News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1885-04-23
THE EGYPTIAN MAHDI.
xubo lie r. md How ITO Comes TO NO J."
his Present Position.

The Nahdi, ~ the world has become
accustomed to call him, was fret heard
of outside OF the gOudhn about lout
years ago. 1t was suddenly announces
that new prophet had appeared, Wno
was resolved TO take mp arms, 70 feStorS
Mohammedanism 10 its old prestige ana
power. and to found a new Moslem en-
pire At first the pretensiohs OF tne
''faIse prophet" were sheertd ~. nc
wag denounced by the Grand Chiet OF
Mecca, and hiB claims were tidiculed NJ
Cairo and CoDstantinople.
But it soon appeared that bis followers
were increasing, and that hig power was
Incoming dangerous. He led his fierce
Arab hordeg against the Egyptian fort
resses In the Soudan, and one after an
other of them fell into his hands. At
last his hordes became great army Oi
barboriana; and 10 became necessary Tor
the English To send their disciplined
troops against him.
Tho result of the long struggle 30 far
ns It has gone, rs That the chief fortress
and town of the Soudun has fallen into
the Mnhd's hands, and that Gordon, tho
most heroic figure Of orr age. has fallen
while vainly defending KhrtOurn against
him.
Tho Mahdfgnams is hchaet Mnhornet.
He is of pure Arab blood. and "a native
Of Dongola, one of the fortified towns
on the upper Milo. He IN tbs son III N
carpenter, and in his youth followed
that trade. Then he was apprsuticsd
to his uncle, who WIS bOatrnap on this
Nile. This unclo was 81 Crusl ~ him
that ono day he ran away, went " Kbar.
toum, and there entered school kept
by Fhkir--a sort of priest who teaches
theology.
Achmet now resolved 10 become
sheik, or priest of the higher class. As
such he was ordained in 1870. He then
repaired 10 the island ~ Abba in tgs
White Nile, where he lived in n cave,
and engaged in almost constant prayer
and characterization.
IL rs gnid that he was wont, In the
solitude Of his cave, 10 repeat one Of tbs
names given by his sect " the Deity for
hours together; after which he fasted,
burned incense, and lay for long periods
in attitudes Of the most abject humility.
In 1881, he prepared himself for the
mission which he declared had been in
trusted to him by God and Mahomet.
And he announced it to the sheiks and
fakirs Throughout the region OF the Blue
and White Niles. Many of these soon
attached themselves to his cause, while
ONE Of the wandering tribes of the
Nubian and Soudan deserts Joined his
standard.
The Mahdi based his claim to be Ma
hornets successor partly on certain per-
al. hp al, .lrv
resembled the old prophet. Like Ma
homet, his eyes are of different colors,
one being black, the other brown. Like
Mahomet, too, one of his arms is shorter
than the other. He bears upon his face,
moreover, certain marks which the devo-
tees of Islam regard as signs of prophet.
This singular man is described as be-
ing about forty years of age, tall, slim,
erect, with the true Arab clear, yellow
skin, black hair closely cropped. and a
long, black, pointed beard. His eyes
are large and stern, and his manners are
naughty, thoughtful and grave. In war
fare he is impetuous and daring, and is
sometimes reused to a true Arabic fury
by the din and excitement of the battle
field.
All the while, he strictly adheres to his
religious practices; and always, before
an encounter with his enemy, processes
to seek and receive from Allah guidance
how to meet and overcome the hostile
force.
The Mahdi has without doubt sue.
ceeded in winning the faith of thou
sands of the ignorant, faratical, imagi-
native Arabs who swarm in the Soudan
deserts; and so brilliant has been his
success, that his future career will be
watched with absorbing interest,"
Youths Companion.