CONTROVERSIAL faith healer Melvin Banks was in Gunnislake last weekend and applied healing hands to more than 100 sick people who had come from as far as Plymouth, Okehampton and Redruth. The Rev Banks, who claims to have cured thousands of people during 50 years of ministry, was visiting East Cornwall for the first time and held five prayer meetings at the Crusade Fellowship Centre. The healer said the weekend had been ?absolutely wonderful? and the church had seen some 250 people over the three days. He said: ?So many sad people felt happiness and joy and the stories that are coming back are really tremendous. People have been phoning the church and saying they are healed.? He added that many of the people who came along were ?non-church?: ?People have gone away from here with a positive attitude ? we have given them hope and we hope to see many of them again when we hold a free supper in Gunnislake on June 24.? Resident Graham Shepherd, who has suffered from a lumbago disc problem for 15 years, said his pain eased after he felt the healing hands of Mr Banks, and another villager, who wanted to remain anonymous, said she felt more positive, although she felt no different physically. But some were sceptical. David Turnbull from Princetown said the experience gave him a ?weird feeling? but the intense pain from his prolapsed disc had not subsided. ?I am a Christian but I am not really religious ? I went there with an open mind but some of these people are really vulnerable and expect a miracle cure.? Susan Rowe from Looe, who is a healer herself, said she found Mr Banks? approach ?too theatrical?, and another resident criticised the amount of time Mr Banks spent during the service, talking about his books, which were available to buy, and previous successes. But the centre?s pastor, Archibald Smith, said Mr Banks had constantly been in prayer over the weekend for the sick and many had felt the ?power of the Lord.? ?Rev Banks is a genuine man who feels the Lord is using him to heal the sick. We had a lady ring us this week who was over the moon with what he had done.? Mr Banks said he received his gift of healing from God after falling into a river as a two-year-old and almost drowning. LEFT: Mr Banks lays healing hands on a sufferer.
