Demon Possession.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume XI, Issue 12, 1 June 1921, Page 285

Demon Possession.

1 1 -have been asked to write an article on this subject for a paper which is published m Johannesburg, the editor of which states that for many years he has had experience of cases of possession m South Africa, and I send a copy of what I' have written m. the hope that it may be printed m the u Gazette". I.— THE PACT OF POSSESSION. In spite of prejudice and unbelief, and of the usual explanations of psy^ chological phenomena given by the medical profession (as a body), the question, of demon possession as a fact m this twentieth century is becoming recognised more and more all over the world. ■ It is a question, and a fact, which as continually coming under the notice of missionaries m China, . Japan, India, Africa^ Melanesia, New Zealand, and elsewhere, and jt would be folly on the part of the Christian Church to refuse to recognise it and to deal with it as such. Dr. Nevins, for 40 years a missionary m China, m his book "Demonism and Allied Themes," has given detailed accounts of many cases among the Chinese treated with success; and another important book on

make life miserable even for their *)wn children. The absence of religion, and appreciation of lofty ideals, the utter lack of discipline m ninety per cent of such homes is' notorious. Is this the sort of training to which unfortunate orphans are to be condemned? Contrast this with the advantages of such a happy family life, refined, gentle, peaceful as we see an such a home, for example, as St. Hilda's! There are no happier children, no more affectionate children, loving, loveable, and loved- m New Zealand than those who, if we may say it, have the good fortune to be members of 'such a family under a matron, who loves them all individually, without favouritism, and exacts perfect discipline not by compulsion but by love. The Church will fight to the death for her undoubted right to care for Christ's (not the State's) children and bring them up as honest, moral, respectable and worthy citizens of both the earthly State and the Heavenly Kingdom. Mr Beck and Mr Parr will find themselves up against a solid phalanx of opposition from all who know the excellent work the orphanages are doing, and from those who have poured out their hearts and love to' these, poor children. Every Christian orphanage is a power for good m its neighborhood; an incentive to Christian charity and that mercy which is twice blessed — a blessing to both the givers and the receivers. . We flatly contradict most of Mr Beck's statements. 1. We admit that Russia, "a most enlightened country, ' ' has national- ' ised the children, not only orphans but others m order to train them all as Bolschevists. and keep them away from religious influences- 1 - but ,our knowledge of most enlightened .countries is limited. Britain, with its numerous orphanages, is apparently not one of them. 2. ' ' Private .enterprise . under the guise of benevolence"! What do our readers think of this ,as a description of our Home at Otahe? The children do not belong to the , infidel State that panders to immorality and excludes God from its schools;, they belong to Christ and we, the Christian brothers and sisters' r of the parents they have lost, justly claim ' to bring them up as Christ's children. 3. "Co-ordination of methods" is unnecessary — there are 'as many good methods as there are good people. We do not want orphanages to be run as factories m which standard machinery turns out standard screws to a.

standard gauge. Orphanages must be run on human lines, individuality must be encouraged, not (Brushed. We, ... do "not object to adequate supervision as to hygiene, etc., but we know what the State means by "co^bf dinar tion."> Vo v u can't run^an orphanlage as you fun a machine gun corps. As for after supervision, the tie -that binds the ex-orphan, to the matron,, who mothered him, and her to him/j. is -infinitely stronger than the fatherly supervision of the State , policeman ;■ the refining, influence of a happy orphanage under a refined' matron who does her work for, the love of Christ arid his little ones is infinitely better than the selfish m- ' .tere st or " enterprise ■ undejr the guise of benevolence" 'oi; %i foster parents who want to make as much as they can out of .their human farms. . ';•/'.:/ v .,