Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-11-28

Mohammed Ahmed. tie False Prophet of the
Soudan. was born at Dongala memorable as the
place where lsmail Pasha Saddyk the Monfettish
ana late finance minister of the ey-khedive.
was put III a sack along with some stones and,
the sack being sewed up, was thrown into the
Nile. The MaIdi's father was named Noham-
med ana was carpenter. Young Ahmed fol-
lowed his-fatheTs calling and became very skill
inl in the art of boat building When his father
dej lie went to Senaar-tO the southeast Of
hH2E' 0Uln-WheTe he continued the Carnenter
business. hut where he was 50 lucky or pcrhars
uHiuchy. as to cut off the ends of the fingers of
his lett hand. This nishap. however proved to
he the making of young Ahmed for he now
fulfilled all the conditions Of the prophecy al
ludod to elsewhere
Ahmed knew how 10 read and write. and pos
sessed certain c:Oquence He gave up car
lenterin- and took 10 reading the Koran in the
PUBIC places and haran-uing the crowd. He
thcn Travelled all about the country making
stump speeches on religious subjects The
people used 10 listen to him at first thro,loch
curiosity. soon he made himself respected and
III lew years he acquired an enormous ascend
aGcy over his ignorant followers who had never
before heard such IN orator. Pcouic uspd to
come on foot hundreds Of miles to srr him The
SHcii Travelled about like second Peter the
Hermit; but. unlike Peter he gave himself I'D
- personal ambition. There was q constant
lay before Sneik Ahmed the richest offer
ING The prudent Sheik stored ND These
presents. and, having become wealthy he set
himself mp . 4 prophet Tile motto which he
atoi'teti was The whole world shall follow me
and 0bey me, Endowed with 10 ordinary in9eri-
nation. ne uttered certain predictions to which
his cTeduloUS bat already submissive discjpIcs
attached implicit faith. According to one of his
prophecies, on November II the first day of the
ne" Mu-salman century-l300 after the He
glra-he himself was to be proclaimed nt khar
t0um. Prophet and Ruler of the Soudan HAVING
convinced his followers that he was in direct
communication with the Almighty, he used.
White addressing them. suddenly TO become
silent. and, closing his eyes to remain notion
less for several minutes He carried this tric},
TO such perfection that not the slightest move
ment was perceptible while he simulated coma
after witch lie appeared to recover from state
Oh pfoInhd iethargy. cast wondering chances
around him. and exclaimed with an air of conyic-
ton: Il come from Paradise. where | have been
WITH Allan and his prophet. How would like
10 tel you all l saw and heard. but Won woul
not be able to understands 1t. His followers
became so devoted to him that at a signal from
nm they were ready to sacrifice their lives
At last the Mahdi announced that Allah had
definitely chosen HIM to be his prophet. which
caused such enthusiasm among his adherents
iI.tt ne seized tie opportunity to surround HIM
self by kind of court The expense incident
thereupon was readily defrayed by his partjsane
1t was then that Reuf Pasha at tile time r0y-
trnof OF TIE Soudan, decided to arrest the
Mahul ami put an end to his proceedings. At
HrSt an attempt was made to disarm him by
persuasion but afterWard 200 men were sent to
take him prisoner. the Maildi had however
already large number Of followers. and the
small detachment of troops was irno,niniously
put 10 fight. That was the beginning of the
revolt IN the Soudan