A rare legal action was taken against Pastor Edward Jeffreys

I have Discovered that in 1930 a rare legal
action was taken against Pastor Edward Jeffreys
by the Stoke-on-Trent Corporation, it was
claimed that at the meetings splints and
surgical appliances were, it was stated,
removed from crippled children.

The Stoke-on-Trent Corporation required an
undertaking that there should be no interference
with the treatment of the children for whose
care it is responsible; it also decided to
cancel arrangements for the use by
Pastor Jeffreys of municipal halls.

On November 3rd the town clerk received a letter in
which the evangelist explained that his only
part with the sick and afflicted who attended
his meetings was that of prayer. The letter
declared that an open letter had been sent to
Mr. Mitchell Smith, the orthopaedic surgeon
who had conveyed to the corporation the
original complaints, with a challenge that "for
every one case he can prove is worse I am prepared
to bring forward 20 who can testify to
physical blessing and healing." The material
for examining this latter undertaking is at this
stage hardly adequate and the challenge is thus
the less likely to be taken up. A more satisfactory
passage in the letter declared that, as
the Bethel Evangelistic Society was primarily
a spiritual movement and as the salvation of
souls was regarded as of more importance than
the healing of the body, the writer was prepared,
"for the sake of the Kingdom of God
and the peace of the city," to give his word
that he would not touch any leg supports or
plasters of any children under treatment by the
various authorities of the district. "If it has
been done in the past, it has always been with the
consent of the parent or some responsible
person." The corporation not being satisfied
that the promise not to interfere with leg
supports, etc., went far enough, the town clerk
was directed to write afresh to Pastor Jeffreys.
The latter in reply repeated his assurances in a
form which the corporation felt itself able to
accept. The controversy may therefore, it
seems, be regarded as happily ended, and the
ban placed upon the evangelist's meetings in
local public halls has been removed.

In these last days one wonders if other actions might take place when unsaved folk do not understand the miricle working power of almighty God.

Yes sadly there are some false works about, but as I am sure you would agree Pastor Edward Jeffreys was primarily concerned with the salvation of souls and was regarded as of more importance than the healing of the body. Although having said this it was often the case that when the members of a town being visited herd of a miracle taking place it was often the turning point of many a crusade. Mark 16:20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen