The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1914-05-01
MOHAMMED AND vOLTAIRE
Eugene McSpedden Comments on
Rex MAYORS observation-disclosures.

Rex MAYORS observation-disclosures.
In his article on observation-disclosures
recently published in The Commercial
Mr.. Rex Naylor said much that was
l excellent and worth remembering. The
fact that he is reaching out broadly ane
literally in his thinking and investi
eating, is commendable. Liberality
and fairness Of judgment and opinion
are essential to our best general prog.
ress, but liberality OF judgment, con-
victions and expression have their proper
limits, beyond which one should be
careful not To venture, especially where
great moral and religious problems and
interests are at stake. We should heed
Jeremiah's admonition; ASK for the
old paths, where is the good way, and
walk therein" We should be careful
to fundamentally keep Christianity in
the old paths.
With all due respect and courtesy to-
ward Mr.. Naylor, | should be pleased to
say that it is my conviction that Mr..
Naylor said some things, in his article
referred to above, about Mohammed and
Voltaire, which, with little more re-
Election and investigation, he would not
have said, at least without some moditi-
cation. In my opinion the statements
which I refer to, though not apt to
especially mislead anyone, still are liable
to produce effects in the minds Of read
ers which Mr.. Naylor would not desire
to produce, and which might be some-
what hurtfui to his reputation as sim
cere Christian student and investigator.
So hope that Mr.. Naylor will accept
my comment upon those remarks ofhis
AS an. intended courtesy, both to himself
and to The Commercial readers. 1t is
very easy for one to say or express more
than he desires to say or express.
OF Mohammed Mr.. Naylor says: II
have come to regard Mohammed as one
OF the noblest characters OF history, and
his religion as one Of the great religions
Of the earth. /" Now, must confess
that seems to me rather hearty in
dorsement OF Mohammed and his re-
Iigion for one to express, who is familiar
with them, and, at the same time be-
lever in the Bible. | fear that Mr..
Naylor cannot produce facts to support
such an assertion; and | think it prob
abIe that he has been misled by Arabian
apologists. Carlyle, indeeds says many
things about Mohammed,
out he is clearly one sided and mislead-
ng, and very barren VI facts to support
dis eulogy Ia all reason we must judge
u man ) character by the facts Of his
ife--by his motives and actions. A
rood tree does not bring forth evil fruit. ,
From the facts OF his life, should not
hink that Mohammed in point Of moral {
character, Of true nobility and greatness ]
4 mind, is at al comparable with the a
rand old Hebrew prophets, the Apostles I
i the greatest Greek and Roman phi I
or with Buddha and Con- /
ucius with any Of our leading and
gorthy men, either pagan or Christian, 6
ncient or modern, In fact, il would be b
great injustice TO any honorable man Il
} be compared with this Mohammed. Il
l do not say that Mohammed was a
holly mean. do not believe be was. tt
erhaps no man is so. 1t may be that a
iere was some good in him, some re- =
eeming qualities. 1t may be that at j
ottom he had something Of an earnest IL
vague desire 70 destroy idolatry C
mong his people and to give them . b
'Iigion and some idea OF the true God, a
il their own betterment; but il does o.
ot appear probable, to me, that such !"
as the case. It hardly seems reason hi