MILNER STEPHEN OUTDONE.

Mataura Ensign, Volume 7, Issue 356, 13 May 1884, Page 5

MI LNER STEPHEN OUTDONE.

An extraordinary novelty lias lately been introuduced into a religious of-" pr.uiisation, the Christian Crusaders,' who hold forth in Adelaide. The ad-' rlitional excitement is in the shape of an individual named Wood, who alleges that he has received commission ; from the Diety to heal sick, to niake lame walk, by laying on of his hands. I Hia modus opercmdi is ' somewhat peculiar. After the service, which is | of Salvation Army character, is concluded, Wood retires to a private room, and people of every Beet and condition are requested by Eeverend Turnbull, who acts as Wood's aide-de-camp, to ascend the platform. Immediately a long procession file up and testify to 1 cures which have been performed upon them. This feature being over, persons among the audience who suppose themselves suffering from diseases come up and are ordered into Wood's room. There the gifted one works them up to a high pitch of religious excitement and while they are in this condition Wood starts i a prayer, places his hand on the patient's heacj, strokes him or her down the body to tbj? feet, and says , the person is cured, that the devil who • had previously taken 'up his abode in the patient's body has made its exit. It was stated at the meeting that he - had already operated upon fa and had cured her of an ulcer in the t throat. The directress of a hydropathic ■> establishment affirmed she had been l absolutely cured of heart disease, from i which she had suffered 20 years j while . another interesting creature, s\ negro, L said he had been cured of severe acute i disease^but he had become angry and j lost his temper with another fellow, and

' the disease returned ! He had played to the Lord to heal him once more, but so far without success. In the evening, however, he saw Wood, and Wood w**s merciful and stroked him down, and the complaint lapsed into the intinito. ■