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Show i - ! HAND Of HIERARCHY DESCENDS ; UPON "DJV1NE" HEALER JAMES E. HALL i i ' Special to The Tribune. 1'KOVO.- July In It has been asserted by the Deserot News and preached In tho pulpit, and given out in interviews to Eastern papers and magazines, that the Mormons were the freest people on earth. But If there is any member of tho Smith church who thinks he Is a free man. let him attempt to go into any business that would conflict with the leading faker or , the band of twenty-six and he will soon learn to the contrary. A prominent man In Utah county has only recently been squelched by tho divine di-vine command of the "profit." Ills only offense was that he went among the sick and afflicted and did all in his power to alleviate tholr suffering. This man is James E. Hall of Springville. For many years he has been very active In administering admin-istering to the sick and his fame has reached to every nook and corner of Utah county, and even beyond tho county lines. 11 is said that Hall's presence at the bedside of sick people, who send for him to go to all parts of the State, has been known to give them courasc and was the means. In scores of enses, of restoring re-storing people to normal health, and it is asserted that real "miracles" have been performed by him. At any rate, Hall has become very popular among the faithful Latter-day saints as a divine healer of the sick. His method Is the common ono practiced by the elders of the church, of anointing with oil and confirming or sealing It by the laying on of hands. , Whenever It Is necessary, Hall will take off Ins coat and go to work on the pa-I pa-I Ment as a nurse, remaining for hours, sometimes all night and all day, If (he circumstancos require. The friends of Hnll say that whorever and whenever Micro Is found sickness and distress he Is tho first to respond nml will do all in his "power" to comfort and alleviate the trouble. He makes no charge for his services, but in many instances those who behove thoy have been benefited bene-fited or cured have Insisted on paying him for his time and trouble, the accopt-anco accopt-anco of which has Involved him in serious trouble. His ecclesiastical brethren have labored with him to desist; he has been told that it was in eontllet with the higher high-er authority and that he must emit the business unless delegated to cases by the bishop or high priest over him. The matter was brought to an issue Monday night and it Is generally understood under-stood that Hall was enjoined from further fur-ther practice as a "divine" or-spiritual healer. This was done at a special session ses-sion of the high council of Utah stake, held in the Fourth Ward mectlng-house In Provo on Monday evening, and which lasted until midnight. The slake presidency presi-dency and all the members of the high council, and one or two others known to be faithful, wero present at the meeting. meet-ing. .Just what was done or said at this meeting is only known by general rumor, us those who wero approached on the subject were very reticent and secretive. The fact of the matter Is. they acted as though they were ashamed to discuss r acknowledge that they took any part in tho proceedings. It fs generally known, howevor, that a complaint had been lodged with the high council by the heads of the church against James B. Hall for usurping usurp-ing the power of the priesthood not delegated dele-gated to him, thus Interfering with the duties and prerogatives of the bishops, counselors and those higher ln authority. author-ity. Hall Is a large, tine-looking man, and Is said to possess a wonderful amount of physical magnetism, and his presence in tho sick room is much sought after, especially espe-cially by the fair sex. and this may bo tie secret of Mie objections to his physical physi-cal anointments, which are charged in tho complaint with usurping the rights and privileges of men. higher In authority. Another version of the objections has been suggested, viz: Hall is becoming too popular with tho masses to suit "Profit" Smith and he Is fearful lest Hall shall In a short time receive the homage demanded by the pretendedly inspired in-spired leaders. At any rate. Hall has been ordered to stop the practice of healing the i skk by anointing with oil and laying on i of hands. |