ARRESTED 100 TIMES WITHIN A YEAR
ALEXANDER DOWIE opened several large rooming houses called “Healing Homes.” Here, the sick who had come for healing could find shelter and
rest between the services held at Zion Tabernacle. Once there, they were able to receive constant ministry from the Word until their faith mounted to the place of complete manifestation. But the newspapers, mainly the Chicago Dispatch, were merciless, calling the homes “Lunatic Asylums” and continued to print every lie iBecause of these healing homes, Dowie’s enemies thought they had found a vulnerable spot. So early in 1895, they arrested him on the charge of “practicing medicine without a license.” Obviously untrue, Dowie would have been the last person to allow medicine into his homes He hired a brilliant attorney, but he only kept Dowie advised of the legal matters. So Dowie chose to represent himself in court because no one else could
articulate his call as accurately as himself.
Dowie’s superior intellect was not enough to overrule the evil jurisdiction of the court.
Despite his profound arguments, the court fined him. But they never dreamed he would take the case to a higher court, costing much more money than the fines they had issued.
When he did, the higher court denounced the evil of the lower court, and reversed the decision.
The city hoped Dowie would get discouraged if they continued to arrest and fine him.
So before the year was over, he had been arrested one hundred times. Although severely persecuted, he was never discouraged. Persecution brought out great resiliency in his
character. He actually thrived on his persecutor’s affliction and interrogation.
Evil will always try to persecute the power of God. But Dowie was super-naturally secure and anchored in bis godly authority. The supernatural never bows to the natural.
