The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-07-29
Prospects of a Holy War.


win other European powers, can
easily grind to powder the insurrec.
ton in Egypt, but back of it stalks
the holy war-of a union of all Mos
rem peoples against the Christian
ehemy-and this subject is attracting
z very large degree of attention
aproad. The London newspapers of
recent dates contain numerous COM
Mpnlcations from writers who have
nAolarge experience in oriental coun-
tfies, and although the weight of
opinion is that no such union of Ma
ihpmmedans is possible under exist
ing circumstances, there still seems
20 exist an uneasy feeling in regard
to tie influences of religious fanati-
clsiHppon the races that acknowledge
-. cosnioon aiiegiance 70 IsIann. AT
correspondent of the London O6serv-
er makes so radical a declaration as
that "aholy war is as impossible as
renewal OF the crusades," but it is
pertinemly asked how he can account
for the agitation that is undoubtedly
in progress in all MahOmmedan
lands. Considering that Great Brit
ian has in India a hundred million
subjects of that faith and that they
constitute very important fraction
of her military strength, she cannot
afford to be Indifferent to any symp.
toms of Moslem irsurrection. Here
tofore she has had little trouble in
employing her Indian troops against
their co religionists, hut if the jehad,
the war of determination against in
fidels, is preached, her power over
them would be very questionable. 1t
is, how eyer, argued that in India the
influence of Islam has never been
much more than superficial, and that
at the present time an Indian Mos.
lem in his tenets and observance, is
but HindO0 in foreign dress.
Ever since the conclusion of the Sc
poy rebellion England has very care
fully cultivated the loyalty of her
Indian subjects, taking every precau-
ton that the woke of government
should rest lightly upon them and
that their social and religious custom
should as far as possible, be preserv-
ell to them. 1t is doubtful, therefore,
whether seditious efforts among them
would be crowned with success.
The case is far different with regard
10 the Arabs. They hold themselves
to he the special custodians of the
faith, and there are traditions among
them that in November of this year
the year 1900 of Mosle'u chronicle
gy-there is to come from the South
a deliyerer, who shall lead them to
successful battle with the infidels.
They have been description of his
personal appearance, which is said to
coincide with that of Ell Medji, the
false prophet, so called by the Euro
peans, who is now advancing from
the SOudan northward into Egypt.
There have been rumors that Arab
is in communication with him, and
it seems certain that he is rapidly
gathering recruits around his banner
Ofcourse, his forces are only a mob
as Herodotus wrote of Xerxes'
armies, "they comprise many per-
sons, hut few men," The statement
published to-day that the Ulemas =
the teachers and holy men~-are
preaching Arabi's cause in Egypt
and Syria, lends strength to the
theory that he is strenuous endeav-
0ring to convert this into a religious
war. In this supposition we may
find an explanation of the reluctance
of the Sublime Porte to attempt the
conquest of the Egyptian insurgents.
Although the Sultan of Turkey has
been recognized as the spiritual head
of Islam ever since the last of the
CaIiphs of Bagdad was carried by
Sultan Selim to Constantinople in
the sixteenth century and compelled
to surrender to the conquerer the
title and authority of the Caliphate,
yet the Arabs have always preserved
the idea that in great MOslem up
rising the gIories of Bagdad would
again become the seat of Moslem
power, rs in the days of Haroun AL
Raschild. And it is even possible
that ell jehad may be proclaimed
without the authority of the Sultan.
1t could be done by the Sheikh-ul-
Islam, who resides at Mecca and is
not unsuspectible to Arab influence.
True, the sacred flag is at CONSTANT
nople, but the sophistlcal ingenuity
of the Ulemas would, doubtless, be
equal to discovering reasons why a
holy war could be prosecuted with
out its presence at the head of the
armies. No two authorities agree
upon the subject of the banner. One
story is that it is the black curtain
which hung before the door of Ma