The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-04-12

Rev. Dr. Tinker Of Asbury Church Do
livered a discourse last Sunday moynjpi
on the foregoing theme, selecting as Thu
scriptura1 text Rev. s chapter, ID Il Verses
| III these stirring days when the whols
world Is thrown into excitement over tht
warlike attitude of the barbarous TURKS
and the patriotic and courageous attitude
| of the christian Geeeks 1t may not be I'M
| proper to discuse the Turk. Turkish rule
and misrule, Mohammed and Moham'
| mechanism.
In a dry barron rocky region in narrow
valley inolosed by mountains and in that
| portion of Asia known as Arabia stands
the world renowned city of Mecca with Its
sixty thousand inhabitants aud with &C.
commodations for twice as many more.
II Ia the birth place of Mohammed and
the most sacred spot In the Mohammedan
world. Ii was at the ago Of forty that
Mohammed conceived the idea of preach.
ing crusade against idolatry corruption
and journalism.
Mecca to Medina, the second most sacred
spot In the Mohammedan world.
It was at Medina that he and his follow.
ers buckled on the sword and marched
forth rs an army to propagate the prin-
ciples of the Koran.
Therefore, Mohammedanism as mill
tary power will first engage our attention.
The Savior commanded Peter to sheathe
the sword, saying. For all they that take
the sword shall perish by the sword" On
the contrary Mohammed commanded his
disciples to unsheathe the sword, saying
by the sword we will conquer.
With what success Mohammed's predic-
ton was fulfilled Is known to all the care.
full students of history. Within eight
years after Mohammed's midnight flight
from Mecca to Medina he marched against
the former city with ten thousand well
armed soldiers and entered 1t in military
triumph. Within century and quarter
after the death of the Arabian prophet, the
crescent, the flag Of the victorious legions
of Mohammedanism waved undisturbed
over the entire Roman Empire.
And what would have been the fortunes
of Europe had the bravo Charles Martel
lost tho day on the bloody field Of
Poictiers no one can tell.
The Crescent might have waived on the
banks of the Thames and of the Rhine,
and the London of to-day might have
ed by Moslem bayonets, and The three
thousand Mosques OF Constantinople
might have stood in the Metropolis of the
British realm, and the Muezzins cry
might have been heard in the very
shadow of St. Pauls or been echoed III the
chambers of Westminster
Though driven from western Europe the
eye of the Saracens rested with avarlce
upon the Byzantian city on the western
nate hour arrived and Tartar and Sara
Genie hands planted the crescent above the
dome of st Sophia.
The city of the great Constantine the
royal scat of the eastern Empire, the home
of tho eloquent Chrysostom was in the
hands Of Christ's enemies.
The Muezzins call to prayer Is heard in
the streets Of Bethlehem on the heights of
Olivet along the shores of Tiberias at
Capernaum and at Nazareth, and on the
very spot where the Son of God gave his
life to save lost world
Mohammedanism unites church and
State The church is the State. The ko-
ran, the Mohammedan Bible, is the source
of ecclesiastical and civil law.
That the mission of Mohammedanism
as a great civil power long since was &C.
complished and that its sun is to set to
rise no more is firmly believed by some of
the most sagacious statesmen.
Why should the great powers insist up
on prolonging the life of the sick old
man at Constantinople. Let him breathe
ont his life quickly and easily, if he will
The sooner the last breath 1t drawn the
better it will be for the world.
All over the Ottoman Empire we read
the handwriting of Jehovah, "Thou art
weighed in the balance and found want
ing"
A half century may not pass away be-
fore the last vestige of Turkish rule and
regal power may be swept from ths face
of the earth.
When that hour comes Christianity will
have an open door from the Bosporus to
the Euphrates, and from the Black Sea to
farther Egypt.
The mosque of Omar will be trans.
formed into II Christian temple, and st.
Sophia will be re-dedicated to the service
of u pure gospel.
The forerunner Of Christian conquest Is |
already ut our doors. The cry of this new
John the Baptist is heard in Constantine.
pie, in Jerusalem, at Bagdad, in Cairo,
along the coasts of Asia Minor on the
banks of the Jordan and the Nile, on hill |
top and on mountain slope, through valley |
and over sea Prepare We the way of the |
Lord make His paths straight" What /,
will BIO the final outcome of Christian En- |
deavor in Mohammedan countries is read |
lily anticipated. Mohammed will be |
stripped Of his wondrous power, Bethlehem |
will take the place of Mecca. Jerusalem |
that of Medina, the Bible that of the kO. |
ran, the song of Christian triumph that |
of Mohanmodan conquest the heaven of |
perfect purity the heaven of unlimited |
and the saints below and the |
saints above will crown Christ Lord of all. |