Idaho County free press., 1922-03-23

prepared by the National Geographic SO
ciety. Washington. d. c.
Though the World war changed the
temporal map of Arabia, raising the
narrow strip of the Hejaz, formerly
Turkish province, into kingdom
1t did not alter the place in the world
That mystic city under Arab control
still is the center of all Mohammedan
thought and action as 1t was under the
Turks.
The importance of Mecca is not due
to Its resident population of perhaps
100000, but to the more than 100000
pilgrims who visit 1t each year from
every nation of Islam. Statistics are
hopelessly contradictory and confus-
Ing regarding the number of annual
|. visitors. According to Turkish official
estimates, In 1907 there were no less
than 2S0,000 pilgrims. 1t is a marvel
how so many thousands can find food,
shelter, and, most of all, drink, in
such desert city.
The religious capital of Islam, and
now the temporal capital of. the new
kingdom Of the Hejaz, affords an in
dex to the growth and strength of
Mohammedanism In various parts of
the world, for one can rightly gauge
the strength of religious fervor in this
great non-Christian faith by the num-
Der Of those who. go on pilgrimage.
From Java, Bengal, West Africa, Cape
Colony and Russia, as well as from the
most inaccessible provinces of China,
they come every year and return to
their native land-if they escape the
hardships of travel-to tell of the
greatness and glory of their faith,
however much they may have been
disappointed In the actual condition |
Of the city and its sacred buildings.
When we consider Mecca, Moham-
meds words Of prophecy in the second
chapter of his book seem to have been
literally fulfilled: $50 we have made
you the center of the nations that you
should bear witness to men," The
old pagan pantheon has become the
religious sanctuary and the goal of
universal pilgrimage for one-seventh Of
the human race.
From Sierra Leone to Canton. and
from Tobolsk to Cape Town, the faith
rul spread their prayer carpets, build
their houses lin fulfillment of an i'm
portant tradition, even their out
houses y, and bury their dead orient.
ed toward Mecca. If the old world
could be viewed from another planet,
is details disclosed, the observer
would see concentric circles of living
yorshipers covering an overwhelming
lrea, and one would also see vast [
lreas Of Moslem cemeteries with ev- s
'ry grave dug with its main axis to-
yard the sacred city. {
Its Mysteries Laid Bare.
Mecca Is no longer a yelled city. A 4
core of intrepid travellers have un- I
eiled it. From Bartema, Wild and 6
oseph Pitts TO Burton, Burckhardt,
Iurgronje and Courtellemont they t
,ok their lives In their hands, herd t
with strange companions, under 3
'ent untold hardships, and by luck or Il
luck came scatheless out of this lions a
en- of Islam. According to Doughty. n
,arcely pilgrimage takes place with r
ut some persons being put to death A
) intruding Christians. An educated Il
nd pious M0slem In Cairo admitted Il
'cently that when he went on pilgrim Il
ye and took pictures of the city his Il
'e was endangered more than once a.
: the fanaticism of the inhabitants.
owever, there are many who believe III
at the establishment Of the new el
ngdom will mean the removal of re- NJ
rictions against non-Moslems. ly
The mixture Of races brought about 81
Hejas province for so many CEN gl
ries by the pilgrimages has not been pi
nducive to morals or good govern ia
ent. No one who has read the ac- II
unit Of social life at Mecca, as given ia
Hurgronje and other travellers. in Nj
lding Moslem pilgrims themselves, gr
n doubt the need for social reform oh
that city. Mecca is the microcosn lei
Islam In its religious life and as pi
ations. According to Hurgronie: tn
is Islam, the official religion, which tn
ngs together and amalgamates all III,
heterogeneous constituents of Nee bl,
life. On the other hand, this So his
ty itself YIELDS into chaotic whole tn,
prejudices and superstitions of all ac
lntries." In other words, Mecca is inl
sink-hole of Islam. All witnesses kn
zee as to the fragrant immortality wi
ich pervades the streets, and even cei
mosque, of the sacred city, the pr,
valence Of the slave trade, the jor