CURED BY FAITH

Hokitika Guardian, 16 November 1928, Page 5

CURED BY FAITH

A SILENT SINGER

BURSTS INTO SONG

HAWERA, Nov. 13

Most people could hardly believe their ears n't Hnwera Presbyterian Church to-day. when Airs A. J. Ching’s rich contralto voice burst into song, yet it was true, and the singer’s triumphant notes swelled above the choirs, to the amazement and delight of friends. The last time that Airs Ching attended St. John’s Church previously, and that was about a fortnight ago, she was obliged to remain sadly silent. Try as she would her vocal chords would not respond. AVlmt is more, modern doctors told her she would never sing again. Three years or more ago Airs Ching had been a richly talented singer. Faith has banished her impotence, and with it the dictum of materialism. Tn that acomplishment lies a story. Tongues are talking in wonder.

A handkerchief seems most irrelevant; yet the del irons desire of Arm Ching’s sister to possess “a little pink handkerchief” plays a strange part in the story. Sickness and suffering for a long period has been the lot of Airs Ching; to-day her husband, family and friends are delighted and amazed at the marked difference. Troubles accumulated about three years, when some aggravation of goitre resulted in Airs Ching losing her singing voice, while her ordinary speech was reduced to a little more than whispering. A severe form of influenza attacked Airs Ching about three weeks ago. A telegram came advising that a sister was seriously ill, and Airs Ching had been unable to visit the sister in AVellington. A day or two later another telegram showed her sister to be critically ill. and Airs Ching decided to go to Wellington despite her own illness.

In a low condition, AFre Ching’s sister had been hurried to the hospital for an urgent operation. Visits revealed that the patient desired “a pink handkerchief,” and that led to Mrs Ching, still very weak, hunting the shops of AVellington for such an article Pink borderings and colours were chosen in vain.

“A little pink handkerchief” was the delirious request, and nothing else would do. Search was continued by Airs Ching. While in Newtown an impulse beckoned the Hnwera lady to enter a small shop, and she instinctively did so. She found there the only pink handkerchiefs in the city, as.well as the way to possession of her own voice, long silent, her own health, and the recovery of her sister without the necessity for the impending operation. Tlie lady of the shop was attached to Pastor Jeffries’ mission of faith healing, and she told Airs Ching she believed she had come to the shop in. answer to prayer. She told Airs Ching that she and her sister would be cured.

A smiling lady at the mission door of the AVellington Winter Show Building welcomed Airs Ching with a handshake, and told her she would be cured, as many had been praying for her. Airs Ching believed it thoroughly, and joined in the singing preceding the service of Pastor Jeffries. Tn a little while Mrs Ching suddenly and simply burst into song, justified her faith, and amazed her nearby companions, who heard her voice above tlie throng. Tho glad news was passed around “Cured by Faith, without tho laying on of hands.”

“I felt calm and composed,” said Airs Cliing. “and I was filled with joy. There was not a tremor in my voice or my whole body. As I sang from the stage at the request of Pastor Jeffries my voice filled the huge building, and everybody was delighted at- the cure. AAlo. then sang “Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow.” I then addressed the gathering telling them of my experiences‘and sufferings.”