Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-07-15
A wonD on ISLAM.
observations Of "Ncws" Correspondent
on the Religion of Mohammed.

on the Religion ~ Mohsmmed'
The following rambling has been In
splred by reading the Contributors ar
tlclc THE Spirit OF Islam" The writer
will with pleasing concedo much OF
what Mr.. Webb Produces aa evidences
FOR Islam. also 10 worthlness 10 be
numbered among the great religions OF
tho world; hut when he tries 10 have Il
supplant the religion OF Christ und tell
W. the word Islam IN the most expires.
sivc word In existence FOR "a religion. I
feel Il a duty TO make n few remarks
by way OF comparison Of the religions
OF Christ and Mohommcd.
Islam may be defined 20 mean "resig-
nation to the VIII ~ God" Further
Mr.. webb did not need 10 be 80 care
full as to eliminate from Islam the
greatest number. by saying he only re-
frrrcd 90 "the educated. intelligent
MoslcmH." The fact IL there are no
"slumH" among the Moslcms. ns he
rather hlttngly says there are. In Chi
cugo. but Islam has barbnrianH OF no
small number Of which no ono can be
proud. and even among this class, tho
Resignation to the win OF God" can
be found. II n simply called "klsmpt"
fate. All Is klsmct They resign every
thing Co God and whether Mohnmmcd
Hu intended II or not, IL n now one part
OF the spirit OF the whole system: In
deed II may be said to be the govern
Ing part Of the system. and II has sue
ccoded In running what might other
wise have been a great power In the
world.
Mr. Webb could not have asked
others 90 have given n more clearer
statement OF this weakness than his
own words contain; But the spirit
that prevails among the Moslems OF the
higher class ia Indifference to this
world, This world IL a secondary con.
alteration" This tolls the truth. They
are too Indifferent FOR anything: they
have no sympathy for progress nor In
fact "a man outside OF Islam. But FOR
Moslom they have an sympathy. ana
they are not Indifferent az to his we'll
being, This "a the great weakness. In
difference Mr.. webb goes back 10 an
Client history In the eighth century.
whom the world was In gross darkness.
whom the fnintost light upon the hori-
zon would be hailed with delight by the
thoughtful ana Intelligent mind. II III
admitted that the Sarnccna and Mora
We're ahead OF priest -riddcn Europe.
But thcne same invaders were mot in
southern France hy the vnlor OF Char
les 10 Mnrtcau che hammeD. They
have been gradually going back, as
Charles gave the whole system TIA
death blow, and little light displayed
was only such as was supportcd bv
an enthusiastic and conquering p.ople
who brought little mathematical and
Arabian architectural knowledge from
q sandy desert But what is ly'nm to-
day. Tho rulers NJ tho world, tho
leaders In scientific, Industrial nnd
commercial interprIses2 Far from IL.
They have nothing, not even "a strong
government. They have "a form under
me guarmtee forelgn powers That
ia postal systom is Inferior ls proved
by an the foreign powers having their
own prostoniceH. IH public debt A. nd-
ministcrel by foreigners and foreign
powers the banks are tho same. The
young are not sent out 10 learn tho
sciences of tho world, they are not In
ptructcd In the Industrial commercial.
and agricultural economies Of mo
world. The whole Improvement Is IN a
military line. Recently number OF
young officers were sent 70 Germany.
not 20 learn the arts OF peace but tho
arts OF war. The country "a ruined and
poverty stricken and yet we shall look
To II with pride,
not the faults Of the doctrine called
Islam, but Of the people, But such ar
gumentR are % no value The religious
influence % a people has O. direct bear
Ing upon the people, IT, government and
progress The church has "a moral In
nuence ana claim upon the individual
that cannot be denied, ana Islam
teachers Indifference 10 things OF this
world and "rcHignuti0n 20 the win of
God for the rest. " only succeeds In
destroying that power % viii and de-
vclopment that God has planted In His
children By which they may become
one wltN Him,
Islam Ia as erratlc in It's conception OF
God Az the Christian denomina-