FATHER MATHEW.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 17, 23 January 1891, Page 25

FATHER MATHEW.

(Temperance column of the Irith World.") The writer of the following statement is a Protestant gentleman— Dr. Barter of Blamey — whose hydropatic establishment of St. Anne'a is one of the best in the United Kingdom. This statement is the result of a conversation which 1 recently had with Dr. Barter as to the alleged power of working cures attribu'ed to Father Mathew, and in which the doctor mentioned such facts — which came under his notice in the summer of 1853 — as induced me to request that he would be good enough to reduce them to writing. This be willingly did, at the same time giving me permission to make the fullest use of hia name. The following is the document written by Dr. Barter, and bearing his signature : — " As a resident for months in my establishment, to which Father Mathew had come for the restoration of his health, I bad ample opportunity of studying his character and habits ; and well do I remember his unceasing labour in the cause of suffering humanity. "The crowds that came daily from distant pans of the country to seek his aid were legion ; yet to every one, from the highest to the lowest, he waa ever accessible and never seemed tired of doing good. I often remonstrated with him on the injnrv which must follow from sucb severe physical ami mental labour, but to no purpose ; his love for his fellowman and his goodness of heart banished from bis noble breast every selfish feeling and he disregarded my repeated warning?.

11 Several came to be cured of painful disease ; and I often witnessed great relief afforded by him to people suffering from various affections and in some cases I was satisfied that permanent good was effect*^ by his administration. Such satisfactory results, on so large a scaJrtoo, made him the mure earnest in his purpose and gave the recipient unbounded faith in his power : and the result, from such a favourable combination of circums ances, could not be otherwise than beneficial to the patient. Father Mathew possessed in a large degree tbe power of animal magnetism, and I believe that the paralytic affecion from which he suffered and which brought his valuable life to an untimely end was produced by an undue expenditure of this power. Hib nervous power was lowered by imparting his health and vigour to thousands. I have often seen injurious results from such a cause and have experienced them in my own pers »n. Ought not this to endear bis mem >ry ts us, and mom particularly to those who have received benefit from the exercise of his power ?" The doctor's theory is that the magnetic power controls and directß the nervous power, thereby substituting a healthy for a morbid action of the system. Upon this theory or principle — whether it be sound or erroneous I offer no opinion Dr. Barter accounts for what he himself witnessed duriDg a period of some months at his establishment in Blarney, and of which many others were equally cognisant. I valne hia testimony on this account — that it furnishes the evidence of an intelligent and unprejudiced witness as to the fact that, from whatever cause or through whatever means or agency, Father Mathew did afford relief to persons suffering from disease. From a long letter, overflowing with gratitude to the memory of Father Mathew, written by a man of good character and credibility, who states that he had received his education in the school which his benefactor had established shortly after he commenced his mission in Cork, I extract the following passage, merely adding that I know the writer to be that which I have represented him :— " 1 could tell you of people that be cured, only it would occupy too long, but I can tell you what happened to myself. My eyes got very bad, and I was afraid I was going to lose my sight entirely, which would have brought me to ruin. I was obliged to stay away from my business in the market I became so blind, so I said 1 would go over to Cove street and see his reverence, which I did. I was so bad that I got a boy to lead me in the streets. Fatner Ma'bew was there before me, and was glad to see me and shook hinds with me, as he always did ; he was kind to simple and gentle, and there was no sort of pride in him at all. So I told him how bad I was, and sure he saw that, for he asked me how did I get so bad. 1 knelt down, and he prayed for me and put his hand on my head, and made the sign of the cross on my eyes, and he said it wouldn't signify, and that I would be well shortly ; and sure I was for I walked home withom the boy helping me and I was as well as ever that day. I brought my wife to him another day and he cured her of a sore bosom, as"all the n ighbours know." Not only were thosa afflicted with boiily ailments brought to him, but those likewise who suffered from mental infirmity. A^youn ; man was being taken by his friends to tbe Lunatic Asylum of Cork, and the treatment which he received at their hands was not such as to improve bis condition. Bound on a car, his limbs tied with cords, and his head exposed to the lays of a fierce sun, he was thus being conveyed to 'he asylum, when the conductors conceived the idea of first taking him to Father Mathew. The idea was fortunately acted upon, and they turned the horse's he*d towards Lebenagh. Father Mathew's heart was filled with compission at the spectacle of a human being bound like a wild beast, uttering strange cries, and foaming at the mouth. He spoke to him kindly and genHy, and thus soothed his chafod spuit ; and he then desired his friends to loose the cords that bound him and to protect his head from the sun. Tbe effect of the kind voic, the gentle words, and the soothing touch was marvelous upon the patient, who hid suff -red violent paroxysms sbor ly btfore. The poor fellow recognisul Father Mathew, in whose power to serve him he seemed to h ive confi ience, and he promised that if he were brought home he would do everything that he was asked to do ; and upon Father Mathew's intercession he was brought back, instead of being placed in tbe Asylum. In a month alterwaids a fine, handsome young man, well riresset ani well ramnered, came to Lehenagh to return thanks for " what he had done for him." Another case which I shall mention wa9 that of a young girl from Macroom, who was brought to him by her parents, who were afraid tbat she would die of starvation, us she had obstinately refused to eat an> thing for a number of days or co uttter a single word. Her bead was seriously ffected arid ah • coul i not sleep. She w<s taken three times to Father Mathew Through the first visit some good was efftcted, and utter the t,,ird visit she was perfectly restored to her natural appetite and sleep. Before she left Lehenagh she ato and drank what was offjied to her and spoke ratiocally and without reluctance. Another girl, whose han Is were tightly clenched, Pnd the nails of whose tinners were buried in the flesh of her palms, was also brought to him by her parents. For weeks she had been in that condition ; aud though tbe physicians who had been consulted endeavoured to open her hands, thry trie! in vain. " Allow me my dear," said Father Uathew, in his winning voice ; and taking — t_r _ar.d in his, and gently unlocking and e-vleudiug her lingers, he brought it into its natural form This was a cas» of pure hysteria affecting the limbs, buch as is frequently seen in the hospitals. Cases such as these — which will be account d for ia various • aays— confirmed the people in the b-lief in his power to cure. a**Vrjen he was asked by members of his family, or by his more intimate friends, how he coul i himself account for some cures which were too patent to be denied or uoubted, his invariable reply was " It is fai'h- the great faith of the people." To Father Mathew's own words, spoken in Dublin in the year 18-10, I would refer the reader— tho^e words bein» an authejtic exposition of his ideas and feelings on this delicate subject. T shall conclude my allusion to it with the mention of au

appropriate fact— that iv accordanoe with the time-honoured custom of praying at the graves of holy men who bad been remarkable for the sanctity of their lives, numbers of people— most of them afflicted with ailments of various kinds— constantly come to pray at the tomb of Theobald Mathew. The sexton of the cemetery relate! many instances of relief being obtained or cures being effected through visits to his grave. One thing is certain— that people who entered as cripples supported by crutches have left their crutches inside the ruling of the tomb and returned without aid or assistance to tlmr homes. Votive offerings of this description have been frequently found id the sama place, but have been invariably removed by order of the clergyman to whom the charge of the cemetery belo -gs. I mention the fact of such visits being made aad of such testimonies being offered by pilgrims to the tomb of Father Mathew ab an evidence of that belief in his holiness and sanctity which exists— and which, no doubt will long continue to exist— in the minds of a grateful and religious people.