The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-09-08

campaign 70 propagate the uOCtIiHcS
of Islam. Several devout Mohamme-
dams from the east will aid me with
my work during the winter. Hajee
Abdullah Arab, one of the wealthy
merchants OF whom have already
spoken, will be among these This re-
marlkable man has history VIII III has
peculiarly eastern flavor al ,ut it.
He was a wealthy mans son. While
yet a young man he gave all of his
money to charity and for several years
lived as hermit in the woods, exist
ing upon the most frugal diet possible
and devoting himself to the study OF
his religion. At the request of his
friends he returned to the world again
and inside of year had amassed sec
ond fortune. He owns several iron
steamers. has houses in Bombay. Jedda
and Medina and transports many of
the pilgrims to and from Mecca during
the annual Hui"
/ expect the arrival of Moolla Mira
Kahn next week. He comes to remain
permanently in America to assist in
the good work He brings with him
cook. an English clerk. Moulvi and
Hafz. The latter two names need an
explanation. A Moulvi is a person
versed in the Arabic tongue and q Hafiz
is one who is able to repeat the Koran
from beginning to end from memory, a
truly wonderful accomplishment, even
the critical Christian must confess My
other visitors this winter win be Hajee
Rhamtullah, Hajee Dawood and Moul-
vi Hasson Ali. It is possible also that
Haico Mchammed Abdus Salam Sahib,
of Madras, a wealthy merchant and
brother of the Turkish consul there;
Jan MoEammed Genjee, well-to-do
merchant of Calcutta, and Hajee
Haroun Joffer Yussuf, very wealthy
merchant of Poona, may also be here
during the fall or winter.
Many persons have asked me why
the name "Mohammed" is placed be-
fore my name. It is the custom among
Mussulmans to name their children
after the prophet or one of the
saints or khalifs of the early days of
Isla2n When Christian is converted
he retains his own name but adds a
Mohammcdan name to it. When / was
in Rangoon, Burmah, the MussH lnans
assembled in the grand MOSQUE on
Megul street and selected for me the
name "Abdulla," which means servant
of God. But when / reached Bombay
Mussulmans there thought that
should have a more honorable title, so
it was arranged to bestow upon me tho
name of "Mohammed," which is tho
most honored of all Mohammedan
names 1t is difficult to convey in Eng
lish a correct idea of its meaning, but
it may be said to mean in limited
sense the material expression of the
light of divinity, the comforter which
Jesus said would come to His follow
ers after His death.
Like all Mohammedans, I believe
that Jesus was q true prophet as well
as Mohammed. and one need not re-
linquish his faith in Christ in order to
become a Mohammedan. The Naza-
rene Himself prophesied the coming
OF the Arabian.
I feel certain that the converts
have made will be lasting ones. They
will not ''backslide' after the fashion
of three-fourths of the Mohammedan
converts to Christianity. The ones
who come into the fold of Allah are
thinking Christians, while only the
mcanest and most ignorant Moham-
medans constitute those saved"
through the Christian missionaries in
the orient.
rM<cHE- N--sE<isnZS