The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1907-06-06

footstool to accomplish their purpose
When Mohammed first announced
himself prophet, he failed to make
as big dent in Mecca as he presumed
he would. The people were skeptical
as to his pretensions, and only few
believed that he was inspired, among
them were his devoted wife and rich
uncle. The rest of the Meccans ridi-
culed him and demanded that he per-
form miracles. They believed that a
bird in the hand was worth two in the
bush; and as Mohammed had nothing
more tangible than revelations to con-
vince the scoffers, he hastily left on a
pilgrimage. He finally returned, but
the pugnacious Koreishites renewed
their persecution and be was COM
PEELED to seek an asylum elsewhere.
Later on he made the people of Mecca
pay dearly for their opposition, for he
conquered the city and subjected them
to his religion. Those who refused to
accept the faith of the invincible
prophet. whose domination was now
complete, were exiled as non-believers,
and many others were killed. The
more powerful he became, the more
naughty and cruel was his treatment
towards his trusted lieutenants.
An Arab imposter, who announced
himself as great as the man from Mec-
Ca, sent Mphammed the following
message: "From Moseilma the prophet
of Allah, to Mohammed the prophet
OF Allah. Come now let us make
partition of the world, and let half
be thine and half be mine" To this.
Mohammed replied: "From Moham-
med the prophet of God, to Moseilma
the Liar. The earth is the LORDS, and
He giveth It as an inheritance to such
lof His servants as find favor in His
sight. Happy shall those be who live
in his fear" The foregoing exchange
of pltasantries indicate that alleged
prophets did not find favor in his
sight. Still, he forgo: that his own
popularity and stability as a prophet
rested solely on his success to maintain
his position. Moseilma, perhaps,
lacked shrewdness in spreading halo
OF mysticism about his doings. If he
had resorted to wiles similar to those
which. Mohammed promulgated, he,
too, might have became powerful and
finally compel him to compromise.
However, lacking the genius of Mo-
hammed, Moseilma became a nonentity
and was discredited everywhere. ~
1t is said that nearly one-half of the
revelations credited to Mohammed,
were fabrications invented by his zeal
GUS friends in order, it is believed, to
find favor with the first apostle. The
only miracle that he ever acknowl.
edged was the Koran, which he pro-
nounced the miracle of the ages. For
this, the Koran, he fought and bled,
and made the whole of Asia accept it
as the true faith. In doing this, he
struck at the very foundation of tradi-
tions that were held inviolate for GEN.
turies. When we consider that Mo-
hammed's motives were not riches or
personal aggrandizement, we must
conclude that his mind was affected
by his long periods of fasting and
prayer. This caused the many hallu-
cinations and weird visions to which
he was so often subjected. But If he
was sane. then he certainly was a gen.
ius; and, above all, he understood hu-
man nature as few people are capable
of doing; he understood how to win
men to his cause by promising them
the things thatsth heart yearned for.
In order to make them brave and fear
less in battle, he promised that all
those that died in the cause of Allah,
would enter paradise of unparalleled
beauty, and in which black-eyed maid
ems predominated.
It is known that Musselmen soldiers
are almost irresistible in battle. The
same spirit that enabled Mohammed
to sweep everything before him and to
compel princes and kings to pay trib-
ute to him, exists today as strongly as
it did when the first apostle fiourished.
In the Koran we learn why Moham-
med is called the Great by the millions
who believe In that faith. The follow