Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1878-01-04


SO Mshomet has been sometimes
called. But by :hus quoting the title,
we are not 10 be regarded as endorsing
Il. We should not even quote IL, did
we tbsEk that it necessarily involved
blasphemous 'aIIusion to oar Saviour.
Probably no such sacnlegious intention
entered into the mind Of st.ose who iirst
used il. They merely designed to sug-I
gest therebyefhat Malomet was raised
up providentially for the work that he
dId IN ARABIA. And that he looked upon
himself in such light. is well known.
And some Of the most eminent Of bis
Christian biographers have felt them
selves constrained to allow his entire
sincerity in this conviction. An ''an-
nointed" one, in some sense, be might
have been for his mission, and vet, al
ter all, like Jehu, ofIsraehtish memory,
have been a fanatic in ITS execution.
Bas the present use ofthe title may at
least ssbserye the purpose of bringing
before Us some ofthe characteristic traits
and life qualities oil the remarkable man
TO whom ii has been applied.
Born and bred an idoIator himself,
what made him so intelligent and de-
cided q monotheistl This quotation is
generally considered as sufficiently an
swered by the fact that there dwelt in
his native city Greek goldsmith,
Christian by religion, whose shop was
q place OF frequent and familiar resort
for Mahomet during the ye~rs of his
maturer boyhood, and where, not only
by conversation, but also by the sight
and hearing OF the Scriptures, his eyes
were fully opened to the folly and wick
edness Of polytheism. Indeed, by this
and other means, he became SO Biblical
IN his views that his system was looked
upon by surrounding Jewish and Chris
tan communities as approximately cog
nate with their own. And he himself,
acknowledging the inspiration OF Moses,
David, and Jesus, and yet wishing to
set up an independent system, openly
accused the Jews and Christians of hav-
ing corrupted the Scriptures.
But turning from his tenets to him
self, let US observe with candor and ad-
miration what traits Of humanity, mag
nanimity, equity and devoutness, in
the midst of many inconsistencies, he
displayed. An instance Of his mag
nanimity and justice, is recorded in e,
r0r Of Jew, agaipst-Hhoin -
medan had a quarrel, which decisz
was afterwards confirmed by the Caliph
Omar, 20 whom the offended Moham-
medan appealed after the Prophets
death.
His benevolence was proverblal, and
his benefactions to the poor, aged and
infirm. were profuse. One OF his orac-
ular sayings was: "Woe be unto those
who play the hypocrite and deny neces-
saries 10 the needy." And he himself
died poor, having laid up nothing for has
family worth the mention.
Just before his death. in the midst of
a vast concourse OF his followers, he
spoke with feeble voice from the pulpit
OF the mosque, as follows: "Mussel-
mans, If l have ever maltreated any
among you, let him now come and strike
me in turn. III have offended any of
you by my word, let him return insult
for insult. II | have taken from any his
let him take all possess upon
the earth. And these are not vain
words; LET no one, in doing himself JUS
tice, apprehend my resentment. Re-
sentiment and anger are not in my char
acter." A man dared to step from the
crowd and claim of him concealed debt.
'sHelp thyself." said the Prophet. ''it is
better to blush in this life before men
for injustice. than TO blush in the other
world before God I"
A saying worthy oi record in sun
beams
History states that before the advent
Of Mahomet the Arabians were exceed
ingly cruel and barbarous towards wo-
men and female children, deeming the
birth Of daughters misfortune, AMI fre-
quently bnrying them alive. AL OF
which Mahomet vigorously reformed,
a warm reception OF the in
fant daughters, and the kindest treat
ment cf wives, sisters and mothers. In
Of this, the following is mar
rated.
One day, while dandling and caress-
ing little granddaughter OF has, an
idolatrous Arab ofthe desert, coming m,
exclaimed: "What is that little lamb
that thou SO caressest with thy lips, o
Prophet / have had myself q good
many Of that sort of lambs, but ! have
buried them all alive, without ever touch
Ing them with my ips." "Wretch"
reioined the Prophet, chime heart must
be devoid Of every sentiment OF human
nature. Thou dost moi know the sweet
est pleasure that it has been given man
to feel. a
Thus. Notwithstanding bis guilty neg
lecs OF the divine command Of coujugal
unsty. he nobsy rescued the woman
child from murder. and openly expressed
10 his followers his own honor OF wo-
man rs 'sshe most beautiful and holy
Of the creatures Of Allah" The
women y said he, ssonght 20 behave to-
wards their husbands in like manner as
their husbands should behave towards
them, according to what Is just; but the
men ought TO have . superiority over
them"
Il i also an interesting fact concern
ing Mahomet, that he never claimed for
himself immaeulate sanctity, but freely
confessed the opposite. lie represents
God as charging him as q sinner mot
.spsrfecf servant Of his Father" " as be
described Christi, and telling him to
ask pardon for has sin. And one oil the