The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-10-20
D0W|E IN new YORK
FIRST AUDIENCES CONFRONT Al.
LEGGED PROPHET WITH A NEW
EXPERIENCE.
CROWDS LEAVE THE GARDEN
HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE QUIT THE
MEETINGS BEFORE SERVICES
ARE FINISHED.

ARE FINISHED.
New York, Oct. 19.-John Alexander
Dowie, who calls himself elijah, the
Restorer," faced his first New York
audiences Sunday. and although Madi-
BOZ Square Garden was thronged at
The afternoon and evening meetings
and thousands were turned away from
the doors, he found himself confronted
with what he called a new experience
when thousands, having evidently sat
isfied their curiosity, threw the meet
ing into confusion by their sudden
exodus before the ceremonies had
more than fairly begun.
Commands to close the doors and
prevent exit were unavailing and the
prophet gave vent to displays of con
siderable petulence on finding that it
vas n thing to gather a great New
York cowd, but quite another affair
to command its interests after the first
demands of curiosity had been salts
fed.
Five thousand persons were turned
away from Madison Square Garden in
the afternoon after all the seats in
the building had been filled with a
great crowd curious to see John Alex
ander Dowie, on his first appearance
before a New York audience. Fully
$4,000 persons were in the garden at
2:30 o'clock. when the services began
with the professional, in which the
Zion white robed choir, to the number
Of about 600. and the capped and
gowned ordained officers of the
Christian Catholic church in Zion took
part.
Crowd Satisfies Its Curiosity.
The procession assembled to the plat
form, where the choir took position
behind the pulpit and the officers &C.
cupied the places at the sides.
When those on the platform had
taken their places, DR.. Dowie ascend
ed the platform, accompanied by
seven overseers. DIR. Dowie wore the
usual white robe with a black robe
above it.
The service of prayer opened with
the invocation by DR.. Dowie, followed
by the singing of a hymn during
which the crowd continued to pour in
to the garden. This was followed by
the recital of the creed and command
ments and the reading Of scripture,
during which hundreds of persons
started to leave the hall, causing much
confusion. The exodus continued in
spite of repeated orders to close the
doors, until nearly a third of the
audience had departed, many Of the
vacant seats being filled with the wait
ing crowd outside. After order had
I~~~ n ~r%~u~ n~ T0o~,S~
said:
IF this is New York and this is a
typical New York congregation. I am
in the face of a new experience. l
think that some of the people who
came in must have thought that this
was a Buffalo Bill show. I wonder if
the congregations of the churches here
enter and leave as they please. I
will be prepared hereafter. There
door. If any have remained outside
should not have the seats the Buffalo
Bill persons have left"
"Well, let us keep the quiet au-
dience we have" said the preacher as
no entered.
Text CHOSEN by Or. DoWie.
DR.. Dowie took his text from the
third chapter of the Book of Revela-
tions, the twentieth verse:
Behold | stand at the door and
knock. If any man hear my voice and
open the door, l will come in to him
and will sup with him and he with me-"
After saying that God is knocking at
all doors for entrance, and stating
who Christ was, Dowie said some peo-
pie would not like Dowie because he
had his wife on the platform with him,
and said so many ONE were singing
for the devil that it was time to have
some sing for Jesus. He concluded
with a passionate prayer that the
doors be opened to Jesus.
An early morning sacrifice of
praise and prayer was held in the
garden, when three thousand persons
were in attendance.
DR.. Dowie filled the garden at night
with ar audience which equalled the
great throng at the afternoon meet
ing.
After the invocation by Dowie, the
singing of a hymn and a reading
from the gospel of st. Mark by Mrs.
Dowie, Mr.. Dowie offered a long
prayer, during the curse of which
hundreds left the building.
Dowie again demonstrated with
those who were leaving and asked
them to do him the courtesy of re-
naming until the end of the meeting.
The subject Of the discourse was
"repentances," and DR.. Dowie's text
was from Scriptural passages having
reference to the teaching and the
promised coming of Elijah.
The general overseer asked every
6one who wished to repent and be
saved to rise. and many responded.
The house to house visitations by
the hosts of Zion and the regular
series Of crucade meetings will be in
'aHgarated today.
PAPAL SECRETARY OF STATE.
FAA AEE