The Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1931-1952, 1935-08-15
GOSTONIE AND
FATHER DIVINE
N HOLY VAR

vine as ''feiSar and a fraud II
he will meet him IA public debate,
Sunday. Prophet HAWAII costonie
this week dared Divine to prove
his claims to divinity.
All the miracles Of Divine
were assailed and ridieuled by the
30-year-old prophet. costonie adj
mitted Monday that he deals in
things OF the flesh and not of the
spirit.
Such things as dollars and cents
are more important to him than
heavenly reward and Immortality.
Economic Independence
The creed Of Ccstonie is merely
that his people shall be economi-
cally independent Of the white
man. To aid toward this object
i've, he has incorporated the Lea
que for Economic and Social JUST
ice, which win promote a national
campaign for labor in nationally
advertised commodities.
The full text of Costonie's chal-
lenge' to Divine follows:
Dear Sir
/ am writing to you on behalf
Of 100000 people In America
whom you are burlesquing and
causing much humiliation by your
actions and manners both private
and public. You are preying on
the ignorance and superstition Of
the most gullible race in America.
You are encouraging and per-
hitting people to call you God when
you know that you possess few, If
any, Of the qualities Of a sane and
rational human being.
Leaplna and Shouting Cited
You kpSw that your leaping and
shouting in frenzied way and
| your giving your followers names
such as beautiful JOY" "Hallelu-
jah Morning and Living Tree, /"
lis but tho continuation of a bur-
lesque.
| But for the fact that hundreds
of your followers work without
pay and are virtually slaves, I
would accredit you with being in
sane and pass you by. But your
actions on the stage have failed
to be humorous and you bring
shame and humiliation to my peo-
pie.
Why Should God Use Auto
| Who ever heard Of a God who
jumps and snorts and caverts as
you do? If you ere God. why is
it necessary for you to use mar
made things-the automobile, the
airplane, the telephone, and now
the microphone and ballot box?
If you are God, why did you
marry your present wife in Flor
Ida and live with her for years and
now advocate a separation Of hus-
bands and wives?
E you are God, you one time
said; Male and female I create
them and they shall no more be
twain but one1' When did you
change this? Are YOU a change
able God?
If you are God, why did you
run out of the State of New Jersey
when the police wanted you?
Does God Need Lawyer?
Why did you permit your chief
man to languish in jail? Why did
you have. to employ a lawyer to
re-enter New Jersey?
Mr.. Divine, you viii observe a
question mark after the title rev
erend.u When and where were
you ordained by whom and for
what9
IN the name of 10000, 600 peo-
pie of my race and five thousand
Of my immediate followers, 1,
Prophet Costomie of the Church
Of Almighty God, denounce you
and challenge you to meet me at
the Big Tent Sunday, August IL,
and / win duplicate every intelIi-
| gent thing that you do in anyway
for anybody.
4 I do not claim to be God, I am
only His prophet. Upon your fai-
lure to accept this challenge,
shall denolnce you in every news.
paper and in Madison Square Gar
den over nationwide hookup.
AS Elijah challenged Ahab anc
Jezebel and her false priests, so IN
the name Of Almighty God I chal-
lenge you. Believe me to be
Sincerely,
tSigned) Prophet K. Costonit
The Divine-c ostonie battle i
said TO have been caused by Di-