKeever'S teachings
wrought up the neighborhoOd in which
the Simmons family resided and much
concern was manifested by the public
in the outcome o-fthe affair. there was
some talk OF The medical society TAX
ing hand in the TIsttcr and then
there was probability that the grand
jury would take some action.
either body took cOgnizance of the
facts, however, and Mc+[eever became
bOlder in his teachings. He carried
his religion right under the nose OF
the county officials Meetings were
held Saturday nights at the court
house until finally the Item began q
fight against the mans methods which
resulted in Mayor Lyus -instTuCtiug
the police 10 prevent the fanatic and
his followers from holding their Sc
anCeS there.
During these eetings McKeevor and
his followers villiiicd the physicians
of the city and the Item in particular.
II was not long. however, after the
Item took a stand against the prac-
tices of the Mckeeyerites that the
man was forced TO leave the city.
Public sentiment was reaching a
pitch that threatened to burst forth
with violence. fhe residents of the
western part Of the city again become
aroused over the spreading of the
teachings by one Rev JessUps, said
TO be an adherent OF NCKeeveT- "a .
result of the disclosures Of yeSteTday-
The sect believed in personal heal
ing. and calling in the elders of the
church to anoint the body with oil
and pray" instead OF calling medical
aid The little Adams girl was res
cued from the faith treatment by
her grandmother who sought the a.
sistanCe Of the county solicitor in hdv-
ing her removed from her mothers
house to the iufTmaTy-
The chiId's mother was an ardent
"NckeeveTite.'