Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1912-01-25

as in Europe, 1t is considered more dist1n-
guished not to be an agriculturist. The MO
hammedan coast population do grow some
vegetables and fruit, but as for the principal
food, which is rice, they depend on the people
of the interior. On their excursions they have
always money with them and they never for
get to make a show of it.
THE Mohammedans also dress in a better
way than the heather, and they very cunningly
array themselves in clothes which excite the
covetousness and desire of their heather
neighbors, who are very fond OF buying new
articles. They like to perfume themselves and
constantly speak with contempt about eating
nork and of other customs of the people OF the
interior. In short, they know how to behave
as people of higher rank and quality than the
simple pagans. t@az ~s,a7a
"Through all these means the Mohammedan
traders arouse the people OF the interior to i'm
tate their customs, and all these things are
profitable to a propagation of Islam"
From Asiatic Russia come similar surpris-
ing tidings of Moslem Entertainments in the
field of pagan conversion. A Christian work
ar In that territory tells how, at the beginning
of the nineteenth century, the Apostle OF the
Altai" reverend Father Macary, crossed the
Mains south of Tobolsk in Siberia to reach
the Altai, and perceived the state Of the mil
lions of heather Kirghis living there. He asked
the Russian government to allow him to begin
missionary work among the Kirghis, but he
was told that these people were too savage
as vet to become converts to Christianity.
Not long after that M~ohammedan mission
aries entered the field, worked with great zeal
and perseverance, and won over all the hirghls
tribes to the faith of Islam.
AS a result of this setback, the writer states,
~ OIu;otion aru hoe nnuy RI fnUht mot
the weak and beggarly lements of an animis
tic religion, but the seemingly inaccessible
granite fortress of Islam"
Regarding the general situation in Siberia
the same missionary says:
'Moslem propaganda Is gaining in strength
and Mohammedan influence is growing, while
Christian influence, as represented by the Rus
sian church, Is weaker. The unlucky war witt
Japan and the proclamation of liberty of con
science have done their work. Forty thou
sand baptized Christians, formerly Mohamme
dams and heathens, have returned to pagan
ism and Islam. Islam especially comes out o
this crisis strengthened and more aggressive
than ever before"
In China there are millions of NOLAN
medans, but, according to Christian testimony
they are not markedly aggressive in propagat
ing the doctrines of the prophet. The sam
seems true OF turkey Snu FerSla.
In conclusion, attention should be called t
O phase of the M~ohammedan situation, whic
is especially startling from the fact that it 1
near to home, viz: the activity Of Mosler
proselytizers in this western hemisphere.
In several of the West Indian Islands an
the Guiana territory of South America ther
are thousands of East Indian Mohammedant
In British Guiana there are $4,000; in Dutc
Guiana, $500; in Central America and tn
West Indies. 10000.
Such a small fraction of the populatio
might well be omitted in our survey" stat
the editors of Islam and Missions," were
not that undoubted testimony comes in regar
to the activity of Islam, especially in BIRTHS
Guiana and the West Indies.
'If the results of a century's missionary e
fort in British Guiana are to be preserved til
Christian church must make a more dete
mined effort to combat the influence OF til
East Indian. The struggle OF the future
British Guiana will be between Christ and M
manned"