CHAPTER V

 

 

Saturday, the last day of March, came a tele­gram for Deacon Renbrush. It commanded him to secure, by legal force if necessary, copy of a telegram sent the same day to Overseer Voliva; to buy necessary paper on Dr. Dowie's personal credit (here he laughed incredulously), to print 50,000 copies of "Leaves of Healing" containing the tele­gram to Overseer Voliva, then to write Dr. Dowie fully about the situation at Zion City.

In his telegram to Overseer Voliva Dr. Dowie be­gan by revoking the overseer's power of attorney except as to acts specifically ordered by himself, di­rected that Deacon Gaines be removed from office as general financial manager, ordered all Zion members to put all their money and property into their First Apostle's hands, and ended up by declaring, "I know that God is providing great things for us, and I desire now to tell you that the financial outlook is of so stupendously magnificent a character that I shall find it difficult to express it in terms of sufficient moderation."

The cabinet met and was appalled. But their new leader said, "We're in the right. Keep calm. God will give us the victory. He did not build up this organiza­tion to have it wrecked-not even by the man He

 

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used to do the building. Judge Shelbrace, what is our first move?"

"It is a moot question," said the big, calm, kindly lawyer, "whether or not a power of attorney, properly executed in writing, can be revoked by telegram. The courts would probably decide that it can. But until that is decided, you can exercise your power. There are several ways to use it to delay con­trol of the property by Doctor Dowie until you have had opportunity for judicial inquiry into his com­petency to administer it. Perhaps the simplest would be for you to sell everything he owns to some one else-Deacon Gaines, for example-for a nominal consideration-one dollar. By the time that sale was set aside-as it probably would be-you could have petitioned the court for such other remedy or rem­edies as may be deemed necessary."

It was a drastic remedy. Suppose the people re­fused to follow Overseer Voliva? Suppose Zion's creditors swooped down at this sign of weakness and threw the estate into bankruptcy? Suppose-oh, suppose a thousand disasters. Some of the cabinet were afraid-wanted to obey the First Apostle a little longer-at least until they could be sure of the people. Others urged the sale.

Eventually, one by one, they reluctantly agreed that Overseer Voliva should sell Zion City and all other Zion property to Deacon Gaines.

Judge Shelbrace and his assistants withdrew to pre­pare the papers.

During this discussion members of the cabinet had been tense and solemn. Although rebellion had been

 

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in their hearts for months, they trembled in awe of their decision. For them everything material and spiritual, everything temporal and eternal, was at stake.

The moment came for Overseer Voliva and Deacon Gaines to sign the documents.

Here was the end of a road they had traveled for many years-a road rich in memories of yearnings, hardships, toil, devotion, successes, triumphs, high hopes, and dreams of splendor. And here too was the beginning of another road, leading-whither?

The overseer lifted his pen. Silently he looked from one to another. Unflinchingly they returned his look. He read his answer in their eyes and signed.

Overseer Voliva had sold to Deacon Gaines for one silver dollar the 6,600 acres upon which Zion City was built, all factories, schools, stores, hotels, shops, office buildings, Shiloh Tabernacle, Shiloh House, the stock in trade, cash, good-will, and other assets of every business and of the Christian Catholic Apos­tolic Church in Zion Throughout the World, also Ben MacDhui and "Bethany."

Deacon Gaines executed a deed of trust, declaring that he held all this property in trust for the creditors of John Alexander Dowie, including all investors, and for the members of the Church. Messengers were dispatched to Waukegan, Chicago, and Muskegon to have these documents officially recorded.

Deacon Gaines was called upon for a statement of Zion's finances. This statement disclosed that Dr. Dowie had, from the day Zion City Bank was opened, overdrawn his personal account. His overdraft on

 

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March 31, 1906, was more than $600,000--other people's money!

The deficit of Zion's Institutions and Industries on this date was $2,529,765.71--other people's money!

No wonder he had defied the legislature!

The New York Visitation cost $300,000--other people's money!

Dr. Dowie had outstanding personal notes for $300,000--other people's money!

Two and a half million dollars had been paid in for stock in Zion Lace Industries--only $500,000 had been put to work there-the remainder had been spent on dividends and Zion's general expenses--other people's money!

