MIRACLES FOR SALE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11307, 28 December 1898, Page 2

MIRACLES FOR SALE.

" CHRISTIAN SCIENCE."

(From . Ora. Qw Cpbkespondent. )

LONDON, November 4. A singularly sa<Tcase of a valuable life and a ,'gifted personality being sacrificed to the. grossest superstition and canting humbug-is* at present' under judicial investigation. "■; '' ; . Air Harold Frederic, tho well-known writer,, , ."jvaa suffering from severe.illness, and he had, , a complication of serious-internal complaints, nwding highly skilled medical treatment.' Tliia he did uot'obtain, and owing to its ab-. sence ho ultimately, tiled,. liis death being proved to have , been caused by the grossest neglect, regarding the case from a medical. View-point. Instead of-proper medical attendance and nursing, he.enjoyed the "in* fluenuc '■' of certain 'so-called " Christian Scientists," who kept miracles always '■ on: tap,"' and; claimed to: ber able to work' cures through their own special • private influenoa < "with the Deity; for the exercise of this iriflwnice they required to be pretty smartly; : As the case developed itself before, the eoio- . ncr, various peculiar collateral facts came out. A certain Miss Lyon admitted that'she had lived with Sir Frederic.for about six years. $he was known as Mr 3 i'rederie in the rioigh-■■• bourhood, but said she "could not remember ' having told anyone that she-' was married ta . Mr Frederic, who, by\ the way, had a wife living elsewhere." Miss Lyon appeared to have'been aiithorised by him to sign cheques ; and: draw money generally, and she had an in- ' tcrest in Mr Frederic's Will. Under her guardianship the'unfortunate man appears 16: have come' under "the domination of thesis soY called " Christian Scientists." Sir Frfederie' himself does not seem to have believed in them in.'the smallest degree; in fact, hieia stated to have employed .on several occasions excessively strong adjectives to them and their ways, these adjectives being usually. strengthened by prefixes beginning with the letter " D." Nevertheless, by degrees, the doctors wlio originally attended him, were got rid of and their place taken by various repre- ■ sentatives of the canting erew> Miss Lyon admitted, in cross-eiaimnauon, ' chat slie had paid large sums of Mr Frederic's to these " Christian Scientist " people; that she received a letter from one of the doctorswarning her of the grave consequences that might onsue to her if Mr Predenc died during the "Christian Science" treatment; that, although Mr Frederic-was only allowed to have liquid'- or easily-digested food, and no alcohol, ho woe permitted iy. her to have all sorts of undesirable eatables, including,garlic! sausage's, and to drink champagne, it being remarked that " diet does riot mapterto Chris-,-, tian-'Scientists." It was proved that Miss, Lyou always went on the assumption that Mr Frederic was not ill at all: His friends tried: . their utmost to get him out of the hands of tho humbugs; but'were always foiled J>y the ■ingenuity employed by tho other sidi. His daughter gave evidence that'he had aiwaya. ' expressed to her the most utter" disbelief iß:< the " Christian Scientists,'' and thorough con-" tempt for them and their works.' But Ito-WJ*; evidently under the influence of a strong**;' . will, ».nd'Bp 'subin'it-ted to'Hheirtomfdolorietfj. The .doctors stated emphatically, tlia£ Jir.Fre-:,-. deric's complaint wijs quite easily curable' under proper, treatment, and'that, humanly; ■ ;spe»!dng, he most certainly would tw re-, covered if ho had. received proper mediciU aid. When Dr Boyd called to see Mr jFeiv-' deric "as a. medical friend," tho latter begge& him Sot-to desert him, and : leave, nan ■',*#,, ," GhrietiaacScienee' ■ ■ : treatment., Br ; , - .berger. said that Miss Lyon.. persisted vi giv« ; ing cigars to Mr Frederic, notwithstanding his (tho doctor's) earnest protests. Dr Murray, of-Charing- Cross Hospital, was to-haveseeni Mi Frederic, but Miss Lyon refused to permit , this until it-was arranged as..a compromise that no'medicine was to be given to the paj lien't: Dr Boyd saw bin* at that time, and. found hia-•temperature 'over 10*, and facial, paralysis was'setting in. He then warned ;Vlrs Mills, the-" Christian Science " operator, . and Miss Lyon that Mr Frederic would dioif those methods were persisted' in. It was without avail, however, and the patient died; ' One of the most interesting features oP the inquiry was the examination of Mrs Mills; tho " Christian Science "healer." She said she never asked for a diagnosis of the disease of her patients, and made nb inquiries' as: to;. what they might be suffering from. .. .' ..: How much money did ycii get for attending iir U'recieric'/— £14* or £16, in . sums of £2 or £a,:as Airs.Frederic hail il< , " .