The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-03
THE SENOUSSl ORDER.
A Powerful Kahometan Fraternity at the
Bottom Of the SOudan Trouble.
Philadelphia Press.


Philadelphia Press.
Mr.. Fritz CunliffeOw who is among the
distinguished Englshmen visiting Philadelphia
gives the following interesting account of the
great secret order Of the Senoussi the powerful
Mahometan fraternity which is believed to be at
the bottom of every Musselnan agitation. Mr..
Cunliffe Owen. who By the way, was one of the
centennial commissioners. was private secreta
ry to Sir Rivers Wilson when the latter held the
post of Minister of Egyptian Finance. During
his recent residence in Egypt Mir. Cunl,ffe- Owen
made a special study of the order and of
to favor us with the following brief letter on the
subject:
''The English government have at last recog-
nized the intimate connection which exists be-
tween the secret Society of the Senoussi and the
still unsubdued insurrection in the Soudan. Re.
alizing that but little be effected towards its
suppression by mere force OF arms. they have
despatched special mission, consisting of a sec
ond secretary OF legation and an officer of one of
the rife regiments to Jerhboub on the i'll defined
frontier of Egypt and Tr:poli. Jerhboub which
resembles immense fortified convent, is the
residence of Sidi Mahomet Ben Ali Els Senoussi,
the grand master of the great secret Society of
and influence, far Surpasses the Society OF Jesus,
even in the palmiest days of the latter contra
ternity
'"The grand master has at his command over
80, 900, 000 of Mahometans-that is, third of the
total number of the faithful. The greater por
ton of these, being more or less subject to
Christian powers dream of nothing but of the
universal empire promised by the Koran. The
feeling of intense hatred against the Christian is
deeply engrafted in their hearts, and, whether
latn n ha WI ia
permanent Their sole aim is holy war, with
out truce or mercy against the unbelieyers and
against such as covenant with the inidel. Mem
bers of the order are forbidden to speak, or sa
ians who are not rayahs THAT is to say. subject
to a Mahometan government), and are even
taught that it is lawful, nay. necessary, TO rob
and kill them at all times and in all places
1.-THE order was founded only forty years
ago by an Algerian, the father of the present
grand master. The former adopted, at an early
age, the philosophical tenets of the Chadelistic
school, which has much of the Wahabee doc
trines about it. On the death, at Mecca of
Sheik Ahmed Ben Edris who was the chief of
the school in question, Senoussi, who had been
his favorite disciple, was appointed to succeed
him, and soon evolved, partly out of the Koran
and partly from his own meditatons, purified
kind of Chadelism, which he caused to be
adopted by the members of his sect as being
the true and reformed Islamism, cleaned from
all the superstitious and unorthodox practices
which twelve centuries of theologians had
grated on to it. The doctrine of this most in
tolerant Of all reformed creeds is pretty much as
follows: In the first place, the glorifcation of
God, who alone is to be worshiped. Living saints
may be venerated, but this veneration must
cease Immediately they die, and no pilgrimages
to their tombs or invocations of their names in
prayer are permitted. The Prophet Mahomet is
10 exception to the rule, although admitted to
have been the most perfect of human kind I'm
questioning obedience is strictly enjoined, end
even the Sultan and all other chiefs of
Mahometan states must to certain
extent. conform to the precepts of Isamism as
interpreted by the order, at the risk of hostility
against them being declared as justified. Thou
shalt be in the hands of Sidi Mahomet as dead
body in the hands of the corpse washer Such
Is the form of initiation. All embroideries, gold
and silver ornaments are strictly forbidden in
the case of men, but are permitted to women.
Tobacco and coffee are likewise prohibited. Tea
is allowed but it must be sweetened with brown
sugar and not with white, for the latter is de-
filed by the bones of animals KILLED, perhaps, by
unbelievers) which have been used to refine it
Members of the order who possess capital of
over G5 l. 9. $3.50 pay annually a per cent
thereon into the treasury, which receives, in
addition, vast donations of slaves. cattle, lands
and money. Both the Turkish, Egyptian and
Tunis;an governments have been most liberal in
granting it subsidies, lands and fiscal immuni-
ties.
'Jerhboub, the headquarters of the society, is
situated on the shores of Lake Faregda, latitude
800 longitude "a 1872 In February last it was
fortified by over 100 big guns. besides twenty
mitrailleuses of German manufacture There
are besides several large factories where gun
powder is produced, and small arms. mostly
obtained in Egypt, remounted and repaired. In
JuneJuly 1883. two Italian and three Austrian
vessels anchored in the port of Tabrouk (belong-
ing to the order) laden with arms. shot and SHE'LL
which were Immediately forwarded over the 200
miles separating the port from Jerhboub. At
the latter place there is also splendid library
transported thither from Mecca Stables contain.
ing 1000 horses magnificent reservoirs and
plantations The body-guard OF the grand
master consists of over 1000 Algerians. For
tilted converts and stations exist in the oasis of
Jupiter Anon and at about twenty other places
in Egypt whilst over 600 of these centers of
action are known to be in existence in Turkey,
Tripoli Tunis Algeria, Morocco, India, Afghan
istan, the Yemen China and even Java, in fact
wherever the Mahometan religion has taken root.
1.-THE administration of the affairs of the order
are intrusted to four 'wuzeers. or minister's re-
siding at Jerhboub. acting under the immediate
direction of the grand MASTER who is supreme.
The members of the order, whose names are
carefully registered, owe absolute and unques-
tioning obedience to the mokadem, that is, the
rector Of the community or of the convent of the
district. The mokadem in his turn is subject to
the agha or DEAN whose immediate superior IL
the yskil or apostolic project Of the province.