East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1906-05-30
The Truth About "EE-
iah" DoWie

John Alexander Dowie was born in
Edinburgh. Scotland, SO years ago, He
was educated for the Congregational
ministry there and then went to Aus
tralia, where his boyhood days were
spent, to preach. During long ILL
ness he renounced his old creed and
identified himself with the "divine
healing" sect. Mobs assailed him in
the streets of sydney and, fearing for
his life, he fled to this country. After
exploiting his alleged healing powers
for time on the Pacific coast, he
reached Chicago in 1890 and prose-
lyteG quietly till his following became
conspicuous for its numbers and zeal.
Then came the year of persecution"
with its rebuffs and victories.
In 1901 he founded the colony on
the shore of Lake Michigan and called
it Zion City. The same year he had
vision from the Lord" and proclaim
ed himself Elijah, the Restorer. The
site of Zion City comprises 1860 acres
with lake frontage of two miles.
Homes and factories occupy about
1900 acres, the rest of the tract being
still open farm land or pleasure parks.
The population is 5000
All the land was purchased in the
name of Dowie and was leased by
him for period of 999 years, the
title to remain with him and his apos-
tolic successors for all time. The
streets bear biblical names The lace,
brick ard candy factories are the
principal industries. None of these
have flourished because of the blight
put upon them by Dowie's impractical
policies.
Three years ago creditors pressed
Dowic so hard that the entire property
was placed in the hands of a receiver.
Dow;e stormed and raved, declaring
agents of the devil were seeking to de-
stroy him and his. Within a few
weeks he convinced the court that he
was able to pay dollar for dollar and
the management of the property was
restored to him.
lesson that was good for all concern
ed, but instead of the expected policy
of retrenchment, Dowie continued to
sperd money, drawing on the bank
so heavily hat a collapse was immi-
no.t. His financial agents sounded
warnings repeatedly but they were
unheeded Last September he was
al N
Jamaica to regain his strength.
Deacon John G. Speicher was given
power of attorney to administer the
affairs of Zion City. without asking
Dowic's leave he. pronounced the GER
emory that made Deacon F. w. Cotton
and Miss Doris Aufdemberge man and
wife. and for that and other instances
of lese majeste he was removed from
office and the church. Dowie there
upon vested the church leadership and
power of attorney in Wilbur Glenn
Voliva, spending 1854 on the cable
gram that called the new elder from
Australia to Zion City.
Mr.. VOliva hurried to his charge,
investigated the temporal affairs of
the municipality, found them in des-
perate shape and decided an exposure
was necessary to save the colony from
utter financial ruin.
Further inquiry convinced him that
Dowie had deceived and defrauded his
people, that he had misHppropriated
funds. that he had been criminally
and that his morals were
not of the best.
Reduced to their simplest terms, his
rules would run something like this
"Spurn the doctor, the pill and the |
scalpel Blacklist the circus, dance, |
gambling den, saloon, secret society |
and labor union. Let oysters and pork |
alone. They are the food of the filthy |
sinner. Who chews, smokes or drinks |
becomes an exile from Zion. If you |
wish 20 get married. ask me, and |
when you are married bring into the /
world a baby every year. There's to |
be no hugging or kissing among you |
boys and girls. no sauntering in shady !
streets, no wooing or trysting any |
where except in your homes under the |
eyes of your parents and with'my per-
mission. If you break a leg, burn |
Yourself. get sunstruck or catch the |
ymaIlpox trust in me-and the Lord. |
Turn over to me one-tenth of all your |
earnings and I'll do the rest. If you |
are paid in coupons instead of real |
money. don't howl about it. I'll do |
your voting for you for president and |
governor, but you may put the ballot
in the box"
Dowie chuckled and wondered
chuckIed at the abiect loyalty of his
followers and wondered to what fur
ther limits he could press them. He
had a way Of putting them on record
at the tabernacle meetings.
"Am I not Elijah, the Restorer?" he
would shout. DO you believe me"
VIII you follow wherever I lead? Will
you trust me in whatever l do7''
To every query like these would
come a thunderOds assent from 5000
throats and woe to him or her who
failed to answer "Yes," or TO yell it
loud enough. It matfred how wild
or caprlcluus the demand upoE their
fa.th aud C,,r tnce. It was fear mpe
thar faith that impersl i'Gu'. ~;
80 Dowie began to believe himself in
and impossible of suspic-
ion.
He seemed to be in this state of
mind when, according to his accusers.
he planne da huge Mexican paradise
whereon to establish a harem, to take
to himself more wives and to live in
opulence and splendor.