DALLIMORE MISSION

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 53, Issue 14, 27 October 1932, Page 3

DALLIMORE MISSION

PEOPLE PRONE ON STAGE.

STRANGE SCENES AT AUCKLAND.

(Special to tfce “Guardian.”) AUCKLAND, October 26. “Jesus, wonderful Jesus, touch her hand. Heal her, Jesus.” While these words were spoken by the evangelist, Mr A. H. Dallimore, the astonishing spectacle of scores of men, women and children falling under his spell and lying stretched out on the stage, was seen in the Town Hall. Some lay prone on the stage for half an hour, while the work of healing by faith proceeded. The whole meeting, which lasted close on three hours, was one of the most remarkable of its kind ever seen in Auckland. Before he began his “Revival Fire” meetings in Auckland, Mr A. H. Dallimore followed many occupations. For 12 years he was in the frozen north of Alaska, and for another seven he was on a Canadian prairie farm. After the war he invested in a Canadian milling venture, lost all his money, and became am insurance agent. It was at this stage of his varied career, while broken in health, that he first took a real interest in healing by faith. Since he came to New Zealand he has been conducting faith healing missions in various parts of the country.

A Crowded Hall. Nearly every part of the Town Hall was crowded. The meeting was not i timed to start until 7 p.m., but at 6.15 an orchestra of 22 men andr women led by Mr Dallimore at the piano, and playing banjos, cornets, saxophones, trap-drums and violins, entertained with a series of hymns of revival. Each tram that stopped outside the Town Hall, set down passengers until at seven o’clock there were only a few seats left. Behind the 'stage, on seats in front of the organ, sat the choir, wearing little pieces of blue ribbon. All the time ushers conducted people to seats. ■ At seven o’clock the strains of the

National Anthem, played by the or-/ chestra, filled the hall. This was followed by two hymns, “We’re Marching to Zion” and “Love Lifted Me.” Mr Dallimore conducted the audience. The

evangelist then read passages from the seventh chapter of St. Luke, and then came another hymn, “The Victory Side.”

“While I am reading out the notices I will ask you to make an offering to help us carry on the mission for the Lord, Jesus Christ,” said Mr Dallimore. “If you are in poverty, let the bag pass by.” Blue plush bags were handed round the hall. Not many were passed by. As one glanced round this audience of close on 3000, the impression was gained that here was a congregation of whom a great number were believers, but there were also many sceptics—attending the meeting solely for entertainment.

A Canadian Campaign. Before the healing part of the service, Mr .Baltimore gave an address which dealt with tne faith-heaiing campaigns in Canada conducted by the Rev. C.*S. Price. He mentioned that in four years 60 campaigns had been carried out, and said that “190,000 had accepted Jesus Christ during those campaigns.” Mr Dallimore said that a committee inquired into cases treated by Hr. Price. He had known many of the men on the committee, and he regretted that only the majority report of the committee had been published in New Zealand. He would,like to have seen the minority report published. It seemed to have been forgotten. It was unfair to Price that people in New Zealand should hear only one side of the story about him, and that the adverse side. (Applause.) , “Two members of the committee protested against the Price report as being unworthy of the men who published it,” said Mr Dallimore. “These two, in a minority report, testified to the wonderful work that Price was doing. It has been stated that I learned faith-healing under Price. 1 wish to refute that statement. I was carrying on a mission for two years before I knew of the existence of Dr. Price. I was carrying on the work of Jesus Cirrist as an evangelist before I knew there was such a man as Price.” (Loud applause.) “When I heard that DC. Price was conducting a mission in Victoria City with such good results, I closed my own mission for a few days and went to Victoria,” continued Mr Dallimore. “Then, for the first time, I saw the power falling on the platform as you noV see it in the Auckland Town Hall, and as it happens on hundreds of pratforms. X knew it was right. It was under Dr. Lake that I first began faith-healing.

“Won Hundreds of Souls.” “Dr. Price moved from Victoria to Vancouver, and he won hundreds of souls for the Lord. Out of his 21-day campaign his share of the proceeds was 2300 dollars. He earned it. He won hundreds of souls and one soul is wotrh more than 2300 dollars. Then the people of Victoria, unknown to him, collected £IOOO for him as a present. That is what Victoria thought of Price. (Applause.) On one occasion 4500 written testimonials were handed to Price. That is strange work for a hvpnotist. Is it not well to leave that ugly word out ? It has no place alongside that little man. The investigation committee did not put an end to Price’s work as lias been stated. He continued to flourish, and last ycai was back in Vancouver on a six weeks campaign.” , After further details of the work or Dr. Price Mr Dallimore read a number of testimonies that had been sent to him. “They are quite interesting and, of course, we know they are quite true,” he said. “ ‘I wrote to you and asked you if yon would pray for a cow,’ ” read Mr DaTlimore from the first letter, ‘a real four-legged cow—you all know what that is which was paralysed in the hind legs. The following Thursday Dolly stood on her legs and next day she was out in the pastures. She did not even have a handkerchief. It was the power of faith that healed her. All glory of the wonderful name of Jesus.’ ” Mr Dallimore quoted the case of a

poultry fancier on the North, Shore who Had telephone to him to say that a special cockerel which he owned was ill. The man’s wife had said that the bird’s neck had better be wrung. The man said, “No. If Mr Dallimore call cure a cow he can cure a rooster.” “He got a handkerchief ami the rooster was cured —again by the wonderful healing power of Jesus.” (Applause and laughter.) Several, other testimonies were read. One was that of a girl suffering from curvature of the spine, a girl who said she had not been able to straighten her head or raise her hands above her bead for over seven years. She said in her testimony that she was healed the first time she went up on the platform. “Stand up, sister, ’ said Mr Dallimore, and a girl of about 20 stood up and held both her arms above her head. “About two months ago 1 gave up smoking on one handkerchief,” read another testimony. “I will be only too proud to read any testimonies for J esus here on the platform,” announced the evangelist.

An Hour of Healing. Then followed an astounding spectacle. People swarmed on to the stage, and lined up in two rows. Mr Dallimore worked with his coat off, and as the patients collapsed they were caught by two men, who also worked in their shirt sleeves. As the patients toppled over at surprising speed under Mr Dallimore’s strange spell there was laughter among the audience. “Anybody who cannot respect Jesus Christ must go out of this hall,” shouted Mr Dallimore. Scores of people walked on to the stage and a queue was formed leading up to it. ' With the words’ “Jesus, wonderful Jesus, heal her,” patient after patient collapsed. Mrs Dallimore was ever beside her husband, carrying a small vessel of water which the evangelist put on the patient’s handkerchief. A girl of about 18 lay on the stage for half an hour, quivering, and with her hands shaking. After a time she started to mutter. Nearby, a woman moaned and a man crashed heavily on tlie stage when Mr Dallimore was some distance away. For over an hour these scenes continued.

Near the end of the meeting an elderly man appeared on the floor of the hall and tried to address- the meeting. Mr Dallimore called for the man to be removed, and the audience applauded. The man was firmly taken from the hall by ushers. “I am reluctant to call on the law to protect my meetings,” said Mr Dallimore. “Because there are people who have started on a campaign against me, that does not mean that ire will have my meetings disturbed. It is not what Dallimore wants. It is what New Zealand wants, and l Dallimore is here to give New Zealand what it wants. No one has seen me do anything but pray yet. They never will. All >1 do is to ask for healing, and if God wishes to heal, He will. I cannot see where the wrong is.”