Fulfilment of a Grand Prophecy - Hazrat Ahmad’s Challenge to John Alexander Dowie — Page 71
Fulfillment of a Grand Prophecy. Dr. John Alexander Dowie's trip to New York turns out to be his Zero Hour:. Arthur Newcomb's description of the Zero Hour of Dr. Dowie: "Madison Square Garden was crowded to the roof on that October Sunday afternoon when John. Alexander Dowie preached his first Sermon in. New York. Outside, in Madison Avenue, Twenty. Sixth Street, Twenty Seventh Street and even across the corner in Madison Square were many thousands more. . . . Zion City band, in a gallery behind the platform, played while the crowd was being seated. As the choir began to fill its gallery behind the platform, fifty band instruments joined in the music. Thus the volume grew until a climax was reached which stirred even that sophisticated crowd. . . The "Halleluiah Chorus” from "The Messiah" lifted most of the crowd up in their seats. There was something in it more stirring than near-perfection of technique, quality of voices, and the volume of sound. . . . That great audience was now almost ready for a master's hand, to sway as he would. One more unerring touch of his uncanny magic and he could have his way with them. . . . The voice ceased, the organ rumbled and died away. The audience strained forward, relaxed. John Alexander Dowie's hour had struck. He had reached the crisis of his career. All that had gone before seemed to have led him up to this high place. Here he stood with the eyes of all the world upon him, all its ears awaiting his message. . . . . Yes, it was John Alexander Dowie's zero hour! 75. By a miracle of personality his five feet four looked taller than six. He began to speak. That queer, rasping, carrying voice rang out into the stillness. With it and with it almost alone, he had made himself, built Zion, produced this setting for his great triumph. . Now it rolled into that vast cavern of opportunity and was lost! No mistake about that. He saw it--he knew it. Almost imperceptible but telltale movements showed him that his audience, which had been one pair of eyes, one hearing soul, had begun to disintegrate. . Frantically he tried for more power, more volume. . Auditorium, Chicago Coliseum, Shiloh Tabernacle. In vain! The voice which has filled the Chicago and had even reached the outdoor audiences larger bellow of a bull, the roar of a lion. Now he was than this, had been as free from effort as the trying hard--and his voice was killed! He struggled to make himself heard. His own people sat enraptured. For them whatever he did was right. In the far galleries people began to walk out. Others in the rear of the garden joined them. . Sit down" roared the baffled preacher, racing across the platform, bristling like an angry bantam. . Let no one move! You will find the doors closed. Guards! Permit no one to go out". Some one laughed. More people laughed. Thousands laughed, Hundreds laughing joined the exodus". He arose, strode out across the broad platform. (p. 253-254)