THE FASTING CURE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 52, 25 November 1907, Page 5

THE FASTING CURE.

KKI'LY TO DR. BAKEWELL. SCIENCE v. EXPERIENCE. (BY TELEGRAriI— SPECIAL CORHESrONt)EXT.) Auckland, November 23. Mr. Lloyd Jones, of Wangnnui, writes to the'"Herald " in reply to.Dr. Bakewell's sceptical remarks. Ho also advances a new theory regarding the fasting cure. He says: " I think Dr. Bakcwoll is unnecessarily olfensivp. in his suggestions of fraud, and falsehood in the. Wanganui fasting cases. The. evidence of a person who has seen a thing done, or says iie has done it, 'is hotter than the evidence of twenty persons who say they have, not seen the thing clone, and do not believe, it possible. It matters very little whether Dr. liakewell believes in the truth and possibility of these fasts, but it docs matter a good deal whether his writings will frighten some persons from embracing a sure and certain method of health reform.. It may be quite true that prolonged fasting contradicts all the. teachings of science, Wo it is not the iirst time that the, teachings of science have been found to be wrong. The science of its day once maintained that the earth was flat. I can assure Dr. Bnkewell from my. own knowledge that at all events a fast of ten days is no miracle, and I can also assure him that if he will essay to prove the matter for himself ho will end by agreeing with rno. Let him try a fast of two or throo da,ys. , There could be no possible clanger about it. Food would always oc within reach and starvation is a gradual process, not a sudden one. He would then lind that he could do a longer fast with safety. Thorc is one important factor in connection with, fasting that -has not yet been mentioned, and that is the operation of the mind. Persons who die of so-called starvation' do not die because of the absence of food, but bccausD of fear. . We have all been trained iiv the thought that: three meals a day are an absolute necessity, and that a ton days' abstinence from food would cause death. The result is tnafc'/if a person- is Accidentally deprived of foocWor much beyond the ordinary time ho fancies himself weak, and .'owing to the fear in his mind actually becomes, weak, and dies. Those who have learnt/better would not die.'under such urcunistances, a;i.l would suffer littlo or no inconvenience, sftvays provided water were obtainable. 1 would strongly urge' Dr. Bake-well-to read Dr. Dewey's, Mr. Haskell's, and Mr.; Shaw's books. There is an amount of testimony in them that surely must appeal to: Him and lead him to think that his* previous beliefs may have been wrong. I grant that until one has read these books long fasting/owing (o our previous teaching on the subject, does seem unbelievable. When t first read'the books I had difficulty in believing them,. b.niPaftcr a.while I put the matter to the test, and I found that the new teaching was true. I have no hesitation in'saying that, had I been as sceptical as Dr. Bakcwell, I should' have" lost tho best thing that has ever come into my life.- Air. Jlowat and Mr. Clark thoroughly endorse this statement : as regards themselves. AVhat possible object is there for fraud or deception? Wo are not professional faste'rs. Wo have, merely fasted tor our own bonofit, and. having fouiid what wonderful-benefits are to be obtained by cms simple and easy means we are only anxious that, other sufferers should know about it. otherwise the matter would never have been mentioned. Mr. Clark was suffering trom nervous- prostration, which his doctors told him; would take at least two years to curj. Of course, Dr. Bakewell is aware that nervous prostration often does require a much longer timo. than two years. If ho , does'not beliovo iii -Mr. Clark's fast, how would :ie account for his complete restoration to health in twenty-six days? . Since- this discussion commcuced I have received many letters from nil parts of Now Zealand asking for information'as to the Dewey fasting system. This shows, that there arc ninny persons seeking health which they cannot find according to tho tcachinps of ther- books on tho subject, 't, is waiting for all of thorn if.:thny, will,/only: n.dript truo: scientific living! and-.I 'firmly, believe that to be true."