Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1907-03-12

intention Of making Great Britain the
world headquarters was never carried
out. Dowie landed In San Francisco
On 1898. needing money. He need
cd $3.50 and had Just told his wife
he had asked God for IT," he said.
when a man he had not seen IN sew
eral months, came along and put the
amount In his hand. That was the
starting point In his wonderful mon
ey-Retting career In the western
world. Two years OF wandering along
the California coast followed. and In
1880 Or" Dowie, his wife, his son
Alexander John Gladstone Dowle, and
his daughter. Esther, arrived In the
city OF Chicago. which was to Do the
theater OF his great work.
During the next ave years Dowie
was arrested ct least o hundred times
for violation OF the city's ordinances
relating 10 the care Of the sick but
the more trouble that was made for
him. the more he prospered In reali-
~. Branch churches we're eStab-
lishsd In other cities. A large hos
p,tal for the healing OF the sick was
built In Chicago and a college for the
training OF Missionaries was organ
lied, q printing plant put In operation
end a bank was also started.
The Christian Catholic church In
Zion City, the outgrowth OF the orig
inal international divine hellng asso-
citation. was formally organized in
February, 1896. Dowie becoming gen.
eral overseer. Four years after,
Dowie, before a large audience In the
auditorium theater. announced that
he was Elijah, the Restorer, spoken
Of in Malachi. This assumption OF
o biblical personality created even
more of a sensation among his follow
ers than any OF the worldly success
es OF the prophet. Previous 10 this.
Dowie had marked out his plans
for a Zion City. the browning effort
OF his life. Six thousand acres of
land were purchased or secured By
options and In August Of 1901 the first
building was erected In Zion City.
which q year later had a population
Of 10. 900.
In Zion City as we'll as the church.
Dowie was supreme. The title Of the
six thousand acres bought with the
money OF the sect rested In him. Lots
were leased. not sold. Running for
s9s years. these leases we're filed
with the following restrictions:
The premises shall never be used
for q slaughter house. saloon or beer
garden, tobacco store, opium joint,
thea:er, gambling establishment.
dance hall. circus. pharmacy. drug
store, once or residence OF a prac-
ticing physician or surgeon. place for
selling pork or secret meeting place.
In December OF 1903 Zion City was
placed under control OF a federal re-
ownership which was dissolved a week
later on Dowie's presentation OF abil-
ity to pay dollar for dollar all indeb-
tedness. At that time Dowie estl-
mated the value OF his holdings in
Zion City at SIS. 900 900; since then
the value OF the lace factory. the
other industries and holdings at Zion
City are believed TO have increased
TO SIS. 900, 900.
Eighteen months ago Dowle began
the promotion OF a second Zion City
in Mexico. While engaged In this
undertaking his health failed and ne
went TO Jamaica shortly before Christ
mas. 1905. for his health. While
there he suffered a stroke " paraly-
sis from which he never fully recov-
cred. II was AZ this time that he
appointed Wilbur Glenn voliva his
first Lieutenant ana general oversee
OF the chsrch. A month after Voliva
took charge in Zion City he. by a
power OF attorney vested in him by
Dowle. had all the property belofg-
ing to the church transferred from
Dowie 20 Overseer Granger, charging
extravagance and gross mismanage-
ment by Dowie. A, 'he time the
transfer was made Noliva called all
the Zionis,s TO the tabernacle In Zion
City and denounced Dowie, With
the exception Of less than 200 Dow
les former followers. al the ,nhab-
itants OF Zion City chose No.!vs as
their future leader, and word was
sent 20 DowIe in Mexico that he had
been deppsed He Immediately start
I'd for Chicago and took the contro-
versy % the courts for settlement.