The Roots (Cont.)
John Alexander Dowie
Renowned faith healer, John Alexander Dowie of the International Divine Healing Association of Chicago, Illinois had since the mid 1890's garnered Mr. Sandford's attention. He was also founder of the Christian Catholic Apostolic Church in Zion, Illinois in 1896, and eventually it too took on the name of "Shiloh".
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Dowie's faith healing center in Zion, Illinois, named "Shiloh". The structure was demolished in the late 20th century. The turret was saved and placed in the park in the center of town. |
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A postcard image of the interior of the center. It burned in 1937 |
Frank Sandford had twice heard Dowie speak during travels in the mid-west, and cited him in a March 1, 1897 issue of Tongues of Fire . "Dr. Dowie of Chicago prays with or for as many as 70,000 sick people a year, and thousands of the most astounding and remarkable miracles have taken place."
In his early days in Chicago, certain people had approached Dowie with what they claimed as a "direct revelation from God" that Dowie was, in fact, 'Elijah the Restorer', the great end-times prophet. For their trouble, Dowie immediately rebuked them soundly and dismissed them from his presence, warning them never to mention such things to him again. However, the suggestion that had been planted that day kept ringing in his ears. "According to his own testimony, he tried to rid himself of it, but could not. A voice seemed to say, 'Elijah must come, and who but you is doing the work of Elijah?' Time passed. Then one day there came flooding into his consciousness a strange and intense conviction that he was indeed Elijah - the one spoken of by the prophets who was to come and restore all things. The impression came with such overwhelming power, that his entire personality became absorbed with it."
In June 1901, Dowie took the fateful step of publicly announcing that he was indeed Elijah the Restorer. (A claim which was immediately challenged and denounced by most religious leaders).
