The Virginia enterprise., 1908-02-07

followers Is weakening Mohammedan.
ism. Cairo is probably the wickedest
city IN the world. not even Port Said
SURPRISING it. The position of women
IS indicated by the statement on the
part OF Moslem authority. that not
nve per cent. Of the Mohammedan
men retain their first wife until death.
divorce is as common as it is easy.
The men are grossly and naturally
immoral They drink large quaint.
ties OF liquor despite the prohibitions
OF the prophet Only eight per cent.
OF the population can read and write,
lhe people are senile and ingenious
mendlcants. Their religion. which
should be intense Mohammedanism
has degenerated into all sorts of su-
perstitions
A Fat Mans Misery.
Thus, at the entrance to the mosque
which is a duplicate of the Mecca
mosque. there stand two marble pill.
lars. The belief is that whoever can
squeeze between these two pillars is
free from evil and sure Of paradise
But the person in whose heart evil
resides can in no wise get through.
Phvslcal form is not taken into ac-
count. Our driver was terribly con-
cerned because he could not squeeze
through, even after removing various
garments. After much effort, and at
the risk of ribs, we pulled and pushed
him through; and he was straightway
as happy as a peasant girl after her
confirmation.
No "HoIy War;"
Frequently the alarm is sounded
that pan-lslamic movement threat
ems Europe or Asia, and that the
green flag of holy war" is to be un-
furled. Undoubtedly the leaders OF
Islam are solidifying their forces as
thoroughly as possible; and undoubt-
ed1y Mohammedanism is the most Sc
rious foe to be met by the Christian
missionaries. The report however,
that Islam is growing rapidly, and car
rylng on an aggressive missionary
campaign. cannot be verified here.
Leading students of Mohammedanism
say that they can find no evidence Of
such movement. 1t is as unfounded
report as the rumors of holy
war With the present admixture of
races and governments and civilian
tions, it seems the height of improb-
ability that there should ever be
holy war" The prophet is fighting
against the calendar
None tine less, Islam makes it warm
for all apostates. Ostracism and per-
secution-loss OF home, friend, social
position and means of earning live
lihood-follow the Mohammedan who
becomes Christian. 1t is frequently
asserted that there never has been
genuine convert from Mohammedan-
ism to Christianity The American
mission alone has detailed records of
14O such. as result of it's work since
1854. Not very large company. it is
true. but enough to prove the posi-.
bility of wide success.
Sapping and Mining.
Like many other oriental missions,
this one of the United Presbyterian
church is working for the second and
third generation. 1t plans long.
wide and far-reaching campaign. BY
many indirect methods, it is inculcat.
ing more tolerant spirit in the
community. and removing the ancient
prejudice. 1t is educating the boys
and girls. on scale almost eQua: to
that OF the reformed government it.
self. A recent report showed 15,.
900 scholars in the schools of this
American mission. and $4,000 in all
government schools. There are more
than 10000 scholars in the mission
schools. Of whom about 5000 are Mo-
hammedans.
The ancient Coptic Christian
church, now sadly corrupted. has per-
sisted in Egypt despite all Moslem
persecution. Among these the first
work of the missionaries was done
and from them come the majority of
the 8,639 members reported by the
mission. The latter, by the way, has
107 American missionaries, supported
by the most aggressively missionary
of all denominations in the west, the
United Presbyterians.
Where the Holy Family Rested.
The Coptic quarter of old Cairo
does not speak we'll for the thrift and
progressiveness Of the Coptic My
dragoman gave them bad repu.
tation for morality. The old church,
dating back to the fifteenth century,
which covers the crypt where Joseph
and Mary rested with the babe in
their fight into Egypt, is in sorry dis.
repair. The priest and his family.
who show tourists about are as
shameless beggars as any Arab, and
quite as arrogant The priest sober.
ly gave me, as the names of apostles
whose pictures are on the WALL a med.
ley of New Testament characters,
some of whom no church ever called
apostles. The association of the old
church building with the holy fam.
lily renders it one of the chief points
| of interest in this interesting city.
1t is at Cairo that the west touches
the east; here most travellers get
their first sight of foreign mission
work. The old American mission
building is directly across the street
from the principal hotel. and here re.
side veteran missionaries who have
been in the work for nearly half a
. century. as we'll as a fine corps OF
| younger workers, Here is a church,
a book store. and schools for both
girls and boys.
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