New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-10
D0WIE DIES NEGLECTED


Continued from first page.
him OF failing TO look after his own interests but
| his father. John Murray Dowie, testified in the
federal court at Chicago on June o. 1906 that Il
was he who bore the expense OF his sons educa-
ton at Edinburgh University. and who afterward
/ secured for the young preacher tho little Congre-
gational church in Newton, a suburb OF Sidney.
which was the future Elijah HIS first charge
The field was scarcely congenial 10 SO restless a
| spirit John Alexander Dowie but he appears to
| have put in his time during lis six years pas
| tOrate TO good purpose In preparing himself by
| reading and more practical experience FOR the
! evangeistic work on which HIS heart was set.
In 1873 lie cut loose from his church. and from
oil UNCONVENTIONAL affiliations WELL and started
out an independent preacher One OF hts lead
ing tenets the efficacy OF divine healing. gift
with which he claimed to be endowed and his
energy and the apparent success OF his microscopy
power in time attached to him considerable fol-
lowing. To keep It in hand he built a tabernacle
at Melbourne. where for about ten years he
preached. taught and wrought his cures. But this
was TOO quiet and hundrum life for OF his
Uneasy and ambitious nature. 1t is OF a won
der that he stood the naction long than that he
made the hnal break lie had by this time
achieved the conviction that he had a great Mission
less than the conversion OF Great Britain to
his IDEAS Accordingly, IN 1890, he started on his
pilgrimage 20 the mother country by way OF San
Francisco. lie had far followed the Scrlptural
injunction 20 take neither scrip purse with
him that he had 10 more than hundred dollars
-hyheR he landed on the Pacific coast Il was neces-
Ssary for him TO Tive the country as he made
HIS way across the continent The land and the
people appeared 70 offer fertile a field for his
rninlstrations that by 1903 he had progressed only
so far Chicago. In fact Il seemed we'll to him
20 bring the United States To his standard before
he undertook TO convert the British isles.
lie at once set TO work. with hts customary ardor
TO build UP strong mission church in the Windy
City. The Worlds Fair. however. proved too
strong { counter attraction while It lasted and
Dowe's meetings In his small wooden structure at
Woodlawn were but poorly attended Still he was
undiscoura8ed. Lack % appreciation even when
1t took the form % open opposition failed 20 dant
him. When he told go away. told that
Chicago did not want him. he answered that FOR
that reason ii was just the place that needed
him and where he ought to stay TN stay and
fight II out" he declared. and Ill win IN the end
After the Columbian Exposition had closed its
gates and the excitement IL had created had sub
sided the world began to hear OF Dowie Certainly
II from reticence his part IN making
himself heard. Ills language vigorous lively
humorous-after its fashion-Often impassioned and
too often abusive OF those who presumed to differ
with him or 20 criticse him. At all events he
was different from other preachers. He attracted
attention The crow Is that to hear him be-
gan TO overflow his tabernacle. lie was compelled
20 build larger one When still more room was
needed he held regular meetings in the Auditorium
His great hold the people continued to be his
cures" Many OF them. doubtless were genuine
Faith work wonders in certain types OF ail-
ments. as has been proved in the cases OF many
cOgnate modes OF healing. Those who believed In
Dow!e were often benefited and of such cures he
made the most. In other cases he was not sue
cessful, and the authorities took cognzance OF the
lack OF proper medical attendance. Ho was de-
nounced by the regular practitioners. held up 10
ridlcuIe in the newspapers. and the advertising
- IL 10 ipcre
boom
The year 1895 is known by the DowIeites as tho
year Of per secuton." DowIe was arrested at least
hundred times for violating the city ordnance in
regard TO tho care of the sick. His meetings were
broken up by the police. Persecution just
what was needed to knit him and his followers
more closely together, and there no lack of
others to Join themselves to him.
On Washingtons Birthday, 1895 Dowis organ
tied the Christian Catholic Church in Zion TO sup
plant the International Healing Association, which
Under the auspices of which he had been carrying
Of tho new church. He built a hospital. estab-
a printing plant and pubhcatlon-"Leaves Of
The advertising he was thus able 20 give himself.
In addition to what he received from his enemies
a ahous6 Se was CAREFUL never to Charge for his
cures. There were always directions however, in
which his grateful patients could their
thanks financially, and Dowie held the purse
He had prospered by the fall Of 1899 that he
was able to purchase $500 Of land forty-two
miles north of Chicago site for his projected
Zion City. of which hts followers should he the
citizens, and where he could carry his work FREQ
from Interference by the municipal authorities.
There were other reasons for his wishing to Gown
his own town that appeared later. bowie had
thriven under persecution and abuse. but il was
no doubt wearing I'm the long run. II served while
ne was accommodating his capital. Now that he saw
a chance. he devised opportunity for increasing
MS wealth amid surroundings where he should be an
undisputed and undsturbed ruler. II was until
1901 however that building began but then 1t
progressed rapidly. In 1902 Dowie removed his
headquarters to his new town. In another year it
had 10000 inhabitants.
The principal industries Of the place lace
making. brick making, bog making. preserve max
ing and candy making-theSe, in addition to the
usual businesses necessary TO supply so large a
place with food. clothing, light, heat and whatever
else man requires. except pork, tobacco and alco-
hol. These various industries were supposed 20 be-
run on a cooperative. profit sharing basis.
state sociaism-and TO certain extent they
reality, everything was DOwies everything stood
In his name, and one else had any vested right
in anything according to his notion and arrange
ment. Land could be leased, but not bought.
Everything came 20 DOwie and all tho money
passed through his hands or through those of his
personally appointed representative Different
estimates have been made of the amount that, in
the high tide of his prosperity, Dowie had
cumuIated 1t has been placed as high as $2l 900 90
That figure will serve, at any rate, TO give some
idea OF the prOats Of religion when on strictly
has training IN commercial an.