The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-03-31
He Refused to Give the Proph-
ct His Wealth.
His Ejectment Follows the At
tempt at Extortion.
Head of Zion Is Out for the
Long Green

Owatonna, Mimi, March 29.-Owa-
tonna disciples of Dowie, the prophet
Elijah, seem to have fallen from the
grace of the high and mighty ruler of
Zion and to have come under the es-
pecial ban of his displeasure. About two
years ago, w. Sperry and his wife dis
posed of their local business interests
and went to Zion, there to make their
future home and become willing work
ers for the spreading of the gospel of
Elijah Dowie over the land. They
took with them considerable of the
worlds goods, and so, naturally, were
welcomed into the modern Jerusalem
with wide-open arms and one OF the
prophets rare smiles. So we'll and deep
ly were they impressed with the benign
ity of the prophet and the doctrine
which he taught that they induced Mr..
and Mrs Ware and Miss Harriet Ware,
relatives of the Sperrys, to join them IN
Zion, and, soon after their arrival, Mrs.
Ware, who was principal OF schools in
this city for number of years, was
made authoress, press agent and official
biographer. Sperry was also made one
of Dowie's right hand men, and Miss
Ware, who has achieved an almost ma
tional reputation by reason of ner sing
ing at the Saratoga chautauquas, was
made leader of the choir celestial. All
went well for time and Sperry respond
ed nobly and often to the appeals for
financial support from the prophet. So
well did he comply that his absolution
from. all worldly things seemed certain,
and only matter of time.
But alas, day came when Dowies
collecting agent was met with curt
refusal by Sperry, who had suddenly
come back to earth and its requirements
with surprising swiftness. The agent
could scarcely believe mis- senses. 1t
could not be that he had heard Alright.
Surely Brother Spery has misunder-
stood him. He only wished small
amount, just trihe, to buy the prophet
a few new things. Surely he would not
risk everlasting punishment and, worse
than this, the wrath of the great Elijah
for the mere sake of saving few pal
try dollars.
But Sperry was insistent and deter
mined that his pocketbook had respond
ed often enough. He absolutely refused
to be "bled" longer and plainly told
the agent so. The latter regretted the
fact that Brother Sperry had lost his
reason, and so reported to the high
heads of the colony. The wrath of the
prophet knew no bounds. To think that
his trusted adviser had failed him in the
moment of his extremity. Surely this
agent was instructed to throw Sperry
off the grounds and give him positive
orders never to return. The orders
were carried out to the letter, and it is
said that Sperry was thrown bodily
from one of the buildings. Mrs. Ware
was promptly disposed from her high
position, and the whole family was
placed in disgrace. 1t is rather ex-
pected that the ban will shortly be re-
moved by the payment of the required
disciples fees into the Zionite Golfers.
| Sperry was one of the city's most
prosperous business men, owner of the
Sperry Manufacturing company's plant
in this city. He was one of the first
Minnesota converts to Dowieism and
was Jealous Christian scientist.