THE REV J. A. DOWIE'S MISSION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 7920, 12 April 1887, Page 6

THE REV J. A. DOWIE'S MISSION.

The Eev. J. A. Dowie delivered the secor of his series of addresses on "Healii through Faith in Jesus " at the Choral He last evening. The eubjeot of his discour. was "The Gospel of Healing, and how came to preaoh it." He took as the basis < his romaiks Matthew viii., 1617, "Whc the even waa coine they brought unf Him many that were posseseed wit devils ; and Bβ oast out the spirits with H word, and healed' all that were sick—that might be fulfilled which was spoken b Esaias the prophet, saying. Himself took ov infirmities and bore our sicknesses." Tb speaker pointed out that the work of healin formed a large portion of Christ's ministry and of apostolio work, and that it cease to be found in the Christian Churo when it bedame overlaid with eupei stition, and degenerate through apostacj But since the Reformation the gifts of heal iug through the Divine Grace were bein restored. It was shown in the Acts of th Apostles that these powers were given am 'ised as attestations of a divine mission They were quite as much needed now in ; world where one thousand millions of it population were anti-Christian and heathen Various illustrations of healing were takei from Scripture, in order to show the dif ferent modes of healing, as well as th varying conditions of tho subjects; and th cases of the lepor, the centurion's servant Peter's mother-in-law, the two men whower possessed with devils were quoted as ii point. On these oases he built up an elabo rate argument in favour of the doctrine o Divine healing. The gospel of Christ was i gospel of healing, and if they believed tha He was the same yesterday, to-day, am for over, they would believe the old gospe now* Mr. Dowie then explained at lengtl how he came to be led to study the quea tion while combating Spiritualism ii Sydney, and refuting the absurditie perpetrated by a Spiritualist lecture who had visited this city. On removing to Victoria, the work had increaeec upon him. He gave aa an instance tho cast of a blind German girl, servant to Mrs. Birdmire, of Fitzroy, who had been blind from nine years of age till womanhood, and received her sight through believing faith. At one of his country miseions in Victoria a medical man stood up and eaid the statement was a blasphemous falsehood. He (Mr. Dowie) handed him a letter he had received from Mrs. Birdmire that day, and asked him to refer to her in tht matter. In five days he got back the letter, with the doctor's sompliments, but without a single remark. It was fair to say thai there were medical men who believed in Divine healing, and sent patients to him fo: teaching in this doctrine, among them Drs, MoiKtt and Robinson. There was recently an epidemic of typhoid in Melbourne, since he and Mrs. Dowie had loft, and a numhei of the cases were in Fitzroy, and near his Tabernacle. His stewards and members of hie church had been blessed in their work of healing duriDg that epidemic. Many had been affected, bat not one had died in the whole church. They had had no medicine or doctor, and £5 had not been spent in medical requirements. Further on in the mission he would read some interesting letters from his people with regard to this matter. Hβ referred to the case of Madame Pierre, wife of French Protestant pastor of Mentone, France, who had written to him respecting the International Conference on Healing, and asking an interest in his prayers that her special affliction might be removed. The c»3e was given as showing that it was not even necessary to come into contact with or see the patient. Her letter ivas made the subject of prayer. Allowing :or difference of time she was healed almost mmediately, and her own letter, expressive >f thankfulness to God for restored health, :roßsed by mail hie letter replying to ier communication. He claimed no power ;o heal, and never expected tb heal—the iitle Faith Healer in the papers was none )f his creation—but if used at any time jy the Almighty to bless his fellownen, then, like the apostles of old, ie would say, "Give God the glory. Uhere was but one healer, the Groat Healer. lu his opening address, he thanked the Auckland Press for having treated them ?ery differently to the majority of the Southern journals, and they had also to Shank those Southern journals which, from Deginning to close of the mission, had treated ;hem with fairness. But the mission did jot depend on what any man thought or said or did—condemned or praised—though ;hey were grateful for every sympathetic ;vord. Mrs. Dowie then delivered a brief address m "Four Years and a-half Experience in he Healing RoonV , narrating many mirscnous cures she had witnessed, among them ;hat of Miss Trickett, of Geeloug, of paraysie, who had been bedridden for years, and •iven up by the doctors as hopeless, jot who was now Biblewoman in a arge district in GeeloDg, which necesdtated her travelling many miles per veek. She also gave an interesting aclount of the miasion in thia colony, from invercargill to Auckland. To-morrow (Wedleaday) evening Mr. Dowie'a subject will be, ' Two Chains : Good and Evil," illuetrated >y a diagram ; and Mrs. Dowie will discourse ipon "Narratives of Healing Without Jurnaa Touch."