Dr. Dowie was the founder of the Christian Catholic Church, International Divine Healing Association and the City of Zion. He wanted to develop a city where his church had authority over all economics, social, political, education and religion. He claimed himself as "overseer" of Zion and banned all doctors, smoking and drinking. To live in the city you had to be a member of his church. Dr. Dowie also founded the Zion Lace Company which until the 1960's had still sold it's expensive lace to Marshal Fields. He founded the Zion Cookie Factory which made fig bars, the Zion Candy Factory which made Beauties and The Zion Printing and Publishing House. In addition he founded The Zion College and school system. After mismanagement of church funds in 1907 the church started loosing control of the city. After filing for Bankruptcy several times the local business and homes were sold to outsiders. In 1942 the church, by court order, were forced to turn over the parks to the now independent City of Zion.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Alexander-Dowie
John Alexander Dowie, (born May 25, 1847, Edinburgh—died March 9, 1907, City of Zion, Ill., U.S.), U.S. evangelist and faith healer who founded the Christian Catholic Church and the City of Zion.
Dowie moved with his family to Australia as a boy but returned to Edinburgh to study theology. He entered the Congregational ministry in 1870 as a pastor in Alma, Australia, and spent the next several years campaigning against the use of tobacco and alcohol. From a personal experience of healing he developed an interest in spiritual healing and eventually founded the International Divine Healing Association.
In 1888 he went to the U.S. After receiving little attention in San Francisco, he settled in Chicago. There he became increasingly successful as an evangelist and healer and won every one of nearly a hundred suits brought against him by doctors and clergymen who opposed his practices. In 1896 he founded the Christian Catholic Church, which emphasized spiritual healing but otherwise differed little from the more millennialist of the Protestant churches. In 1901 he established the City of Zion on the shore of Lake Michigan, about 40 miles north of Chicago, with about 5,000 of his followers. In the same year he proclaimed himself Elijah the Restorer and, later, First Apostle of the church. He ruled the community as a theocracy, forbade physicians' offices, dance halls, theatres, drugstores, and smoking and drinking. Various industries were begun and the town prospered, with Dowie in sole control of the businesses. Zion's commercial success was increasingly jeopardized, however, by Dowie's several expensive and futile trips, first to New York to convert the city in 1903 and next to Mexico to establish the "Zion Paradise Plantation." Opposition to his fiscal irresponsibility (and to alleged polygyny) led to his removal in 1906 and his replacement by Wilbur Voliva, (find-a-grave 85254488), a trusted friend whom he had earlier named temporary head of the church. See the youtube video... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bi-OR69kXUg
https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Alexander-Dowie
John Alexander Dowie, (born May 25, 1847, Edinburgh—died March 9, 1907, City of Zion, Ill., U.S.), U.S. evangelist and faith healer who founded the Christian Catholic Church and the City of Zion.
Dowie moved with his family to Australia as a boy but returned to Edinburgh to study theology. He entered the Congregational ministry in 1870 as a pastor in Alma, Australia, and spent the next several years campaigning against the use of tobacco and alcohol. From a personal experience of healing he developed an interest in spiritual healing and eventually founded the International Divine Healing Association.
In 1888 he went to the U.S. After receiving little attention in San Francisco, he settled in Chicago. There he became increasingly successful as an evangelist and healer and won every one of nearly a hundred suits brought against him by doctors and clergymen who opposed his practices. In 1896 he founded the Christian Catholic Church, which emphasized spiritual healing but otherwise differed little from the more millennialist of the Protestant churches. In 1901 he established the City of Zion on the shore of Lake Michigan, about 40 miles north of Chicago, with about 5,000 of his followers. In the same year he proclaimed himself Elijah the Restorer and, later, First Apostle of the church. He ruled the community as a theocracy, forbade physicians' offices, dance halls, theatres, drugstores, and smoking and drinking. Various industries were begun and the town prospered, with Dowie in sole control of the businesses. Zion's commercial success was increasingly jeopardized, however, by Dowie's several expensive and futile trips, first to New York to convert the city in 1903 and next to Mexico to establish the "Zion Paradise Plantation." Opposition to his fiscal irresponsibility (and to alleged polygyny) led to his removal in 1906 and his replacement by Wilbur Voliva, (find-a-grave 85254488), a trusted friend whom he had earlier named temporary head of the church. See the youtube video... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bi-OR69kXUg
Dr. Dowie was the founder of the Christian Catholic Church, International Divine Healing Association and the City of Zion. He wanted to develop a city where his church had authority over all economics, social, political, education and religion. He claimed himself as "overseer" of Zion and banned all doctors, smoking and drinking. To live in the city you had to be a member of his church. Dr. Dowie also founded the Zion Lace Company which until the 1960's had still sold it's expensive lace to Marshal Fields. He founded the Zion Cookie Factory which made fig bars, the Zion Candy Factory which made Beauties and The Zion Printing and Publishing House. In addition he founded The Zion College and school system. After mismanagement of church funds in 1907 the church started loosing control of the city. After filing for Bankruptcy several times the local business and homes were sold to outsiders. In 1942 the church, by court order, were forced to turn over the parks to the now independent City of Zion.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Alexander-Dowie
John Alexander Dowie, (born May 25, 1847, Edinburgh—died March 9, 1907, City of Zion, Ill., U.S.), U.S. evangelist and faith healer who founded the Christian Catholic Church and the City of Zion.
