Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1908-02-13

and India have all got ON the world
news cables since | wrote about them
in this correspondence; the same VIII
be true of Egypt, or am no reader oil
plain signs The unrest OF Egypt Is
bound to assert itself ere cong in
ways that will command the Attention
of civilization. The loud mutterings'
to be heard in the cafes and bazars,
are not the thoughtless vaporings OF
the idle; very considerable proper
ton of the people, including the pro-
gresslve, educated Young Egypt
marty. are thinking definite things
concerning the overthrow of the Eng
fish power. Lord Cromer's recent de-
parture was made the occasion for so
many outspoken criticisms against
the British that 1t was preceded, as
4 precautionary measure, by the
parade of all the British forces, fully
armed, through the streets of Cairo.
Missions and Politics.
All this has relation to the mis-
sionary propaganda. This upheaval
and restlessness is cracking the hard
urfacc of Mohammedan eXclusiVeness
and intolerance. Where the news
paper and the worlds spirit enter,
there religious prejudice cannot abide.
In their seemingly hopeless assault
upon Islam, the missionaries have
powerful reinforcement in the fledg-
ling modcrnty Of New Egypt
On the other hand, the missionaries,
by their schools and literature, have
done more than little to awaken
Egypt from the torpor of centuries.
British officials and Egyptian reform
crs have alike definitely and publicly
acknowledged the influential contribu-
ton to the country's higher welfare
made by the American missionary.
Old Egypt. the land of the dead, is be,
coming one of the worlds new q,
tions, blessed with a prosperity al.
most equal to the amazing fertility
of its soil.
The Sword of the Prophet.
Cairo Is the citadel and cradle OF
Northumberland Sanguino Chris
tians predict that, as the magnificent
Mohammed Ali mosque, which over
looks the entire city, from the sum-
nit of the ancient citadel is now sur
rounded by the soldiers Of a Christian
power, so the religion which it rep
resents is bound to succumb to the
advance of Christianity. Which is
more easily said than done. This is
a thoroughly Mohammedan city. The
Christian may still hear himself cursed
as an unbelieving dog, in the ba2ars
and in the mosques
Act 1n
largest university in the world the
highest educational institution of Is.
lam is situated here; and when | Wis.
tied 1t the sibilant sound of serpentine
hate followed me through all the vast
iDclcsure. The books say that there
are 10000 students taking the l2-year
course in the El Azhar mosque, al
though the officials told me that the
number is more than $4,000. This is
now the fountain head of the force
by which Mohammedanism has con-
quered 232,966,170 of the worlds popu.
lation The only reason that this
force is no longer expressed by the
sword, as formerly, is that the great
world powers. which are Christians,
prevent. Curiously enough, the
Christian emperor Of Great Britain
and India rules over more Mohammed.
ans than any other sovereign. In
Egypt there are about 100000 fol.
lowers of Islam, 100000 Coptic Chris,
tians, and small scattering of Jews
and Professionals.
Studying, Eating, Sleeping in Church
This Azhar mosque is like only It.
self. The students, who have come
from every part of the Mohammedan
world, do not study occidental fash
ion in classes and under teachers.
could find no traces of organization
whatever. The students-all men, Of
course, sat, recllned or lay about the
floors in nondescript fashion. Occa
sionally a cluster would have theiI
heads together, swaying to AID fro
and repeating some passages alout
and in unison. There were no mod
ern books in evidence whatever, In
deed, this university" is really
school of theology; it will have moth
ing to do with the modern science
or scientific learning, What othe
universities teach it eschews; and it
branches of study would be looked 10
in vain in any college in Christendon
A man may graduate from the Azha
and yet be unable to pass an exam
ination in the studies required fc
admission to an English gramma
school But they know the Koral
and are ready to die for the fait
of the prophet.
The mosque is also lodging hous
The students sleep where they stud
and apparently they sleep and stud
when they please. Likewise, they ei
where they sleep, after the primitiN
style of the east. The passing of Il
occasional tourist arouses sufficient
terest to set the students to kissing
but was more disturbed by the We
min of the place than by these host