St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-07-19
WARRIOR MONKS.
The New Order That Cardinal
Lavigerie Has Established in the
Sahara.

The New Order That Cardinal
LaVigerie Has Established in the
Sahara.
Cardinal Lavigerie has lived in Africa
long enough to learn that the sword is
indispensable to the gospel, says Har-
per'S Weekly, at any rate among the
turbulent and war-like races who in
habit the dark continent. He has wit
messed the marvellous success of the
Moslem prOSelytism, which, although
attended by violence and blOOdShed,
has impaired a certain amount of civili-
ZatiOn and enlightenment to nations,
stepped in the very lowest depths of
pagan barbarism.
After comparing the many millions of
converts to MOhammedaniSn to the rel
atively few thousands Of converts to
Christianity in Africa, and after care
full and profound study of the problem
"A study for which his breadth of mind
and lIberality of view particularly fitted
him-he has come to the conclusion that
the system of sending out unarmed
missionaries to preach the gospel and
nothing but the gospel among the saw
ages was all wrong; that both the hero
Ism and the martYrdOm of these pi-
oneerS of Christianity was entirely
wasted, and that if any material good
were to be achieved, it could only be
done by means of radical change.
With this object in view he has
founded the order of the Warrior Monks
of the Sahara. Instead of meekly bow
ing their heads tC receive the martyrs
crown they will fight for their lives.
They will seek to attract sympathy and
good will by developing the productive
ness of the GASES and by the creation of
new ones, where they will form stations
for the relief of the sick, for the offer of
hospitality to all corners. and for the
refuge and protection of fugitive slaves
Their aim will be to afford practical
demonstration of the benefits and adj
vantageS Of civilization, to preach by
example the elements thereof, and to
thus prepare the ground for conversion
to Christianity. The latter, although
the principal object. is the last in order.
For Cardinal Layigerie proposes that,
instead of prOselytism preparing the
ground for the seed of civilization, it is
tue elements of civilization which are
to prepare the ground for the seeds of
Christianity. Civilization will act as
forerunner, instead of following in the
wake. of the gospel.
The Headquarters of the order are at
Biskra, on the Algerian borders of the
great Sahara desert, and were SOlemnly
consecrated by Cardinal Layigerie in
the early part Of last month. The name
of the spot is M'salla, which is the
Arabic designation for a "place of
PRAYER" The estate contains a planta-
| ton of palms in full bearing. and is
traversed in part by a small irrigating
canal. which is the share OF the precious
1luid it is entitled to from the neighbour
ing town. Great stretches of ground
! are, however, uncultivated for want of
water, and measures have already been
taken for its reclamation by the creation
of an artificial supply.
A well was sunk to a depth of fifty
three meters, the water of which, de-
clared to be practically ineXhaustible,
rises naturally to within thirty-two
meters of the mouth of the well, and is
thence raised by pumps to the surface.
A second we'll has also been dug in
order to provide auxiliary resources.
The monks will. therefore, be trained
| in the methods of Samaritan culture as
| well as the use of arms, while the neigh
| borhOod of the illimitable tracks of the
| desert will enable them TO acquire the
more savage accomplishments of camel
riding and hunting by practice.
The house, occupying an area of sew
enty meters by ten, with the kitchens
and Offices in OutbuildingS, has the
ground floor solidly built of stone in
stead of the sun-dried mud bricks gen.
orally used by the Arabs. The choice of
Biskra for the headquarters of the order
is a fortunate one. for the town, which
is situated in an oasis. commands one of
the principal routes of the Soudan. The
town proper is composed of one large
street full of European houses. and III
tersected by number of smaller streets.
The oasis, which is five kilometerS long
and a half kilometer broad, forms a
forest of 10000 palm trees and 5000
olive and fruit trees. The population
is cosmopolitan, and includes French,
Tunisians, Arabs, Moors and lsraelites.