The Henson Journals
Tue 10 March 1925
Volume 38, Pages 244 to 245
[244]
Tuesday, March 10th, 1925.
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'What I am leading up to is this. Many spiritual healers are frankly superstitious, &, therefore, not to be encouraged; but there may be a non–superstitious way of bringing to bear religious belief applied in accordance with a knowledge of psychological mechanism which may produce results in some ways transcending those attainable by purely medical psychology. Medical psychologists will tell you that many of the cases they have to treat can only be cured in the last resort by giving the patient a new orientation towards life & ethics i.e. by something of the nature of a religion.
This makes me desiderate a via media between the superstitious statements of the Faith–healers, & the blank denial of the duty of the Christian minister (if properly qualified) to endeavour to make religion an active curative force – of course always in conjunction with skilled medical advice in all serious cases'.
Canon Streeter in a private letter addressed to me on March 9th, 1925.
[245] [symbol]
Although the theory of faith healing differs from the theory of Christian Science, and that again from the theories of mesmerism, hypnotism, and animal magnetism, there is one thing which is common to them all, namely, the power of "suggestion". And by suggestion is here meant the enforcing influence of an idea. Faith healing and Christian Science may be grouped under the term "religious suggestion". Mesmerism, animal magnetism, etc. are now commonly spoken of as "hypnotic suggestion". All are included under "mental healing".
Sir Henry Morris. Bart. In 1910.
I grow more indisposed to write daily: & the desire to read "grows with the eating". But time passes!
Clayton and I motored through driving snow to West Hartlepool, and there, in S. Paul's Church, I confirmed 183 persons. The service occupied an hour & a quarter. We returned after the service, & were home by 9.30 p.m.
Mrs Quirk arrived for a short visit. She looks thinner than formerly, or, it may be, that her black garments give that impression.
During the afternoon I walked round the Park with the dogs.