LETTER CONCERNING THE MATTINGLY MIRACLE

Addressed to the Archbishop of Baltimore

But they going forth preached everywhere the Lord working withal, and confirming the word with signs that followed.—Mark xvi. 20.

CHARLESTON, S. C., Jan. 23, 1830. To the Most Rev. James Whitfield, D.D., Archbishop of Baltimore, and so forth.

Most Rev. Sir:-Having been peculiarly struck with the evidence in the case of Mrs. Mattingly's restoration to health, I requested as a favour your permission, as the occurrence took place in the diocess over which you preside, to examine it specially, for my own satisfaction, and to publish my opinion after close inquiry, and mature reflection. You were pleased to consent.

My first wish was to converse again with Mrs. Mattingly herself: I had previous conversations with her in the latter end of December, 1825, and the beginning of January, 1826, and with several of the other witnesses to the principal facts of her case. I was also desirous of procuring the supplemental affidavits which are now for the first time published. And I might perhaps, better state here the reason of their not having sooner appeared.

When I was in Washington, about four years since, I was accompanied by my sister, who had much more conversation with Mrs. Mattingly than my opportunities then allowed; after our departure for the South, she stated to me her surprise that no more special mention was made in the published documents of what she considered to be the most palpable evidence of the miraculous nature of that lady's cure, viz., the sudden healing of an ulcerated back. The statement was perfectly new to me, and I asked particularly respecting the evidence: she mentioned to me her having had the information from Mrs. Mattingly, and from, I believe, one of her sisters: I immediately wrote to Mrs. M. and requested such affidavits as the nature of the case would require or admit. Soon afterwards I received a letter from Captain Carbery, the brother of Mrs. M., covering the affidavit. I mislaid this document, and was now anxious to make more particular inquiry, not only respecting the

fact and its circumstances, but to see and examine the witnesses, and to learn the cause of this omission, when the original depositions were taken.

I also was desirous of hearing again the verbal relation from the principal witnesses, and of investigating upon the spot more fully for my own satisfaction: for though my mind had been long previously convinced of the truth of the facts, and of their miraculous nature, I judged it but prudent to take this step in order to discover whether the process would disclose any ground or doubt or more fully confirm my previous impressions.

Having had several conversations with Mrs. Mattingly, her sisters, her uncle's widow, and some of the other witnesses, I received the very same explanation which had previously been given, viz.: that it was not considered necessary to enter into every minute detail, and that many circumstances of this most extraordinary case were passed over, some, through delicacy, and some, not to overload with too many particulars, the narrative and testimony already greatly burdened with facts and repetition. I found that a great many of the original witnesses, and several other respectable persons with whom I conversed, had been always fully aware of the fact related by my sister, and of many others, the knowledge of which might increase the satisfaction of the believer, but would not convince persons for whom the published documents were insufficient.

I have myself been put in possession of much more of the same description; and upon being consulted by Mrs. Mattingly, I gave it as my opinion that there was no necessity for the publication, at present, of more than what is contained in the original documents and the four supplemental affidavits which I then procured. Before I close this little work, I shall state to you that although they contain more than enough of evidence to prove the existence of a splendid miracle, they do not contain all that might be adduced. I shall, however, of course, in the argument, confine myself strictly and exclusively to them, as if they did contain the entire-as I have no right to call upon any one to draw a conclusion more extensive than will be supplied by the premises which have been furnished.

I submit, then, that the following statement is fully upheld in all its parts by the documents, and that the testimony of their witnesses is every way unimpeachable-of course that the statement itself is an exact history of facts, and the facts being admitted as true, the miraculous nature of the occurrence is evident.

"A. M. The subject of the following case, was a married lady, about thirty

four years of age; of industrious habits, even temper, and cheerful disposition. During the summer of 1817, she experienced some painful sensations in the left side, which gradually increased in severity, at length became concentrated upon the lower and outer part of the left mamma: upon examination of which, she discovered a hard and deep-seated tumour of the size of a pigeon's egg, which soon became so sensible, that the lightest touch of her finger, or pressure of her clothes, occasioned severe pain. In the month of September of this year, three medical gentlemen examined the tumour, and two of them agreed that it was of a schirrous nature. One of them recommended immediate extirpation, which recommendation, however, was not acted upon. External applications of hemlock and mercurial ointment were applied; and other remedies (which are not mentioned) were prescribed: but the tumour was not dispersed, nor were the pains allayed by the treatment. No material change however of her general health occurred, until the Monday after Easter-Monday, A. D., 1818, when she was seized with a violent vomiting; which recurring at intervals for several hours, a physician was called in, and prescribed for her. After some days, her disease assuming a more alarming aspect, another physician was called in consultation: a course of mercury was determined on; and a salivation of several weeks' continuance was kept up, without the patient at all being benefitted thereby.

"The tumour now became more and more painful. The patient compared her sensations to what she imagined she would feel, if her side were bored with an auger, pinched with forceps, or cut with sharp instruments. Pains such as these she constantly experienced from about the month of March, 1818: in addition to which, sudden and acute pains would occasionally radiate in every direction from the inflamed spot, causing her agonies, which are indescribable. From the permanent contraction of the pectoralis-major, the left arm was kept applied to the side, and by its pressure greatly aggravated her sufferings. Constant pains were felt also under the scapula, and in the shoulder and arm of the left side.

"During this time, she frequently vomited large quantities of grumous blood, and highly offensive matter, which often threatened instant suffocation; and were accompanied with cramps of her stomach, breast, and limbs, cold sweats, and cold extremities. Great debility and frequent syncopes followed these discharges; and on some occasions her prostration was so extreme, that her attendants resorted to artificial means of ascertaining if her respiration continued. The attending physician believed that the hæmorrhage was vicarious; nor did he abandon this opinion until convinced by Mrs. M. that the functions of the uterus (except when she was very much reduced) continued to be performed.

