Evening star., 1928-10-10
Convention to Hear of Healing

Hospital of Boston and one of the best
known OF American physicians:
Il believe that prayer does cure dis
ease. Healing comes to some individ-
uals directly through prayer. use 1t
in my practice and rely on 1t today
more often than on medicine. But as
physician I have never relied on
prayer alone for a cure A man who
prays before going into battle proceeds
to employ also every other means avail
able for winning his fight. So do I.
should use prayer alone with confidence
that 1t would work the cure II recov-
cry were in conformity to Gods will.
And when prayer has thus been made
factor in recovery / believe 1t Is
through direct action on the part of
God.
Prayer In Emotional Field.
'We know that prayer produces a
definite result. just how 1t works Is
not yet scientifically clear, though
think 1t will be In time. 1t Is possible
that the clue to the action of prayer
will be found in the field of the emo
tionS. We already know through our
laboratory experiments that some emo
tions have a chemical effect on the
body Secretions. Fear and anger pro-
duce chemical changes In the body
which may favor disease. Fear may
cause hyperacidity OF the stomach and
consequent indigestion. For this
might prescribe medicine, giving the
patient an alkali to counteract the acid
But If 1t Is fear that is the determining
factor producing the indigestion. more
than an alkali may be required to cure it,
One may try to reconstruct the patient
An1ntinnQIlU fhr0uuh a nCVNhnlnpiaaI n
a spiritual prescription. The removal
Of fear from the mind or soul may be
the only way to q permanent cure.
Since science now knows definitely
that devastating emotions, like fear and
anger. may directly register adverse
physical conditions In the body 1t Is a
logical conclusion that the beneficent
emotions like love and faith. may also
act as chemically to produce health
instead of disease believe that almost
any day now this may be demonstrated
in the laboratory. This way lies the
explanation for some of the cures that
have appeared miraculous.
When, through prayer. the soul of
man is opened to the love OF God, what
fioodgates of healing may we not have
unloosed. l believe that any disease
could be cured through prayer, though
Az 40 IuLACIIOLldl QASOluGIS IlldL are PAL
ticularly amenable to this treatment.
But 1t is also matter of record that
cures Of organic disease at the cele-
brated Shrine of Lourdes in France
have been witnessed and authenticated
by physicians. The prayer groups in
the churches should not attempt to
handle cases like diphtheria. where loss
of life might result from lack Of medical
attention"
So science and religion are met at
the crossroads today and it Is through
their friendly cooperation that the So
ciety of the NaZarene proposes to estab-
lish the facts of spiritual healing, par
ticularly when the cases are found in
The field of organic pathology.
Looked Upon as ImpOsture.
Until few years ago" says the Rev.
Henry B. Wilson. founder of the So
ciety," the intellectual world looked
upon the miracles of healing as com.
prising largely mass of imposture.
invented by a crafty priesthood to sup
port their claim OF magic power, Such