New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-12-07
LECT'gR ES.
MOHAMMEDANISM
A LECTURE.
oycry IF sCHRHDEB. or BROOKLYN.
Reported ior The Tribune

Notwithst andlng the lncitEchCS VI INT "UA''-
..los, Tuesday evening, there was numerous
sa5;cnce assembled in the Lecture Room OF the
p,ookivn Female Academy 10 hear the third
1oot,,re Of the course before that Institution de-
livered by the Rev. ]. T. scHRaDER. His sub
iect was THE Origin and History Of Mohamme
danism." He commenced by saying that the
subject to which he took leave to call our atten'
tion comprised view Of the Origin and HlSIof5
of Mohammedanism, the life and character %
bobamlned. the wide extent OF the fe"5'0N
which he taught, ard the remaraaole eFlu0n-''
which are afforded at the present day Of us So0D
,.;e,dina 70 the dominion Of the Son OF Cod our
Savior who seems able to ascend the 'nroii' VI
God. @, tho early history OF Arabia before 'he
;r4roduction of it's idolatry which Afterwards
.iIsd we are afforded little aid In form
no satisfactory opinion. But we are
.oa that Abraham nearly two Thousand
Years before Christ. fixed here his residence
ard his name is much celebrated by the HIS
,o,isns of his country. To hiin they also ascnbed
the great national prerOgatiye and guardianship
nj the Temple at Mecca called the Coaoa' Inc
origin of this temple Is lost IN the obscurlty OF
ancient annals OF this, Diodous Slculus, VINO
Hourshed at the commencement oil our Era
mikes mention and tells us that IN his time
il WINS greatly yenerated for its holiness And
tie fact of its existence IN the time oil lshmaei
rbsts only upon vague legend. The ancient IN
hnbitants OF Arabia had many idols. Among
others. there was statue OF ishmael and many
supposed him an angel being. There were also
images Of stone and Of doves. The Sabeans
literally worshiped inanlmatc benes' 1t was
nj This crisis that Mohammcd was born, de could
boast of belonging to the time OF Ashlm lie
was left an orphan when child under theSe
disadvantages he was received INTO the family
OF his uncle, who proved to him faithful irlena;
Years passed on and be was at length entrusted
with caravans and led them to the East. These
Journeys afforded him great opportunity OF ac-
curing knowledge and he thus stored his mind
and prepared for entering on his bright career;
He afterward left the caravans and was employed
in Mecca where We're thrown open avenues OF
great fame From comparative dependence he
was raising to the rank Of the chief OF his tribe
Tn early life he was distinguished Tor his
religious character lie gloried with adj
mration in the opinions OF his toretathers
He retired at stated periods 10 the solitary cave
where lie sought to throw around him the charms
of olscurity. HI now denounced in severe terms
the prevailing supersttlons among hisieowmen.
He tought to Conclliate the differences between
Jews and Christians. He SAID am commls
stoned by Ali to restore the true doctrines OF lsh
nael." To the Introduction OF some new doctrine
like this, the condition Of the Arabs was very ia
vorable There were numerous class OF Arabs
who said the world had existed from eternity"
while the Jews had also made great acquisitions
TO their tribe The Gospel had been planted in
Arabia at an earlier period, but Christianity was
despocd OF her most beautiful attributes. The
Jacobtes and the HISTORIANS had been dlsputlng
whether Christ had two natures. While there
ott y,N tft,tr toms md
doctrines at the same time. MOhammed com
menced an entirely new system, by which he
hoped to convert the world. Bat many laughed
at his doctrines and thereby suffered persecution.
But the conversion OF Oman and others had
scarcely inspired him with confidence before the
unexpected Cabiah threw around him a melan-
choly doom. This was year OF triumph to his
enemies Every Mussulman was an exile from
his kindred and home. But IN their dlsper,
sion and exile hope led them on and they rl3ked
fame aud fortune, or whatever was he"t
and dear to accomplish their bold enterprise
Nohammed was conscious that the emergency OF
his situation demanded prompt and energetic ac
ton He pretended that III vision he assembled
with Gabriel to the first heavens, where he saw
angels in the forms oil men; he there behelu
hbram Noah and John. he assembled TO the Sc,
cond heavens, and, towering IN flight, he passed
the seventh heavens, aud here absorbed IN
raptures His ears were rayishcd by revelations,
procaiming Allah is God and Mohammed IS the
I iIr % at ,5;s dorrrine While there
tne. no odontrd his principles with ready
he hand and hearts. Among the various motives
which led men to follow in his train, was the fact
of his pointing to that inscription on the throne
"Alla6 is God and Mohammed is the Apostle of
Allah" II sought Mt nrst 70 draw men by gentle
means bat at last he tried TO enforce ms sent
ments by the greatest severity nnt'i ms followers
were compelled to lice from Mecca ne at !a et oe
came, and was recognized as tnelr N"llaly on. 9,
tain He committed depredatons oy SEEING 't'o
property Of travellers through Mecca ana using /! ot
cities, obliging the inhabitants to acknowledge
his supremacy aud profess his doctrines or else
suffer persecution and death, In Egypt ana o1neF
countries he made great acquisitions 70 ms ~IS