New-York tribune., 1922-08-29
Opponents Will Launch
Bitter Fight on Practice
at Coming Convention;
Supporters Are Legion
investigators Are
Ready TO Report
Committee Studying Sub
ject Three Years Said
to Have Seen Cures

a movement tocuSsed at present in
Grace Church, Tenth Street and Broad
way, where meetings for spiritual
healing have been conducted ever
since Tames Moore Hickson was here
three ss 70, will come into ma
tionai xith the presenta-
tion at the .01tncoming general con-
vention Of the Episcopal Church in
Portland, Ore, Of the report Of COM
mission UNIQUE in the annals of the
church.
For the last three years the Joint
Commission ag.der the Fuller
Recognition OF U.s.. Ministry Of Heal
ing has been engaged in an investiga-
tion Of the subject. Now it is ready to
present its finding for the vote of the
convention. Bitter opposition is ex-
pected in quarters where psyche
therapeutics in religion is regarded
with suspicion. One of the aims of the
commission, it is understood, is to
bring about closer alliance of the
clergy and physicians.
In this connection a report that
Grace Church is to open a clinic for
the treatment Of functional nervous
disorders could not be verified yester
day in the absence Of Dr.. Charles L.
Slattery, rector of the parish. The
Kew. Eason Gross, curate of Grace
Church, denied knowledge of any such
project, although he dwelt enthusi-
astically on the Tuesday afternoon
4 L I
since Mr.. Hickson, commonly known as
the healer" left New York. Several
cures have been reported as a result
OF the meetings, ne intimated.
How Healing is Practiced
The Staying on of hands, is nrac-
ticed with prayer at these services
They are largely attended by persons
IN physical or mental distress and by
the relatives Of cripples and invalids
spos n 10 pears,i yseussaa.,
ihelr names are sent up TO The altar
on slips of paper. The officiating
clergyman reads them out, prayjng for
the. lndividaul cases. There is silent
prayer and chapter on healing is
read Finally, each one kneels at the
chancel rail while the clergyman lays
ne, nis hand on the bowed head and prays,
with specific reference to the case. for
strength OF mind, soul and body"
This is about as far as any Episcopal
.hurch has gone on the question of
faith healing, except where church
docrs have been opened to the profess
slonal healer" as in the case Of Trim
lty which entertained Mr.. Hickson
when he was here. Bishop Manning,
VINO was then rector of Trinity and
really launched Mr.. Hickson in New
York, is known to feel sympathetically
ct1h tar{ l. { (
member of the commission which is to
bring in its findings at the convention
n Portland. Other members are the
Right Rev. Boyd Vincent, Bishop of
Southern Ohio, chairman; the Right
Rev. Philip M. Rhinelander, Bishop of
Pennsylvania; the Rev. Arthur B. Kin
sewing, DID,, rector of ST. Paul's, Balti-
more; the Rev. e. B. T. Phillips, D. D.,
st. Louis, Mo-; Joseph G. Minot, George
+. Henry, LID, and F. S. Edmonds.
The three laymen on the committee
represent educational and legal in
|terests.
Bitter Feeling Expressed
An indication of the bitter feeling
which will be encountered in some
quarters if the findings of the com
approves them may be gathered from
an editorial in a current issue of "The
Churchlnan," official organ of the
Episcopal Church, which intimates
that "it would be an almost irreparable
calamity il the Episcopal Church
should be stanpeded into indorsing,
without reservation, work like Mr,
Hickson's, merely to prevent defections
to Christian Science 2
There are rumors that Mr. Hick-
son is to be in Portland" the editor
ial continues. We hope that the
rumor is unfounded If Mr.. Hickson
is to be present other reputable psy-
chotherapists and physicians ought
also to be asked to give expert testi-
mony. Many of Mr.. Hickson's claims
have not been validated. There is no
evidence that he has effected the cure
of any organic disease, yet Mr. Hick-
son, contrary to the trustworthy evil
dence of medical science, maintains
that organic disease may be healed by
faith. The damage which may be done
by ministry of healing in incompe-
tent hands is considerable. Not lit
tie damage has already been done. 1t
is cruel promise to make to sick and
Continued on page sixl
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