FAITH-MEALING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 453, 18 March 1909, Page 2

FAITH-MEALING.

An Anglican conference on mental, spiritual, and faith-healing was held in London recently. Prebendary Peunefather presided, and according to the report in the Guardian, there was a long and interesting discussion. Mr J. M. Hickson, of the Society of Emmanuel, which was formed three years ago, and of which the vicepresident is Bishop Mylne, explained that the work they were trying to do was to revive in the church the gilt of healing. They were, he said, in sympathy with all kinds of healing. They recognised that the doctor was God’s instrument, but they urged the desirability of the doctor realising the fact a little more — not only to give medicine,, but to pray to God that it might be blessed. They wanted a more spiritual atmosphere around the patient. And that the nurse might not be afraid to kneel down and ask God’s blessing on the remedy they were administering. The Rev. C. O’Flaherty—who is also a qualified medical man —gave the gathering several instances of spiritual healing. These and other cases, he said, had naturally raised the question, What was the limit of healing ? From the religious point of view, they might say that healing depended on the faith of the patient and the doctor in the will of God: The Dean of Westminster said that people were constantly asking his opiniop on the matter. He was a believer iu healing by the Divine intervention and in the miracles worked at the shrine of Thomas a’Becket; but he doubted if the shrine were now thrown open if similar results would follow. He was perfectly prepared to believe in the things that had been alleged ; he was not sceptical, but it was their duly for the sake of the honour and credit of the Church of Christ, to proceed at least as carefully as the Roman Catholic authorities had doue iu the healing at gourdes. A very strong Commission was needed which would investigate and try to bring together , a sufficient amount of information to justify them in going forward. The conference eventually resolved that “ the time has come to form a Central Church Council for the consideration of questions connected with healing by spiritual means.”