Brother Isaiah (John Cudney)

Brother Isaiah
Portrait photo from Traces of the Footsteps of Jesus (1923)
Alias(es)	Isaiah Cudney
Born	John Cudney 19 October 1847(1847-10-19) Canada, B.N.A.
Died	21 July 1934 (86) Oroville, California

John Cudney (October 19, 1847 - July 21, 1934), also known as Brother Isaiah (as self-proclaimed the 88th Incarnation of the Prophet Isaiah) and the Miracle Man, was a British Canadian-born Christian revivalist and faith healer active in New Orleans and Los Angeles in the early 1920s, and founder of religious colonies near Fort Myers, Florida and Oroville, California in the years following.

Selected Bibliography

• Isaiah Cudney (Brother) (1923), Traces of the Footsteps of Jesus, Gulfport, Miss.: Gulfport Printing, https://archive.org/details/tracesoffootstep00cudn 
• Brother Isaiah (1932), The City of New Jerusalem, Los Angeles: Wolfer Printing Company  — Contents: Dedication; Flag of the City of New Jerusalem; The Flag (a Poem); Brief Sketch of Brother Isaiah's Work for God; Sermons Delivered by Brother Isaiah; Testimonials; Letters to and from Brother Isaiah; Inspirational Poems Lovingly Dedicated to Brother Isaiah; Songs Dedicated to Brother Isaiah.

Reading

• Fletcher, John M. (1922), "The Miracle Man of New Orleans", American Journal of Psychology 33 (1): 113-120, https://archive.org/details/jstor-1413755/page/n1 

"The Faith Healer and the Modern Psychiatrist" (The Survey, 5 June 1920, p. 349)

Press Coverage

New Orleans, La. (1920)

• "'Brother Isaiah' is Under Surveillance of Police Following Magic 'Faith Cures'", Daily Ardmoreite (Ardmore, Okla.): 1, 12 March 1920, https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85042303/1920-03-12/ed-1/seq-1 
• "To Investigate Canadian Healer Thousands Jam Levee at New Orleans to See 'Brother Isaiah'", Richmond Times-Dispatch (Richmond, Va.): 10, 12 March 1920, https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045389/1920-03-12/ed-1/seq-10 
• "'HEALER' OF BLIND BESIEGED BY MOB - Police Have to Press Back Crowd of Afflicted From "Brother Isaiah's" Boat", Washington Times (Washington, D.C.): 16, 13 March 1920, https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84026749/1920-03-13/ed-1/seq-16/ 
• "Five Policemen Hurled Into the Mississippi by Mob Seeking Faith Cures at Hands of Boatman - New Orleans Bluecoats Guard 'Brother Isaiah,' Humble Peddler and Miracle Worker, From Rush of Thousand of Cripples and Ailing Who Want to Be Healed", Richmond Times-Dispatch (Richmond, Va.): 1, 13 March 1920, https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045389/1920-03-13/ed-1/seq-1 
• "'BROTHER ISAIAH' BACK UNDER NEW STANDARD - Puts Into New Orleans Flying Flag of Peculiar Design Made by Himself", Richmond Times-Dispatch (Richmond, Va.): 1, 16 Nov. 1920, https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045389/1920-11-16/ed-1/seq-1 

Los Angeles, Ca. (1921-1923)

• "THOUSANDS THRONG TO SEE 'FAITH HEALER' - Many Believe, Others Scoff, as ‘Brother Isaiah’ Works ‘Miracles’", Los Angeles Herald (Los Angeles, Calif.): A3, 20 June 1921, https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=LAH19210620.2.21&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-%252522Brother+Isaiah%252522-------1 
• "ANSWER TO WOOLWINE WILL BE MIRACLE —SAYS HEALER ‘Brother Isaiah’ Promises to Cloud Sun to Refute Fakir Charge", Los Angeles Herald (Los Angeles, Calif.): A3, 24 June 1921, https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=LAH19210624.2.21&txq=%2522Brother+Isaiah%2522 
• "PLAN JURY QUIZ OF 'BROTHER ISAIAH’ - Woolwine Is Preparing for Inquiry Into Activities of Healer and His Aides", Los Angeles Herald (Los Angeles, Calif.): A1, 29 June 1921, https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=LAH19210629.2.302&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-%252522Brother+Isaiah%252522-------1 
• "'Woman of Revelations Called,' Says Aged Miracle Man", Norfolk Post (Norfolk, Va.): 2, 30 June 1921, https://virginiachronicle.com/cgi-bin/virginia?a=d&d=NPO19210630.2.24&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN-%22Brother+Isaiah%22------- 
• "Brother Isaiah to Leave Unless He Gets Private Site", Los Angeles Herald (Los Angeles, Calif.): B1, 12 July 1921, https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=LAH19210712.2.163&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-%252522Brother+Isaiah%252522-------1 
• "ISAIAH PLANS 'MIRACLE HILL' REOCCUPATION", Highland Park News Herald & Journal (Highland Park, Calif.): 1, 29 July 1921, https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=HPNHJ19210729.2.38.6&txq=%2522Brother+Isaiah%2522 
• "'MIRACLE MAN' ON TRIAL FOR PATIENT'S DEATH", Hanford Sentinel (Hanford, Cal.): 4, 21 Feb. 1922, https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=HS19220221.2.77&txq=%2522Brother+Isaiah%2522 
• "'MIRACLE MAN' IS ACQUITTED", Madera Tribune (Madera, Cal.): 4, 2 March 1922, https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=MT19220302.2.41&txq=%2522Brother+Isaiah%2522 

Return to Louisiana (1923)

• "MIRACLE MAN HAS TROUBLES", Whittier News (Whittier, Cal.): 7, 3 April 1923, https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/684172404 

"Faith Colony" near Fort Myers, Fl. (1924-1928)

• "'Brother Isaiah' Looks Over Lee Co.", News-Press (Fort Myers, Fl.): 1, 22 July 1924, https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/212801458 

"Colony of the Saints" near Oroville, Ca. (1929-1934)

• "Brother Isaiah Comes to Earth In Plane; Inspects Land Site", San Bernardino Sun (San Bernardino, Cal.): 4, 4 Sept. 1929, https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=SBS19290904.1.4&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-%252522Brother+Isaiah%252522-------1 
• "Brother Isaiah Locates Oil Fields Here; Tells How Men Jumped Out Of Sky and Sent Him into Faith Healing", Orange Leader (Orange, Texas): 1, 12 Feb. 1930, https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth142643/m1/1/ 
• "CULT AWAITING ‘RESURRECTION’ OF DEAD LEADER", Healdsburg Tribune (Healdsburg, Calif.): 4, 24 July 1934, https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=HT19340724.2.56&txq=%2522Brother+Isaiah%2522