The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-07-14

WUUUH& U0, ~ ~ X04x 80 -
though theoe b days Of mAxyeloue
medical therapeutics, the holy
shrine still bolds ~ own % =
1ealing agency. Indeed. the beatpf
IN it, mifaculous power, Ike the
ballet "a other Supernatural phe-
II syidsntly greatly on the
increase. New shrines are spring
Ing up all over the world. ana old
ones arc attracting greater. num-
hers Of patientta than ever before.
The annual pilgrimage Of the at-
flicted to Lourdcs this year. for In
stance, has been exceptionally
large. Patients, many Of whom arc
carried on stretchers or rolled In
wheel chairs. have been taken to
the little French town hon points
ss far distant % Belfast and Bel
grade. In the past, most Of the pill
grims were practically without
hope Of relief through medical as
sistance. but this year large num-
bers suffering only minor ailments
are seeking the shrine. inspired BY
the new theory Of auto suggestion
and other faith cures.
Lourdes, which contains the
most famous Of the worlds healing
shfines, is situated in . charming
valley at the entrance Of that huge
chain Of mountains separating
France from Spain. known as the
Pyrenees. Until 1853, it was q
quiet, self-effacing little town, Wis
tied only by sagacious tourists
searching for unusual rustic seem
cry and quaint architecture, but
in this year It suddenly acquired
widespread fame owing to the al
legged miraculous experience OF q
14-year-old shepherdess.
It Is recorded that one-day while
this young lady, whose name wal
Bernadette Soubirpus, was Out
gathering firewood with her young.
er sister near the now famous Mas
ISABELLE Rock she was suddenly
confronted BY = vision. It appear.
ed In the form of beautiful young
w6man. dressed all in white with
the exception of blue sash around
the waist. The entire figure was
surrounded by a bright halo Of
light, at the sight of which Berna.
dette fell down upon her knees and
remained in q state Of ecstacy IN
til the vision faded.
Like Joan Of Arc. 45
When the girl returned home and
recounted her experience, her fam.
lily received the story coldiy and de.
cided to have her treated for hallu'
cinations. But as Bernadette con.
tinued to see visions with grea,
persistency, in one Of which ap
peared . figure claiming to be tn
Virgin Mary, the villagers began Il
place some credence in her story
The thing had happened to Jeann,
dare, who was also a simple peas
ant girl-Thy not to Bernadette
Thus the tale spread rapidly from
town to town until the whole O
Europe was Interested and peopl
began to arrive by the thousands t
see the sacred spot where the Wis
ions had invariably appeared to tn
shepherdess.
Then, suddenly, the report wen
forth that miraculous cures wer
taking place in Lourdes, near tn
spring in the grotto visited by tn
vision. A blind boy had regaine
his eyesight; another who had bee
deaf could now hear plainly. an
an old woman .paralytic was abb
to walk after having been a helF
less invalid for five. years. A
last small statue Of the Virgi
Mary was placed in the grott,
which signified the church's off
ciaI acceptance of Bernadette SOU
birousI; story.
i Since then, hundreds Of thor
sands of invalids have knelt befoI
Our Lady Of Lourdes, as the littl
statue is called, and prayed thu
they might be cured. And man
; marvellous cures have actually tai
en- place. if one may believe til
testimony Of numerous amaze
, spectators As well as that Of var
Gus grateful pilgrims. One of la.
. years cases, for example, was tn.
of young woman with a bad
twisted ankle, resulting from
fall. Several surgical operation
had failed to correct the troubl
and she was able to walk only vii
the aid Of specially made brat
and crutches. When she left Lou
des, however, she left these aids
locomotion behind her.