The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-09-26
TIVE FALLEN IDOL.

--~~-A-E VIC PehceAA6 VI AVW4G AAoAA
Zion City II is impossible not to in
dplge in some reflections as to what
might have been IL he had devoted
his powers towards some good end,
and II his sense OF honesty and right
had been equal to his capabilities. In
studying his career 1t is impossible to
doubt his power of leadership. IT
matters not how we may condemn his
course, we are bound to admit that he
exercised an influence over his fell
low men and women that no ordinary
man could have done. Coming from
he emerged when he came to this coun
try IT required no ordinary attributes
to enable him to control the thou
sands who bAndiy followed him and
to make them absolutely the slaves of
his WILL
II he had devoted his really wonder
full powers to. some proper end there
can be little doubt of the good he
might have accomplished. As a teach.
er and a leader in the paths of hon.
esty and integrity and righteousness
he might have welded a powerful and
beneficent influence. in his day and
generation. Good men and strong men
are wanted in all departments of life.
There is good work for such men ev-
erywhere. to uplift the fallen, to assist
the weak. to set good examples for
the wavering and in levery way to
assist in elevating our civilization and
our citizenship to a higher plane.
bowie had the mental and physical
strength TO have made him a power
for good among the American people
Unfortunately he was not that kind
of man. His mclinations were wrong
and his practices were all evil. He
wanted power and dominion over his
fellow creatures for what it would
bring him. He was without scruples
where gain was concerned. He was
shrewd observer of men and wo-
men and knew how to work on them
and dominate them. II ever there was
man more thoroughly entitled to
the title OF CRATER" we have no
knowiedge of him. Control of men and
women meant money, money meant
power and power meant more money.
His game was to control his dupes and
obtain their Iucre and he accomplish
ed his designs as few other men
could have done
Rut with Dowie. as with many 9TH
er unscrupulous men, success begat
overconhdence and overconfidencs
brought ruin. II he had continued his
practices of deception and charlatanry
behind the curtain. SO to speak, he
might have continued TO make dupes
and to gather in their money, but
there was where he made his great
error. He evidently thought that he
had such hold ON the minds and
hearts and pockets of his victims that
no human or other power could tear
him loose. There was his fatal blum
der and he fell. 1t may not be exactly
the case that thcre are none so poor
to do him reverence" but it Is certain.
ly true that he Is discredited and dis
placed. Instead of being Elijah, and
Divine Healer, and lord over thousands
OF deluded people, he is now practi-
callyr lone fugitive and an outcast.
seeking place in Mexico. perhaps to
build up another money-making con-
Germ. But it is hardly possible that
he can succeed. Age has sapped his
strength; exposure and overthrow
have taken from him the power to
again delude the people and the chan
70 that, ha xnrIgV
"unwept. unhonored and unsung," a
warning to future charIatans and de-
ceivers.
But will Dowis's downfall put an
end to the most monumental decep-
ton of the age? No one may safely
predict the future of the affair. Dow
lie was Zion Clay and Zion City was
Dowie ito all intents and purposes.
With him down and out and with all
his receptions and rascalities expos-
ed to the world. it may be that the
entire movement will gradually die
out and our country and civilization
be relieved of a fearful shame and
blot that has existed too long for the
good name of the American people.
But this is not a certainty. There
is hardly any limit to human cred
ulity and human confidence. The new
managers of Zion City may be able
to restore Dowie's stealIngs and, what
IS more important and difficult, may
restore the confidence which has re-
ceived such a wrench, but 1t is hard
ly to be expected. 1t is only on rare
occasions that a man comes forward
who possesses the power over others
that Dowie did. II the whole organi-
zation fades away and becomes only
an unpleasant memory it will be
we'll