“THE MIRACLE MAN."

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160812, 20 November 1920, Page 11

“THE MIRACLE MAN."

ALLEGED CUBES AT EATANA INTEREST AROUSED. The publication in last night’s “Herald” of the reported wonderful cures at Eatana, near Turakina, which have been effected by Divine power, has aroused considerable interest, and Tabu Eatana, “The Miracle Man,” is very much in the idm© light just now. There are naturally many who' are sceptical of the whole business, but the Maoris maintain' that they have been cured as a result of faith in Divine power to heal, and that if the same amount of faith was exercised now as in the days of the new dispensation faith healing would not he unique. It may, of course, he argued that Maoris are exceedingly impressionable, and their feelings can be worked on very easily and effectively. For instance, if a person meets a Maori and remarks: “My word you do look sack; I believe you are going to die,” the effect often is to make them seriously ill, and perhaps to die. May not, then, the application of the same principle, or suggestion, have the opposite; effect on a sick native; Suggest he or she is going to be cured by faith',, and the desired results will bo achieved.

A striking case ’ mentioned to N our travelling reporter was that of a girl who had been seven months in the New Plymouth Hospital and' live months in the Patea ,Hospital suffering from a bad leg. Operations hod been unsuccessfully performed upon hex*, and as a last resource the Maori girl’s mother brought her afflicted daughter to Tahu Eatana, • with the result that iu two days she returned home quite cured, And is now walking about.

TE KUITI NATIVES CUBED. PHYSCHO SUGGESTION ALLEGED. Our reporter, in his statement of the cures, as presented to him yesterday, and published in our late edition lasievening, mentioned that about' sixty natives from the. King Country and other parts had returned to,their homes after two days’ pilgrimage at Katana quite cured of the ailments with which they had been trpubled. It appears that some of those cured Maoris live in the Te Kuiti district, and as they were known to have left their hapus in a very sick and helpless condition aifd returned after two or three days’ absence apparently quite cured, it is quite obvious that the wonderful works of. the Katana "Miracle Man” would cause great excitement, particularly as Tahu Katana had emphasised the need for casting aside for ever the principles of Tohungaism and placing all their faith in God without ceremony or ritual. It is stated that a well-known native of Te Kuiti left the .King Country township on crutches that he had continuously " used for the last twelve months. Katana by psyche suggestion, it is asserted, at Te Kuiti, effected a wonderful cute, and now the man is walking tbe streets of To Kuiti in perfect health for one of his ago. Another Te Kuiti example is that of a native named Kami Puri, a very well-known local -identity, who has been on crutches for years. He visited Tahu Katana and the following is said to have taken place: Tahu; What? A man with four legs? - Throw them away and inn to the house there! 1 And Hand Puri ran. He is now walking the streets of Te Kuiti’in quite gcodyhealth. One pleasing feature about tbe faith healer’s operations is that ho hospitably entertains and teaches his sick visitors without payment of any kind; and he has refused many offers from cured patients of £25, .£SO and £IOO towards the erection of his new church now in course of erection.

Tahu Eatana, as - stated yesterday, strongly objects to be classed as a prophet. The large dining room -which he had erected for the crowds of visitors is a model room as far as Maoris are concerned. It is lighted by acetylene gas and well ventilated. Instead of, as is usually the case, Maoris squatting on the ground to partake of meals, they, are placed at long tables, covered with oil cloth, running almost the full length of the building. Plenty of nice clean crockery is provided, and knives and forks are nsed instead of fingers. No meal is partaken of without grace. It will be seen from the foregoing that Tahu Wiremu Eatana, hy making such adequate provision for the comfort of his guests, and refusing offers of payment, all suspicion of taking up_ the work he is now engaged in tor gain is entirely removed. ■ ' " Whether the cures effected are permanent ones remain to be seen. At the same time Tahu Eata.ua by preaching- against Tohungadsm and raise gods is doing no harm.