One hundred and fifty-eight thousand dollars had been subscribed to Zion Candy stock--only $17,000 put into the business.

"Why, he's a criminal!" shouted Deacon Homard, when Deacon Gaines had finished. "He obtained money under false pretenses. He looted the bank! He's been accepting deposits when he knew the bank was insolvent! He'd better not show up here starting any lawsuits, or he'll find himself in the pen for the rest of his life."

"Yes, yes, that's the way to deal with him," clamored several others. "Send him up!"

"Or warn him if he comes back here he'll be sent up."

Overseer Voliva sat quiet at the head of the table, an amused smile on his lips.

Judge Shelbrace protested.

"I should be strongly opposed to criminal

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complaints and charges against Doctor Dowie. He's a sick man. He's been a great man--our leader. It would be a disaster to Zion to send him to prison--or even to make the attempt. We have protected Zion­-for the present, at least. We can go on with our work now. The next move is his."

"You forget, Judge," said Overseer Voliva, “the next move is mine. I’ve got to tell the people about this. Clear out now, all of you," he continued, good-­humoredly, “and let me get my thoughts in shape."

 

 

CHAPTER VI

 

 

Sunday morning, April 1, 1906-- glorious spring day. This was the People's Day of Decision.

It began at half past six, with three and a half thousand people gathered in Shiloh Tabernacle.

Overseer Voliva spoke. His sermon was an invec­tive against the sins of boastfulness, exaggeration, ostentation, extravagance, waste, and luxurious living on other people's money.

He named no one.

But the people understood.

They applauded, cheered, laughed, cried, shouted "Amen!" and "Praise the Lord!"

He had his answer from them.

He sent them home to pray.

Three o'clock saw Shiloh Tabernacle crowded. Every resident of Zion City who could walk or en­dure being carried was there, and many, mysteriously informed, had come from Chicago, Cincinnati, Mil­waukee, and other places. Excited talk went on until the processional began. The very air quivered. This audience was like a great multiple-cell battery, sur­charged with electricity.

Would it flow quietly, usefully?

Or would there be the crash of a destructive spark?

After the ritual, Overseer Voliva stepped forward. That long telegram from the First Apostle was in his hand.

 

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The people waited.

Slowly" impressively" the overseer, in his bishop's robe read.

At some sentences people gasped.

At others, there was an angry buzz-tense, menac­ing.

At the boast of Zion’s "stupendously magnificent" future there was a laugh-but not a pleasant one.

When he had finished reading, Overseer Voliva lowered the spliced paper.

Again the people waited-breathless.

His answer-what would his answer be?

"I refuse to remove Deacon Gaines!"

There was a roar of applause. "Amen!" "Praise the Lord!" "God bless you, Overseer!" rang out in full chorus.

The Overseer waited-calm, composed. Gradually the storm died away.

Tense silence.

"Overseer Darling, come up here/'

From his obscure place Dr. Dowie's old right-hand man came forward, mounted the platform from which he had been banished, and stood beside the speaker, while thousands applauded and cheered. Then they grew quiet.

Taking his old friend by the hand, Overseer Voliva said, with tears in his eyes_, "I restore you to member­ship and to the office of overseer in the Christian Catholic Apostolic Church in Zion."

Again came that roar of applause.

Overseer Voliva plunged into his sermon. In it he made specific the sins he had scored in his early morning

 

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Address, and charged that Dr. Dowie was ill, no longer fit to lead Zion because he had been guilty of them. And the people cheered him.

When the people left the Tabernacle, many were almost delirious with joy. They praised God aloud, they laughed, cried, sang, danced, shook hands, em­braced.

"We'll have the old Zion again, praise the Lord," was repeated and echoed.

But, here and there, Herbert found an acquaint­ance who was outraged, loyal to the First Apostle. There turned out to be about two-hundred and fifty of these in Zion City and Chicago.

That evening resident overseers met in the adminis­tration building_, composed, signed, and dispatched a telegram to Dr. Dowie. It read:

 

Telegrams read here and Chicago.

