MR MILNER STEPHEN'S HEALING POWER QUESTIONED.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3954, 22 March 1884, Page 4

MR MILNER STEPHEN'S HEALING POWER QUESTIONED.

;; ' ■ L BY TELEGRAPH.] Invebcaiioii.li,' This day. Mr Milnex , Stephen " healed " in public yesterday ut Sloan's Theatre, and quito a Hceno occurred. Mr Lewis Rodger, who had paid Mr Stephens two guineas to treat Jiim for deafness on tho occasion of- the hitter's former visit, rose and affirmed that lie was no better for it, and challenged Mr Stephen to bring , forward anyone ■who had benefited by his treatment in Invorcargill. Mr Rodgers said it was no wonder that Mr Stephen complained that tho people did not come to him this time—''once bit twice shy." Mr Rodgers said he knew; others who wore nothing the better for Mr Stephen's treatment, and thought it a pity that people did not come forward and state boldly tho fact.- He was ready to admit that ■Mr Stephen was in earnest, and believed he had this mysterious power, but it was only a fad belief. Mi- Stephen. elicited tho fact that Mr Rodgors had only been treated once, the requirement of an additional charge of a guinea having caused him to drop further treatment. Mr Stephen affirmed that Mr Rodgers must havo como to him without faith or belief in Ms (Mr Stephen's) power to heal. No benefit could bo got in such cases. Ilia scale of fees was printed, and Mr Rodgera was therefore not deceived in tho matter. Ho denied having mipcr-

natural power. . Ho could-not .say how it

camo that lie could heal the sick, but the fnet remained that ho did so. - Had Mr Rodgers said that ]io had received no benefit ho (Mr Stephen) would not havo churgec} him for .further treatment. He did.not profess to, cure instantaneously, as manypcoplo supposed; in fact, he didnotliko instantaneous cures himself. Having read several testimonials from other parts, Mi ,

Stephen asked if it. did not seem extraordinary that ho who had atood before the peoplo of. Melbourne and Sydney unchallenged should be " bowled out " in this out of tho way corner of tho colonies ? Mr Eodgers could not judgo of his (Mr (Stephen's) powers, becaiiso his small mind could not comprehend tho matter. Ho looked on Mr liodgera' remarks with contempt, and asked if it was possible that ho could have induced thoso who had given him testimonials to make liars and swindlers of themselves ?

Mr Itodgors said tho thing was all bunkum. If Mr Stephen could givo one case of euro at Invcrcargill ho would go down on his knees and beg Mr Stephen's pardon. ■. ■ • :

Mr Stephen said that Mr Ilodgers had done his utmost to have his revongo for tho loss of hifi two guineas, hut it would fail. He asserted that he had been most suocossful iiiDunedin. Among , the last treated there by him was n medical man.

After a smart passage at arms Mr Kodgcrs gave Mr Stephen tho lie direct, and in return was called a vulgar upstart. Mr Eodgoiy retorted by calling Mr Stephen an impostor* . < . . Dr. -W/mlalc, of the local hospital, also tackled Mr Stephen,.and a long, discussion •followed. The doctor stuck to his challenge to Mr Stephen to produce anyone who had been benefited by his treatment locally, and offered him two patients from the hospital with ton guineas douceur if he cured them. One was a man who threw away his crutches aftor Mr Stephen's treatment on his former visit, and was back in tho hospital tho day after. , '' •

Mr Stephen contended that if people TVCiit,;back to the cause of their disease he could not bo oxpeotod to guarantee that they could remain whole. Ho cited the caso of a miner who wan cured of rheumatism by him, and-went to work again in his mine, with thoresult that tho disoaso came backiminediatelyi ,Mr Stephen declined to say that'he would euro tho cases mentioned by the'cfoc'tor, who ''perhaps know that they were incurable. He did not. prof ess to cure every case. Tho episode caused much amusement and excitement ambhgst the audience. Some of those' who went up for treatment sj>oke of feeling , relief, but tioiio ■were acute cases. Mr- Stephou'boinbatod his opponents chiefly by roading , :testimonials of cure 3 ho had performed elsewhere. ■■ ~ ;