The Need For Miracles

NZ Truth, Issue 818, 16 July 1921, Page 1

The Need For Miracles

The Wellington Diocesan Synod has sent greetings to Rataha, the Maori "Miracle 7 Man," and passed a resolution praying-for the continued succeos of his work. Whether the mod-era Church has faith m miracles is a moot .point, but it certainly appears to be envious of the success that Ratana is meeting with m the faith-healing line. History, right down throughout the ages, shows that a few f.a.q. miracles are the best things out for bringing about a revival of faith, amongst the peoples, and as all the churches today are ■ Suffering from' a want of "spirituality," it would, after all, be bad business to throw cold water on the startling • stunts' RAtana seems to be pulling oft!. The Maori himself claims divine dispensation for the cures^he is affecting, and says that the secret of ihis powers is "faith"— a personal faith In the Triune God. The>ljioman Catholic Church has had for years a great emotional asset and fount 1 of "spirituality" m the miraculous properties attributed to Lourdes m France. /Devout and believers, who can apparently approach that sacred spot ■with an all-sufficing faith that moves mountains, undoubtedly achieve a temporary, if not permanent, issue from their bodily afflictions. ' Praps the §ynod thinks that it is high time Episcopalians took another leaf out of the book of Mother Church. Ratana, It (would seem, goes ' one better than the French shrine. He Is by ■way of "being a . perambulating Lourdes. He pursues a peripatetic , course about the qountry, surrounded by -his .converts and followers, and seems to be meeting with astonishing success as a healer. The Roman Catholic ChurcH has (if we may, "Without irreverence, use the word) exploited Lourdes to great advantage—ton a (smaller scale, the Anglican Church m New Zealand, by giving the glad hand to Ratana, together with its imprimatur hopes to benefit Jn the same way. , In other words; "It pays to .advertise." v