The Somerset reporter., 1903-11-05
I" Elijah the Second"

EDJah the Second"
John Alexander Dowie, who created
something in the way Of excitement for
brief period in New York, ending last
week In collapse, is the prince of hum
bugs He has built up town Of 10000
Inhabitants short distance from Chlca-
go and has grown rich upon the ere-
dnlity Of his followers. He assumes the
title, elijah the Second"
He went to New York CITY with n
large concourse Of followers, intending
TO do great things there and make pill
of money. But New York was too
tough proposition for MIN. He is
big man in Zion City bur of no account
Ia New York.
His latest movement, and one that
shows the utter heartlessness of the
man, was the disowning of his father
who resides In Wisconsin. He is a de-
cent man over so years of age, and it is
reported keenly feels the attempt of the
son to disown the father who brought
him up and was at large expense from
limited income to educate hun.
Benjamin Ridgeway, an expert ae-
eoutant, who was employed at Zion City
for brief time lets some daylight in
onto the methods by which Dowie has
accumulated fortune estimated as high
as $50 100000. He had espoused Dowie-
ism but renowned it after what he had
seen at the Dowieite headquarters.
"There is no doubt of Dowie's i'm
mense wealth. he said. HE owns
practically everything in Zion City.
Thousands of his followers have surren-
dered voluntarily to him their all. He
is supposed to hold it In trust for the
church, but all of that wealth Ia in his
name absolutely.
"He has accumulated his great wealth
from several sources in addition to the
voluntary contributions made by Jealous
converts.
ITO become Dowieite the candidate
must first of all give to the church or
Dowie rather, one tenth of all his wealth
and pledge himself to give up one tenth
of all his earnings thereafter. These
contributions are called tithes. | learn
ed that the tithes average about 1000
II week. OF this sum Dowie is allowed
five per cent for his personal expenses.
the balance going into the church fund
IA street laborer who earns $40 per
week must give back to Dowe 81.
"rhere is one general store in Zion
! City and it Is owned by John A. Dowie.
! No one else Is permitted to have any
! business concern in the religious COM
munity. AS there are fully 10000 PEG.
pie in the town who must eat and wear
clothing and are not permitted to pun
chase elsewhere, his returns from this
source are enormous.
He bought the site of ZION City for
! 5000 per acre, and cut it into lots. He
got as high as $l2 600 per acre for 1t,
and did not sell 1t at that. No warranty
deeds are given for lots; they are leased
for l, 100 years.
"There is provision in the leases
which gives Dowie the right to appro-
pirate the lots and the buildings or sell
them il he should deem it necessary for
the good OF the church in the time OF
| calamity or dire distress. Gasoline and
parlor matches are tabooed in Zion City,
"The rates in the Elijah Hospice, the
first class hotel, vary from $1.50 to So
per day, and at Edenia Hospice, for la
borers, from 81 to 81 per week. The
scdntiness Of the fare is source of COM
plant from the Doweites themselves.
The German Overseer breaches that it is
a sin to be big eater. Both hotels hav-
ing monopoly do a big business and
yield good returns for the proprietor,
John A. Dowie.
"The Zion City bank does a big bust
ness. | did not see the books. The
cashier held the same position in Chi.
cago bank for 35 years, but its earnings
yield big addition to Dowie's income.
"rhere is lace factory, candy fac
tory, and brick yard. The church or
Dowie has the profits and one tenth is
exacted from the wages of all laborers.
"The healing by prayer has not check
ed the growth of wel'-popuated grave
yard in Zion City. There is no record
kept of deaths, and the burials are by
night between days, as they saw.
"As there are no physicians reports
required there is 10 WAY of knowing
how many people die in ZION City for
lack OF II PHYSICIANS care. Funerals and
deaths are mentioned in whispers.