The National tribune., 1908-04-23

RIGHT REV. SAMUEL FALLOWS. D.
D.. LII. D., CHAPLAININ-CHIE
G. A. r.
psychology in the treatment of disease
has come from the increasing light
which physiology throws upon the hui
man frame.
A Fundamental Distinction.
Third. 1t maintains that there is a.
fundamental distinction between func-
tional and organic diseases. ThS former
includes the multiplied forms of mental
and nervous disorders which are di-
rectly amenable to psychical and relig
ious influences. Among the functional
diseases which / can say with positive
authority can be cured are the follow
ing: Want of confidence, sleeplessn *,
nervous dyspepsia, melancholia, a..
mental depression, hysteria, neuraSt re-
mia, drug habit. irritability, worry. an
ger, and weak will. The organic includes
those in which important changes have
taken place in the bodily structure.
Among these maladies may be named
cancer, malignant tumors, tuberculosis,
diphtheria, scarlet fever, smallpox and
the like. These troubles may require
surgical aid and the application of ma
terial remedies. But Religious Thera-
peutics gives all the ameliorating,
strengthening and uplifting aid that can
possibly be afforded to the mind or soul
in such cases.
No psychical action, for example. can
take the place of food to build up the
physical system. But its influence is
profound in aiding all the forces of di-
IL i
not limit the power of God in healing
disease by applying material remedies
for material ills 1t is the way He has
chosen to accomplish His ends.
Fourth. Religious Therapeutics diff
fers from Christian Science in asserting
the absolute necessity for, the work of
the physician. To give merely one ex-
ample of the service they have wrought,
it is mainly thru the medical fraternity
that the former plaques. which haveI
scourged humanity and destroyed mill
lions of lives in a decade, have been
stamped out, They have. saved mil
lions of lives and increased their COM
fort and efficiency by teaching the laws
of sanitation and hygiene and havel
assuaged human and animal suffering
by the discovery of anesthetics.
In former ages the priests of the
Greek and Latin and Anglican Churches
united in themselves the function of
the physician. The differentiation of
work in later years has separated them
The alarming prevalence of nervous dis
eases i'll this age has brought them more
closely together. They are beginning
to cooperate heartily with one another,
as it is seen how great part the
clergy ought to perform in specifically
ministering to minds diseased" The
lectures / have given for II years to
hundreds of graduate physicians on
mental physiology and psyche therapeu-
tics have brought me into intimate and
delightful relationship with my brethren
of the medical profession. and have led
me to put my own teachings into prac-
tice in the church.
Fifth. Religious Therapeutics differs
from Christian Science in not being a
new religious cult. 1t simply aims to
form societies for health and happiness
in the churches and communities that
may desire them. Clue of the founda-
ton ideas of this movement is that
there is not the slightest need to deplete
or disrupt existing church organizations
or the family in order to get everything
that can be obtained in psychical and
divine healing. 1t holds that the pastor
of church, a man so frequently of
college and university training, one who
is conversant with the deepest things
of the soul. is well qualified to work
HetIlu III flstIu WIFI Tie DliNSI III dp-
plying the great principles of healing
to his flock.
Sixth 1t further differs from Chris
tian Science so far as it is church
movement, in that it offers to the poor
and the needy its help in this direction
as in others without the taint of COM
mercialism. I make no charge for per-
sonal treatment The many expenses
of the work are met by voluntary con-
trbutions and thank offerings. 1t COM
prehends in its principles all that isl
distinctly known as faith healing, divine
healing. mental healing or any form of
unacknowledged psychotherapy. 1t rec
ogniZes the great fact that there arel
diversties of operations, but the same
spirit. 1t believes in the power of per-
sonal and intercessory prayer And in
this power of prayer is contained all
that can be comprehended in so-called
absent treatment"
Planted On the Bible.
1t plants itself on the Bible as con-
tanning all the ethical, psychical and
spiritual forces for a mans welfare. 1t
holds, in accordance with the wonderful
works of Christ, that the Great Physi-
clan will meet every man with healing
on the plane of that mans being. The
principles of the movement, which inl
this phase are conveniently expressed
by the term Religious Therapeutics, be-
gan to be put into practice about Is,
months ago in Emmanuel Church, Bos-
ton. by its well-known rectors, Rev. DR..
ElwOod Worcester and the Rev. DR..
McComb. DR.. Worcester was for many
years professor of psychology in Lehigh
University, and frequently consulted
with DR.. Weir Mitchell, who was a
member of his church in Philadelphia.
DIR. McComb is a graduate of Oxford
hns q