CHRISTIAN HEALING.

Shannon News, 18 September 1923, Page 3

CHRISTIAN HEALING.

MR. J. M. HICKSON ARRIVES. "I CLAIM NO POWER." Mr J. M. Hickson, whose "healing mission" to Australia, just concluded, aroused such remarkable interest, arrived on Monday by the Niagara from Sydney. He will rest for the remainder of the month, and his New Zealand mission will begin at Auckland on October 1, extending to Hamilton. Rotorua, Gisborne, Napier, Palmerston North and Wellington in the North, and Nelson, Christchurch, Timaru, Dunedin and Greymouth in tfce South. “My mission in Australia was very successful, and I am happy to be her# to see what further good I can accomplish," said Mr Hickson to an Auckland "Star" representative. “Apart from the great spiritual unlift the mission has given to the Christian churches, there have also been many physical cures of chronic and organic disease. I hope the same results will attend the mission in New Zealand. NOT ONLY PHYSICAL.

“I do not want the people to think this is simply a mission for effecting physical cures,” explained Mr Hickson. ‘Physical healing has its place in the work; but what I am trying 1o do is to revive in the Church that part ol it*? ministry, which is not only Uif healing of the body, but, primarily, the . healing of the soul. I consider that the Church’s ministry without the ministry of healing is incomplete —just as our'Lord’s ministry would have been incomplete without the healing of the body. But although physical healing had its part in Our Lord’s ministry, it did not take first place. His great work was to redeem mankind and to save them for the Kingdom of Heaven. Thosg seeking healing for their bodies must come to our healing services in the right spirit 1 with the desire not only that they may be healed of physical infirmity but that tlmy may amend their lives. Our Lord’s healing was to make whole and give *a' perfect soundness,’ and His ideal lor His children, as the Great Physician, was not only health of body -and mind 1 , but also a clean and pure soul. THE ONE GREAT HEALER.

‘‘The ’secular Press of the world has been wonderful in its help and in guiding thought in this matter, . and it has the great advantage of being able 1 o reach the man in the street, the man who does not go to church and v.bo could hardly be reached through any other avenue but the Press.” Asked concerning criticism on the part of a) certain section of the Australian Press, Mr Hickson said he would make no comment. Every man who came into public life had to endure such criticism, and if he had worried about it—well, he wouldn’t have been able to get on with the joW. “Can you quote me a few outstanding instances of cures at your healing services in Australia?” asked the interviewer.

“I do not care to do so, as I do not want to enlarge, particularly on the body healing aspect of the mission,” replied .Mr Hickson. “But cures have been too numerous for me to select any examples. I want to emphasise that this is a Christian movement, and I do not think people who come forward only for bodily cure and without the proper spirit, will benefit much. I hope all communions will combine and work as brothers at thesendees,” he added, after explaining that he had come to New Zealand at the invitation of the Anglican bishops.

“I claim no power for myself in this work of healing,” concluded this remarkable visitor. “My one thought and desire is to help people to realise that there is but one Great Healer, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and it is to Him and to Him alone, we must look for health and happiness.”