Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-03-10
ELIJAH DOW|E
DEAD IN
ZION
DEATH CLOSES CAREER
OF RELIGIOUS FANATIC
Commencing Life a Poor Clerk
in Australia He Lived to Con-
troll OeStinieS of Thousands
of People,


troll DeStinieS of Thousands
of People,
Especial Dispatch to the Morning JouruaI.I
Chicago, March 9.-John Alcxau-
der Dowie died at 7.4O this morning
lat shiloh house, Zion City. There
were present only Judge ]. \. Barnes
and two personal attendants. Dowic
had been failing for the past five
weeks and during that time he had
not appeared in public. Friday he re-
ceived few of his followers aud
seemed in about the same condition
as for two weeks. Shortly before
o'clock this morning he became de-
lirious and his talk was the same as
la religious meetings i'm the days of
his prime Gradually he became
weaker and the attendants phoncd
for Judge Barnes, who arrived at
o'clock. Forty minutes later Dowic
was dead. No arrangements have
been made for the funeral
DoWie was born in Edinburgh,
scotland, May %. lS47. In 1860 his
parents moved to Adelaide Australia.
where for seven years the youth was
a clerk in business house He
saved enough money to return to
Edinburgh at the age Of twenty To-
take five years course in theology
and arts, Six years of denomiuational
activity weared Duwie and in 1878
he went to Melbourne where he set
up the Free Christian Tabernacle. The
first of its Kind, and organized the
Divine Healing association, which aft
erWards became international I'm it's
character He became president of
the association and gained fame by
going into the country during the
prevalence of putrid fever and APP
parentIy effectng many cures 10y
prayer and laying on of hands
He arrived In san Francisco I'm
1883 and in 1890 removed to Chicago.
which was the seat Of his great work.
During the next five years he was ar
rested at least 100 times for violat-
ing the city ordinances relating to the
care of the sick. but he gained in
popularity constantly.
The Christian Catholic church in1
Zion city was formally organized IN
February lS96s Dowie becoming the
general overseer Four years later
before large audience. he announced
that he was Elijah, the 'restorcr
spoken az in Malachi
Previous to this time he marked
out his plan for Zion city. the crown
ing effort of his life. In August.
1901 the first building was erected
in Zion City which a year later had u
population of 10000 In Zion City
as well as In Chicago Dowle was su-
preme. The title of the 5000 acres
bought with the money of the sect
rested in him Lots were leased not
sold
In December. 1903. Zion city was
placed under the control of a federal
receivership, which was dissolved a
week later on Dowie's showing his
ability to pay dollar for dollar on all
Indebtedness At this time Dowie
estimated his holdings at S25,000,oo0.
Eighteen months later Dowie be
gan the promotion of second Zion
City to be located in Mexico. While
engaged in this undertaking his
health failed and he went to Jamaica
for his health
While there he suffered a stroke Of
paralysis, from which he never fully
recovered. It was at this time that
he appointed Wilbur Glenn Noliva as
his first lieutenant and general over
seer of the church. Nollva, by a
power of attorney vested in him by
Dowie, had all the property belong
ing to the church transferred from
Dowle to the overseer, charging cN-
| travagance and gross mismanage-
ment by Dowie He also called a
meeting of all Zionists and denounced
Dowie With the exception OF less
than 200 of Dowie's former followers,
all the inhabitants Of the city chose
1 Voliva as their future leader and sent
word to Dowie that he had been de-
/ posed. Dowie Immediately returned
and took the controversy to the
courts for settlement.
Late In the day Mr.. Voliva recon
| sidered his determination to say nOth-
! ing regarding the death Of DOwie and
/ declared that the death Of the former
( leader will not affect the future of
/ the church in any adverse manner.
/ because Of Or. Dowies sad mem
/ tai and physical condition. said No-
/ Iva, "hc has been hindrancc IN
/ many ways. Now that he has gone,
all bitter feeling. Just or unjust, Will
/ disappear. DR.. DOwlc has done
work for humanity which Is in some
respects second Ia none that has been
done by anybody, past or present.
Nothing viii be heard bu, talk of his
good deeds especially II It should bc
proven that his mind commenced 10
| fail several years ago. His death
will not alter the conduct of the
church"