Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-12-31
\ DAY WITH ELIJAH III.
What an Editor Thinks of Dowie
 and Zion City.
RELIGIOUS SERVICES IMPRESSIVE

Fred Leroy of Streator, IlI., Says
 Doyvie's Life Work Is a Wonderful
 Business Enterprise and That He
 Is Not a Mountebnnk or Rascal.
 Zion City a Desirable Place to Live
 In-No Card Playing on Zion Trains. Mir. Fred Leroy, editor of the Straa- tor Qll.) Independent Times, who re- gently spent Sunday in Zion City and heard John Alexander Dowfe preach, gives in his paper the following i'm pressions;
 The trip is an interesting one in many respects, and no matter how much prejudice one may have against the scheme there is plenty to see and hear to make a day one of general in- terest The excursion trains leave Chicago at about 11:30. The dis piece of track as there is in the coun- try, and there is no time lost, the train going through without any stops. When you pay your fare you get the first inkling of. Dowie's ability. The round trip distance is eighty miles and the fare 80 cents, probably the cheap est rate on any railroad in the country.
 Arriving at Zion City, the depot pre- sents another wonder. It is a fine large depot, the main waiting room covering a space probably 50 by 80 feet. Only one room is required, as there is no tobacco allowed in the town, and the place is so clean that lace curtains are hung on every window, probably the only depot in the United States of which this can be said or where it could be done Tn one corner of the waiting room is fine display of lace curtains which on week days are managed by some person for commercial profit.
 Another marked feature of the ex- cursion train is the fact that no use of tobacco. whisky, card playing or firt- ing is allowed. Zion guards are on the train and watch 1t very closely. Of the 1S1 on the train the conductor estimat- ed that 100 were going from curiosity and the other eighty-one were members of the faith. Sometimes among the curiosity seekers will be found those who rebel at the rules. The conductor spoke of one case he had when several young fellows started playing cards. A Zion guard asked them to stop. They refused, stating that no d. Dowieite could stop them. The guard sent for 4he conductor He sized the men up, their defiant attitude, and then said:
 Boys, the rule on this train is that no card playing is allowed. The com pany expects me to enforce this. Now, I make it as a request, but if you in sist on playing cards, rather than have a fight or any trouble, shall let you continue"
 One of the men replied, Well. we will stop for you, but we wouldn't stop for that d. Dowieite. .'
 Arriving at Zion City at about noon, the crowd went to the hotel, 320 room structure, where straight meal was served for 25 cents. Everything was neat and clean, and one could feel that he had no fear from that regard; in fact, situated on the lake, this is one feature of Zion City that commends it. self, and this, coupled with regulations Of moral nature. in many respects makes it desirable place to live in and bring up family.
 At 2 o'clock the service begins at the tabernacle. Reporters are not allowed in the building, and if one should pull out his book and make notes the an- Iiouncement is made by the "deacons," 1" and he Is summarily dismissed from the room. At the hotel we were in formed we would have to go early to get seat They probably banked on a big excursion, but such was not the case. The tabernacle holds over 1000 people. It has one gallery extending around the entire building, and in the back part is third gallery. We should fudge there were about 5000 people in the audience.
 The services are impressive. Mir. Dowie drives up from his elegant man sion in fine coach drawn by two very elegant prancing horses. He is met at the back door of the church by about fifty guards, among whom we noticed one Japanese. bright looking fellow. This guard and the choir then march down the side aisles of the first floor to the rear of the church, and as they start to come up the aisle the 300 voices break out in song Tn the balcony is a large organ. A gentleman leads them, and the situation is one of much pomp, all members of the choir being dressed dn white surpIces and ranging in years from youth to old age. It is an i'm pressive sight. As they walk to their seats, occupying the entire front, Elijah III. makes his appearancelo on the stage. He dresses in long, flowing robes of white and black, relieved by surplices of purple and yellow, and with his long white beard one can shut his eyes and imagine very easily that he is a patriarch of the Bible; at least, if not, bis appearance is not against it.
 As a preacher Dowie is 8 failure to all except those who believe i'll him, He has rasping voice, pompous air, delivers a disconnected sermon, be comes extremely radical, at times of fensively so, and yet withal he is at the present time a wonderful success