Clergyman Sees Scope For Spiritual Therapy

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30706, 23 March 1965, Page 7

Clergyman Sees Scope For Spiritual Therapy

The misery of spiritual unhappiness often expressed itself in illness and drug addiction, said the Rev. W. E. Falkingham in the third of a series of special addresses at the Methodist Central Mission. So often drugs were sought to cure ills, when religious or spiritual therapy’ could achieve a permanent cure.

“I believe a new day of hope will dawn for many afflicted people when physician, psychiatrist, minister, and patient unite in their efforts to treat the whole man, and bring about cures that would have been impossible for any one of them alone,” said Mr Falkingham.

Recent advances in the science of man were underlining the unity of his nature —mental, physical and spiritual—so that whatever affected the part affected the whole.

‘‘Even though-we may not be addicts of any drug, perhaps we are more dependent on the doctor’s prescription than we feel we ought to be. Could it be that our lack of well-being has more to do with our mind' and spirits than our bodies?” he asked. Although no statistics were available, said Mr Falkingham, there was evidence of a growing drug traffic in New Zealand. In 1963, he said, there was a record number of 78 narcotic offences involvirg

53 persons. An Auckland psychiatrist had claimed that drug addiction in the Dominion was far more widespread than the public had been led to believe.

Peace did not come in capsules or by the needle, or in the drinking glass, Mr Falkingham said, rather it came from Christ, who told His bewildered followers after the crucifixion: “My peace I give unto you.”

MR ANDREI GROMYKO, the Soviet Foreign Minister, returned to Moscow from London on Saturday after a fiveday visit which ended in deadlock over Vietnam.