The sun., 1903-10-15
Tho Most Advertised Promoter.

The coming Of DowIR to New York at
the head Of host Of three thousand Of
his disciples and followers is not mat
ter for ridicule and satire. 1t is very
curious, but it Is also very serious dem
onstration in the history Of religion, or
religious delusion.
DowIE has artfully mixed up the prac-
tical and the spiritual. He attracts to
himself followers by giving to them en-
ployment by which to make living in
this existence, at the same time that he
promises them the treasures OF heaven.
He Is making a good thing out Of the
business for himself, for he is the auto
crat Of the combined enterprise and
wields its combined capital in money;
but 1t cannot be denied that he has built
up at Zion City, near Chicago, commu-
nifty both prosperous and highly moral.
The circumstance that he has been able
to gather three thousand of his followers
to accompany him to New York Is an
impressive demonstration OF the enthu-
siasm he has provoked In them.
The physical healing which he pro-
fesses to bring about by spiritual means
is also one of his most telling cards. In
one form or another it Is the basis Of
widespread religious movements pecul-
lar to this period which appeal to tho
faith Of thousands Of mon and women,
people Of more than the average intelli-
gence. In saying this, we do not mix up
Dowieism with the Christian Science and
New Thought movements, for they are
radically opposed In theory and spiritual
and psychological principle. Dow1E Is a
pretender who lays claim to the mantle OF
the Prophet ELIJAH as his prophesied
successor. He processes to be miracle
worker. The theory Of the other healing
movements is somewhat subtle, but it
is, substantially, that mankind by put
ting itself in harmony with the spiritual
laws becomes the master of the physical
laws-that the only forces which are Of
true, enduring and universal strength
are spiritual and not physical.
This is an idea which has taken hold OF
the people of this time to an extent which
makes it entitled to consideration az
notable feature of the period. Il Is re-
action against materialism Of scientific
breeding and, in the end, by nurturing
belief in supernaturalism, 1t is likely to
conduce to religious faith which, II We
accept the precedent Of similar mani
festations in the past, will come under
the direction of the organized religious
forces brought down from the past.
Dow1E, who is manifestly man Of
great shrewdness and Of an intuitive
perception of human nature. has only
borrowed the idea to help along his vul-
gar and sordid project with it's mixture
Of self-seeking motive and a spiritual
exaltation which rises far above self
He has frankly announced that his main
object in making 80 imposing a demon
stration in New York is to raise money
for carrying out his scheme Of COM
munity for practical profit kept together
by q common religious enthusiasm, fanat-
icism or delusion.
His scheme, as We understand 1t, is to
set up another Zion City somewhere In
the neighborhood OF New York, and his
present mission is to collect tho people
and the money for its establishment
DowIE never let's himself down to the
level of his followers. He always takes
pains to surround himself with the mys-
terry OF an autocratic ruler-of q master
magician. His three thousand followers
will bunk and feed In humble surround
ings and on humble fare. DowIE himself
will be housed and fed luxuriously in a
great hotel He keeps the WI gar at dis
tanoe. He is the General, they are In tho
ranks. II is for him to command, for
them to obey. In all this he exhibits his
clever understanding OF human nature.
He takes pains TO surround himself with
mystery. He uses every theatrical
property to make awful his srrogatsd
authority. Undoubtedly, the pose 10
vulgar, but II seems to have been i'm
pressive In the West His published