The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-08-21
MONKS WHO CARRY RIFLEs.
The New Order of Chivalry Organized
by Cardinal Lavigerie.

0y OoEWImaA AAVh8eEkes
Cardinal Lavigerie has founded the
order of the Warrior Of Monks of the Sa.
hara. Instead of meekly bowling their
heads to receive the martyrs crown they
will fight for their lives. They will seek
to attract sympathy and good will by de-
veloping the productiveness 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
comers, and for the refuge and protection
of fugitive slaves.
Their aim will be to afford practical
demonstration of the benefits and advan-
tages of civilization, to preach by ex-
ample the elements thereof, and to thus
prepare the ground for conversion to
Christianity. The headquarters of the
order are at Biskra, on the Algerian bor-
ders of the Great Sahara Desert. and were
solemnly consecrated by Cardinal Lavi-
gerie.
Two days after pronouncing their vows,
which, instead of ling taken for life, are
limited to term of five years, renewable
at will, five of the Warrior Monks started
out for Wargla, an important oasis about
300 miles to the south of Biskra. 1t is
there that the first of the armed stations
projected by Cardinal Lavigerie is to be
established. 1t is entirely surrounded
by sand, a green island in an ocean of
fire. The second station will be at the
oasis of Mes Jonah, near the Morocco
frontier, which is traversed by all the
81 fr-Orr1 tho
south, and which has acquired pecul-
iarly evil name, owing to the fact of its
being the place where lads are mutilated
to render them fit for service as guard
ians of the various harems throughout
the Mohammedan world.
More than so per cent perish from loss
of blood, which is stanched in the most
primitive manner, i. g., by burying them
for the space of four and twenty hours
up to their necks in the burning hot sand,
leaving only their heads exposed to the
torturing bites of the insects and to the
scorching rays of the sun. 1t is here
where the military training of the War
rior Monks will be brought into full play.
For the slave dealers are sure to make a
hard fight to prevent the establishment
within the narrow limits of the oasis OF
fortified station, where every slave who
is able to effect his or her escape from
their cruel hands is certain to find a
refuge and protection.
The slave dealers, however, extend
their activity even to the very doors OF
Biskra, which, as stated above, is built
on an oasis, and one Of the most dramatic
features of the ceremony of the conse.
cration-of the monks was when Cardinal
Lavigerie led to the altar little brown
girl barely 9 years old, who had sue
ceeded in concealing herself, and in
effscting her escape from slave caravan
passing through the desert a few miles tc
the south of Biskra.
A sudden movement of the child caused
her to drop some hing that she was
holding concealed beneath the folds of her
djebba. The venerable prelate bent down
and raised it from the ground. 1t was a
small, dusky hand-the hand of the little
girl who stood beside him, and which in
sheer wanton cruelty had been cut of
oy her captors. Holding it aloft, and
pointing toward the great Sahara, while
with his own hand he raised the child's
arm, so that all present could see the
lnangled stump, the Cardinal exclaimed,
n tones which seemed to ring forth as 6
clarion:
"Iwould to God that all Europe could
zee this little hand! May it serve to
Iirect your line of march. En- avant foi
rod. for France and for humanity. ~
Z. Cunliffe Owen, in Harpers Weekly.