AIMEE “FAKED CURES”

Shannon News, 7 December 1926, Page 3

AIMEE “FAKED CURES”

BOSTON MINISTER'S U.HAKGES. % AMAZING CAREER OUTLINED. SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 12. Rev. Dr. Cortland Myers, unquestionably one of the most famous and forceful clergymen in the entire United Slates, who for twelve years was pastor of Tr'emont Temple in Boston, the largest and most noted Baptist church in America, made startling disclosures in connection with the rather remarkable career and activities of Aimee' Semple McPherson, the evangelist defendantiri the sensational conspiracy trial in Los Angeles. . ■ ' •(From bis own personal experience with this woman evangelist, Dr. Myers exposes her as a deliberate fake and as deliberate a fabricator. Boulia, where it was said that there "Mrs McPherson," began Dr. Myers, in opening an interview, "has shot to fame like a skyrocket. She has made more than a million dollars by preaching the four square gospel in l Los Angeles, and that sum will undoubtedly keep her from want. '

"At Angel us Temple she preaches to congregations of over 5000. ! She moves them as few preachers could. Her power to sway thousands is not to be disputed. , Story of Cures.

"You have heard, of course, of the startling cures she has accomplished in Angelus Temple—cures brought about by faith* and prayc.r. Well, I shall tell you tho story of these cures.

"Mind," Dr. s Myers cautioned, "I am the last'man, in the world to question the efficacy of prayer. L went to Angelus Temple to see Mrs McPhcrson perform one, of her cures Well, on > this occasion, two. blind women were* to be cured, and you may be. sure that I awaited events with a great deal of interest. "The two. women were led on the platform carefully, and taken to Mrs McPhcrson in full view of the entire, congregation. . Mrs McPherson began her exhortations, and then exclaimed, over and over again, 'You have been cured and you can sec; you can see.' ; "The entire congregation shouted aniens and hallelujahs. A grand ecstasy thrilled the great hall. And then-—! saw the two blind women walk across the platform quickly and by themselves, and with no hesitation descend the stairs to the floor. They could see. Startling Disclosures. "But the next day," continued Dr. Myers, "I made a startling discovery. Investigation disclosed the fact that the women were not blind at all. They admitted that nothing at all had happened, that they left the platform in exactly ■ the same condition as they had mounted it. They had been able to sec perfectly when they went up. "Well," Dr.. Myers laughed shortly, "the props were knocked from under me, and after some other experiences in the Temple I had no faith in the efficacy of Mrs Mcpherson's methods. "One night, some time ago, I listened to Mrs McPhcrson on the radio. She told of the grand and glorious I tour she had made of the States of the East Coast. Her tour was triumph after triumph, she being received with wild acclaim everywhere. 'And at last,' she cried, 'Tremont Temple, Boston.' "1 sat. down and wrote a little letter to Mrs McPhcrson and inquired about her speaking and the great, reception at. Tremont Temple, for I was pastor there, at the time of this glorious march of hers," smiled Dr. Myers. "It was a sharp blow to Mrs McPhcrson. What did she do? Well, she telephoned me, and telegraphed me, and then wrote to me. She was exceedingly alarmed. "She confessed that she had never spoken at Tremont Temple, confession, by the way, quite unnecessary—and pleaded and pleaded that she had never told such an untruth before, and never would gain. Would T please, please, forgive her?"