The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1907-03-14

Chicago (Special) John Alexan-
der Dowie. erstwhile overseer of the
Christian Catholic Church, died at
s o'clock Saturday morning at Zion
City, ILL.,, which he founded, on the
north shore of Lake Michigan. His
passing was not unexpected. The
aged leader of the Zion sect had been
In state of dissolution for months.
Beaten in his later years for control
of the great properties he had orig
mated, the prophet failed to re-
cover his oldtime physical strength.
DR.. Dowie died at Shiloh House.
with apparently little pain. He was
attended by three Of his faithful
personal following Judge Barnes.
Freeman Hachnel, a white servant,
and John Hershfield, colored.
The prophet Friday was in his
usual condition-that is, he exhibited
no Immediate signs of passing away.
although weak.
Muttered VOliva'S Name.
Deserted by his wife, son and faith
er, the patriarch of the Christian
Catholic Church In Zion passed be-
yond the worlds immediate ken with
sigh on his lips and the muttering
of the name of Voliva-Wilbur Glen
Voliva, who succeeded Dowie as
"overseer" of the church and the
vast estate. Just what the dying
man intended to convey by the word
could not be interpreted by the few
faithful attendants at his bedside in
Shiloh House.
At the bedside of the dying leader
were Judge Barnes, formerly a strong
adherent of Dowie, but for sometime
a councillor with Voliva: Hatchfield,
the negro bodyguard; Samuel Thad,
Freeman Haenel and Miss Nilsten
Hansen, servants, and a nurse.
Promises to Return.
The last night of John Alexander
Dowie's life was spent in earnest re-
ligious devotion. At midnight he
attended a service of his remaining
followers and spoke to them for half
an hour, with forgiveness" as the
keynote. His voice was strong and
he Joined in several gospel songs, the
last one being Am l a Soldier of
the Crosse" Dowie, true to his pos
Tive character, always sang the
words with a strong personal sense
and changed the language to "I am
Soldier of the Cross" At the close
he shouted:
THE millennium has come"
Retiring at 1 o'clock the apostle"
slept until 4.50 o'clock. He spoke to
his attendants and rambled a bit in
doing so, saying among other things:
I'll come back in a thousand years"
1t was noticed that he was in
weakened condition. At z O'Clock he
awoke again, when it was observed
that the end was not far. Gradually
DR.. DOwie sank until he could only
mutter the word "Voliva" Death
came at 7.40 o'clock Meanwhile
Judge Barnes had been notified and
joined those at the dying mans side.
DOwie's Last Words.
Dowie died as he had lived, firm
in the belief in his divine mission.
An hour before his death it was sug-
gested by one of his followers, whose
faith failed him when put to the
crucial test, that a physician be
called.
The leader half arose in his couch,
and, gazing fiedly at the little group
of fearful watchers, said:
Il need no physician. God is all
in ALL"
The last hours of the aged leader
of Zion were given over to murmur-
Ing over his favorite hymns, prayers
and passages of New Testament of
militant character.
Dowie died unforgiving and un-
forgiven. During the brief period
of consciousness he never mentioned
the name of the wife who had de-
serted him nor the son who had pre-
ferred a compromise to the direction
of battle in which Dowie lived and
moved and had his being.
His last words were the motto of
the faith he created:
Peace be unto you"