Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1893-09-30
MOHAMMEDANISM.
A RELIGIOUS SOLUTION OF THE
SOUTHERN NEGRO PROBLEM.

Such. it Is Suggested. May the Teachings
of Moharnmed webb Prove--Something
About the Religions of Other Lands.
Buddhism and Hindooism.
A very amiable and lovable man, Mr..
Mohammed Webb, Is in this country
looking over the field 20 decide whether
or not the United States is promising
field for the exploiting Of the Mohan-
medan faith. He does not undertake 10
make proselytes &c his religion without
giving tho 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 49,. 100000 believers
and has many very charming features.
There are objections to 1t likewise that
we shall not attempt to defend. 1t is
true that in our highly civilized land we
do not prohibit man from marrying
four or FIVE times, but we insist that he
shall have been legally released from
previous matrimonial obligations. The
TtllRlOn OI IHAdlilF vi AiAt
tainties of life and the vagaries of human
happiness. winks at polygamy. while it
does not enjoin il. To employ the simile
synthetically, we drive tandem, while the
Mohammedan harnesses up four or more
in hand.
Among the features that ought TO COM
mend Mohammedanism 10 large pro
portion of our citizens Is its stanch de-
votion 20 absention from strong drink.
Belief in God is admitted and enjoined.
AS in Buddhism, kindness TO all animals
is 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 a sword. Many believing
Christian will take considerable comfort
in the thought that the Mohammeaan
finds il quite as difficult To attain the
kingdom Of heaven as does he. Predes-
tination was 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,
almsgiving, fasting and pilgrimage to
Mecca. Taken by and large, il ia thor
oughly practical religion for the races
who lead nomadic lives, and one pre-
eminently calculated for propagation al
the swords point 1t is the latest of all
the great faiths of the world, only dating
back to 622 A. D., while Buddhism is
probably of | 200 years earlier origin and
Hindooism 600 years earlier still.
There is just one field in this country
for the introduction of the simple and
trusting faiths of the east, and that is
the great negro population of the south.
The hearts of the lowest types of the col.
ored 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 100000 of believers III
that strange and disgusting mysticism.
The southern negro must have re-
: ligion of pure creduli,y, with plenty o
rewards and the mildest possible punish
: ments. Buddhism, whose adherents 10
/ lay number moro than one-third of tht
i human race, might suit him did it only
1 promise heaven or some equally at
}, iractive future abiding place. But !
q 3ffers nothi1e better than extinction; N,
liod, no soul, no hope-save annihila
fionl II Is dream OF peace-of eterna
"A .leep, Nirvana coming TO the believe
q Ike the shutting ont of a taper. Bud
ihism never has been are ligion of fanati
i eism, but has always been charitabl
4 and tolerant.
d II the millions of negroes in the gul
4 ztates, who are today In the grossest IN
% 5ellectual and moral ignorance, coul
II ave formulated for their use ne'
reed uniting some of the beautif,
e eachings of Gautama and Mohammet
i hey might be guided in the direction {
aurer and nobler lives. Christianit
Ia -ould come later if they felt the need {
le t. but we do not believe that any ma
lr woman who knows the facts regar,
In ng the class TO which we refer will den
ne hat Mohammedanism or Buddhism
lroperly introduced and preached, woul
,n tdvance the condition of that part of Il
IA negro race. Great schools like the VA
be- lerbilt and Lincoln universities and Il
Institution at Raleigh do not reach Il
lv ricefelds of Georgia. the cotton plant
Of lions of South Carolina or the swami
he II Mississippi and Louisiana.
he Here are great missionary fields, an
er without prejudice. they can be honest
m. recommended TO the advance guard
the beneficent missionary hosts that mi
N be expected TO tiock TO this country #
ud Mohammedan or Buddhist propagan,
he be decided upon.-Jnlius Chambers
las New York Recorder.
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