The Progressive West Virginian. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1911-1913, 1912-07-04

great care must be exercised In
searching for the points of contact
less we strive to make them points
for the amalgamation of Christianity
with the non-Christian system Mo
manned is considered the last Of the
great prophets who inaugurated these
great religious systems. He was born
In Mecca about 500 years after Christ.
At the age Of twenty-five he married
q wealthy widow for whom he had car
srfed on business, by, caravan, between
Mecca and Damascus. Later he be-
gan to have religious aspirations and
on various occasions while in seclh
zion in cave experienced strange
Authorizations J. that he attributed to
the influence of angels. He consid-
cred himself constituted prophet by
Gabriel and took up the work Of re-
formation. He became bitter against
idolatry and opposed some of the In.
constituencies of his time However,
as years went on. he became grasping.
which caused him to break his own
laws and do inconsistent things To
justify himself in this, he clsimed he
had received revelations granting him
special permission to do them. He
soofs took UP the sword and became q
leader OF band ofabrigands. After
his death. Abu Bekr took up the work
and began the conquest OF Palestine
and Syria. 1t was carried on by his
successors until Asia Minor and North
Africa, were conquered They then
attempted to get into Europe through
Gonstantinople on the east and Gaul
on the west. They were driven back,
which delivered Europe from the yoke
of Mohammedanism. The conquest
then went to the east toward India,
and sonthward into, the Sudan in
Arrica Y@sss--s,s
Mohammedanism ID a mixture OF
Paganism and Judaism. It Is strong
~ Mcnetheistic: teaches absolute pre-.
destination and that only Moslems are
saved. Its spirit Is rule or ruin; :"
peaceably II there Is no opposition. but
with the iron heel. IL necessary. Mo-
manned got his idea Of God from Ju-
daism He took only the attribute of
Justice and made god Of law to
whom he gave absolute sovereignty,
but attributed to him little interest In
the veal or woe OF the human race.
Since he considered God to be but one
person. he became very bitter against
Christianity on the ground that he con-
sidered it polytheistic because OF the
three persons in the Godhead. In or
der to account for Christ. the Moham-
medans teach that just before Christ
was crucifed. the angel Gabriel ar
ranged for some one else, who looked
like Christ. to be crucified In his place
Mohammed In order TO secure for him
self divine authority asserted that he
was the paraclete whom Jesus had
promised He considered Jesus
mere prophet and inferior to himself.
He himself being the last OF the
of God The Mohammedan
view of creation is very much similar
to that found in the Bible. However,
the creation OF man differed in that II
Is said that God took q lump OF clay
and broke 1t into two pieces. creating
mankind from them both or the one
he said, "These to. heaven and Il care
not" and of those made from the 9TH
er lump he said. These to hell and
care not"
Sin to the Mohammedan is far diff
ferent from sin to the Christian. In |
the first place, sin has nothing to do
with our nature. for man inherited |
none of the sinful nature OF Adam.
Second. Sins OF ignorance are not |
counted as wrong doing. Third. only
The wfiful violation of known law is
sin. Their belief in predes- /
.inaticn and fatalism makes their fu. I
.ure fixed so that salvation through |
atonement is not necessary. Neither
nave they any provision from tile pres
snt power OF sin. To match this
TRANCE teaching regarding sin. the
doh-mmedans have planned heaven I
uli OF sensual indulgences where they
expect to rest upon gold couches. be
lttended BIZ celestial beings and be
llways eating and drinking. but never
rotammedans look upon
he resurreF eion of the body as real
md literal. They teach that It VIII
,e produced by a living principle re-
iding in one OF the bones. OF the body
which Will b. impregnated by forty
lays rain Before the resurrection oc-
'urs and wifi cause the bodies to
prout forth IKE plants The source
i this teaching and OF the Koran.
heir sacred book, might be termed
Mechanical Inspiration. They believe
he Koran t. be uncreated and eter.
al, the original copy bong kept under
he throne Of God Teh Koran is small.
y than our New Testament.
The treatment accorded Mohamme-
an women is almost as severe as can
e found under brutal paganism. AL
nan may cause his wife to leave him
y saying. Thou art divorced" Her
uty to him is implicit obedience and
everentfal silence In his presence. A.
fohammedan woman's hope OF heaven
TO have a husband and thus to getd
. to be his attendant.