DUNEDIN SENSATION.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 8 June 1923, Page 5

DUNEDIN SENSATION.

TRIAL OF MISSIONARY

FOR INDECENT ASSAULT

j j (BY TELECHAVH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.) I DUNIiDiN, June 7. In the Police Uouit to-cuty, Abrahan ' Alfred Land, a missionary, was charge* L wicn jape i.ui.ree countsj anu mueceii< assault. [ Air Adams (Crown Prosecutor) saic accused was cnaiged witn ouences relating to tnree giriSj and m all then were three cases. A here nugiit be i question as to whether there was anj genuine consent o ntnepa.it oi the giri& : and he took iv that tne defence verj liKely nngnt be tnat there was eirecwvt consent, The Crown aliened that tlit whoie series of occurrences took place under sucn circumsunices as to negative any genuine consent. Accuseu hao been conducting a mission, and among otner tnings tne mission purported tv have the gut of heanng. it was m connection with tnis mission that he came iiitb contact with each of the three girls to whom tne charges related, i^viueucu would be called particularly in regard to certain meetings, which were known as "waiting meetings." They were or a peculiar emotional and religious nature, and it was the ecstatic condition produced, particularly in the case of ■.veaiier iemaies, wmcn put tnem to a large extent in the power of the pastor. Accused was supposed to have the gilt of healing: and otner special powers, ihe Crown cud not allege that any Of the girls were definitely put in a trance, but the condition at these meetings were akin to hypnotism. A characteristic of hypnotic phenomena was that persons at all subject to influence were amenable to suggestion. The girls were put in a, condition in which they were easily amenable to hymiotic influence. Air Callan, for the defence^ dissociated himself from the line of defence suggested by Mr Adams, stating they denied there was anything in the story at all. Evidence was given by the mother of one girl, who stated that on J'.aster (Sunday she attended a meeting winch was called by Lind. It was :<.>nAy a challenge meeting. Certain charges were made against Lind, but her daugnter was not mentioned. The third girl named in tne charges was mentioned. Lmd was saying tnings against-the character of the gin, and he declared lie never interfered with an innocent girl. Witness told him he was trying to make them believe he was yinocent when she knew he was not, for she knew what her daughter had told her iier daughter had got up and told Lind not to go after innocent girls. A gin aged 21 deposed to an assault in a room at her parents' house accused representing hi s act as treatment for her nerves. Another girl deposed that she attended the close of the Smith-Wigglesworth faith-healing mission. She had been wonderfully healed of heart and chest trouble and her nerves were restored, lhe mission was afterwards continued by accused from June last year. She was m the habit of attending all the meetings. The girl mentioned in the second and third charges was regular at tne meetings, {she was the first to receive what witness believed to be the baptism or tne rioiy cmost and the gut ox tongues. »ne spoKe in an ujikuowh language which none could understand during the meetings, fcjne was more noisy than anyone, and although she was witness' dearest friend there were times when witness had to leave her side because she could not bear the noise. One evening witness had a peculiar experience. She went over and sat beside this girl, because she felt the o- ir l was in. danger. The girl got- up and walked across the room, out feil on the floor. Lind got her to a seat, and later he said the girl had got into a wrong spirit. Two men went down in the. same way on October 24. Lind told iier he had a message from the Lord for her, and he asked her to come to his house tne following evenUL g' v sald od Jlacl shown to him that he was to be to her as ten husbands. She met him again and the offence alleged took place. Lind afterwards referred to the song of Solomon to show that a sister could also be a wife "under grace.'' She had a feeling of complete helplessness. Another girl, she who fell to the floor, stated accused told her God had shown him she was a second wife to him. She resisted and told him he was the devil. Medical evidence was called Dr ' Newlands stated it was a fair inference to draw that women, of the type' the female witness appeared to be (referring to the ecstatic hysteria described at the meetings) would be really incapable of ordinary resistance to improper interference, even if they realised the nature of the act attempted. 1 his would especially apply in the case of their pastor being the aggressor. Dr.JVlarshall Mac Donald stated that one girl Was not up to the normal mental standard, the third girl \~a s nervous and neurotic, and the second girl was deeply religious, though not exactjy " neurotic. Witness thoueht defir^+e hypnotism was not employed. _ The factors he deduced were: (1} Religious excitement; (2) the effect of an instruc tor who was alleged to have stated he brought a persona] message from God ; (3) suggestion from /man who was in the position of a special healer. The combined effect of these would tend to desfry/ the women's power of resistance. Accused reserved Ms defence and was commitetd for trial.