The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1893-05-11
. .IAMMEDANISM.
RELIGIOUS SOLUTION OF THE
SOUTHERN NEGRO PROBLEM.

s
of M"hamned Webb Erove-sonethins
About the Religions Of Other Lands
Buddhism and Hin.lotAsm.
A very amiable and iovable man, Mr.,
Mohammed Webb. is in this country
looking over the field to decide whether
or not the United States is Il promising
field for tl,e exploiting of the Mollam-
inedan faith. He does not undertake Ia
make proselvtes to his religion without
giving the faiths already in the field fair
notice of his probable intentions. This
is certainly reasonable. though it is more
than we of the Christian churches do
when we send missionaries to India and
Central Asia. The Mohammedan reli-
gion has probably l3j. O00, 900 believers
and has many very charming features.
There are objections to it likewise that
we shall not attempt to defend. 1t is
true that in our highly civilized land we
do not prohibit a man from marrying
four or five times. but we insist that he
shall have been legally released from
previous matrimonial obligations. The
religion of Islam. mindful Of the uncer-
tainties of life and the vagaries of human
happiness. winks at polygamy. while it
does not enjoin it. To employ the smile
alphabetically. we drive tandem. while the
Mohammedan harnesses up four or more
in hand.
Among the features that ought to COM
mend Mohammedanism to u large pro-
portion of our citizens is its stanch de-
vOtion to absention from strong drink.
Belief in God is admitted and enjoined.
As in Buddhism. kindness to all animals
il commanded. Its conception of pur-
gatory is picturesque. for good and bad
souls alike have to cross the bridge Al
Sirat, that spans hell and is described
as finer than a hair and sharper than the
edge of IL sword. Many a believing
Christian will take considerable comfort
in the thought that the Mohammedan
tinds it quite as difficult to attain the
kingdom of heaven as does he. Predes-
tination WAS IA cardinal doctrine of the
prophet. but we Christians have been
wont to ascribe its PRONUNCIATION to the
political motive of rendering his follow
ers contemptuous of danger and suffer
ing.
The Mohammedan religion is simple
enough and Is divided into faith and
practice-the latter including prayer,
fasting and a pilgrimage to
Mecca. Taken by and large, it is d thor
practical religion for the races
vino lead nomadic lives, ami one pre-
eminently calculated for propagation at
swords point. 1t is the latest of all
the great faiths of the world. only dating
back TO G22 y. d., while Buddhism is
probably of 200 years earlier origin and
Hindooism coo years earlier still.
There Is just II field in this COUNTRY
For the introduction of the simple and
faiths of the east, and that is
the great negro population of the south.
The hearts of the lowest types of the col
bred races are receptive and naturally
religious, and any faith new to them that
will supplant Voodooism ought to be
welcomed by the stanchest Christian.
There are today 1900. 900 of believers in
hat strange and disgusting mysticism.
The southern negro mus have a re-
igion of pure credulity. with plenty OF
'ewards and the mildest possible punish
nents. Buddhism, whose adherents to-
number more than one-third of the
race, might suit him did it only
IA heaven or some equally at
ractive future abiding place. But it
nothing better than extinction: no
rod, no soul, no hope-save annihila-
ion! 1t is "A dream of peace-of eternal
leep. Nirvana coming to the believer
Ike the ~snutfing out Of a taper. Bud
.hism never has been are ligion of fanati-
ism, but has always been charitable
nd tolerant.
II the millions of negroes in the gulf
tates, who are today in the grossest in
ellectual and moral ignorance. could
ave formulated for their use a new
uniting some of the beautiful
eachings of Gautama and Mohammed,
hey might be guided in the direction of
and nobler lives. Christianity
ould come later if they felt the need of
!. but we do not believe that n man
woman who knows the facts regard
u the class to which we refer will DENY
nat MOhammedanism or Buddhism,
roperly introduced and preached, would
1vance the condition of that part of the
ace Great schools like the Van
erbilt and Lincoln universities and the
at Raleigh do o. reach the
cefelds of Georgia, the cotton planta-
ons of South Carolina or the swamps
Mississippi and Louisiana.
Here are great missionary fields, and,
ithout prejudice, they can be honestly
to the advance guard Of
le beneficent missionary hosts that may
expected to flock to this country if a
or Buddhist propaganda |
decided upon.-Julius Chambers in !
York Recorder, !