A FAITH-HEALING EARL.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 793, 25 August 1916, Page 4

A FAITH-HEALING EARL.

The eighth Earl of Sandwich, who died ou June 2ti from pneumonia, after a brief illness of three days, was a firm believer in faith-healing. He claimed to have extraordinary powers of healing, and to have made many remarkable cures. In the course of a speech he made as chairman of a meeting held three years ago to inaugurate, a medicopsychological clinic in London he gave instances of serious cases of bodily and mental ill-health which he had successfully treated. "I have attended people in palaces, in cottages, in hospitals, and in homes," he said. "My patients have included a monk in his monastery, a Mohammedan in his.mosque, and a Hindu princess, who was brought 600 miles by her husband to see me. There are people who dub me lunatic, imposter, and liar, possibly, but that is a matter of indifference to me, as I know that pain has been alleviated and the sick healed. There are many who possess the power. I have been asked to explain it, but I have nothing to explain; I only know what happened.'' During the South African war he turned his country residence, Ilinehingbrooke, at Huntingdon, into a convalescent home, for wounded officers. "There was no doctor or nurse required," he said. "I was both doctor and nurse to the wounded men, and I was gratified at the success achieved." He gave evidence before the committee of medical men and clergymen which inquired into spiritual faith and mental healing, and in the course of his evidence he said he was unable to explain his power of healing, but he recognised it as a Divine gift. He acted on direction or intuition as to what eases ho should treat. The laying on of hands and prayer were the chief means he employed. He claimed to have effected cures in persons suffering from cancer, paralysis, sciatica, neuritis, and blindness. This committee in its report stated that Lord Sandwich was unwilling to furnish particulars of his cures, but maintained that they were indisputable, aud could be supported by the evidence of many people. Last year the Earl published a little book entitled "My Experiences in Spiritual Healing," in which he set forth his claim to healing powers, and gave some details of cases he had treated. One of his first patients was his butler, a man named Andrews. Andrews underwent an operation in a London hospital for a tumor on the spine. Lord Sandwich 'a footman, on returning from a hospital visit to the butler, told his master that the patient was in great agony. The Earl went to the hospital and saw Andrews. When he arrived the patient was not in pain, but after a few minutes' conversation Andrews said: "Oh, my Lord, this agony is coming on again—it is more than I can bear." The Earl declared, "No, Andrews, it is not; you are not going to have it again. Don't think about it. Let us talk of other things." The Earl began to talk to his butler about his school days. "He never had any more pain after my treatment." Lord Sandwich told a London meeting. The '. arl, who was in his 77th year when he died, was a bachelor. When a boy at Eton he was often taken to Windsor Castle to play with the Prince of Wales, who afterwards became King Edward. The two were close friends in after years, and when the Prince visited Canada and the United States in 18G0 Lord Sandwich was one of his suite.

Before succeeding to the title of Earl of Sandwich on the death of his father in 1884, he sat in the House of Commons as member for Huntingdon. His attendance in the House of Lords was infrequent, and lie was not faithful to party ties. He was a Conservative, but at the general election in 1900 he supported the Liberal candidate for South Huntingdonshire, in opposition to the candidature of his nephew, Mr George Charles Montagu, who now succeeds him as Earl of Sandwich. Mr Montagu established the farm settlement in Dorset which is known as The Little Commonwealth. Here boys and girls from 1-1 to 17 years who have been through the hands of the police are taught useful trades. The government of the settlement is in the hands of the boys and girls, who elect their own leaders.