HEALING CLAIMS

Evening Star, Issue 21285, 14 December 1932, Page 12

HEALING CLAIMS

THE DALLIMORE INQUIRY FINDINGS; OF COMMITTEE The report of the committee of inquiry into alleged cures at the Revival Fire Mission, which has been conducted in Auckland by Mr A. H. Dallimore, has been released. The inquiry was conducted by representatives of the churches and the medical profession, and the report states: “ In presenting this report on certain cases of alleged healing by faith, the committee feels itself bound at the outset to express its regret that the missioner has taken up and maintained the attitude of absolute refusal to cooperate in any way with the committee in the endeavour to elucidate the facts. In spite of the startling claims made in respect of miraculous cures affected by the Revival Fire Mission, it is our duty to report that neither Mr Dallimore nor any of his patients has come forward to substantiate the testimonies either quoted from his book. ‘Hearing by Faith,’ or those proclaimed from the public platform. ALLEGATIONS OF “ THIRD DEGREE.” “ On the contrary the missioner has sternly warned his followers against the ‘ danger ’ of putting the (alleged) works of God to question by having any dealings with our inquiry. He even attempts to dissuade his patients from coming before the committee by allegations of its use of the ‘ third degree ’ methods upon some who had done so. There is not a vestige of trtlth in this charge. Accordingly, the committee must point out that public testimonies to cures,, however confidently made, are of little value if they cannot stand the light of honest inquiry. “ A number of those who give public testimony of benefits received show great .aversion from, or great resistance to. meeting any straightforward inquiry about them. The committee regrets that it cannot even commend Mr Dallimore’s sincerity. The refusal to substantiate his testimonies by submitting them to investigation becomes very significant in the light of the evidence quoted. ‘‘With regard to what follows the committee wishes it to be clearly understood that its offer of co-opera-tion to Mr Dallimore still holds good, and that the minds of its members are quite open to conviction, subject to the production of evidence adequate to sustain the claims that haye been made. HEALING BY SUGGESTION. “On the evidence before it, the committee is of opinion that there is nothing in the physical results of what is here called ‘ faith healing ’ ■ which differs from those .of ‘ non-religious ’ mental healing or suggestion. The reinforcement of suggestion by , religious emotion is the most potent form of this method. But treatment by suggestion, whether religious or non-religious, is effective only in cases of what arc termed functional nervous disorders. The committee earnestly warns those who resort to healing by faith of the danger of postponing until too late the medical treatment which is essential if organic disease is to be arrested. “In the Revival Fire Mission all the cruder arts.of suggestion are employed, under cover of religious appeal. These operations, ‘going under the power,’ etc., differing in no respect from nonreligious practice of suggestion, are ascribed to the direct operation of Jesus Christ. The only authority given for this is Mr Dallimore’s interpretation of the Bible. In places this appears to us to be a perversion of the plain meaning of the text so outrageous as to amount to sacrilege. “AMAZING CREDULITY SHOWN.” “ Several of the cases for which a cure has been claimed through the Revival Fire Mission have been investigated by the committee. Not one of these ‘ cures,’ on being subjected to medical investigation, has proved to be genuine. Some of them appear to have been sheer self-deception, for the evidence' crumbled at the touch of inquiry. Others who were sincere in their belief that they had been cured quite forgot to give credit to the medical treatment undergone before and during their visit to the mission. One of the most disquieting facts in connection with this mission has been the amazing credulity shown by a section of the public. “ At a time when religious doctrine is being gradually restated in terms more applicable to present-day developments many people are apt to be perplexed and impatient, and are unduly impressed by any teaching announced with an air of confident authority. Herein, we must realise, lies a golden opportunity for the quack and the fanatically minded. DANGERS OF THE FUTURE. “The hysterical applause given at the' Revival Fire Mission at every mention of ‘ miraculous cure ’ is a manifestation of that queer inferiority complex which delights m the abnormal and unconstitutional. Civilisation only restricts—it does not eradicate—those irrational and insurgent impulses in man which ever and anon surprise us by their ready response to the appeal of the sensation monger. We believe that the susceptibilities of the great majority of the public have been deeply shocked by the degrading spectacle known as ‘ going under the power.’ The whole exhibition has been well described as a ‘ vaudeville show under the cloak of religion.’ Unfortunately the ridiculous side does not lessen the danger to the health, sanity, and morale of the community. The permanent results of this mission may be looked for in broken homes, broken hearts, and broken careers when the idle testimonies of spiritual and physical blessings have long been buried in richlydeserved oblivion. These considerations will satisfy the public of the need of a careful and impartial investigation such as has been attempted. The

aim of the committee has been solely to bring the facts to light and to help public opinion to a balanced judgment.’-’ The committee quotes numerous cases in which the facts are summarised. It is claimed that there has been no substantiation of cures, and in some cases nervous breakdowns, insanity, and even suicide have followed. The correspondence with the missioner inviting his assistance in inquiring into his claims of alleged cures is also gjven. This invitation Mr Dallimore declined, and he also refused to supply the addresses of the correspondents whose letters he had published in ‘ Healing by Faith.’ The committee was composed of the Revs. W. Lawson Marsh (chairman), W. E. Lush, D. D. Scott, E. D. Patchett, R. C. Roberts, H. A. G. Clark, J. W. Kemp, J. J. North, Drs W. H. Parkes, J. Hardie Neil, Woodward' Horsley, J. M‘Murray Cole, T. Derrick, T. Gordon Short, Frank Macky, and R. Tracey Inglis, Mr W. H. Whitelaw and Professor A. B. Fitl and William Anderson.