Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 January 1913 — JEZREEL TEMPLE IS FOR SALE [ARTICLE]

JEZREEL TEMPLE IS FOR SALE

Famous a* Hom* of English Sect Which Put Ban on Barber*—Founder Bald He Would Llv* Forever. Fxmdon, England.—The famous Jesreel temple at Chatham has been offered for sale. The building, which is a conspicuous landmark, was begun in 1882 by a British solder named White, who, after an attack of sunstroke in India, proclaimed himself the propher of a new religion and adopted the name of ' James Herahon Jezreel” An article of the new faith was that none of its disciples should visit s barber, and the Jezreelites rapidly became known In the locality and beyond it “Jesreei" gathered hundreds of followers and organised a

little colony of farms and workshops, out of which he made a fortune. He began the construction of the temple with the object of accommodating 5.00 Q of the faithful of the 144,000 who were to be saved when the end of the world came.

He promised Ms followers that he would live forever, but he died before the tower was finished. It remains unfinished today despite the fact that over >200,000 was spent on it. The building remained unoccupied until 1906, when It was taken by an American named Mills, who adopted the title of “Prince Michael/’ and proclaimed himself the successor of "Jezreel.” About three years ago "Prince Michael’s followers were evicted, having failed to pay the rent to the owner, a contractor who had taken over the building on the death of “Jezreel.”