The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-09

Dowis himself drew up this form Of oath,
as he did all the tsnets OF his Church. In
the few years since no imposed It upon his
followers they have seen his financial
scheme, supposed to have been divinely
inspired, burst like an ordinary get rich
quick bubble. He himself has bean de-
nounOed by members of his own family,
even by hls wife, who accused him OF
polygamous Tendencies. And to-day the
founder OF Zion, a man who was believed
by his followers to have power TO heal the
sick, Ia reported TO be stretched most OF the
time upon his bed, raving about q mythical
army which he commands and Of warships
On the lake parading In his honor.
Tho rise and fall OF Dowieism az a religion
Ia noteworthy for the short space OF time In
which II occurred. The Christian Catholic
Church In Zion was organized on February
%, 1890. It took about seven years to reach
its apogee, then declined swiftly.
One Of the curious features OF the move
ment 10 that It's leader seems to have made
and lost a fortune CT no mean size. He was
reported some years ago, when the laoe
factories In Zion City were running and all
seemed well from a material standpoint,
to be worth about $751; coo 900.
A city OF $500 acres, one OF the boom
towns Of the West, stood entirely In his
name and so did all its industries. The col
lections from his congregations were said
to amount TO between $500 900 and 81 600 600
a year. One-tenth of the income OF the
members of the Church went to Dowie.
II has ONE out since that he was able to
drop 81, zoe, 600 in stocks in 1903 and 1904,
but his followers didn't know of this.
Much OF this success was brought about
because Dowieism at first seemed to promise
material well being for those who took
It up. The lace making industry which
Dowie picked up in England and trans
planted to Zion City lured thither many OF
those who became his followers. But
hone Of them ever secured a FOO Of land
there that he could call his own. They
leased lots from Dowie for 100 years.
Whether Dowieism should be called q re-
ligion or a real estate scheme might be
debated. The indications are, however,
that its founder had the idea Of starting
a sort Of religion Of his own before he con-
ceived the real estate scheme.
AS a religious cult pure and simple Dow
ieism didn't attract any undue attention.
Even when Dowie had secured q taber-
nacle In Chicago in ls93, and was turning
away crowds, who came mostly out OF
curiosity 10 hear him, few people outside
of Chicago we're aware hat u new religion
had been born.
Dowieism really got its start at these
meetings and won converts at first prin-
cipally through its faith healing principle.
When Dowie launched the scheme of Zion
City II is doubtful If his followers numbered
more than a few hundred. But with tho
start of the city the sect grew rapidly.
DowiC started buying the land in 1890
The first building was erected inl90l. Dowie
himself took up his residence there in
March, 1902, and it was then that his re-
ligicu entered upon lis golden age.
When Dowie announced that he WIS
about tOs'art a new industry there the poor
IN Chicago and other places, FASTENED TO
JUiI his community. And IL was upon the
strange army that gathered there in the
hope Of advancing themselves materially
a. well a. spiritually that DOwie imposed
lis curious creed.
Before this bowie lad appeared az a
preacher and faith healer, but with Zion
City opening up alluring prospects OF inan-
cial success Duwie announced that he vas
Elijah the Itestorer sent 10y God. The in
teTesting part of has religion was the man
ncr in which he sCugh to insure for himself
supreme control VI the Church and also
his own income
In addition TO taking the oath which
Judge Lands described rs being beneath
contempt. tho discipline of the Church
described IL as being an army which does
not vote 0s 10 who shall he its officers, but,
believing that God has given apostles,
prophets and teachers. obeys those whom
God has set over his kingdom in 50 far as
these obey the plainly revealed word of
God" Another paragraph IN the discipline
provided that a tithe of all the earnings
should be given Into Gods ~storehouse,"
which was Dowie.
Just before the collapse came Dowie pro-
mulgated still another decree. This was
that he had the absolute power to forgive