The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-27


witness the invasion Of New York by one
of the strangest companies that have ever
visited Manhattan Island. Ten special
trains bearing the Restoration Host Of
zion," from 5000 to 5000 strong. will bring
in jealous, enthusiastic missionaries for
fortnights campaign. which, tho leaders
think. should result In New Yorks emanci-
patton from sin and the cleansing OF Wall
Street.
The central figure In that strange army
will be its canny Scotch leader, John Alex-
ander Dowie, founder and general overseer
of the Christian Catholic Church In Zion,
Messenger OF the Covenant, Elijah, the
Restorer Of All Things. Watch that man
Of medium height, with head like Gen.
cral and the beard Of prophet, for his
like Gotham has rarely. II ever, seen.
Who and what Is DR.. Dowie, tho founder
of this eect that In seven years has secured
more than 1OO 900 adherents? Ask in
Chicago, where for ten strenuous years he
has battled against united press, the city
authorities and even the State Legislature.
Quack, charlatan, a clever man who has
ieathered his nest at the expense Of his
ignorant dupes-such are some Of the terms
they will apply to Elijah Dowie. a. the
newspapers habitually call him.
Ask the same question in Zion City, his
stronghold on the shores Of Lake Michigan,
halfway between Beer and Bedlam mil
waukce and Chicago. and you will get .
vastly different answer. Prophet, divine
healer Of surprising power, kindly, de-
voted, far-sighted servant Of God and
leader Of his people-thess are some Of
the attributes they give him.
The story OF his life may cast some light
upon his peculiar character; study Of
The man at close range will do more. He
was born at Edinburgh. May rs, 1s47
Though now a naturalized American citizen
he is intensely proud Of the land Of his birth.
There are countless references to it in his
writings and addresses; and his beautiful
summer home, Ben MacDhui. near Mon
tague, Mich, bears witness to the fond
remembrance in which Scotland is held by
him.
In 1880 his family removed to Adelaide,
Australia, where for seven years young
Dowie was q clerk in Q business house.
There, possibly, he gained that commercial
instinct that has been 30 noticeable in
recent years. During this period. too, he
! had his first experience In divine healing,
for he reports that he was cured OF dys-
pepsia at the age OF 10 In answer to
prayer.
In 1867, when he was 20. he returned to
Edinburgh, where his savings enabled him
to pursue a five years course In arts and
theology. tireless worker. he must
have made good use Of his opportunities.
for one can note In his discourses how well
he learned the Greek and Hebrew Of his
student days.
In all his busy life he seems to have kept
lin close touch with literature and edu-
cation. He is said to have q library OF
10000 volumes, with which he is thoroughly
familiar His son, Alexander John Glad
stone Dowie, is q graduate Of the Uni
versity of Chicago and the Harvard law
school and received the degree of doctor
of laws at the recent convocation Of the
University of Chicago.
In 1872 Dowie returned to Australia,
where he was for six years pastor OF the
Congregational Church at Newtown,
suburb Of Sydney. A vigorous and eff
fective speaker, he had large congregations
and marked success.
close student OF all Biblical passages
relating to divine healing, in 1878 he forsook
bis church and the denomination in which
he had grown up to lead an evangelist's
life along these peculiar lines. His first
cure. he tells us. was that Of young woman
in his parish, who was dying OF wasting
disease that had already carried on some
thirty Of his flock.
He went to Melbourne, built tabernacle
devoted to his belief, organized a divine
healing association, which afterward be-
came international in character, and be-
came ta president. After spending some
ten years in Melbourne he decided to go
to England where the association had
number 81 branches, 70 push the work.
Chance directed him across the Pacific
He spent some time In California, and in
1890 reached Chicago, his first stopping
place being the small suburb Of Western
Springs. He soon moved to Evanston,
Chicago's largest suburb. where he and
his family remained till the opening Of the
Worlds Fair.
Much of his time was spent in the effort
to get foothold In Chicago through cottage
meetings, with most discouraging results,
though he conducted number of missions
outside The writer asked this question
one afternoon in Zion City:
why did DR.. Dowie stay in Chicago
in the face Of failure, encouragement,
unbelief, ridicule and abuse? Why didn't
he 20 somewhere else. where he would
receive heartier welcomed
This was tho answer Of one Of his conf
dental advisers:
"Dr Dowie could have found plenty OF
places where he would have had large
audiences Always a successful and popu.
lar speaker, such reception was new to
him But he's a fighter and not easily
discouraged. He said to himself, They
don't want me here. That's just the place
that needs me, where am not wanted.
I'm going to stay and win. And stay he did
During the Worlds Fair meetings were
held daily In small wooden tabernacle
In Woodlawn, near one Of the entrances
to the grounds. Contrary to prevailing
accounts, the attendance at first was
meagre. the audiences rarely reaching
fifty.
In the winter OF lsss-s4 the tide turned.
The tabernacle was packed and crowds
stood outside, trying to see or hear through
doors and windows.
From that time there was q steady.
at times phenomenal, growth. Meetings
wore held In Central Music Hall, Battery b.
Tabernacle No. ., at Sixty-frst street And