Dowie moved with his family to Australia as a boy but returned to Edinburgh to study theology. He entered the Congregational ministry in 1870 as a pastor in Alma, Australia, and spent the next several years campaigning against the use of tobacco and alcohol. From a personal experience of healing he developed an interest in spiritual healing and eventually founded the International Divine Healing Association.
In 1888 he went to the U.S. After receiving little attention in San Francisco, he settled in Chicago. There he became increasingly successful as an evangelist and healer and won every one of nearly a hundred suits brought against him by doctors and clergymen who opposed his practices. In 1896 he founded the Christian Catholic Church, which emphasized spiritual healing but otherwise differed little from the more millennialist of the Protestant churches. In 1901 he established the City of Zion on the shore of Lake Michigan, about 40 miles north of Chicago, with about 5,000 of his followers. In the same year he proclaimed himself Elijah the Restorer and, later, First Apostle of the church. He ruled the community as a theocracy, forbade physicians' offices, dance halls, theatres, drugstores, and smoking and drinking. Various industries were begun and the town prospered, with Dowie in sole control of the businesses. Zion's commercial success was increasingly jeopardized, however, by Dowie's several expensive and futile trips, first to New York to convert the city in 1903 and next to Mexico to establish the "Zion Paradise Plantation." Opposition to his fiscal irresponsibility (and to alleged polygyny) led to his removal in 1906 and his replacement by Wilbur Voliva, (find-a-grave 85254488), a trusted friend whom he had earlier named temporary head of the church. See the youtube video... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bi-OR69kXUg
https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Alexander-Dowie
John Alexander Dowie, (born May 25, 1847, Edinburgh—died March 9, 1907, City of Zion, Ill., U.S.), U.S. evangelist and faith healer who founded the Christian Catholic Church and the City of Zion.
Dowie moved with his family to Australia as a boy but returned to Edinburgh to study theology. He entered the Congregational ministry in 1870 as a pastor in Alma, Australia, and spent the next several years campaigning against the use of tobacco and alcohol. From a personal experience of healing he developed an interest in spiritual healing and eventually founded the International Divine Healing Association.
In 1888 he went to the U.S. After receiving little attention in San Francisco, he settled in Chicago. There he became increasingly successful as an evangelist and healer and won every one of nearly a hundred suits brought against him by doctors and clergymen who opposed his practices. In 1896 he founded the Christian Catholic Church, which emphasized spiritual healing but otherwise differed little from the more millennialist of the Protestant churches. In 1901 he established the City of Zion on the shore of Lake Michigan, about 40 miles north of Chicago, with about 5,000 of his followers. In the same year he proclaimed himself Elijah the Restorer and, later, First Apostle of the church. He ruled the community as a theocracy, forbade physicians' offices, dance halls, theatres, drugstores, and smoking and drinking. Various industries were begun and the town prospered, with Dowie in sole control of the businesses. Zion's commercial success was increasingly jeopardized, however, by Dowie's several expensive and futile trips, first to New York to convert the city in 1903 and next to Mexico to establish the "Zion Paradise Plantation." Opposition to his fiscal irresponsibility (and to alleged polygyny) led to his removal in 1906 and his replacement by Wilbur Voliva, (find-a-grave 85254488), a trusted friend whom he had earlier named temporary head of the church. See the youtube video... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bi-OR69kXUg
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