The "All That's Needed Is A Bit Of Magic And Pow-Wow To Heal The Afflicted" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just like many other days in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania which is thought to be home to what is known as the "Pennsylvania Dutch" which is a cultural group formed by early German-speaking immigrants to Pennsylvania and their descendants.  Most emigrated to North America from Germany or Switzerland in the 17th and 18th century.  These people maintained numerous religious affiliations with the greatest number being Lutheran or German Reformed, but also with many Anabaptists, including Mennonites, Amish and Hutterites.  Among the old time traditions of the Pennsylvania Dutch people were their 18th century broadside amulets that were handed down from Colonial times and were said to bring good luck to devout Christian families who lived in southeastern Pennsylvania.  These amulets were known as Himmelsbriefs (Letters from God) and were letters about seven by nine inches which they would tuck in their Bibles for good luck.  

Another tradition was practicing white magic, known in their dialect as Braucherei or "powwowing" which makes use of magical charms to heal the ailments of humans and animals.  This tradition was brought by immigrants from the Rhineland and Switzerland in the 17th and 18th centuries.  Powwow blends aspects of religion with healing charms and includes a wide range of healing rituals used primarily for treating ailments in humans and livestock.  The Bible is considered the most important book of the powwow and no practitioner would work without his Bible nearby.  In addition, several textbooks were used to practice powwow.  One such Pennsylvania Dutch healer, John George Hohman, compiled and published his book of cures in 1820.  It was titled Pow-Wows or, Long Lost Friend" and was first published in German in nearby Reading, Pennsylvania.  In the book were alleged cures for many medical problems and diseases.  

Another book of pow-wow healing methods.

One such cure for the headache was: Tame thou flesh and bone like Christ in Paradise; and you will assist thee, this I tell thee for your repentance sake.  You had to say that three times, each time lasting three minutes, and your headache would soon cease.  To remove bruises and pains you said: Bruise, thou shall not heat, Bruise, thou shalt not sweat; Bruise, thou shall not run, No more than Virgin Mary shall bring forth another son.  Pain should be gone soon after saying that.  In Mr. Hohman's Pow-Wow book were many testimonials to tell you of others that were healed through the book.  Benjamin Stoudy, the son of a Lutheran schoolmaster from nearby Reading suffered from a wheal in the eye (small burning or itching swelling on the skin) in 1814.  Hohman, with the help of God, in a little more than 24 hours, had the eye sound again.  Another resident of Reading, Henry Jorges, brought his son to Hohman suffering from extreme pain from a wheal in the eye and after 24 hours, with the help of God, had him healed.  Anna Snyder of Alsace Township had a severe pain in one of her fingers which was healed in a little more than twenty-four hours.  John Bingemann from Berks County had a boy who burnt himself dreadfully so Mr. Hohman's wife went to that place in the fall of 1812.  Mortification (great embarrassment and shame) had already set in, so she had great sympathy for him and in a short time the mortification was banished.  

This sub-head says "A 19th Century American
Grimoire" which is a book of magic spells and
invocations, also by John George Hohman.

Hey, there's no way I could have made any of this stuff up you know.  It is all in his book!  The list of people who tell of being healed goes on and on.  How does the guy do it?  He goes on to say that if any of those people try to call him a liar and deny being cured by him or his wife, he shall compel them to repeat their confession before a Justice of the Peace.  He went on to tell of a Mr. Allgaier of Reading who had a very sore finger so he used sympathy to banish the wild-fire and to cure the finger.  Mr. John George Hohman goes on to say that his book is partly derived from a work published by a Gypsy, and partly from secret writings, and collected with much pain and trouble, from all parts of the world, at different periods in time.  He really didn't want to publish it and his wife was opposed to its publication, but his compassion for his suffering fellow-man was too strong, for he had seen many a one lose his entire sight by a wheal, and his life or limb by mortification.  And, how dreadfully has many a woman suffered from mother-fits?  And he therefore asks thee again, oh friend, male or female, is it not to my everlasting praise, that He had such books printed.  Naturally he charged for the book.  He did ask for the Lord to bless the beginning and the end of his work, and be with he and his wife, that they may not misuse it, and thus commit a heavy sin!.  There you have it folks.  Pow-wow as a healing medical tradition as used by the Pennsylvania Dutch.  I think I'll stick with my medical doctors!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.