Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1903-10-29
About Dowieism.

John Alexander Dowie and most Of
his host are now in New York. They
are attracting the interest of many.
The following synopsis Of Dowieism Is
given: In 10 years John Alexander
| Dowie, a Scotchman by birth, has risen
from the doubtful returns of street
preaching to the leisurely opulence
that belongs to the head of Zion. He
has established himself prophet of
$1,000 people, who give him one
tenth-the Bible tithe-of their week
ly earnings, and has made Zion City,
Ill.,, which he founded, thriving
manufacturing town, with a lace plant
imported bodily from Nottingham, En-
gland, at cost of over $l,000,O 600.
Dowie has declared himself to be the
reincarnation of the Prophet Elijah
and a divine healer and restorer. He
calls himself Founder and General
Overseer of the Christian Catholic
Church in Zion, Reincarnation OF the
Prophet Elijah, Re.torer and Messen-
ger of the Covenant. Dowie claims
to speak by inspiration, and his fol-
lowers accept his utterances as divine
messages. They hold also that disease
should be cured by prayer and that
the employment OF physicians Is sinful.
The use of tobacco and spirits, attend
ance on theatres, card-playing and
membership in oath, bound secret socie-
ties-partlcularly the Masonic order
are forbidden. All who would be
saved must give one-tenth Of all they
possess and earn to the General Over
seer, to be used as he wills. They be-
lieve in God, in Jesus Christ, His Som
and in the salvation of those who keep
His commandments and the will of HIS
representative on earth (Dowle)
through the atonement on the cross
They believe in the literal resurrection
of the dead, in the communion Of saints
and the life everlasting. When Dowle
was at the Worlds Fair in Chicago he
stood before his tent and shouted:
"All doctors are liars and towards.
All druggists are low tricksters. Come
to me and be healed by faith. l am
the only man in the world PracticlnP
and preaching the true word of God.
Personal enemies to Zion are, with
Dowie, all thieves, robbers and trick
sters, and in his speeches to Zion he
devotes them, collectively and indlvld'
ually, to Fire. Firel Firel" In appear
ance Dowie is tall and large. He Is {
feet high and weighs $50 pounds
His hair and beard are grizzled, al
most white, and he has high thin
voice. His gestures are many and
violent, in keeping with his often un'
restrained speech. His best asset Is
wonderful personal magnetism. Dow
ie is 81 years old and was born II
Scotland, where he studied for the
ministry. Early in life he went tc
Australia. 1t was when in Sydney
| n. S. w., that he formed his faith
healing theory. While reading the
Bible he made up his mind that Christ
meant to heal the body as well as the
soul, and that bodily healing could be
accomplished by the laying on OF hands
Dowie first tried the cure on himself
He suffered from a form of stomach
trouble that doctors pronounced hope
less. He says he read the Bible the
whole of one night, prayed for cure
and was cured. In Sydney Dowie
was twice in prison for holding temper
ance meetings without permit. AT
that time he was an ordained Con-
gregational minister, but in 1878 be
left that faith, went to Melbourne and
set up the Free Christian Tabernacle,
the forerunner of Zion. Dowie lett
Australia IN 1888, he says, because be
wanted to travel; his enemies say be-
cause he was driven out by the au-
thorities. He landed IN San Fran
cisco with his wife, Jane Dowie; bic
son, Alexander Gladstone, and his
daughter, Esther. That son gradu-
ated in 1900 from the University OF
Chicago. 1t was in 1890 that Dowie
went to Chicago ito fight the devil on
his own ground" At first he estab-
lished healing homes, and on COM
plant OF the medical fraternity spec
ial city ordinance was passed requiring
that medicine be used in them. As a
result Of repeated violation Of this or
dinance and OF the street-preaching
ordinance Dowie was arrested more
than a hundred times, and in 1893
had achieved such prominence that be
made up his mind the time was ripe
to found the church. Straightway be
founded the Christian Catholic Church
of Zion and made himself It's head