The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1850-12-28
From the New York Tribune
WGhammedanism,

Notwithstanding the lncemeucy Of the weatlr.
er last tuesday evening, there was 4 numerous
audlcI c. assembled in the Lecture Room of the
brooklyn Female Academy to hear the third lee.
ture OF Ihe course before that insutute delivered
by the Rev. j. +. ScHRHBLR. The subject Was.
The Origin aud History of Mnhammedani-m -
Tie commenced by SAYING that "the subject to
which he took leave to call our attention cnmDrl
sed II view OF the Origin and History Of Mulh.m
mechanism, the life and character OF Muhanned,
the wide extent uf the religion viii "A he tau. ht
and the remarkable evidences which are afforded
ut the present day Of it's Welding 10 the do
mInlon Of the Sou ol God. our Savior, who seems
able To ascend the throne Of Cod. OF the early
history Of Arabia before the introduction of its
iiolary winch afterwards prevailed, We are af
forded little AID IN forming u satisfactory opnion.
But we are todd that AblaiE,m neatly 1000 yr trs
before Christ, fixed here hl- residence, AMI nls
name Is much crrb,utrI by the historian, az hIs
country. To him thcy h'-o prescribed the great
national prcrngatlvc and gUirul,n,hp of the iru-
pie at Mecca called the Cunba The origin of
this temple J. lu-l IN the UbScurty Of ancient al
rails. OF this, DloioUs SIcuus who Gnuri-hed 1T
the commencement ot our Era makes mention
and tells u, that N h> time It wis greatly vrnr-
rated lot 1t, holmes. And the fact ut IT. exist
cucr in the time of l,hmarl rests only upuu u
vague legend. The alrirn' mhnhiuut, of Ara
b,H haI many idols Among others, there was II
statue "f ishm ell aud many supposed lin al
angel beng. There were ai-ulmu.c- ufslunr nj
of doves The Stbcln, Il erlll, wur,mvprd IN
animate heirrS. II WIS AZ this crisis thi Mo
htnmtd wa, born lie could boast oi bgiun.i
10 the time oi A, ,lm lie wa, lei an orphan
when a child under these disadvantages lac was
received into the family of li> uncle who proved
to him faithful friend Years passed un aud he
was entrusted with caravans gnd he ted them Ia
the cast These journeys afforded him great up
porIunlty oi acquiring knowledge; ami he thus
stored his mind and prepared tor entering on hI>
bright career lie afterwaru left the caravans
and was emplhved in Mecca, where were thrown
open lvrrue- of great fame From comparative
cercn iencc he was rals,ng tn thu rank of chef
of hi tribe In early iiie he WAS Il tingu,hed
for hi, religious charhctpt He gnrlrd with nj.
mratlon IN the upinlons of their ioreiIthcrs. He
retired st stated periods To the solitary cave
where he sought to throw around him the charms
ol ob,cur'y lie now denounced in severe terms
the pcvnng supcrstitiuns o'his fellow mcn.-
lie sought to concillate the differences between
Jews and Christians. IIr saIl II am commission
ed by Al, to restore the true doctrines Of Ishma
e'" To tho introduction of soine new doctrine
like this, the condition Of the Arabs was very ia.
vhrible. There were u numerous class of Arabs
who said "the world had existed from eternity Z
while the Jews had also made great acquisitions
to their tribe, The gospel had been planted IN
Arabm at IN earlier period, hu, Christianity wis
dc.puiled uf her most Beautiful attributes The
Jacobi,es and The HISTORIANS had been disputing
whether Christ had two natures While there
were others who asserted their pretensons and
doctrines ut the same tiGe. Nnhammed comnen.
ccd nn entirely new system, by which he hoped
to convert Tho world But many laughed a; hin
doctrines and thereby suffered persecution But
the conversion Of Oman anl Others had scarcely
INSPIRED him with confidence before the unexpcct
ed Cahij,h threw around him melancholy doom.
This was year of triumph to his enemies Ev.
cry Mnssalmsn was ar exile from hi. kindred
and home Bu, in their Dispersion and exile hope
led them on and they ri.ked fame and fortune, or
whatever was near and DEAR In accomplish their
bold enterprise. Mohammed was conscious that
the emergency Of his situation demanded prompt
and energetic Notion. He pretended that in n
vision he assembled with Gabriel TO the first hsay.