Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-04-06

posed" What consistency Is there In
the position OF the new leaders? This
may not be the business OF outsiders,
but the subject is before the public,
and criticism, when fair and impartial.
can never be Objectionable.
Dowie came to Chicago in 1892, after
having failed 10 establish himself on
the Pacific coast, He commenced as a
divine healer" and hundreds came to
see him. At that time he called him.
self the head Of "the international heal
ing association" People continued 20
flock 10 his services and IN Few
years he founded the "Chris tian Ca,ho-
lie church IN Zlon." AZ his followers
grew in numbers he became more
bold. and. one day. announced himself
the successor OF Elijah.
After that he conceived the idea Of
founding a city. Tie secured options on
500 acres OF land north of Waukegan.
Part OF this land was set apart for lace
factories which were to be the economic
-
million dollars was invested IN
lace making machinery The new
Zion was formally opened In 1901. when
Dowle took up his residence there A
year later the city had population OF
1900 persons, aud few years after
wards this number had grown TO 10000.
The financial troubles date back 10
1901 when the legislature o. Illinois
empowered a committee to inyesti-
gate the bank OF Zion. Dowie resisted
this, and the attorney general OF the
state rendered an opinion to the effect
that the committee had no power to
compel the attendance Of witnesses.
Then that matter was dropped. Peri
odically, however, the creditors have
been uneasy about their money, and
now II appears that the crisis has
come. A story was ahoat. some years
ago, when the Dowies left Boston
for Liverpool that Mrs Dowie car
ried with her . box containing seven
million dollars. but this story. In view
Of later events. must he discarded as
fabulous
Some time ago one OF the ex-follow-
crs of Dowie undertook TO publish the
reasons why he no longer stayed with
him One of these vas that DowIe
clsimed the right to control elections.
He says in his pamphlet;
at every election the leader says
VIII YOU vote as 7 tell you tor His
hearers say, Yes Then. he says.
Vote for Carter Harrison or whoever
SC ems to be the preferable nominee.
and they all vote In u body, all to-
gether.'
This. It will be observed. Is not a
vague, general charge, but it goes into
particulars which are easily verified
az 10 their truth or falsity. The fol-
lowing extracts from the pamphlet
already quoted give an idea of Dowie's
Zion;
III you will visit Zion City you will
see there Is no place of
business In that city, which is said 20
be of 10000 people. but which bears
this one name of the leader: John
Alexander Dowie No wagon that
moves the streets but has that same
name
elder Brasefield preached n SER
mon IN which he said Or. Dowle said
he would not rest until he had secured
legislation by which God should be
recognized by the Constitution of the
United States"
"A few days after the Bank Of Zion
was released front the receivers Judge
Barnes told the audience In Shiloh
Tabernacle that the receivers were as
tonished when they came to Zion 10
receive the bank, To find Zion City
a nation of itself This Is "A fact though
many outside Of Zion are not aware %
the fact"
The writer from whom we quote
claims that Dowie at the time Of writ
ing was forming an alliance with ole
OF the leading churches Of the country,
and with one of the political parties
lie prophesied. somewhat Historically,
that Dowie would soon become a men
ace to the free institutions Of the
country. That danger" Is past The
mighty one is fallen. aud as near as
can be judged from the brief reports.
his Zion has been turned into Babel.
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