The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-04-09
MoHAMMED. AND HIS RELIGION.
DIR. Blanchard's Second sermon-Lecture
III at Congress Square Church,

DOSoAtu
at Congress Square Church,
Rev DIR. Blanchard gave the second of
his course of four manufactures in
Congress square church yesterday morn
ing.
Two hundred millions of the earth's
population call Mohammed the prophet
of God They recognize Moses and Jesus
as prophets, but claim that Mohammed
is greatest of all. They are one-sixth of
the human race now living. Statistic
ians say there are 1880, 200, 900 people in
habiting the globe. Three hundred and
lightweight million are Christians; s17,-
900, 900 are non-Christians. 1t is start
ling to consider how widespread are
Mohammedans, and what cities they now
hold. Jerusalem is theirs and Damascus
and Antioch and Alexandria and Garth
age and Constantinople. 1t is worth while
to consider the life and religion Of one
whose followers are SO numerous and
whose influence; has been so great and
continuous. Mohammed was born in
Mecca in 500. The sixth century was
one of tumult in thought and battles
Justiman had closed the schools of
Athens. His sword made orthodoxy of
opinion more important than learning.
Mohammed was brought up by. his
grandfather and by his uncle. Hs was
thoughtful and earnest. At fourteen he
went on caravan journeys; saw Sybria
and probably Jerusalem. He married a
rich widow. Henceforth, in ease and
with wealth, he could pursue his. thoughts
on.God and man. Arabia was given to
idolatry. Mohammed, in the desert
around Mecca, and in cave, had
visions and received revelations. as he
believed, from Gabriel, the angel, who
called him the prophet of God. Hi is first
converts were his wife, slave and
nephew In three years, he had only
made thirteen converts. He invited fifty
relatives to a banquet and aset forth his
claims. They derided him. He pro-
claimed his mission to all who would
hear. Ridieuled at first, he was next
prosecuted. Forty men lea gued to-
gether to take, his life. He fed to Me-
dina. His flight, called the Hegira, is the
beginning of the Mussulman's reckoning
of time. The year one for them is 622
AID. In Medina, he won followers and
made converts. A great change in him
took place. The persuader becomes the
sword bearer. He unites the tribes of
Arabia. Eloquent in speech, he is valiant
in battle. ..He takes Mecca. His nation
submits to MIN. For eleven years more,
he is The soldier-prophet. His religion
may be announced I'm a sentence.
"There is no God but God, and Moham-
med is his prophet But to under
stand the sentence. we must study
Christendom. This had become meta
physical. The disgraceful ouncils for
mulate: the ecclesiastics argue about
Jesus and Mary: the trinity makes three
gods; morality declines; orthodoxy is
rampant. No wonder men wearied of
subtle distinctions and welcomed the
simple doctrine ofss..the Unity of God
and His sovereignty. The living Mo-
manned seemed better than the dead
Christ. Morality was strongly empha-
sized by Mohammed. 1t improved the
old polygamy; it forabde intoxication
it prohibited Righteousness; it con-
the creed, fasting and meditation for
month, alms-giving, pll grimage to Mecca
were all enforced. This religion made a
conquering band of religious soldiers. 1t
lifted lower nations to -believe in the
unseen, one God, and to the practice of
morality. The warriors, resigned to
the will of God-Islam means resigna-
ton to the divine willard entranced
by the vision of heaven were irresistible.
They conquered Syria, Persia. India,
northern Africa. They advanced into
Spain.
DR.. Blanchard eulogized Mohammed's
sincerity: dwelt upon his schooling in
the DESERT; compared him with Christ.
He maryelled how any Christian could
abandon Christ for Mohammed as
some have done in America and Europe.
To accept the Koran instead of the
Scriptures; to follow one who used the
sword instead of Him who used per-
suasion and love is incomprehensible.
aThe moon of Mahomet
Arose, and it shall set,
While blazoned on heavens immortal
noon,
The cross leads generations on"
He would have the crescents disappear
from Constantinople ana some day the
cross displace it everywhere.
The third sermon to be delivered next
Sunday morning, will be on "The Claim
of the Roman Catholic Oh urch to be the
Church Universal.