Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-06-04
CLAIMS TO BE ELIJAH.

Dowleism is phenomenon that at
tracts no little attention. It's founder
has encountered great deal Of crlti-
cism and opposition. but as yet he
meets It with rock bound fortitude, and
continues his performances with the
obstlnacy Of a Boer commander.
Last Thursday, at the head Of large
followng--so Chicago papers say--he
swept out Of Chicago to plant the ban
ner Of Zion" upon the site OF the
promised city beyond Waukegan. And
he Travelled In royal fashion, gorgeously
alfred A special train of six cars car
rled him, his family and fayorites TO
their destination, while the faithful
Travelled IN other trains. Zionist guards
in resplendent uniforms, watched the
trains and maintained order The
number of people that accompanied
him on this excursion is estimated at
between three and four thousand.
Encouraged by the apparent success
of this pilgrimage, the alleged healer,
last Sunday, in the presence Of 5000
people proclaimed himself to be Elijah
In dispatch he is quoted thus;
81 am Elijah, the prophet, who APP
peared first as Elijah himself, second as
John the Baptist, and who now comes
In me. the restOrer of all things. Elijah
was d prophet. John was preacher
but | combine I'm myself the attributes
of prophet. priest and ruler over men,
Gaze on me, them ! say 1t fearlessly,
am he that IL the living physical ana
spiritual embodiment of Elijah, and my
commission on earth a serQnd time has
been prophesied by Malachi, by God
himself by His Son Jesus, by Peter
and 5000 years ago by Moses
At the close Of this harangue he
asked ali who believed In him TO stand
up, and 5000 men and women are said
to have confessed their faith by rising
to their feet cheering and applaud
ing.
Then he went on to say that he would
take no counsel in his method OF gov
eminent. He had come to proclaim
theocracy, pure and simple, and, he
added. II will never rest until all 9TH
er forms Of government have been
driven from the earth"
OR" Dowie, by the way, is not very
careful about what he says in public
II he, as he Is reported to have said,
is to deny himself rest until all es-
tablished governments have been re-
moulded according to his pattern, he
has no present prospect Of vacation
He Is not young man, and II he Is 10
plant his theocracy upon the ruins OF
thrones and parliaments, he will be ex-
ceedlngly busy the remaining years OF
his life.
Undoubtedly Dowleism is one Of the
signs of the time Whenever the AL
mighty has a special work among His
children, there are numerous pretendeTs
and imltators, under the special direc-
ton of the Adversary The purpose OF
this is to lead astray II possible even
the elect. II II is true that the king
dom of God is to be manifest upon the
earth. and that the time is drawing
near, It is but natural that all kinds
of false Chrlsts and pretenders should
arise and proclaim their false doctrines
1t is natural that false zlons should
be built In opposition to the true Zion.
which consists OF the pure In heart
But no one need to be led astray by
any imitation Of truth. When the
heart grows familiar with the precious
gems. their lustre Is such that worth
less limitations have no attraction. 1t
is the privilege Of all to TRY the spir-
it's" and during no time in eccleslasti-
cal history has II been more necessary
than 1t IL now to perform this duty,
and not be swayed by the different cur
rents. At no time has It been more
necessary to have inspired men at the
head Of the affairs Of the Church,