The San Francisco call., 1906-09-23

dicted to idol and fetish worship be
answers their fierce greetings with the
humble words:
IT am a simple traveller. who roams
the world carrying the Book OF God
and the hadits of the Prophet i visit
sanity men and I seek out the shrines
which mark their resting places. 1
bringyou peace and a bFOtheriy greet
ing
His cheesecloth girdle and ragged
mantle, all his worldly possessions
save perhaps prayer rug, are in keep
ing with the cast-off camel which he
rides. At sight of so much poverty
the robbers OF the Sahara are dis
armed and they generally welcome cor
daily the teacher who comes to them
in such humble guiSe. and soon they
learn to listen to and appreciate his
sincere words. So il is that the great
order Of the Senussi probably the
largest secret society In the world, for
veal or for woe extends it's mysterious
sway over the dark continent.
1t is argued by some that the dangera
OF the long feared jehads or holy war
is considerably lessened by the fac
that when few days ago the direct
issue was made and the British Govefn-
ment demanded in no uncertain terms
the withdrawal of Turkish troops from
Tabah and other strategic points on
the Egyptian frontier, the Sultan (for
at least half the world OF Islam the
Caliph and the Lords anOinted) gave
way aud the danger of an Immediate
conflict was removed On the other
hand it is pointed out that while he
yielded slowly. the Sultan did not give
way until the whole Mohammedan
world was aroused by the dispute. and
not until the Wisest leaders of Islam
saw that the time was not Opportune
to begin what great majority of them
regard as the Inevitable and irrepressi-
BILE conflict that is to come some day
between the followers of Mohammed
and the followers of Christ The result
of the negotiations was simply another
item added to the heavy score of griev-
ances.
In the meantime it is we'll to rennem-
ber that daily in a hundred thousand
mosques to a million fanatic hearers
throughout the Mohammedan world.
from Samarkand to TimbuctOO. a ver-
sion OF the Morocco conference and OF
the whole Eastern question is being
instilled which would surprise the
readers Of the Western press. The
specter of the holy may be but the
heated dream OF some sensat tion mon
ger. but il would be foolish to- close
ones eyes to the fact that the follow
ers OF Mohammed are today more har-
monious than they have been for genera
ations. In India where thirty year
ago he was despised as a pretender and
a renegade, the Sultan Of Turkey is
prayed for in all the mosques and the
British Government very wisely does
not interfere.
In the teaching mosques of Constan-
tinople. and particularly in Cairo. there
are today thousands OF itinerant stu
dents, where once there were only hun
dreds. who have come from and will re-
turn with their dangerous learning to
lands which are held in subsection or
politically controlled by Christian pow
ers. The holy war is not yet; let US
hope il may never be. but il would be
idle to deny that to cast the horoscope
OF the world as 1t is today without
careful consideration of the strength
and the aspira tons of the followers OF
the Prophet is a very childish proceed
ing.
Get together says the Senussi
Mahdi. The Sultan of Turkey saws
nothing, but he strains the resources
of his empire and his great private
fortune in pushing to completion the
Arabian and the Anatolian railways.
by means of which thousands and hun
dreds Of thousands of pilgrims will be
enabled every year to assemble in Nee
ca. TO touch elbows with teachers and
preachers from every corner of the
globe 70 renew their faith in the va
ters OF zemzeui and repeat their vows
before the Kaaba stone. and ID would
be we'll for us to remember that when
the Sheik of Islam the high priest OF
Mecca. holds forth to the assembled pill
grims his words will be honored BY
ready and most implicit obedienee In
the far away American possessions OF
Sulu and Nindanao. Probably in the
future our most trustworthy news from
Mecca will reach us by way Of Manila