The Washington times., 1920-04-20

It was In q church filled with sick
and crippled men. women and children
the deaf. dumb. blind and deformed
that James Moore Hickson, the
Miracle Man." opened his nrst "heal-
ing service" today. The scene was
the Trinity Episcopal Church, Third
and c streets northwest
In the front and the rear, In the
gallery and outside the church fully
5000 persons gathered. Some came In
wheel chairs. some were carried; /;
Others assisted by relatives and
friends.
when he nrst entered the church
at 10 o'clock. this morning Mr.. Hick-
SON, famous for his healings in Eng
land end many parts of the United
States, offered prayer.
Rev. David r. Covell, pastor. opened
the services. He delivered short
sermon, explaining the work Mr..
Hickson had been doing elsewhere.
and then introduced the Miracle
Man"
at an not. q healer" began Mr.. Hick-
son. "I am only q messenger OF
God. I cannot heal This Christian
healing missoin will be what you
dear people make II. 1t is yours, not
mine. can only help a little.
"I want everyone to clearly under-
stand there 10 no power within me
that enables me to heal. Jesus Christ
10 doing the work.
There is nothing new in healins
services. I come to this country to
aid in reviving the ministry OF heal
ing which In the Christian Church has
practically been in allegiance for many
centuries. although there have been
many notable exceptions"
After his short sermon Mr.. Hickson
called upon the people In the church to
kneel and pray. and pronounced
blessing over them.
without ceremony Of any other
kind Mr.. Hickson began his healing
services. First he called for the Grip
pied who were in chairs or had to be
carried In some ones arms. More
than twenty-five men, women and
children were brought forward.
Mr.. Hickson, assisted by two clergy
men, put his hands on the head OF
each supplicant. He offered a prayer
Of encouragement and asked them to
be faithful TO God, assuring them that
in SO doing their ills would be healed.
From out Of the side aisles the Grip
pies came. going out OF the church
through the center aisle. There were
no instantaneous healings or notice.
able improvements among them.
Many Children I'm Arms.
The children were called for next.
Most Of them were carried in the
arms of father or mother. Many were
crippled. having been victims Of the
infantile paralysis epidemic that swept
Washington several years ago.
There we're other children who
were sick. Some were blind, deaf, or
dumb, others deformed.
Putting his hands on the head of
each child, Mr.. Hickson prayed. Many
left the chancel with smiles on their
faces.
Then came the urgent cases, the
very sick. There were several hun
dred OF these. Among them were
several soldiers from Walter Reed
Hospital One helped the other as
they mounted the steps into the chan
Gel
The entire morning passed rather
quietly. Mr.. Hickson went through
the throng, pronouncinR his blessing.
Don't be discouraged because you
are not healed Immediately" said Mr..
Hickson, "God will cure your ills In
time. Be patient
Urges Patience.
your healing will begin today,
with this service. God does not al
ways cure instantly, although He
can. He works His miracles slowly
sometimes. Be patient and pray to
God to cure you.
Don't get tired of waiting in the
church. BE glad that you have that
much more time to spend in Gods
house. will get to all of you be-
fore I leavs."
The healing services were going on
at a late hour this afternoon. Al
though Mr.. Hickson was scheduled to
hold services only until 1880 o'clock.
the crowd was 30 great he could not
finish at that time. However, he told
those gathered that he woud stay un-
til he had prayed for the last person
In the church.
There will be services tomorrow
and Thursday night, both beginning
at 10 o'clock In the moruing me