"The violence of these symptoms occasionally abating, she employed herself in sewing or in knitting. She was generally confined to her chamber or bed: on one occasion venturing to walk a very short distance (say ten yards) out of doors, this effort was immediately followed by violent hæmatemesis. During the exacerbations of her disease (which lasted several weeks, and returned repeatedly in a year,) her stomach would retain no solid food whatever; and often the tea or coffee, upon which principally, she subsisted during these exacerbations, was instantly rejected, mixed with blood and offensive matter.

"She constantly felt a tightness across her chest, an internal smarting and burning, and great thirst. She had no appetite, and was always sensible of a very disagreeable taste in her mouth. Her tongue was hard, rough, dry, and dark-colored; and her breath insupportably offensive.

"The medical treatment during this time was only palliative. Laudanum appearing to afford more relief than any other remedy, was given ad libitum; but the system becoming gradually accustomed to its operation, it at length produced no effect, even when taken in large doses.

"The above is a very faint outline of the sufferings of Mrs. M. from the period of their incubation (the summer of 1817) to about the month of September, 1823; during which time she exercised a Christian fortitude, and practised an habitual piety and resignation, truly edifying and consolatory to her relatives and friends. "About this time, (the summer of 1823,) a hard and incessant cough supervened, attended with hæmoptysis; and frequently provoking by its obstinacy attacks of hæmatemesis, which threatened immediate strangulation, and reduced her to the lowest ebb of life. In the month of February, 1824, a regular chill and fever came on about 4 o'clock every afternoon.

"From long confinement to a recumbent posture, the shoulders and loins of the patient became ulcerated.

"The attending physician repeatedly declared that her 'case was out of the reach of medicine;' and prescribed only palliatives. The sulphate of quinine was tried, but the stomach rejecting it, it was discontinued, and laudanum in large doses repeated. On the night of the 9th of March, 1824, tinnitus aurium, and an almost inaudible voice, appeared to be the precursors of dissolution. Between four and five o'clock, A. M., of the 10th of March, to the astonishment and even terror of her friends, she asked for her stockings, drew them on, and left her bed; and excepting her loss of flesh and colour, seemed to be suddenly restored to health. The tumour had disappeared; the ulcers of her back had healed, without leaving a vestige (not even a cicatrix) of their late ravages. Her breath, lately so intolerably fetid and disgusting, was become pleasant; and a sweet taste substituted for the very disagreeable one which had so long existed in her mouth. She could now use her left arm as well as ever; and could throw it into any posture she chose, without occasioning the slightest pain. In fine, she proved to be suddenly restored to health; and, immediately underwent the fatigue of receiving the visits of hundreds of persons, who crowded to see her, without exhaustion or inconvenience. From that time to the present she has continued to enjoy excellent health; and with many others, is a living witness to the truth of these statements.

"She and her attendants being questioned, denied that any abscess had discharged whether internally or externally; and asserted that the tumour continued to the moment of her restoration, increased in size, hard, inflamed, and painful.”

I shall here inform you, that this history was not drawn up by me, nor under my supervision. Upon my return hither, I put all the documents into the hands of a respectable Protestant physician, and requested of him to draw from them such a statement as his own judgment would suggest. After carefully studying them, he compiled the above relation. I then divided it myself into its several propositions, and carefully noted the passages of the several documents by which each proposition was sustained; and seeing the impossibility of evading their single or collected truth, I addressed to the highly respectable

and numerous body of our physicians in this place the following circular, accompanying the statement itself:

"The following case is respectfully submitted to the medical faculty of Charleston, with a full conviction of the perfect and absolute truth of the facts, therein stated.

"I would take it as a great favour, to be informed whether, in the supposition of that truth, the gentlemen of the faculty, or any of them, can account for the sudden restoration upon any natural principle.

"In submitting the case, I must state that there existed a circumstance which could not, by any means, either naturally produce or aid in naturally producing the result, but which is calculated to lead to the conclusion that the effect was produced by the miraculous interference of the Creator. Upon this I propose no question. I merely request to be informed whether the faculty can assign any sufficient or probable natural cause for the restoration-taking the following as a fair and full statement of the whole case. Respectfully,

JOHN, Bishop of Charleston."

I had one parcel left with the secretary of the Medical Society: and after each member of the faculty had been furnished with a copy, the question was put at their regular meeting, whether the subject should be taken up. I am not quite certain whether more than one physician was in favour of the discussion, but I know that the only Roman Catholic in the society stated to me that he was convinced of the miraculous nature of the restoration, and desired to have it taken up by his brethren, but it was not examined.

I had another parcel left with the dean of the faculty of our Medical College, for the professors. I ascertained from the gentleman, upon inquiry, that the parcel had been received, but he has not thought fit to state anything farther to me upon the subject.

I shall now proceed to show the witnesses by whom each assertion is sustained, making reference to the documents by their numbers.

The first assertion is merely a description of the lady. "The subject of the following case was a married lady, about thirty-four years of age of industrious habits, even temper, and cheerful disposition." This is sustained by the affidavit of Captain Carbery, who also adds. "that she enjoyed excellent health, till the sickness alluded to in the statement marked A;" as also by the testimony of Sybilla, the widow of General Henry Carbery, the uncle of Mrs. Mattingly, who adds "that she was healthy till about the summer of 1817," and that "she had been intimately acquainted with her during about thirty years;"