CURED BY FAITH

Evening Star, Issue 18394, 1 October 1923, Page 4

CURED BY FAITH

OLD CLERGYMAN'S EXPERIENCE

NOT A HICKSON OASEi

(Special to the 'Star.']

CHRISTCHURCH, September 29._ Exceptional interest is being taken in tho reported cure of the Rev. Thomas Jasper Smyth, of Christchurch, who, as a result of faith healing, states that he has regained both sight and hearing after being partially deaf and also blind in the right eye for a considerable time. Inter-viewed’to-day concerning the Press Association message from Auckland relating to his cure, the Rev. Mr Smyth stated that lie had been always a strong believer in the power of prayer. The Press Association message, ho said, was partly•tsorrect, but was in error with regard to some of tho facts. He stated that ho was eightyfour years of age, and a few days a.go had celebrated tile sixtieth anniversary of his ordination. Some lime ago he had received word from his daughter in Sydnew urging him to attend the Hickson mission when it visited Christchurch. His dan Mi ter stated in hot letter that she had wen’some of the faith-healing cures which had been effected in Sydney during the visit of the Hickson mission there, and she urged her father to ask for an improvejneiifc of his sight and hearing when tho mission visited Christchurch. Mr Smyth stated that ho realised that Mr Hickson was but a channel through whom Christ healed, and ho decided to go direct to his Saviour. He then explained that he had a private list of sixteen persona for whom ho was interceding, not preparing for the Hickson mission, as was stated in tho Press Association report. After interceding for these people, before retiring to lied on September 7- Mr Smyth said he had asked God for a sign tiiat his pravers were being heard. He askod that God would increase hia powers of sight and hearing. At the time he had offered up his prayers ho bad been suffering from a cataract over the right eye, a,nd for the past four years Jmd not been able to read tho largest print with it. His hearing had also failed, and ho was forced to iiso°an car trumpet at meetings. When he Had asked for a sign he said ho felt that ho had dbne wrong, but on going to bed had considered the matter in a different light. On awaking next morning be had opened a book to sea the result of his prayer, and he found that he could read with’his right eve, in which ho had hitherto been practically blind. For three days there had been a ‘discharge from the eye, and on the fourth day it had become quite dry. The sight with it had improved to such an extent that, when interviewed to-day, he demonstrated to tho reporter that ho could read tho smaller typo in the average daily newspaper with it. Ho said that hia sight was improving every day. Hia hearing, too, had improved wonderfully, and he was now able to dispense with the use of the ear trumpet altogether. Referring to the cure, a prominent eye specialist stated that it would be impossible to make any statement regarding it unless tho condition of the eye both before the cure and after it were known. Ho further said that if the cataract had really been removed in the manner stated it was a miracle, the cqnal of that in which water had been turned into wine.

WOMAN’S HEARING RESTORED,

[Per United Press Association.]

AUCKLAND, September 30. Rev, R. G. Coats, preaching "at Iknruera, stated that a woman attending the Hickson mission preparation services, who was very hard of hearing, had had her hearing restored. [Tho Rev. R. G. Coats is well known here. Ho was curate at St. Peter’s, Cavcrsham, and vicar at Anderson Bay andi Queenstown. The Rev. Jasper Smyth was locum tenons at several parishes in the Dunedin diocese, and was also in charge at Stewart Island.]