The Healing Art — A Discussion of Faith, Divine Healing

1903

The Occult in the Healing Art:
A Discussion of Faith, or Divine Healing, and Cognate Questions.

The following is a synopsis of a paper read before the Medical Society, convened at Shelby, Ohio, December 22, 1899, by Rev. John V. Potts:

The most complicated of all the sciences is that of The Healing Art. It comprehends all the forces of physical nature, enters the domain of the mind and concerns itself with the spiritual forces of the universe. It has been known in all historic ages and among all peoples, but has made the most marvelous advances among civilized nations in the last century. The deepest research and the most comprehensive, cultured and practical minds have been given to the development of the science of medicine. It has impelled the most earnest study of physical nature in its normal and in its abnormal states. Diseases are being traced to their sources as never before. The laboratory of nature is being assiduously opened and compelled to yield its curative elements for the help of man and beast. The hidden recesses of forest, field, rock, ocean and air are searched with the most scrutinizing care, in order that they may pay tribute to the life, longevity and happiness of man.

But in no historic age has charlatanism, quackery, deceit, fraud and imposition been so rampant as in this century. Empiricism is found in every school of medicine. The pretenders to medical skill are flooding the country with patent nostrums of the most infamous character. Conscienceless greed with the most acute use of chemistry is adulterating food, drink and medicines by wholesale and retail. If any one doubts this let him read the report of the dairy and food commissioner of Ohio. The same conditions prevail all over the United States. But the most dangerous of all these frauds now sweeping over the country is the occult delusion of "Faith Healing," "Divine Healing," healing by prayer, faith and the laying on of the hands, clairvoyance, magnetism, etc. It is the more dangerous because it appeals to the cupidity of man and to the religious element in his nature as well as the overmastering desire in every one to enjoy the blessing of good health. This artful deception has entered the pulpit and men in the garb of the sacred calling boldly and defiantly assert that the practice of medicine is a fraud, a denial of Divine power, that medicines should be thrown to the dogs and that drugs, doctors and devils are not only an alliteration in expression, but that they are equally from the same Satanic source.

The time was when the medical profession and the ministry looked on this movement with indifference, or viewed it with a quizzical eye. But with Mrs. Eddy, Dr. Dowie, Schlatter and a host of minor lights with their literature in the field, it has become too serious a question to be disposed of in that nonchalant manner.

The more serious inquiry is, how to successfully meet the issue? We have in this paper, a review or abstract of a recent work in manuscript, read with approval before the Medical Association of Crawford County, O., over one year ago, and by them thought worthy of publication. It seeks to thoroughly dispose of a whole brood of errors in a new medico-theological way, upon a scientific basis. The central point of attack and amplification are original and the monograph is full of statements, logically argued to a convincing conclusion. The author is a scientific theocrat and seems to have made a wide study of the subject from all points of view.

He states, for illustration, that all healing in its ultimatum is divine in its nature and character, but that the means to the end intervene. He makes concessions, but they only open the way for him to sweep away the foundations of the sophist on the so-called Divine Healing. Take the following paragraph: "There are five things necessary to Faith Healing. These are: 1. Knowledge. 2 Faith. 3. Obedience. 4. Humane remedial agents and agencies. 5. Occult contact, in order to the influx of life." Then he essays to amplify, illustrate and establish these points beyond successful controversy.

Two views of faith exist. One is that faith is the assent of the mind to a dogmatic statement. The other is that faith is the conviction of the mind arising from the presentation of the truth in such manner and in such measure as to gain the rational and willing assent of the human understanding. Our author asserts and demonstrates the latter view.

He disposes of the miracles of Christ after this fashion: "No Christian is disposed to deny the miracles of the Master. But it is manifest that He used remedial agents in every instance. In ignorance He taught the truth; in despair He imparted hope; in hunger He gave food; in paralysis He restored the wasted physical power; in blindness He removed the physical obstruction, and restored the optic nerve, and made the eye physically whole. For the deaf ear He removed the physical defect. The palsied limb was restored whole like as the other. He brought back the physical life to those He raised from the dead. He did not practice a pretense. To some He said, Go wash." This was hydropathy. For another, He made clay of earth and spittle. With this salve He anointed the eyes of the blind man. This was terrapathy. The woman touched the hem of His garment. Virtue or medicine went out of Him. This was magnetism. He had divine powers. All curative elements were at His command. He used them as they were needed. To mental diseases He applied mental remedies, to spiritual ailments He applied spiritual remedies, and to physical disorders He applied physical remedies.

God is consistent with Himself. He made nothing to ignore it. Everything in its own order and after its kind. James says, "Anoint with oil and pray." Both are enjoined. "Oil" is a synonym for "the proper remedy" in any given case. "Oil" here means medicine. Timothy was to take "a little wine for the stomach's sake." Luke was a physician and his calling was never interdicted.

Beyond the Pentecost and Paul, no evidence exists that miraculous powers were even perpetuated. He who would speak with tongues must study the languages. Those gifted in this direction become proficient in the mastery of language. Those who would understand theology must "study to show themselves approved of God," must "give attendance to reading," must "search the scriptures." Those who would have abundance of food must sow and cultivate and reap and garner, and not depend upon miraculous dispensations for food. Those who would have water must smite the earth with the spade, mattock and drill, or put the vessels in the rain to catch the falling showers, or find the rivers or the springs.

Those who would avoid disease must obey the mental, moral and physical laws; and the sick who would recover must use the means, the medicines, the appliances, the elements, be they mental, physical or spiritual, lying in the line of true faith healing.

The miracles simply foretoken the wonderful developments of scientific discovery and the unobstructed contact and intercommunion with the occult sphere. What Christ did by His mandate we must do by mastering and conforming to the forces of nature. What He did by His fiat in calling the curative elements from earth, air, water, animal, chemical and vegetable nature we must do in the laboratory and in true medical practice.

The object of the brochure is to carry conviction to the masses and save them from all these delusions; and to show that agriculture, commerce, law, medicine, pedagogics and theology are alike divine callings. These all have their commercial side, which should be subordinated, not to selfishness and greed of gain, but to the promotion of the best interests of the human races. The work is in short chapters, forcible and epigrammatic in style.

[The author is soliciting funds in this county to assist in the publication of this work. Prices: $1.50 and $1.00.]

—Bedford Gazette, Bedford, Pennsylvania, Feb. 6, 1903, p. 2.