The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1901-06-13
Christian Catholic Church in Zion Finds
Many Followers Among PeO-
Pile OF This City.
ELDER HAMMOND LAUDS DOWIE.
will Return to Philadelphia and welcome
Arrest for Preaching His Faith
Many Members Here

Creeds and churches were supposed
to be well represented in Kenosha, but
another was added to the long list
Sunday when the Kenosha Society of
the Christian Catholic church in Zion
announced itself as public organiza-
ton.
For weeks the missionaries of the
"Divine Healer had been at work in
Kenosha, and the handful of followers
has grown to over hundred, and is a
strong organization.
Elder Gideon Hammond, at one time
Secretary of the Y. M. c. A. here, but
now leader of the hosts of Zion, came
to Kenosha to assist in the launching
of the church, and his presence drew
many curious people to Central Music
hall at the first public services Sunday
afternoon and evening. A small dele
cation of the Zion guards were very
much in evidence on the streets, pass
ing out hand bills and urging the peo-
pie of the city to attend the services.
In the afternoon fully two hundred
people gathered to hear Elder Ham
mond explain the doctrines of the
Christian Catholic church in Zion, and
a ma jority of them were devout fol-
lowers of Dowie. Among the number
who were c1assed with the believers
were many who have been prominent
in church circles in Kenosha for many
years. Prominent among them was
Frank Stoffacher, former leading
light at the Gospel Mission. The SER
vices were of deeply religious nature.
The songs were sung with religious
fervor, and when prayer was offered
the devotees got down on their knees
in the good old Methodist way. Elder
Hammond was at his best, and it is
evident that his two years with Dowie
and Zion have made him a better
preacher than he was when he pre-
sided over the destinies of the old
Y. M. G. A. building.
In the evening Elder Hammond laid
aside his ministerial robes long enough
to take up little fight with the devil,
and explain some points that have been
raised against Zion and the General
Overseer. He said that Dowie had
properly invested every cent that had
been sent Into his hands. He declared
that Zion was prospecting, and needed
no funds that did not properly belong
to God. He declared that every man
owed the tenth part of his income to
God, and if he failed to give it he was
a thief and robber. Elder Hammond
paid his respects to the churches, and
criticised their way of getting money,
and said that he did not believe that
God was so poor that he was forced to
get money by using the church social
and other approved methods of the
devil.
He referred to the press, and claimed
they had misrepresented him and the
General Overseer. Miss Sloan's death
he said was nothing unusual, nor was
Mrs. Judd's, and the newspapers had
made a sensation simply because
minister called to see dying parish
Toner.
Speaking personally Elder HAM
mond said that he expected to be ar
rested as soon as he returned to Phila-
delphia. He courted arrest, and said
that he hoped he would be convicted
and imprisoned, in order that his vic
tory over the devil might be even
greater one.
Mr.. Hammond preached strong
sermon in the evening on "Divine|
Healing bringing out fully the tenets
of his faith.
At the evening service many re-
quests for prayer for healing were
received. One woman sought prayer
for the healing of hunch-back boy.
Another held atongue-tied child in her
arms and asked that prayers be offered
that the child receive the power of
speech, while score asked prayers for
healing from personal ailments.
For the present the Kenosha Zion
will be located at Central Music hall,
and services will be held there next
Sunday afternoon.