FAITH HEALING

Otago Witness, Issue 3584, 21 November 1922, Page 58

FAITH HEALING

DISCUSSER BY FRESBYTEIUAN ASSEMBLY. AUCKLAND, November 17. Faith healing was the subject of a report submitted to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church to-doy. Dr Ci'bb moved the adoption of the report, which stated that the marvels of modern medical and surgical science were as surely inspired by God’3 spirit as any method of healing dependent for its source on purely mental or spiritual agencies. There was no reason to question the reality of faith healing, at least in connection with those maladies with wiuen mental healing in all its forms seemed best fitted to cope. But, stated the report, the greater question remained. Was it to be credited that prayer of faith availed to heat those suffering from organic diseases, to restore sight to the really blind, hearing to the really deaf, or for that matter to bring the dead back to life again? Such results would be miracles in the true and full sense of the term. No evidence of an unquestionable sort had been submitted in f/upport of the contention, often enough made, that faith healing was really miracle working. The General Assembly, however, accepting, as it did, without question the miracles of the New Testament, believed that the power of God through the Church might at any time be displayed in miracles of healing, in answer to faith, but these two things ought to be carefully noted by all Christian people: (a) It was not God’s usual method of healing the sick: (b) always must the prayer of faith be conditioned by submission to the will of God. It was pointed out that the help of a wise and prudent minister of religion was welcomed by many, if not. most medical men; for these ministrations served to calm the mind of the sufferer, and by directing his faith to God helped in bringing about mental conditions favourable to an effective issue of the physician’s remedy. Was more than that desirable ?

The Assembly hesitated to approve of the suggestion that clergy and laity should be instructed, so that power to heal might be realised and that candidates for the ministry should be qualified by training in psychology and be given some acqaintance with the methods and principles of healing. At the very least all such efforts on the part of the Church should bo made in full cooperation with the medical profession. The Assembly rejected as altogether undesirable the idea that a minister of religion might in future lake the place of a physician at the bedside of the sick. The whole question demanded the serious consideration of the Church, and the Assembly trusted that such consideration would b® given to it both by its ministers and all thoughtful people. The report was adopted.