Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-22
A MODERN TOWER OF BABEL
MONUMENT TO HUMAN GRE
DULITY NEAR LONDON.
Lofty Ruin on Chatham Hill Known
as the Temple Of Jezreel-Curi-
Gus Signs and Symbols.

from The Missionary Review.
On tableland surmountin2 Chatham
hill near London, stands a sort of mod
e~n tower of Babel. Huge. desolate. an
unfinished ruin, 1t rises high enough to
dwarf into. insignificance the few other
structures nearby. and stands in lone
~ place and position amid picturesque
landscape. a colossal monument and me-
mortal of human credulty and gullibility.
The story Of this modern relic of the
confusion of tongues is thus told by Z.
j. Dark and Is warning against other
similar adventures with which our cred
ulous era abounds. 1t is known as the
temple of Jezreel. and is inscribed with
various mystical characters, which make
il seem relic of ancient days and wild
superstitions:
This enormous pile of bricks and steel
VAS once the scene of remarkable activ
ity, work people Swarmtng over IL like
ants when Ii was In course of erection,
but now it is desolate and empty and
stands idle framework, given over to
Tie birds of the air, and useful only as
a guide To religious enthusiasts pointing
the way not to go.
Built as a Refuge.
Its history In certain particulars
strangely resembles that of the Biblical
tower of Babel. 1t was built as a refuge
Tor certain number of chosen spirits,
who within its walls, safeguarded by GER
tain signs and symbols. were to await
the last trump without fear, believing
that they would be safe while all the
nations of the world would perish. For
a time its erection proceeded with re-
Iuarkable activity. Thousands of work.
men, urged on by religious zeal made
the huge fabric grow like a summer
Oh III
ike completion the hand of death seized
the moving spirit and paralyzed the
work. and in the words of Milton, re-
ierrins 10 its prototype. Thus was the
building left ridiculous. For over twenty
Years II has remained unroofed and un-
finished. a mighty building. but a dis
Dsurenieat and blot even on Chatham s
unattractive scenery
II Is known locally as Jezreeps tower.
o. the Jezreel temple, and has given it's
Lame TO the district to which il is an
eyesore II is about 40 feet square and
Is over 100 feet high, with square tower
al each corner. II is bigger than 1t looks,
but standS so lonely that II Is difficult to
Judge OF Its vast bulk by objects near at
hand. Ii was originally intended to carry
II 10 an enormous height, making the gil
Santic skyscrapers of America look puny
oy comparison: but the war Office. which
controls things around Chatham, stepped
in and put limit 10 its height, as II
would. II carried much higher. have come
INTO the me or IRE OF one OF the forts
NJ II was, II never reached anything like
this limit, but It Is huge structure.
John White, Founder.
Something like 10000 has been spent
~ its erection. partly the contributions Of
thousands of believers. and partly the out
of-pocket payments Of the builder The
founder of the Jezreelites. whose head
quarters was to be, was one John
MAJ SnfA
ignorant soldier. was one of the numerous
claimants TO divinity-false Messiahs who.
throughout all ages. and particularly In
the present age OF enlightenment, have
reaped rich harvests from credulous null
rtudes by setting up some theory Of the
second advent. White seems to have been
a. successful as the rest In extracting
money from his followers; for although
the building was seized for the debt of the
builder, vast sums had been subscribed
toward it"