The Osceola times., 1884-05-03
A TALK WITH Ell MAHDl.
How the Mouth Of Allah Was Encountered
In the Desert by an American Traveller.
Kansas Ci star


Kansas CT star.
DIR. Irwin B. Tenny, widely travelled
gentleman of Baltimore, Maryland, who
has been visiting for some weeks with
friends here, is perhaps the only Ameri-
can who ever saw FL Mahdi. Said DIR.
Tenny:
II saw him in 1878, before he was heard
of outside his own province, and shall
never forget the profound imp ession he
he made upon me. 1t was one evening,
while was near SEMINAR, travelling with
Rufoh, my interpreter. Ell Mahdi was
then man OF, should judge, thirty.
three or thirtv-four, and although he
stood some six feet high he was so spare
doubt if he would have weighed over
19O pounds. His complexion was dark
olive. his beard coal black and his eyes
deep set and piercing. His bearing was
severe and there was undeniably that
intangible something called magnetism
about him. He was clothed in simply a
white tunic that left his arms partly ex-
posed and fell from belt at the waist
straight to the feet. Around his head
was many folded tunic.
"He gave keen glance at my Europe
an costume and then assumed his appar.
emily vacant gaze straight ahead.
81 had never seen a real prophet be
fore and was rather embarrassed to know
what to say. Finally, in sheer despcra-
ton, told Rufoh to tell him that came
from across the sea where we have no
prophets.
THE MOUTH OF ALLAH.
81 am not prophet" he replied
through the interpreter; am the mouth
of Allah"
"Wha, is the faith you teach?" ask
ed of the mouthpiece of the Deity.
"That Allah will give mis- people what
belongs to them"
"The Prophet scrutinized me sharply,
and surmising that he might take me for
a spy sent there to pump him on his pol
itical views changed the channel ofmy
inquiry. "What is mans greatest Eault?"
/ asked
From the phrase that Rufoh used
beleye the Prophet understood me to
ask what was mans greatest tendency or
inclination, and answered:
"ro gratify his VANITY"
81 put the que ;tion again and after
poDdering a moment he said
"Selfisbness"
''These struck me as rather broad views
for humbug Papan seer TO entertain
and | asked him what he considered the
future of his creed and country.
There is one God, one Prophet and
one people" he said; Eve will cover the
face of the earth"
There are several million people in
the world" suggested.
''There are millions of drops in the ri
yer, but they come at last to one sea-"
where do YOU hold converse with the
Deity" | ventured.
"T'he prophet looked at me proudly
and exclaimed in a loud tone defiantly
for the benefit oftbe crowd:
II am with Him always! He is |, and
am He!'
AT this the crowd of natives began
uttering loud cries and great many OF
them threw themselves upon the ground
We were silent for moment, ana he
took up the strain of questions.
Where does my lord live"
Across the waters. Two hundred
times a. far as from here to Cairo re-
rlied at n venture.
The prophet pondered for some time
ov, r this immensity of space and then
a.ked:
What il this water like?"
This rather stumped Inc and finally
pointed up to the sky and told him that
if it wa- reversed it would be something
like the ocean. A fash of intelligence
shone in his eyes and he nodded grave
ly.
'How many people are there in your
country"
millions and millions, rich and hap.
py."
The prophet evidently regarded this
as "A deep dyed lalsehood and signitied
with Il wave of his hand that the inter.
view was at an end. Turning then to
the natives, he addressed them in q dull
one-kcyed voice that grew louder in
pitch, with strange and sud len breaks
when he stopped altogether and, closing
his eyes. seemed to be in trance. While
he was in the midst of this extraordin.
ary proceeding Rufoh all at once clutch.
ed my sleeve and buried me off,"