The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1872-08-07

bio proofs of the truth of prophesy
and of the divine character Of thei
own Son., whom they cruciied
With higher claims than any othe
people to thc.favor of Heaven, up t.
the time of Christ, they rejected him
and arc now, a people without home
withouta country, and, we had almos
said, without God. We look upol
the Jews with something Of tha
sentiment with which we regard q
stranger in a strange land" Nor
desolate and hopeless than when they
hung their harps upon the willow
by the waters of Babylon, they ur'
scattered to all quarters of the globe
speaking every language known tt
man. in every latitude, in evely cline
and on every continent, watching
waiting and praying for the promised
Restorer, until one woulc
think, "that hope deferred would
make the heart sick" The mission
of this rcmarkablc people is manifest
ly accomplished.
MAHoMETANIsM.
The religion of Moslem is more
like Christianity than any Of tho
other systems. 1t admits the OLD
and New Testament as part of the
Sacred Writings, and even recognize:
Christ as q great apostle, but a more
man, and inferior to Mahomet. II
teaches the Immortality of the soul
and the existence of one invisible
God, but discards tho idea Of the
Trinity. "There is but one God and
Mahomct is his prophet"
Like Christianity, it was founded
by one person, Mahomet, who, though
undoubtedly an impostor, was gifted
with great cndowments, beautiful ir
person, of subtle wit, and agreeable
behavior, showing liberality to the
poor, courtesy to every one, fortitude
against his enemies, and, above all,
high reverence for the name of God
His religion spread, almost miracu
lously, over a large part Of the globe
and has today, rs many followers az
any branch Of the Christian Church
This makes its doctrines and history
very interesting to Christians. We
have read the Koran with some care
and, at the risk, of being thought
presumptious, we venture the opinion
that Mahometanism is not entitled tc
be considered an original system. II
is, in our Judgment, mere imitation
and corruption Of Christianity Ma
homet did not live until the seventh
century Of the Christian era. The
famo of Jesus, His religion and His
crucifxion, had gone abroad. His
doctrines, very peculiar in themselves
and proclaimed by the indefatlgable
apostles, had permeated the whole
country. civilized and semi-civilized
and, in pure or corrupted form, had
certainly reached the wandering
Arabs. There happened 10 be no es,
tablishcd religion vt Mecca. Mahom.
et, an ambitious, but poor member Of
the tribe Of Koreish and family Of
Hashem, conceived tho plan Of estab.
fishing q new religion, and, seizing
npon The leading doctrines Of the in
visible nature and unity of God,
and taking Christ as his model, he
proclaimed Mahometanism. He de.
nounccd idolatry, but changed the
doctrines of Christianity SO as to suit
his own peculiar views, and the Gus
toms, sentiments and passions of the
warriors of the desert. Most
of the moral precepts of the
Koran are taken, indeed almost
copied, from tho gospels, and the other
portions Of it are inspirations Of the
prophet as his needs or wishes sug-
gestcd, adapted to the condition and
character Of his first followers. Christ
and Mahomet, the original and copy.
"Hypcrion to satyr." All the
world admits that tho founder OF
Christianity was absolutely free from
personal impurity; whilst Mahomet
abandoned tho character which he
had assumed for the purpose of per-
sonal and liccntious indulgence. His
avowed claim of special permission
from heaven for his unlimited sensu-
ality is known to every reader, as it is
confessed by every writer of the Mos.
lem story. His bible, the Koran,
refers to Moses and the prophets and
denounccs idolatry. 1t toleratcs pol
ygamy-indeed holds it out as one OF
the Joys of heaven. It teaches the
spiritual worship of one invisible
God, but at the same time, it cxhausts
description in painting the carnal
joys Of paradise. His religion was
framed with special reference to it's
own propagation. 1t requires of its
followers, no other evidence than a
declaration of belief in the Koran.
It does not consider necessary any
spiritual change or conversion. 1t is
aggressive, having sprung into exist
cncc full grown and rmed cap a pie,
like Minerva from the head of Jovc
Its doctrines are calculated to make
warriors rather than saints. They
are all unitarians, univcrsalists, and
fataIists. "Thc sword is the key Of
heaven and hcll-a drop of blood
shed in the cause Of God, q night
spent in arms, is more avail than two
months fasting and prayer. Whoever
falls in battle, his sins are forgiven at
the day of judgment, his wounds
shall be as resplendent as vermillion
and odorftrous as musk, and the loss
Of his limbs shall be supplied by the
wings of angels and cherublms.'
The Moslcm's famous war-cry has
been heard with horror upon many &
field of blood, when Moslem ant
Christian-the crescent and the eros:
roso and fell in mortal struggle