Welcome to Ahmadiyyat, The True Islam — Page 253
− This challenge was widely published in the American Press. The challenge was issued in 1902 and repeated in 1903. When Mr. Dowie paid no attention to it, he was hard pressed by American papers. Finally, Mr. Dowie announced in his paper, Leaves of Healing of December 1903. "In India, there is a Mohammadan Messiah who keeps on ± writing to me that Jesus Christ lies buried in Kashmir. People ask me why do I not send him the necessary reply? Do you think that I should answer such gnats and flies? If I were to put my foot on them, I would crush them to death. The fact is that I merely gave them a chance to fly away and survive. " Finally, the prophecy was fulfilled. Rebellion broke out against Mr. Dowie in Zion. His wife and son deserted him and he was charged with many illicit and immoral practices. He was finally expelled from Zion and reduced to a miserable allowance. On February 20, 1907 the Promised Messiah and Mahdi as − issued another handbill announcing the appearance of another Heavenly sign. The handbill said: "God Says: I shall manifest a fresh sign of great victory. This sign will be for the whole world and will be wrought by God's hands from Heaven. Let every eye wait for it, for God will manifest it soon. . . , so that everyone might bear witness that this humble one, who is being reviled from all directions, is from Him. Blessed are those who would take advantage of it. " (Announcement of February 20, 1907, Inner Title page of the pamphlet: Qadian ke Arya aur Hum; Tadhkirah,English Translation, − Muhammad Zafrulla Khan, pp 386-387) ± ± − Within a fortnight of publication of this handbill came the death of John Alexander Dowie. In 1905 Mr. Dowie suffered a stroke and was paralyzed. On March 9, 1907 he died in misery and pain. 253