-..,- - i'pu never-took cheques V'—Xo. . ■■ ■ , Ai-o cheques contrary to Christian science nuea i'—uh," no.—(Laugnier.) We receive, what thoy give U3. Soraetinie3 they don't give Ufl . aajjlung, and wo xocoive it just tho same, ioc docl takes care of us.—(Laughter.) _ _. .'. -. Have you a banking account?— JNo. - Sumcieut for the day is ihe evil thereof/ 1 live '"ion mean- " Sufficient for She day is .the. balance thereof."—daughter.) How .many patients have you had?-Abouta hundred. .-. - ■ One patient pays you £15. .Did the other -.99 : cry make up the remainder, of the £100 t-x . Homo have a belief they cannot .pay.-;",. And a"' .very comfortable belief, coo.—(He- ■ newed Uughtcr.)-It ia only a belief. [ .God'schild has always■ plenty.-. .Poverty >s only a, bei'ei, ior G-od's child is not poor. : Do you truot God for everything?-— les, ioi , everything. Hois all- in ail.. .-, ,■'.■' ' '.. •: Than why did you instruct, counsel here to- .■ Lawless! Oh, I am only here to see thai , shs gets fair play.—(Laughter.) .-.': •■■ i■ • Mr Griffith: Won't God .get. you .fair- pla> without counsel?— Yes; I trust in Hun. .:. • As I understand, your "cure' is mental/-r Alt is mental, and God is mind. ■ ; You do not attend patients at the same time as doctors?-It would not bo honest. You apply the" absent treatment. bupposevou were applying that treatment, and doctors were also attending the patient, could they receive the benefit oi it. Would: the: treat; meat have any valid effect?-! leave that to G°^ou don't concern yourself with results ti'iie TMiilts are always good when we depend "^■Ucttfcrc all your results are goofr-TUT m\nd bthcrcfore all your patients have been cured:'—l'have not lost any patients. Do yon believe there is such a thing as deaths-There is no death, for God is-We. -• And therefore your patients don't dic?-rhcre ISsi tlmt 'your patients are equally ■. c"J e o f, ■whether they live or.aie?—Death is atbehefthaj is to be overcome.- " ■ ' ■•■ ,: J '-~ .- ■ Is your, euro affected by the unfortunate belief of your .pationt that he is. dead Z-C&aughter)...-. Jesus said if wo believe in. Him we shall never ; S"'vou~:ire an instrument, as it were, which Jesus Christ has in order to effecti.a cureC-i. am »-willing, channel for- .truth. - : T.he patwnf.. m ,,st understanu God's power find truth .. Thou the patient cures h-imsolf ?—« ».troa joe-J the healing. ■ ~T ~ r , what Where do you come in ?-(Laughter.; Wnal ao you do?—I instruct them. ; , _ May I ask does it make any difleronce to J.oui euros'to apply thorn in a household such as waj 'at this plabe.ot Mr Fredcric'e? vWe.dont gcj ■ to-aaiuti),-wo So-to-sinners- : ■,v ,■ ■- ~ ■ AIJ tliis pitiful and bUispnemous irapibug.; resolved itaolf, it will be seen, into tho simple, .ilWjftion of £s. di The patient was. hum- • lulled at ao much per, doso;'.'if he, in tn« find, did seem to die. his death was, m appearance, only to tho'carnal eye, a«;to the eye ol faith the patient was -still hying. Anyone possessing oven the smallest amount of revoTonce or respect for tru«i sonerally could .not read Of the account of thw case without a Jeol, ing oC tho deepest diw'iii'.andl indignation . s November .1.1. . One stage has at'ls*!, been reached iv fcli« investigations as to,the.«x,tni.ordinaryoiroumslaunfis alteniUuß the lamented death.oE Mr Harold Frederic, the eminent wnter, -to, which I i-eierrod at some length last week. : ■, A versiict of manslauft'ntor haa-bcoii brougni; in airainst Miss liy.qn and Mrs Mills. . honfiu people refer to tho caso as otio oi ' ■ .;ii» k grossest superetition." I cannot see it-in tlm1. light. Miss li.yon had a substantial intcrefj iti Mi- Frcdoric's will. On his deatli slip wouk: enjoy it. By prevohiihi; his harini? _tri«Jj«pl. assistance, in tho face of eolemn warning. n>.»« f that courso would prove fatal. sh'o'.ntrenJJy. Drocnfcd his doath. Mrs Mills, t who liberally paKi for h'nr 'absurd murr\bo-ji;i?;u<' antics, , was manifestly *" accomplice. T!;^ is the position as it F.vril-r-3 n»o. 4ad. I °arne«JW . hopo 'liat an oxouiplarj" jMjuiiftuwmi? w«JJ dS(» courago such practicofi X6r..tlv* fK-'r-'" v■.;'." :.:■■■': ■Rodr-Uffo Ctom.Chtytvia^t s:id chcop.oat iron.-<*j*%c flw*-*'I*-"1 *-" *- '^ ... ; :