Something like a Doctor,

Cromwell Argus, Volume I, Issue 38, 3 August 1870, Page 6

Something like a Doctor,

A NKW PHASB OP .SPIRITUALISM. A Dr Newton, who lias just arrived in England from, tho United States, and who claims to possess, through spiritual aid, power to heal the sick and afflicted, addressed audiences, and gave manifestations of las peculiar “gifts." The Liverpool Mercury says that tho doctor's hearers were all respectable-looking people, and many were persons occupying good positions in society. The doctor explained to his hearers that his great principle was love; that he loved everybody; that he had received his power to heal the sick from the Father, and through the angels ; tlut he was deficient in oratorical power, but. that that deficiency was supplied by the angels. He then went on to say ; “My power of healing is not limited. I can heal a multitude as easily as a few. I can do just as well on 5000 as on a small number. My dear brethren, I love you, and I say 'blessed are ye who ojjen your souls to receive the love principle. The power of healing which I possess is a magnetic power, and sometimes I do things that are perfectly astonishing. My secretary, Mr Watson, was for a long time perfectly blind. Last August I performed on him, and cured him almost instantly. I will now give you a specimen of my great power. I will cause a shock to pass from me, which will|be felt more or less by all present; and if anyone is in pain after it, let him come to me, and I will cure him." The doctor then stood up, extended his arms, threw back his head, closed his eyes, made a sudden start as if he were about to cast himself head-foremost into a river, raised his head again, and shook it in a manner which gave the impression that he had taken the plunge, had risen to the surface, and shaken his dripping hair off his face, and then, opening his eyes, took a general survey of the persons before him. This constituted the “ shock," which, however, made no vivid impression upon anyone. Selecting a man from amongst his audience, he exclaimed: “Thatpoor cripple is now healed of his lameness. You, my brother, had pain when you came in. Do you feel better!" The person addressed rose and replied that the pain from which he had been suffering when he entered the place was gone, whereupon the doctor invited him to step up to where he was standing. Seizing him by the hand, he put to him the following extraordinary questions:—“Do you love me? Do you love me ns a brother ?” The man replied in a subdued voice, we suppose to the satisfaction of his interrogator, who took his head into his hands, stroked his face, laid his head upon his breast, and kissed his forehead. Then placing one hand on his head, he raised the other, and said, in a very solemn manner: “In the name of the powers that be, I say, Disease, depart from thee." A gasp for breath, and a violent shaking of the.head with the eyes closed, accompanied by a sudden convulsion of the body, completed the charm. Then the former sufferer replied that he was quite better, walked quickly across the room without the aid of a stick, went through several twistings at the request,of his benefactor, and retired. A sturdylooking man with a strong northern accent, here rose and said, “ I tak’ exception to what ye say. Ye say all pain has left'tjhe people in this room. Noo, I have suffered for a long time, and feel nae better.” Dr Newton, addressing his hearers, said: “ You heard, my brothers and sisters ; the gentleman says he has suffered for a long time, and is now better.”—“ I beg your pardon. You misundertand me. I said I am nae better."—“Oh, will you step out? Do you love me?"—“I love all men.”—“ Do you love me as a brother ?" —“ I hope I love all men as brothers.” After this short dialogue, the doctor took his patient by the hand, and asked him from what he suffered. He replied, from rheumatism. Tho doctor then put him through one or two movements, and asked him to raise his arms above his head, but he exclaimed: “Icanna lift baith,” Dr Newton here complained that his patient talked too much : ho should only answer questions. The gentleman referred to evidently felt hurt by this observation, for he asked: “ Hoo can I without speaking ?” The doctor, dismissing the Scotchman, on his persisting that, notwithstanding the shock, he was “ nao better,’’ said : “My dear friends, this is a case of a very j>eculiar sort: this person has a very strong will ; he is very strong in his will principle. But yet it is one of these cases that gives me fortitude, and brings out the stronger tho power that I have. My dear

frioud, did you-believe I could euro you before you came up hero 1" The headstrong patient replied, “Certainly not!” and immediately foil into disgrace,; the wh do audience turning upon him a look of unutterable displeasure, which expressed plainly the impression loft by the man who would not lay his rheumatism at the feet of the spiritist.; Duping the morning and evening meetings from thirty to forty persona went up to bo healed of their diseases, and, with the exception of the case just named, all expressed themselves improved after receiving the “ shock." In the evening- a gentleman stated that a friend who sat near him, a Mr Ashley, was thought to be on his death-bed that morning from hemorrhage of the lungs, but, inconsequence of a visit from Dr Newton, be was enabled to walk a mile that afternoon, and was in comparatively good, health. The gentleman referred to corroborated the statement. He had not until Sunday left his room since December, except when removed once in a bath chair. The doctor intimated that he was going to London, but would return to Liverpool.® If he stopped there, he said, the would be so crowded that people woukl-'h®-unable to pass j it had been so wherever he had gone. He did not work for moneys but for love.