Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1907-03-15
ALEXANDER DoWlE DEAD.
Called Himself "EliJah the Restorer,"
Established Zion City and Had Thou
sands of Followers


Established Zion city and Had Thou
sands Of Followers.
John Alexander Dowie, who called him
self Elijah the Restorer," founded Zion
city, near Chicago, as the headquarters
of a new religion and a speculation in
real estate and proclaimed himself au-
thorized to restore the kingdom of God,
died Saturday at Shiloh house, his res
idcnce in Zion city.
lie sustained a shock Of paralysis two
years ago while taking a vacation on the
island Of Jamaica and he had been failing
rapidly several weeks. Dowie was con-
spicuous case of the ease with which a
fanatical character, possessing nerve and
magnc tism, can raise a superstition into
a business success and draw multtudes
after him. According to his own state
ments he was born In Ednburg, Scot
land, May 20, lSi7 and was therefore less
than so years Of age, but he appeared to
be older. His parents went to Australia
when ne was - and after he had worked
as clerk seven years he returned to Scot
land and took five years course in
theology, becoming Greek and Hebrew
scholar Of note He went into the active
service Of the Congregational church in
Scotland, but in 1875 returned to Mel
bourne. where he started "a mission for
divine healing, established free Chris
tian tabernacle" and gaiud a reputation
for etfecting miraculous cures He came
to San Francisco In 1890 lie tarried not
long ON the Pacific coast. but in 1890
reached Chicago with his wife. son and
daughter, and developed his mission in a
rapid succession. having branch churches
o. divine healing in various cities, build
ing hospital i'm Chicago. establishing a
printing house and "a bank. and finally
coming into fun feather by the founding
of Zion city, on a plot Of 5000 acres which
he had bought or secured options on. and
i'm August Of 1901 the first building Of the
city was put up.
In February, 1908. this could be said Of
what had been achieved
In establishing Zion City No. ! he laid
his plans carefully. with a few trusted
deacons he examined the suburban ter
/ ritory about Chicago. He decided on a
! tract in Lake county H. between Chi
cago and Milwaukee 1t was farming
/ land, fronting on Lake Michigan, and was
| crossed by two railroads He wanted
! city i'm which vice might never enter In
| order to secure this il was necessary to
/ have every foot OF land I'm the desired
area. lie went To clever real estate
agent with this proposition a tract OF
| 500 acres was required. options must
/ be obtained on every inch Of ground. 4
/ single failure meant the abandonment OF
/ the entire site The smaller price paid
per acre the greater commission he would
] give lNt broker. ne SDltnt WORKED,
/ and the tract came into his hands at an
/ extremely low figure" \ list Of his hold
/ ingS now includes "A suburban municipal
! itN 10 miles square, 10 tahcrnacles scat
/ tered about the business and residence
/ portions Of Windy town. $50. 600 summer
| cottage on the shores Of his own lake,
/ large Office building in which he has
/ palatial private quarters. "A great lace
! factory, a publishing house. homes for
| divers and sundrY purposes. \ conser-
/ vativc estimate OF his wealth is s.. 0O0. 900
| in real and personal property. 1t is in
the name OF the church. but he is the
/ church.
1t was in February. 1903. that he came
| East on his great tour to drive evil out OF
| New York What the whole force Of the
/ churches could not do. the force Of Zion
would do. lie would fight the devil on
! his own ground. and found new Zion
! CITY near the metropolis. He certainly
/ had not killed evil to any noticeable eN-
tent in Chicago. But he came in great
pomp. with his elders and sisters. and
made what might be called "a holy show
/ in Madison Square Garden for several
| weeks, but became laughing stock very
| shortly, his vulgar and abusive denuncia-
ton Of everything and everybody. in the
! churches and saloons equally. produced
/ no greater effect than that and a finan-
cial slump was the effect. From that
| time Dowie's star was sinking he was
. turned out OF his ownership OF Zion City.
/ which then was in his sole hands, pro-
| pertv variously valued at from SIS, 900 900
| to 1913 600 900. Wilbur Glen Noliva. a
| young convert whom he had made over
seer in his own place when he went
| southwark. intending to found still an
other Zion City in Mexico. was the i'm
mediate cause OF his overthrow at the
original city, and is now in power.
\ curious episode OF his Madison Square
Garden campaign was his allegation, be-
fore an audience OF 10000 people that he
was not the son of John Murray Dowie.
| hut Of a British army officer OF high
| family. who had married his mother by a
| SCdtCh marriage. His putative father
| he declared, had made his mother believe
that the marriage was not legal and per-
suadcd her to marry him. which she did
two months before John AleXander's
birth. Prophet Elijah the Restorer could
scarcely be abusive enough to the man
whose name he bore. and on the other
hand, he seemed proud TO claim that his
real father was man OF high standing,
who led one Of the great charges in the
war of Crimea, and died at the head OF
his troops and he intimated that If he
had his rights he would be member OF
the nobility, and even limited at ducal
coronet-but he would not want It in
comparison with the office I hold and
the ministry minister to God"