Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-01-10
AMAzES EUROPE
Silent Healer in Person of An
tome Has Following Num-
bering 100000.
CURES WITHOUT PAYMENT
Ceremony Consists of Period of
Quiet and Lifting of Right
Hand Over Congregation.

Antoinism, the new religion founded
In Belgium by an examiner named An
tome, IS attra cting considerable atten-
ton in Europe.
Antoine, the good father" or the
parent one as his followers call him,
is q man of si-ty-five, with flowing
white locks and a patriarchal beard.
His followers now number 100000, 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
ly on vegeta bles, 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 cleo
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.
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. N. on Monday,
Tuesday. Wednesday and Thursday.
At o'clock a. N. the congregation
assemblies, and an adept, NJ. Deregnan-
court the publisher Of the sect's litera-
ture, takes his place at a desk under
a raised platform. There is complete
silence for half an hour; then NJ. 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 unb,inking stare straight
before him. At the stroke of 10 every
one rises, and the parent one" enters
by a side door and slowly walks up the
steps TO the rostrum.
Wearing a black cassoGk and with his
gray hair falling around his shoulders,
Antoine faces the congregation for a
full minute without moving or uttcring
a sound. He then lifts his right hand
toward them and holds it thus extend
ed for another minute. That is Ill.
Those two minutes make the service
The good father walks slowly ont,
the adept remarks. Every one whose
faith is strong enough must be cured"
and the church empties silently. No
collection is made, but subscriptions
are taken for the maintenance of the
church, which Antoine built himself
with a legacy OF $4,000.
SILENT FOR SIX MONTHS
For six months Antoine has no;
spoken a word to any one. People
come ct 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
air. which means that she is invoking
Antoine 1.-The healer"
The patient or the patients deputy
then departs. The cure is effected, or
If it is not then there has been a 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 is an
American woman, Mrs. Guillaume, who
came over TO be treated by him for
chalky rheumatism, which compelled
her to walk on clutches. She says she
is now practically cured and has her
self become an adept with power to
heal by faith.