Practically all_, including Cincinnati representatives, in­dorse Voliva's administration, Darling's reinstatement, Gaines's retention, emphatically protesting against your extravagance, hypocrisy, misrepresentations, exaggerations, misuse of investments, tyranny, and injustice.

You are hereby suspended from office and membership for polygamous teaching and other grave charges.

Further interference will precipitate complete exposure, rebellion, legal proceedings.

Zion and creditors will be protected at all costs.

Voliva, Bacon, Jessup, Goodheart, Darling, Hebbs.

 

Dr. Dowie started north snorting fire_t attended by Deacons Richardus and Packington_t arrived in Chi­cago amid a conflagration of newspaper headlines, took quarters at the Auditorium Annex (other

 

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people's money!), hired lawyers, on credit, and filed suit to set aside Overseer Voliva's sale. Zion City crackled with excitement-reporters and correspond­ents in droves interviewed everybody who even looked important.

Judge Shelbrace and a crew of Zion, Waukegan, and Chicago lawyers prepared for battle. Other people's money dried down to a trickle, and Deacon Gaines, by advice of Judge Shelbrace, permitted Dr. Dowie to occupy Shiloh House. He arrived in Zion City in the midst of a thunder-shower, met at the station by a bedraggled handful of his own little band of loyalists.

At last in the court-room of Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis, the old warrior-in a wheel chair -met his young antagonist. Through their attorneys and on the witness-stand they fought for two weeks before a packed court-room. Opposing forces again and again found themselves impaled upon the sharp point of Judge Landis's drawled sarcasm.

The Court appointed a receiver for all money and property involved; ordered that every member of Zion Restoration Host publicly renounce his oath of allegiance to Dr. Dowie, and stipulated that members of the Christian Catholic Apostolic Church in Zion Throughout the World should elect their General Overseer by ballot. Majority rule being anathema to Dr. Dowie, he refused to run, but nevertheless polled a hundred votes to Overseer Voliva's thou­sands.

With a receiver in possession of Zion's assets, Herbert

 

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knew his work was done. Quietly resigning, he said good-by to his associates in the cabinet and a few personal friends, and went to his mother's home in Wisconsin for a rest.

 

 

CHAPTER VII

 

 

A year later.

It was the tenth of March.

In a bungalow on University Heights, San Diego, Edith Brelin Renbrush placed a 'crystal bowl of rosebuds on her breakfast-table. Through high leaded windows above a long seat sunshine made a golden pattern on the rug. French doors opened upon a tiled veranda on the west, and beyond its low parapet spreads tops of pepper-trees, eucalyptus, palms; red and green roofs, a gray church spire, the bay, the purple length of Point Lorna, the Pacific, shimmering lazily to a horizon where it was lost in sky. Somewhere a mocking-bird tried to make music of what was in the girl's heart and she smiled as she felt how far short he fell. Herbert came downstairs and went out to get the mail and morning paper., His merry whistle could not rival the bird's in tech­nique-but it held a deeper, richer joy. He returned in a moment, turning over the letters. Then he looked up and saw her.

"My God, Edith, how lovely you are!"

Her laugh made the bird's song seem a penny whistle.

"Something wrong with your dear eyes!" she scolded, proudly, as he kissed her.

"Will be, all right, if you get any more dazzling."

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He seated her-and kissed her again before taking his own chair.

"Two letters for you," he said, passing them over. As she took them, he caught her fingers and held them. Smiling, she returned his caress.

"One of your letters is from Harpers," he said. "I can't wait to see what freight it carries."

Her color grew a little deeper as she slit the en­velop with a fruit knife and took out the inclosures.

"Herbert! A check for five hundred! They've accepted Cactus.' "

"Hooray! I knew they would. What's the other?"

She opened and read it.

"Oh, this is even better, darling. Knowles wants twelve stories."

"H'm, I'll be known to the world as Mrs. Ren­brush's husband-and damn proud of it, by gosh."

"Nonsense, darling, why you're known in San Di­ego right now as the smartest and most reliable real­-estate man in the city-after being here only eight months!"

"Oh, I admit there are two people in town who think so. Let's see what's in the paper. Why look here."

He turned the sheet, showing her a head-line:

 

DOWIE DIES AT CITY HE FOUNDED