The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-20
A DAY WITH THE ZIONISTS.
The Observations and Impressions OF
Clergyman OF the Church OF England.

esy. 1t was on Saturday afternoon that l
found many hundreds Of Zionists preparing
for the Sunday service. | determined. for the
time being. to become one Of them. and to
avoid as far as possible any expression OF
word or manner which would indicate want
OF sympathy with the movement. As ! "a:
In the great auditorium looking round upon u
vast assembly OF healthy men and women
engaged quietly and earnestly in their work.
l could not help thinking OF the words OF
Gamaliel, And now l say unto you refrain
from these men and let them alone. for II
this council or this work be of men II Will
come to naught. but II it be Of God ye cannot
overthrow it," And II is in this spirit that l.
an ordained priest Of the Church OF England
Of thirty-eight years standing. have spent
many hours on Saturday and Sunday with
this Zion Host" simply with the object OF
trying to understand the movement
My hrSt impression was favorable one
The men without exception have clear. honest
faces. and the women are modest and sedate
onHoers Of their threefold ministry. over,
seers." bishops, elders" lpresbyters,. and
"deacons." and found they, were for the
found Overseer Piper had been at one time
| q minister Of a Protestant sect in Philadel-
phia, and he very readily answered my Ques-
s sS% .,,A A. was talking to him woman came
Il am very Ill: the climate of New York
Mr., Piper PLACED bis hands upon her head
and devoutly offered prayer for her recov-
cry. This incident raised a discussion as to
the extent Of this gift Of healing; o,.,u a..
row Of seats. was born with infantile paralysis,
which made one OF her legs three inches
shorter than the other. By the gift of healing
hsT sf has been completely restored to
May / publish this incident, with Mrs
Piper's name?" l asked. and Mr.: Piper i'm,
mediately introduced me TO his wife, who SAID Sni
she had no objection to my mentioning her
name. An old gentleman sat near me ana IN
course Of conversation said:
When Joined the Zionists was complete
cripple, Now I am sound in health and
made similar inquiries among a number Of
persons and they soleinnly declared that they
my notes with my experiences with the IT. II.
vingites in En- gland, many years ago. and with
more recent experiences with the relic OF s.
AaR we'll as s& sts the sss o healing
BY the celebrated Akhund Of Swat. in Asia, ana
am Obliged to confess that in my opinion
these gifts Of healing do exist. account for
left Madison Square somnwhat late , On
thee. % which replied even as the Mosl i as
maiei. "a doctor Of the law" and TO, try to
ascertain how far the movement is OF God:
On Sunday there were services at sunrise.
IN the afternoon and in the evening, at which
the Rev. DR.. Dowie preached; but | take the
afternoon service as typical OF the move
the daily newspapers. 1t only remains for
me to view, the whole thing from the stand stang
point Of clergyman Of the Episcopal Church;
the auditorium. 1 was compelled to be there
fully an hour before the afternoon service
commenced. I had. therefore, time for thought
ments Of the past rose before me- Isnatiuss
Loyola, who in the sixteenth century founded
the Jesuits as an enormous power N the Sath-
iected audiences ten times the size Of those
assembled on this occasion the Iryngites,
who claimed the gifts Of healing and moved
eloouence Of, the great Scotch preacher: and
o %SsS sSdfn By the se late ie NJ Woody
Booth and mi his saivation Army still very
fresh in my memory; and am obliged to al.
init that the sedate, earnest and reverept
hs Of hs aS"s ~ Gsn
movement.
was almost lost in Renaissance when the
now thy gates Of beauty Zion; let me enter
there" reminded me that the service, had
commenced vast choir of not less Than
are aeI Worn incur our Episcopal churches. walked
In procession and took their seats on tho
platform. The. procession closed with six
two lade;. II II 0 Caps and gowns one Of them
being Mrs. Dowie, and DR. Dowie, who is
called the Chief Overseer. or Archbishop,
IN the shos, and cG 81 esp OF o
doctors hood The general aspect Of things
was startling. as ! had already ascertained
that Dr. DSwe vas really
spects the whole service took its tint and
color from my own Church me Zen Zen e s,,no
TO one OF our familiar chants The LORD
Prayer was sung the Apostles Gre Greed reG,tea
a se re Dssm IN and as
might be found in one OF our English Cattle
drals. And there at the extreme end Of the
choir was bright red cross
Now, fifty years ago, any Protestant scot
would have. characterized the whole environ
ments of this service as Romish. In old Trim
y Ky Yo c1s,ssIad hsys
seen q whole congregation rise and leave
the, church as a .white-robed choir entered
And the episcopal robes and the red crosses
az "idolatrous," Yet here is a Con- reaa-
tional minister in America adopting these
very methods In order to proclaim the Gospel
ALL it Is not more strange than the Presby-
terrain minister Edward Irving and his Cath
olio Apostolic Church" many years ago adopt
ing an extremely ritual service in order 10
bring about very much the same movement
as Or Dowie is attempting Mt this day:
DR. Dowie preached from Revelation, H..
He spoke "a an educated man and scholar.
and his voice probably filed the vast hall far
better than any other public speaker could
have filled IT, i was some time before n he
orator he effected this, and his resonant
tones echoed through the vast hall. His
Illustration OF the woman OF Samaria was a
masterpiece and reminded me OF Mr. Moody's
wonderful presentation Of the character OF
J. am inclined to believe that DR.. Dowie is
unfortunate in, selecting Madison Square
trum: That is ~ at !: Lis object IL to be
heard rathe, Than to be seen. Nevertheless,
even the most charitable mind cannot alto
for histrionic effects. His episcopal robes
lined with the episcopal purple and his many
colored hood seem TO have been adopted for
aesthetic effect; And whatever personal prejn-
have to a reyivalist not In Episcopal orders
assuming this garbl we must admit that 1t t.
yt etry In lmp ass The episcopal bearing Of
tated the light fantastic toe OF the actress.
must confess that IT grated sadly on my feel
ss was wa. 's mSeS nSt Ss clos.
o. the service ! exclaimed to an Episcopal
men men in uS Sn ,o., cwn Church John Wesley.
and Mr.; Moody. all lost to the working forces
Of the Church, and now here IL John Alex
ander Dowie. wearing our episcopal robes,
and adopting our episcopal methods, yet not
BY the way. ! observe that DR.. Dowie has
settled all controversy a. to the name OF the
Church He for one docs not see anything
people the Christian Catholic Church in
Zion, and indorses the threefod ministry.
The afternoon service lasted three long hours.
A. tAff h..I .,1r Al. an a.