Approaching the West — Page 14
A pproaching the West—14 elevated Voliva to great power; Voliva ruined him. He drew about him thousands who worshipped him; he died deserted by all save a handful of the faithful. The Sunday Herald of Boston wrote a detailed article on June 23, 1907 under the heading: Great Is Mirz ā Ghul ā m A ḥ mad the Messiah: FORETOLD PATHETIC END OF DOWIE AND NOW PREDICTS PLAGUE, FLOOD AND EARTHQUAKE. Calling him a seer, the paper stated: The Indian gentleman has been well known in the eastern pastures of the world for many years. His claim is that he is the “true Messiah who was to come in the last ages” and that God has showered him with Grace. He first came to the attention of the United States in 1903 on account of controversy with Elijah III. Since the death of Dowie, the Indian prophet’s reputation has soared, for did he not tell the death of Dowie, that it should take place within his (the Messiah’s) lifetime, should take place “with great sorrow and torment”? Another person who attracted Ḥ a ḍ rat A ḥ mad’s attention was one Rev. John Hugh Smyth-Pigott who lived in Britain. As a matter of fact, he had “inherited” the messiahship in 1899 by succeeding Henry James Prince (1811-99)–a doctor and an Anglican clergyman who had claimed to be the immortal Holy Ghost in flesh. Rev. Prince was the founding father of the Agapemonite sect within Christianity. He had many beautiful and wealthy women admirers who supported him in 1840s to establish his scandalous community, the