The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1907-03-14
ELIJAH DOW|E IS
CALLED BY DEATH
Recently DepoSed Head of The
Zionist Church Unexpect-
edly Passes Away.
"Chariot of Israel and the Horsemen
Thereof" Not In Waiting This
Time, and Man Who had a
Remarkable Career Dies
Like Common MortaIs.

Chicago, John Alexander Dowie,
Is no more, having passed away at
7:4O Saturday morning, March 8, at
Shiloh House, Zion City, there being
present with him when he died only
Judge o. N. Barnes. and his two per.
sonal attendants. Dowie had been in
poor health for the past five weeks,
but his death was unexpected
John Alexander Dowie was born in
Edinburgh Scotland, May 25. 1847. In
1860 his parents removed to Adelaide,
Australia, where for seven years the
youth was clerk in business house.
Here Dowie developed the commercial
instinct that served him so well in
later life. He saved enough money
during this period to return to Edin-
burg at the age of 20 to take five
years course in theology and the arts.
Six years of denominational activity
wearied Dowie, who longed for Wild
er field of operation. He forsook his
church and, in 1878, went to Mel
bourne, where he set up free Chris
tian tabernacle, the first of its kind.
and organized a divine healing asso-
citation, which afterward became inter-
national in it's character. He became
president of this association and
gained fame by going out into the
country during the prevalence of put
rid fever and apparently effecting
many cures by prayer and the laying
on of hands.
Dowie landed in San Francisco in
1883 needing money. He needed $3.50,
and had just told his wife he had
asked God for it," he said, when a
man he had not seen in months came
along and put the amount in his
hands. That was the starting point
In his wonderful money-getting career
in the western world Two years of
wandering along the California coast
followed and then in 1890 DR.. Dowie.
,his wife, his son Alexander, John
Gladstone Dowie, and his daughter
Esther, arrived I'm Chicago which was
to be the theater of his great work.
The Christian Catholic church IL
Zion city, the outgrowth of the orig.
inal International Divine Healing as.
sociation, was formally organized in
February, 1896, Dowie becoming gen
eral overseer. Four years afterwards
Dowie, before large audience in the
auditorium theatre, announced that
he was Elijah, the Restorer. This as.
sumption of Biblical personality ere.
ated even more of sensation among
his followers than any of the worldly
successes of the prophet"
Previous to this Dowie had marked
out his plan for Zion city, the crown.
ing effort of his life, Six thousand
acres of land were purchased and In
August, 1901, the first building was
erected in Zion City, which year
later had population of 10000.
In Zion City Dowie was supreme.
The title of the 5000 acres bought
with the money of the sect, rested in
MIN. Lots were leased, not sold. Eight
cen months ago he began the promo.
tlon OF second Zion City in Mexico.
While engaged in this undertaking
his health failed and he went to Ia
maica for his health. While there he
suffered stroke of paralysis. from
which he never fully recovered.
1t was at this time that Wilbur
Glenn Volivia, formerly Dowie's right |
hand man. secured charge of Zion
City and practically deposed his for |
mer master, being now at the head
OF former followers of Dowie