Louisa Carlhill in her own way is quite famous in legal circles. During the great flu outbreak in 1892 which claimed the life of many notable people, including Prince Albert Victor, Queen Victoria’s grandson, she bought a Carbolic Smoke Ball from the Carbolic Smoke ball Company. It was sold for 10 shillings (50p) as a guard against influenza. She fell ill three days after the death of Prince Albert, and inhaled the smoke thrice daily for two months and recovered.
The outbreak of this Russian flu (so called) the “purveyors of patent cures rushed to cash in on the pandemic,” which carried off 200 people per day in 1892 who were buried in just one London cemetery. The significant thing about this upsurge of disease was that it killed not only the weak and poor who were malnourished but also the rich and famous. It worked its way through the imperial Russian family. It invaded the royal palaces of Europe. It disposed of the Dowager Empress of Germany, and the second son of the king of Italy, as well as England’s future king. Aristocrats, politicians, poets, opera singers, bishops and cardinals, none escaped.
The medical fraternity of that day were totally ignorant of where it came from, how to cure it or even what it was. It wouldn’t be till 1933 that the organism responsible for the flu germ would be identified. However on the 13th November 1892 in the Pall Mall Gazette an advertisement caught the eye of Louisa Carlhill, a London housewife. It said that the Carbolic Smoke Ball would positively cure colds, coughs, asthma, bronchitis, hoarseness, influenza, croup, whooping cough …. and the suchlike. But, the main part of the advertisement that interested her was the claim that it would pay £100 to anyone who caught the increasing influenza epidemic, cold or any disease caused by taking cold, after having used the Smoke Ball according to the directions.
After reading this she rushed off and bought the Ball and used it meticulously until the 17th January when she fell ill with the flu. Fortunately she recovered and then wrote off for her £100, but the company ignored her claim. While she persisted they resisted and then her husband, who was a solicitor, took up the case. Mr Justice Hawkins found in her favour even though the company said their advertisement was mere “puffery” and only an idiot would believe such extravagant claims. He ruled that the advert was not aimed at the wise the thoughtful, but that the credulous and weak, it therefore should not surprise the vender if he is occasionally held to his promise!
They appealed but it was thrown out because they had in effect constituted a contract. They had lodged £1,000 as a deposit against such claims, and therefore a contract had been established because Louisa followed the instruction completely. If people make extravagant claims and put up a cash bond, then they should be bound by that extravagance. They upped the reward to £200 and no doubt there was a very happy and healthy Mrs. Carlhill.
I listen sometimes to TV evangelists who make extravagant claims, and wonder how many gullible Christians will respond. “Send me $100 and I will pray for your healing.” I don’t read of Jesus asking for money to extend his compassion. If one thousand respond he has $100,000 and there will be at least 10% who get healed, probably through their own faith in the $100 sent and spent. He can then use that 10% as testimonies for those who were healed through his prayer, and keep going until he can’t count the money coming in.
It is the same with a faith preacher who claims that God will bless the audience (congregation) financially if they will seed into his ministry: they will reap a rich harvest. However, they don’t quote the Bible accurately; God will reward some 30, some 60 and some 100-fold. The preacher always assumes, and so does the listener, that it will be 100-fold but God has His own way of rewarding that prevents greed.
The evangelist can then use some of the money coming in to send back to those who are in need, and are seeding into his ministry, with the consequence that some will write back in claiming God has answered his prayer for them; if he does that for 10% of the people he may well keep 90% for himself.
I simply warn of modern selling techniques in the church worldwide, like the Carbolic Smoke Ball, aimed at the weak and credulous, if we live a righteous life and walk with God daily, He will respond to our prayers, and His promise is “seek first the kingdom of heaven and all these (necessary) things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33).
