Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1906-01-08

His bathroom alone must have cost
him 10000.
Clocks made In Switzerland SOUND
the Westminster chimes. carpets from
the looms Of the old world are
stretched upon hiss floors; statuagy.
pictures. bronze works OF art. aKo
priceless books In mahogany cases
combine In giving an air OF magnih-
cence TO his surroundings.
Finally the ruler Of Zion entered.
attjred In q flowing silk costume OF
almost Understandable elegance.
beheld a man OF about So or 80
years old. with long white beard-the
latter gro0med to perfection. His fore
head was high, his skin soft and
white. his features regular. There
was q slight hollowness In his cheeks.
and suggestions OF lines extending
from the sides OF his nose to the cor.
ners Of his mouth. His forehead con-.
tained wrinxies-many Of tnem-
caused by frowning.
But his eyes lacked neither lustrn
nor strength. In my opinion the almost
supernatural power OF this old man
In ruling men Ia explained In his
eyes. They are strong, powerful. con-.
vincing.
On his head the apostle wore a
spotless white silk turban with two
ribbons Of purple running over the
top.
His robe was in three parts, q
sleeveless box coat, an 0verskirt OF
royal purple velvet and an underrobe
Of heavy white silk.
The box coat was a most elaborate
piece Of work, composed Of three inch
squares. each containing a different
fantastic design in raised embroidery.
Purple predominated In tho color Of
this coat. and two inch panels Of pur.
pit silk ran from the arm pits to the
bottom.
His shirt sleeves were Of crinkly
white silk, his girdle OF broad yellow
silk. while across his chest there was
. breast plate Of purple bearing .
glowing red cross.
Although DR.. D0wie was too I'll to
talk for publication. I was enter.
tained by the deacons. and It was
late at night before ! walked down the
steps leading from the wide veranda
| OF Shiloh House. The snow had been
falling steadily and the little city
was covered with . mantle Of white.
Outside Dowie's home I encountered
the guard-a tall. heavily bearded man
with powerful p~hysique. He carried
only . heavy cane. Il
As I walked toward him In the
moonlight he glanced At me sharply,
and am not sure that I did not de-
tect suspicion lurking In his gaze.
"You are DR.. Dowie's personal of.
ficer!" inquired.
Il am q member Of the Shiloh
House guard" he replied.
Il admire DR.. Dowie for good bust.
ness judgment" I said. attempting to
draw him into conversation. why
has he enemies?"
The first apostle Is proud OF his
enemies" was the response. and
would not want to be with them.
DR.. Dowie Is too well connected up
above"
The big man spoke the last words
with reverence In his voice, ana his
right hand raised toward the heav'
ens .
walked away, leaving the strange
figure standing thus, q striking ex.
ample Of Dowie's magic personality.
Walking across the fields to the de.
pot, l obtained an excellent panoramic
view Of Dowfe's wonderful city a. II
lay stretched before me In the night.
Hundreds Of lights twinkled In al
many homes, and the rows q. lighted
squares In the business blocks ex.
tended four and ave tiers high.
To explain the presence Of this mod
ern, thriving little city, It Is neces-
sary to 60 back to January 20, 1896.
II. was then, at the first general con-
ference Of the organizers Of the
Christian Catholic church. that Dowie
said:
Il am simply a business man in the
ministry. That Is all. ! make a bust
| ness Of nv ministry. The I,ord Icsus
made a business OF his ministry. He
said when only q child: 'Wist We not
that ] must be about my Fathers
business?'
Dowie was practically penniless then.
He had a mere handful Of followers.
Their faith in him was uncertain. His
worldly fortune had remained sta
tionary at a meager living point.
Today the real and personal prop.
erty Of Zion-which L the world is
synonymous with Dovies and which
legally is Dowies--is valued at near.
~ 100000 900. In other words, II
amounts to about $1,000,0 900 a year
fpr " business ministry" He has no
less than 100000 followers, with thriv-
Ing colonies In Australia, England,
Germany, France, Ff9qsta. Switzer-
lana and even Africa.
PROFESSIONALLY this man is a pow
err to be reckoned with while he lives.
But he is the hub Of the wheel, and