SPIRITUAL HEALING WORK

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 29, 4 February 1925, Page 9

SPIRITUAL HEALING WORK

SPREAD QF THE MISSIONS

SOME POINTS TO PONDER OVER.

(PROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

LONDON, 20th December. "C.C.H." are the initials of a writer in "The Guardian," who has something to say about Healing Missions. Partly on account of the growth of these services the correspondent puts forward two criticisms whicn have not so far been dealt with, and yet which seem to him to be very important. He criticises the fundamental claim first, and "then the methods adopted.

"As to the first, it is claimed that our Lord handed on His power to His Church, and that the Church has, tor centuries, allowed this power to lie dormant, wiiile it should be, and can be, exercised by all priests, and be the normal method of treating sickness. In regard to this 1 would ask first—is it true that our Lord intended this power to reside in His Church, and remain as the I normal method? 1 do not find anything jto warrant an affirmative answer. I bejlieve it to be n-ore true to'say that our j Lord gave this, power for a temporary ; purpose, and then it lapsed. We cannot imagine, if the Church ever, possessed such a wonderful and compelling power as this, that she could have allowed, it to disappear through carelessness. Surely in this, as in so many other things, the normal method came to b,e revealed by God through His revelations in and through science. The learning of God's Will in this would show to men the normal method and the further revelations' of our time teach that the partnership of priest and doctor is the highest way. Then,' secondly, I would ask why if our Lord left this power to the Church as a whole, are there no examples in the New Testament of its exercise by any except Apostles? Even in the case of Dorcas it never seems to have been supposed that her death could be prevented by the Disciples. And if it was left to the Church as a whole, why, except in the case of Mr. Hickson himself, do we ffind its advocates speaking of it always as a part of the priest's ministry? And if this is to be the normal method, and it is the exercise 'of our Lord's own power, the logical outcome is that eithei death will cease to exist, or else it must be looked upon as the result of a failure in faith of the sufferer, the Church "or both. ... ' - ■ "My second criticism concerns the methods. To-day the method is a long and careful preparation of as many intercessors as possible, the gathering together of crowds into an unfamiliar atmosphere charged with intense fervour, suppressed excitement, and group enthusiasm. Our Lord's normal method ,was the exact opposite. ADd, further, the healing mission makes use of a power which could probably be exercised with equal psychological, effect without any belief in our Lord or His presence. '.'Lastly, is it fair or right to raise the expectation, of physical benefits, when no one claims that the proportion of lasting cures is large? It is all very well to say that if God does not will to effect a cure, the sufferer Will get some spiritual blessing; but that; is not the purpose for which the intercessors are gathered' and the sufferer encouraged to co.me to receive the laymg-on of hands. If it is not with the definite expectation of physical cure, ™'™ meaning in it at all. I feel, and 1 believe many others do, that since the 'healing missions with all their publicity, whether simply .local or'general, became the vogue, there is great danger of misuse and misunderstanding of the true relation of spiritual power and physical ills." ■ . i SPIRITUAL HEALING WORK AT NORWICH. People in all parts of the world who have been helped by the spiritual healing work carried on at St. Benedict's Church Norwich, have contributed to the new church hall, recently opened and dedicated. Nearly £300 was sent in various sums from, different parts of the United Kingdom and from India, Malta, New Zealand, America, Australia, Switzerland, and Italy. • '