MR MILNER STEPHEN IN NAPIER.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3570, 18 December 1882, Page 3

MR MILNER STEPHEN IN NAPIER.

A large assemblage of people, including a good per centage of " the maimed, the half, and the blind," attended at the Theatre Royal on Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock, when it was announced that Mr Miluer Stephen, who recently arrived here from Sydney, would heal gratis any poor persons suffering from organic diseases of whatsoever nature by tbe "marvelous" process which has rendered him an object of much attraction lately. At 220 o'clock a gentleman apparently about 60 years of age, and of rather preposseßsing exterior, stepped on to the stage, travelling bag in band, and seated himself at a table that had been placed ready on the platform. This was Mr Milner Stephen. After taking from his reticule sundry articles required for use in the work of" healing," Mr Stephen exhibited a block boot said to have been that of a person (a lady of Bathursl, we think he said) whose leg he had cauaed to be lengthened by six inches in two days ? Mr Stephen then proceeded to give a brief account of the " enormoug amount of power to heal diseases " that had been given to him, and how he had been using that power within the past year and a half in the Australian colonies to the relief of fbousands of sufferers of every rank and station. He dso adverted to several attempts tbat had been made to cast discredit on his alleged " healing powers" by the clergy and a section of the press, and assured those present tbat be did not want any one to believe in him without sufficient reasons; all he asked for was an impartial trial. He did not guarantee to beal immediately every one that came to him, and if persons did not follow up his instructions it was surely not his fault if they reI mained uncured. Having read a long j list of attested cures, some of a very wonderful character, Mr Stephen read a short prayer invoking the assistance of the Creator on the work he was about to perform, and at tbe conclusion proceeded to receive patients. In the time and space at our disposal it would be impossible to enter into a detailed account of the numerous cases treated during tbe three hours tbat Mr Stephen continued to receive patients, so we shall only mention a few of the many. One man, who stated when he stepped on to the 6tage that he had been unable to lift bis arms over his head for years past, was operated upon, and in less ihan two minutes he could flourish his arms in all directions, and hold them perfectly erect. A woman suffering from rheumatism in f tbe head went away, as she said, " per- ! fcctly cured " after a couple of passes of tbe operator's bands before her face. Another woman had a paralyzed arm restored to its normal condition; while a man who gave the name of Luke Maddigan informed the audience that be was completely cured of sciatica after Mr Stephen had once or twice passed his hands over the affected parts. A young man was in like manner relieved from pain he was suffering in consequence of a tumour on hia groin. Two of the most striking casep, however, were those of a well-known identity of Napier named Ryder, and a deaf and dumb boy ! named Stone, who is employed by Mr hair dresser. The former, a rheumatic subject, for many years past bad walked with great difficulty aided by a stick, but after treatment by Mr Stephen he ran to and fro on the stage with apparent ease. In the case of the deaf and dumb boy bearing was apparently restored, and he attempted to articulate words spoken to him such as papa, sissy, oil, table, mother, &c. Many others declared themselves partially relieved, and were supplied with bottles of magnetised oil, magnetised water, and pieces of red flannel, which latter were first breathed upon by tbe operator. Mr Stephen recommerided all his patients to abstain from alcoholic stimulants and strong tea, the use of which would, he said, counteract in a degree any good he might do them. It is almost needless to say that in a few cases at any rate this warning was not committed to heart.

Having said so much, we think it only fair to the public to add that we have reported the above cases exactly as they appeared to ns and to others who were present in the Theatre, and without any prejudice whatever either for or against Mr Stephen, of whose alleged powers we absolutely know nothing more than tbat we saw on Saturday afternoon. Whether or not the "cures" apparently effected will prove of a permanent character remains to be seen. If they do we shall be only too pleased to acknowledge it on a future occasion, but already we have heard of two or three " relapses." We believe it is Mr Stephen's intention to give a further public demonstration of healing in the Theatre next Saturday afternoon. \