St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-09-17
AN APOSTLE OF ISLAM.

MoHAMMED ALEXANDER WATSON
crusade-an effort to convert the people
of the United States to Mohammedan-
lsm-and, in order to further his pur-
pose, has started publication in New
York. devoted to an exposition of the
doctrines of ISlamism, and. proposes
shortly to undertake tour of the coun-
try, holding missionary meetings In all
the larger cities. and founding societies
wherever 1t may appear that proselytes
may be obtained. He is at present in
London, perfecting his plans and rails
ing money with which to prosecute his
mission, and from that city gives forth
an outline of his programme.
MoHAMMED WEBB, it may be noted,
is not a ''child of the DESERT" as many
of the Mohammedans are. Indeed, he
has no affection for desert places,
and much prefers the luxurious ease
that is afforded in the large cities of
Christendom to the arid plains Of Ara
bia or Egypt. He began his career as a
some twenty years ago. He was bright
and enterprising, and eventually re.
ceived rowing commission from one of
the metropolitan journals. ana in that
capacity he visited many Oriental lands.
With the free and easy habit commonto
men in his line, he readily fell into the
customs of those with whom he was
associated, and became one of them IN
religion as well. He would as readily
Ilsol Ttnnfnnian
or fetch worshiper if his surround
ings had tended in either of those direc-
tions. We find him, however, Jealous
follower of the prophet, filled with en-
thuSiaSm and anxious to convince the
world that There is but one God, and
MoHAAIMED is his prophet" The news
paper instinct dominates. He is looking
for sensations. They are essential to his
being. Notoriety feeds his vanity, and
he gloats in contemplation of the stir he
expects to create throughout the Chris
tian world when he matches the faith of
the prophet of Arabia against that OF
the prophet of Judea.
MoHAMMED WEBB processes to be "a
firm believer in polygamy as q cure for
he social evils that prevail in Christian
countries, and claims that it will ele-
vate woman to that exalted and ad-
mirable position which she is fitted by
nature to occupy. go with me-" he
eXclaims, Into any large American or
European city, and see the evidences of
that reS;StleSS torrent of vice and crime
that ruSheS and SeetheS through the So
cial fabric; 60 with me and see the po-
sition in which noble woman, one of
the grandest works of God, has been
placed by the uSageS and the customs
of this nineteenth century civilization;
take up the newspapers and read the
records of divorces, social scandals and
marital woes that fill us with shame
and disgust, and then tell me that these
so-called Christian laws and Christian
customs are good things. And where
is the remedy for all this? In Moham-
medau laws and customs-in Islamic
principals. Christian laws and Gus
toms have been tried for MANY CEN
turtles and have failed utterly. Now
give islam trial.
1t is to be feared that the enthusiasm
of this apostle of Islam has run away
with his judgment. provided that judg-
ment enters into his crusade at all.
Murders are committed. theftS perpe-
trated, and all manner of evil exists in
every country on the face OF the globe.
Does it follow that the existing laws
for their suppression should be abro-
gated, and that license should reign?
Should the safety Of human life depend
II Tim Pc n
been stated by indulgence? Should the
endeavor be made to prevent robbery
by giving every thief all he could de-
sire? Such course would be folly,
and so would be any endeavor to repress
RIGHTEOUSNESS by placing no limit
upon the number of wives man might
keep. We are sure no woman in
ChristendOm would care to exchange
her lot, however hard it might be, for
that of the women of the Mohammedan
countries, and become merely the play
thing OF a licentiouS brute, the sharer
in part of his affections and atten-
tionS.
1t would be All insult to the intelli-
gence of MoHAMNIED WEBB to suppose
that he has any expectation Of making
converts to 1slamiSm in this country.
His thirst for notoriety is, no doubt. re-
sponsible for the mission he has under
taken. He will be talked about and
criticised: perhaps he may meet with
mid persecution and be lodged in Jail,
if he succeeds in breaking up a few
family circles. as KoREEsH TEED and
Apostle SCHwEINFURrH have done.
He will be gratified if notoriety alone is
his purpose, but our people are too en-
lghtened to contribute to any great ex-
tent to his bank account.