The evening world., 1911-02-11
Declares Alleged Cures by
Prayer Are Medical Practice,
Not Religious Rites.
JEROME PROMISES FIGHT
Leaders of Church Ready to
Send Coles Case on Appeal
10 Highest Courts.

Willis Vernon Cole. the Christian
Science healer. who has deliberately APP
pointed healing rooms at No. 225 Fifth
avenue. must face a trial In the Court
OF Special Sessions upon the complaint
of the County Medical Society that he
practiced medicine without a license.
Magistrate Freschi decided. in the
Tombs Court to-day. that a prima facic
case had been made u against Cole.
The Court denied tho contention OF for
mer District-Attorney jerome. Coles
counsel. tina; 1t was an invasion Of the
h~ealer's constitutional rights to inter-
feTe with the practice OF his religion.
The Magistrate held that healing the
sick by prayer and the recitation % re-
ligious formula is not the practice of
religion. but a pretcnse at medi,a rrac-
tise as defined by the statute.
Defines Medicine and Religion.
81 am Of the opinion wrote Magls-
,rate Freschi in his twenty-page de-
cision. that the practice OF the treat
ment o. sickness II disease by inau-
dible prayer, a taught in the book OF
Mrs. Eddy, entitled Science and
Health violates the law of the State.
The Church ana the state must be
Independent. lnviolGb.llty OF the free
dom 0: religious profession and worship
must in nowisc impair Or menace the
safety Of the state or the security Of
the people in their health"
The public health Is a legislative
expression, enacted for the preservation
OF the health and safety OF the people
In the State. 1t u~neQuIvocally prescrioes
the quallncatiOns U: those VINO seek
privileges or franchises. Its violation is
made a ~mlsdemeanor and is punishable
by fine and Imprisonment.
The Christian Scientist has a right
to believe that he can heal by prayer,
but / am of the opinion that II lie car
ries and puts that belief into practice
FOR hire and solic!ts patients by adver-
tisements that he exceeds his rights as
an individual and comes directly within
the prohibition contained in Article )
of the Constitution OF the State Of New
York.
Church Behind Cole.
The entire Christian Science Church 1,
bach OF Cole in his battle with the
County Medical Society. Mr.. Jerome las
promised to carry the case into the
highest COURTS III tlt Sldte ana tnel 10
he United States Supreme Court 4.
necessary. Cole has a large fashion
able practice among Christian Scientists,
though 1t Is alleged against MIN that ne
offers TO heal all who come 10 him no
matter what their creed.
The evidence upon which the prose-
cution OF Cole Is based was btained
by Mrs. Isabelle Goodwin. a police ma
tron. She was employed by the County
Medical Society to go to Coles estab-
lbhment and ask for treatment. She
told him she was suffering from pa
~pitation OF tho heart and kidney trouble.
Cole told her, she wears, that he
| could cure her by prayer charged
her s.. The healer. her affidavit re-
lates. alleged that he could cure any
thing, from heart trouble to locomoto.
ataxia.
Cole had two hearings In Jefferson
Market Court, following his arrest sew
eral weeks ago. Magistrate Fresch!
was sitting there at the time. The
courtroom to-day was thronged with
prominent Christian Scientists, who
promised the healer their united back.
Ing.
MIR. Cole testified at the hearing in IN,
Jefferson Market Court that he lad
] healed dogs as well as human beings
| Mr.. and Mrs. iieary a. mcfarland OF
Mount Vernon brought him a fox terrie,
that had been run over by an autono.
bile. The animals spine was Injured
and 1t was paralyzed. After three
treatments, Cole said, he healed IN,
dog and thereby converted Mr.. and Mrs
MacFarland to Christian science.