Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-09-14
FAITH CURERS MIXED.
Doctor Dowie Wanders Far From
the Bethany Home Doctrines.
HE WILL WORK MIRACLES TODAY.
Believes That Celibacy Is Crime Against
Heaven and Nature.
ALL CURES MUST BE INSTANTANEOUS

| The handsome parlors at the old Moor
head mansion on Center avenue, that has
for the last five years been known as
Bethany, were crowded long before service
hour yesterday morning with people eager
to listen to Rev. DR.. Dowie who is travel
| ing around the world from Australia to
preach the doctrines of Divine healing
Very soon the hallway was filled, and peo-
pie even leaned in the open windows to
catch the words that came from the lips of
the famous speaker. Among the listeners
were many earnest faces of persons nearly
all diseased in some way; the deaf and the
blind were present and crutches every here
and there leaned against the seats
Miss Mary Moorbead, the founder of
Bethany, introduced Mr.. Dowie. He is a
short, stout man, with a bright face and
keen blue eyes that look out dauntlessly
upon the crowd before him as he emphati-
cally throws out to them his strange beliefs.
He is a dramatic speaker, and now and then
flashes out such eloquence that the most
critical listener feels like crying 'fBravo ~
but again he slides in plain phrases that
rather curdle sensitive blood. He touched
several lines where he differs strongly from
the adherents at Bethany. They place
sanctifcation imperatively before healing,
and Mr.. Dowie declares no person can be
sanctifed until they are healed. "You may
be saved" he declares, "while your bodies
are full of disease. Oh, yes; but it will be
by the skin of your teeth, and you can never
enter the highway of holiness until your
body and soul are pure as the spirit.
HE DENoUNCEs CELIBACY.
For some time past Miss Matte Gordon,a
charming young lady of wealthy parents in
Nashville, Tenn, has been teaching at Beth
any and giving discourses on the carnalfty
of Christ. While all do not coincide with
her views at the Home, many do, and Mr..
Dowie very earnestly and 1mpressively
prayed for such. The doctrine OF cellDacy,
that many believers in the Christian ALI
ance advocate, was also denounced ana
marriage declared to be ordained or Goa De-
fore man fell on that memorable occasion in
the Garden of Eden. Secret societies also
came in for anathemies.
Holding up a bundle of requests for prayer,
he said: 81 will present them one by one to
our God"
The house was hushed in perfect silence
full of intensity, and then Mr.; Dow1e began
to read over the requests and made q brief
prayer about each. There were requests
from Arkansas, Columbus, Wis; Morton,
Va; Rockwood ILL.,; Sharpsburg, Emsworth,
Franklin, and many from the city.
Mr.. Dowie announced he would lay hands
on no one that day; that he beleved IN
teaching first, and until $50 O'CLOCK to-day
he would not see the sick personally. Then
he would devote his time to them until
noon.
In the afternoon services were held in the
Liberty Street NJ. L. Church., where about
500 gathered to hear him. His sermon was
after the style of the morning, but decidedly
e.oduent. Toward its close he defined his
position in terms something like these: Il
do no healing. It is the Lord who heals. He
falsely called Christian science. They are
anti-Christians and a sham and 1mposture:
believe Spiritualism to be OF the devil;
have no affinity with Father Mollinger or the
bones of ST. Anthony: l do not believe in
faith never heals it is God or
Divine healing; have no animation with
any one who teaches people to declare they
are healed before they have the evidence.
have strong antipathy to such. AZ you
are healed you are healed, and the evidence
is there If the evidence is not there and
you say so, you are false witnesses, liars"
NOT THE ORTHODOX FAITH CURE.
The latter remarks were strongly contrary
to teachings at Bethany, where gradual
healings have been the chief kind. 1t can
be plainly seen that, while Bethany will not
oppose the doctor in his work, should he re-
turn to the city, they cannot labor with him.
If he returns to Pittsburg he will come 1nde-
pendently of any denomination or gather
ing of people, and be accompanied by Mrs.
Dowie, who assists him in all of his work.
MI. Dowie is very careful whom he lays
hands on for healing. Sometimes long lists
of diseased suppliantS are so Scathlngly queS-
toned as to their past life and SINS they of
their own will rise and hurry away, ,prefering
to carry their illness rather than bare their
soul further to his scrutiny: Confess your
sins one to another" is not always q COM
Portable command to be oDeyed.