The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-06-02

Of the earth, which require n slow
aud gradual process of formation
and the patient aud determined
Efforts OF the miner 10 bring them from
darkness 10 light, they are not in pure
and unalloyed state, but have to be siiled
aud purified from the foreign substances
TO which they cling. Ihoy have 10 pass
many time through the crucble OF re-
fincmcnt until they attain purity aud gen.
uine value. Even sO have the sacred
ideals aud religious ideas TO he clarified
aud purified in the analytical cruciblo
OF history, until they como forth In
their genuine value, their precious lustcr
aud divine impress. No religion
can be exempted from this test, and none
can form correct estimate OF any religious
system who is not acquainted Of It's histor-
ical Development
"Niohanmcd is n strictly historical
character. No mythical veil surrounds
him. Ills identity does not rest upon
shadowy legends like those Of Buddha or
Coniucius. There has been no religious
rciorncr who has been abused as liberally
as Mohammed. The Jews OF his time
called him impostor, tin Christians called
him 'anti-Christ impos,or and devil
To Godfrey Dcllonellon ho was the incar-
nation Of an evil spirit Luther calls him
the beast Of which Daniel speaks. while
llaroun Al Raschcd, one Of the noblcst
caliphs and wisest men that ever lived,
calls him prophet and saint.
"Ict us analyze the life Oi Mohnmmcd
aud the product Of his religious expert.
encc, the Koran. The religion Of the In.
habi ants OF Nubia, ere Mohammcd ap-
pcarcd, was Of peculiar kind, n mixture
OF Chaldcan aud Sabccan worship. The
Koran, whilst II lays great stress upon the
teaching that God Is mighty and incor.
porcal, Is very defective with respect 10
the moral attributes Of the Deity; Il ittcachcs
the unity Of God. but only as lar ~ number
IL concerned. Tho rghicoufncs Of God
Is an attribute, OF which the Bible Is full.
In speaking OF Him the Koran hardly
ever mentions such lofty attribute Of
Justice. To the lsraolte Col is holiness,
and the keynote Of the belief In tho
divine ideal IL with us tho behest
OF Judaism. Tho idea Of jewish
mono.theism includes will, thought,
moral perfection and love Of the Divine
Being; the Islam leaves most Of these out
and only tho Divine will remains. Mo-
hammedanism says "Gol is supreme will. T"
Judaism says God Is Justice and love"
Judaism says "rrust and hope In God. Z"
Mohammodanism answers submit 10
God" Judaism says "lloly, holy is tho
Lord" Mohammcdanism says Great
and powerful Is Allah" llcnce the hard.
ncss aud coldness Of ihe whole system.
hence the fact that Mohammedanisin cam
not establish good government Another
do,usiyo tenet OF the lAlan faith Is latalism,
n doctrine not taught boy Mohammcd, but
an unnatural Interpretation oi modern
times. This doctrine inUulcalcs That every
event has been Predetermined by God,
and written down on tablet pfcyi0us 10
the creation Of the wohl. Ihnt iho dcs-
tiny OF every individual and the hour
OF his death were ifroyOcnbly hScd
aud could neither be- changed or
mo lifted by any effort Of human
sigacliy or foresight. Under this belief
the Moslcms engage in battle without
iliDching, for II they are destined 10 fall in
battle, u will 80 happen. 10 what they
may; In flight thero b. no escape, j. the
MOslcm'B motto, which rendered the Ma.
hommcdcn hosts almost irresistible. The
doctrine OF p.cdestinauyn is p3rnicious IN
this, that u misfortune comes 10 believer
In u, bc u an epidemic of anime OF what
not, hesays, "The will ol Aliih be done,
aud folds his hands in sheer idlencas,
without an effort to avert ihc danger or
modify the disasirou elects by human
power aud wisdom.
"Whercver this doctrine appears, DO i In
Calyai ism or lslamlim. it entails mischief
upon tlose who believe in IT, because II