Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1911-01-12
SILENT HEALER
AMAzES EUROPE
Ex-mIner Antoine Has Following
Numbering 10000.
CURES WITHOUT PAYMENT.

Ceremony Consists OF Long PERIODS OF
Quiet and a Lifting Of Right Hand
Over congresation-"Good Father"
Passes Hours In Electric Lighted
Garden In Belgium.
Antoinism, the new religion founded
in Belgium by an ex-miner named An
tome, IL attracting considerable atten'
ton In Europe.
Antoine, the good father" or the
''parent one," as his followers call him,
is man Of sixty-five, with flowing
white locks and a patriarchal beard.
His followers now number 900, OF
whom 800, including his wife, the
good MOTHER" are adopts.
Antoine's home is at Temeppe-lez.
Liege. Hidden in a block Of similar
small houses, the prophets dwelling Is
only conspicuous by the spire of his
church, which adjoins it. The door Of
the church is also the door Of the house
and bears a notice, Ring bell at night
for NJ. Antoine"
For three years Antoine has not left
his house or garden. He lives entire
" on vegetables, which he prepares
himself. He sleeps little, resting only
for two hours during the night, the
greater part Of which he spends walk
ing In his little garden, which has elec-
trio lamps fitted up all around the
walls He never reads anything, he
will not see newspaper men and only
holds communication with the outside
world by means of the telephone.
Ceremonies Arc Simple.
He confines his healing to ceremonies
In the church, where the services are
Of the simplest description. They take
place at 10 O'Clock a. m. on Monday,
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
At 8 o'clock a. m. the congregation
assemblies, and an adept, NJ. Deregnan-
court, the publisher Of the sect's litera-
ture, takes his place at desk under
a raised platform. There Is complete
silence for half an hour; then M. Dereg-
nancourt announces that operations
will take place at certain hours on Ger
tain days and that all who wish to be
cured must have perfect faith.
He then continues sitting perfectly
still, not muscle moving and his eyes
fixed In an unblinking stare straight
before him. At the stroke Of 10 every
one rises, and the parent one" enters
by side door and slowly walks up the
steps to the rostrum.
Wearing a black cassock and with his
gray hair falling around his shoulders,
Antoine faces the congregation for a
| full minute without moving or uttering
sound. He then lifts his right hand
toward them and holds 1t thus extend
Cd for another minute. That Is all.
Those two minutes make the service.
The good father walks slowly out,
tho adept remarks, EVERY one whose
faith 10 strong enough must be cured"
and the church empties silently. No
collection Is made, but subscriptions
are taken Tor the maintenance Of the
church, which Antoine built himself
with a legacy Of $4,000.
Silent For elk Menths.
For six months Antoine has not
spoken a word to any one. People
come at all hours with all sorts of all
ments and appeals. Antoine effects his
cures now by deputy. His wife or
some other adept stands in front Of the
applicant, and, turning her eyes up
| ward, slowly waves her hand In the
afr, which means that she Is invoking
Antoine 1.-The healer
The patient or the patients deputy
then departs. The cure Is effected, or
II it is not then there has been lack
Of faith. There Is nothing to pay. The
badge of the sect is "the tree Of the
knowledge Of the sight Of evil" repre-
scented by a white tree on black back
ground.
One of Antoine's chief disciples IL an
American woman, Mrs. Guillaume, who
came over to be treated by him for
! chalky rheumatism, which compelled
her to walk on crutohes. She says she
is now practically cured and has her
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