The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1912-01-26

to the teachings OF the armies OF Christian mis-
sonares spread out over It,
But. according to a number OF these very mis-
siOnares, who have gained their knowledge Il
the battlene formed by Christianity against Is
lam and other religions. this is by no means tn
case From the front they bring the news tina
Mohammedansm, far from being quiet is pulsin
with life that its missionaries, filled wit
fanatic zeal. are making hosts OF converts to thei
doctrines, not only among pagans, but amonl
peoples previously clNverted to Christianity.
Africa is where the pitched battle for convert
between Christianity and Islam is being waget
most furously. Those who have been over tn,
ground declare that the religious fate of the
Dark Continent hangs in the balance Moham-
mechanism has made such progress there OF
late, they aver that it is question whether
1t will not soon become Africas dominant faith
Nor is that portion OF the earth the only
place where Islam is striding triumphantly for
ward. Pan-lslamism. sedulously fostered by
Abdul Hamid, deposed Sultan OF Turkey. has
served TO stimulate the aggressiveness OF the
Prophet followers in India. Malaysia, Central
Asia. Siberia, Russia and other lands.
This aggree -iveness Is noticeable not only
among those Mohammedans who seek to recon-
cile their tme-worn religion TO modernity but
also among the blind fanatics OF orthodoxy,
who will not give up one jot or title OF the
doctrines handed down to them by their fore
fathers straight from the days of Mohammed.
The one great characteristic of the Mosem
world today is unrest
Like the prodigal son in the parable Islam
is coming TO itself and is becoming conscious
Of its need Three great movements in the
Moslem world at the present time are all OF
them indicative Of this unrest-the develop
ment Of the great dervish orders the growth
of the pan-lsamic spirit and the attempt OF the
new Islam to rationaliZe the old orthodoxy
all of them due to the same cause, namely, the
readjustment Of Islam to the progress of mod
ern thought and western civilization, either by
way of protest and defiance or OF accommoda-
tion and compromise.
The modernist movement touches every Mos
lem who receives education on western lines,
whether in Java, India Persia or Egypt, and
compels him to adopt new theology and
new philosophy and new social standards or
give up his religion altogether. How far the
advocates OF the new Islam so i'm throwing
overheard their cargo to save the ship is illus
trated in book THE Truth About lslam."
lust published at Cairo by DR.. Muhammad
Badr graduate Of Edinburgh University. No
orthodox Moslem would recognize this pre-
sentatlou of Islam as the same religion which
he processes.
The enormous increase and activity OF Mos
lem Journalism in all the chief centers OF the
Mosem world is also an indication OF intel
lectual and social unrest Some OF the leading
papers are already the mouthpiece OF intol-
erance and show a sullen attitude toward
Christianity.
The religious movements In Islam today are
radically progressive or retrogressive. The
deryish orders and the Mahdis in Somaliland,
Yemen and the Sahara all believe In Pan
Islamism utterly opposed to modern civtza-
ton and their cry is Back TO Mohammed'
The advocates of reform in Java and Per-
sia the preachers Of the new Islam In India,
and the natonalists in Egypt, on the contrary.
are trying to get away from Mohammed and
the early standards of Arabian civilization, re-
ject most Of the traditions, and make rational
ism the basis of their faith.
According TO them AbOhammed was neither
immaculate nor infalible. Their ideas and
their ideals are at the opposite pole of or
thodoXy.
However. as has been stated, orthodox Islam
and up-to-date Islam seem TO be alike i'm one
thing--they are both moving forward.
To turn first TO Africa, the great battle
ground evidences Of this progress appear on
every side In central Africa dozen sects OF
dervishes are at work proseytizing-foremost
among them the powerful Senusi, who yearly
se,d out large bands of missionaries. In short
as one Christian worker puts II, Every Mo
hammedan is a missionary"