The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1910-02-14
HEALING TEST
Methodists Grant Rev. A. T. 0s-
bron q fear For His Plan.
COMPLAINTS LED TO ACTION.

Conference of Ministers and Laymer
Will Pass Judgment or Missouri
Clergyman at End of His Test-Can,F
In Ozark Mountains Viii Be Opened
For Patients.
Al Ozark beauty spot. near
a new town named Mount View. III
Howell county, Mo-. is To be the scene
of a prolonged test of the value OF
psychic healing for the use of min
listers of the orthodox churches. If
the test is successful. Methodist min
listers throughout Missouri may he au
thoriZed to practice psychic healing
whenever they see fit The Rev. DIR.
Andrew II. Osbron. pastor of the Ben
nington Heights NJ. L. church of Kan
sas City. Mo, il to make the expert
ment. The decision of the conference
was to suspend judgment upon Dr. Os-
nron and his methods until the next
annual conference.
The conference did not indorse DIR.
Osbron's endeavors TO mix metaphys-
les aud preaching. He had not asked
for Endorsement 49, ouly a chance TO
make n test. and that was granted. Al
ready seventy-hve patients have ap-
piled to him. and in less than a month
the Ozark camp may be- opened.
The Emmanuel movement in Kan
sas City as led by DR.. Osbron had
reached such proportions "A few months
ago as to cause complaints that the
leader could o take care of it and
his church routine at the same time.
So. actuated by complaints made to
him in "A mass meeting held in his
church and by the warnings of certain
of his colleagues in the ministry. DIR.
Osbron handed in his resignation, and
when the state conference met at Sc
dalia in last April he asked that body
just what attitude the church was go
ing to take toward mental science and
its allied branches. The ministers and
leading layInen of the church answer
ell in effect. w do not indorse you.
but we win stand by you as interested
spectators ana watch you for n ear
before we render Judgment"
In 1903 this same minister while
stationed ut jackson. Mo, stirred the
NJ. T.. Church South with a similar
question and was cenSured. then vim
Dictated His own account of that af-
fair is that ever since his boyhood he
has been a student of psychology.
psychO-therapy. mental science. spirit
ualism and ever of the tricks of the
coniurer and that he prepared IA lee
ture on mind and Mystery" embody-
ing the results Of his studies and Civ
ing practical demonstrations of the
fakes that are often practiced.
lie announced that he would give
the lecture and set the date. The
board of directors Of his church asked
him not 10 do so. saying that they did
not wish to a|ntagonize a strong com
munity of spiritualists living near
Jackson. in the town of Millcrville.
DIR. Osbron's answer was brief. Il will
give the lecture"
He did and immediately afterward
was asked TO resign. With the con
sent of his bishop he left his charge.
then spent the summer continuing 70
give the lecture that had caused the
trouble. In September he had tired Of
dress suits and kerosene footlights and
asked to be given a charge This was
refused. So when the NJ. T.. Church
South met in conference mt Hirming |
ham. Ala. he went there to petition |
the committee on ~epiScopacy. Though
he tried severa times to get n hear
ing. be was shut out. What to do next
under such circumstances puzzled him.
The problem finally was solved for |
him by a reporter. who called in half
n dozen other newspaper men and told
DIR. Osbron to detail to them the cir
cumstances of his case. The follow
ing day the minister got a hearing
without delay. The bishop who had
beer most prominent in the attack
censured. and DR.. Osbron was
given the desired credentials He used
these papers to gain entrance TO the
main body of the NJ. E. church.
He went to Kansas City in August
1907, after we years in southern Mis-
souri,. In the spring of 1905 he again
began giving the lecture on Mind and
Mystery and made. ii is said. a num-
Der of cures by psycho-theraphy and
suggestion. His fame spread until
the ~patients-by his own confession
up almost as much time as the
Then trouble began. Some of the
congregation pointed out tat in their
dAy Methodist ministers dhen't study
ronjurer's tricks or dabbie In hypnotism
or expose the .act" of the Bangs sis
ters. and they said they didn't intend
to have the name of the Bennington
Heights hurch used in connection
with such things. And when II be
eame necessary to Aire a deaconess e
help Dr. Osbron with his church rou
tine and patients began to come in
ou OF town TO he treated the
dissatisfied members grumbled louder
Ind louder.