The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1899-07-07


burst Of hilarity and ridicule for
his enterprise, says the indianapolis
Sentinel. The thing was too ridic-
llous 10 be viewed seriously. And
vet there is notably a spread of
Mohammedan doctrine in this
country as may well cause alarm
among churchmen, especially as il
is developing chiefly in our church
es. The difference between Christ
ianity and Mohammedanism from
an abstract standpoint are not 80
great as many people imagine, and
what are commonly considered dii-
fe aences are chiefly race differences,
due to the characteristics OF the peo-
pie to whom the religions have been
fitted. Every body knows that there
are wide differences between Chris
tian nations, which are due not to
the religious principles OF the
churches, but to manners and Gus
toms which race habit has forced
the churches to recognize. The
greatest differences between Chris
tianity and Mohammedanism Is. OF
course, their attitudes toward No
hammed as prophet. The Mo-
hammedans worship the God OF the
bible, and recognize the Jewish
prophets and Jesus Christ a. His
messengers. They practice polyg-
amy, but polygamy existed among
the people where the religion orig
mated, and was in fact restricted,
theoretically, the command Of Mo
hammed being that a true believer
should have but four wives. Ex
cepting the domestic relations, no
one could object to the morality OF
Mohammedan teachings. Pride,
calumnv, revengefulness, avarice,
prodigality and debauchery' are
condemned throughout the Koran I;
while trust in God and submission
to His will, patience modesty, for
bearance, love Of peace, sincerity
truthfulness, frugality, benevolence-
liberality-indeed, aside from the
difference in opinion IN regard t.
theoretical subjects, all those quail
ties which the Anglo-Saxol race
have idealized under the term
Christian gentleman, are every
where insisted upon. The Koran
prohibits PLAYING games OF chance
either with or without wager, the
use OF inebriating liquors or ether
intoxicarts, and the taking of in
terest on money loaned, even from
"A person of a different religion.
The two most important features
of Mohammedanism. Distinguishing
il from Christianity in the past, and
giving color TO the nations that have
adopted it, are the beliefs in fatal
ism and in conversion by coercion.
For centuries Christian writers have
urged the superiority OF their doc
trine of free-will agency and Ter
sonal responsibility over the super
stition that said 1T is fated,n o.
1T is the will OF God" and hope
lessly abandoning alleifort toachieve
something better. For centuries
they have proclaimed the superior
ity Of the religion of peace and good
will to the religion Of the sword.
They have proclaimed that conver-
sion was the work of the spirit. and
that the teacher was merely the
messenger, whose efforts were bless
ed or not, as the Master saw fit.
Now this l. changing rapidly under
the teachings OF portion OF our
clergy and Of laymen. We hear on
every side the talk Of destiny, "
and of the inevitable mission Of
this country. We are told that il
is 1.-The will of God that we should
pat off our ancient principles and
enter on the plane Of other nations.
We are informed that power j. given
to the nation in order to spread
Christianity, And how? BY force
Look at the Patriotism and Piety"
meeting at New York on Monday
Everything was devoted TO the mil
itary idea Of patriotism-the Rev
sam Small even appearing in the
tropical unifjrm Of an army chap
lain. The chief topic was the glor-
ification Of the subiugation OF the
Philippines. And some went even
farther. One Of the speakers, a
minister, said:
IL believe that the brightest day.
OF the end of this century will be
marked by the friendly union Of the
stars and stripes and the meteor
nag OF Great Britain. near our
action in the Philippines criticised.
Our critics apparently want us T.
run away from the Filfpinos, but
we don't do 80. California wa
once our back door, and now it i.
our front garden. From it our tw,
hands stretch TO Manila and our tel
fingers reach out over all the islands