_The mind cure_, falsely so called, is perhaps, the most subtile humbug of the day. While it contains some truth in small homeopathic doses, its heavy coating is profound deception. Its assumptions in the main, are false. Without going into a thorough analysis of this science, falsely so called, we proceed to notice what little truth it contains. It is a well-known fact to the learned, that the _mind_, has a marvelous power over all of our physical nature. Many have been made sick, by simple imagination. In times of pestilence, doubtless, one of the greatest means of spreading the disease, has been, the imagination. History tells us that men condemned to death have been given over to physicians in order to test the power of the mind over matter; and in many cases death was the result, where the patient was not harmed in any way, but simply made to believe that a vein had been opened in their arm, and that they were slowly, but surely bleeding to death. Thirty years since, I was living in western N. Y. In the place Spiritualism was running high. A canal boat stopped, a man on board they thought had the cholera, they sent for a doctor. A spirit-medium near by heard the request, and without being asked, stepped aboard the boat, and went into the cabin where lay the sick man. The medium commenced about this kind of talk, “What are you laying here for you lazy fellow? get up, and go out on deck, or you will die sure,” assuring him there was nothing the matter of him. He continued this kind of talk--would pull and haul the fellow, and finally succeeded in getting him on deck; and in a little while, he was declared well--and the boat moved on. The next morning, a neighbor of mine, strong in the faith of this humbug philosophy, came into my house just as we had finished our morning meal. The following dialogue ensued. “Now, Mr. Osborne, what have you got to say when spirits come right into this place and cure a man, sick, nigh unto death with the cholera?” I replied, “it was simply the power of mind over matter; and I can illustrate my meaning, and all there was of _that_. Here is my little boy, seven years old, perfectly healthy, he has just finished a hearty meal. Now, by the same process, I can make him vomit up his hearty breakfast.” I commenced by telling him that he was sick! I repeated it. I made sickening faces, groaned and said, “Lester, you are sick!” Inside of three minutes, he vomited as heartily as though he had taken an emetic. This was accomplished without the aid of departed spirits.