MISSION OF HEALING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18533, 18 October 1923, Page 11

MISSION OF HEALING.

MR. HICKSON AT GISBORNE.

MANY PEOPLE BENEFITED.

Vl THE ROAD TO RECOVERY."

[h? TELEGRAPH.—OWN CO RESPONDENT. J

GISEOENE, Wednesday.

There was a-sorrowful pageant of pain at tho opening of tho Spiritual Healing Mission' by Mr. J. M. Hickson, at the Holy Trinity Church this morning. While no grea't miracles seem to have been performed, 'the patients in almost every case went away with smiling faces and professed, to have received a groat spiritual uplift.' '

A visit to tho Parish Hall, which is used as a rest room, convoyed a powerful impression of hopefulness. The personality of the missioner was undoubtedly strongly present in the minds of the sufferers, but there seemed to bo a general realisation that as Mr.' Hickson had explained the hope of alleviation was not from any material source. The sight of so many people suffering from manifold diseases, and yet home up by tho belief in spiritual healing, was a touching and yet an, inspiring sight. .

Conversations with various patients failed to discover any instances in which an immediate and remarkable effect had followed the ceremony, but in a number of cases tho sufferers" declared themselves convinced that they had been started on the road to recovery. Several stated they had benefited after participating in the preparatory services. A child which had been partially par alysed for years was reported to have im proved wonderfully as the result of the preparatory services, and to bo growing quite strong. A girl, who had been deaf for years, suddenly turned to her companion at one of the services, exclaiming Isn't the music beautiful." The girl had never before heard the organ. Another case mentioned is that of a mother of a family who' at first attended the intercessory services in ' a wheel-chair, but whose health was influenced to such an extent that she walked to the church on the occasion of the final service. Other similar instances arc mentioned on good authority. The local, patients include. over 600 Europeans and about 150 Maoris.