The Republican journal., 1922-02-23

Z prepared by the National Geographic So
ciety. Washington. d. CD
Though the World war changed the
Y temporal map of Arabia, raising the
narrow strip of the Hejaz, formerly
I Turkish province. into kingdom,
It did not alter the place in the world
\ Of Mecca, chief of the Hejaz cities.
That mystic city under Arab control
4 still is the center Of all Mohammedan
l thought and action as 1t was under the
Turks.
The importance of Mecca is not due
70 its resident population Of perhaps
] 100000, but to the more than 2oO.ooO
/ pilgrims who visit it 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 $4,000 pilgrims. 1t is marvel
how so many thousands can find food,
] shelter, and, most of all, drink, in
such a 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
0ohammedanism 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-
med's 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
ould bear witness to men," The
pagan pantheon has become the
gious sanctuary and the goal OF
4
the human race.
From Sierra Leone to Canton, anc
from Tobolsk to Cape Town, the faith
full spread their PRAYER carpets, build
their houses Tin fulfillment of an i'm
/. portant tradition, even their out
:, houses y, and bury their dead orient
ed toward Mecca If the old worlc
! could be viewed from another planet
its details disclosed the observer
would see coneentric circles of living
worshipers covering an overwhelming
area. and one would also see vast
areas of Moslem cemeteries with ev
cry grave dug with its main axis to
ward the sacred city,
Its Mysteries Laid Bare.
J Mecca is no longer a yelled city. A
score of intrepid travellers have I'M
yelled it. From Bartema, Wild ant
Joseph Pitts to Burton, Burckhardt
Hurgronje and Courtellemont, the!
took their lives in their hands. herd
ed with strange companions, under
went untold hardships, and by luck O.
pluck came scatheless out of this liOn'
den of Islam. According to Doughty
scarcely pilgrimage takes place with
: out some persons being put to dealt
as intruding Christians. An educate'
and pious Moslem in Cairo admitte,
recently that when he went on pilgrim
age and took pictures of the city hi
life was endangered more than ono
by the fanaticism of the inhabitants
However, there are many who believ
that the establishment of the ney
kingdom will mean the removal of re
strictions against non-Moslems.
The mixture Of races brought abou
In Hejas province for so many Ger
turtles by the pilgrimages has not bee
conducive to morals or good govern
ment. No one who has read the az
count of social life at Mecca. as give
by Hurgronje and other travellers. il
Guiding Moslem pilgrims themselves
can doubt the need for social reforr
in that city. Mecca is the microcosr
Of Islam in It's religious life and as
pirations. According to Hurgronje
at is Islam, the official religion, whic
brings together and amalgamates a
the heterogeneous constituents of Met
can life. On the other hand, this sc
ciety itself YIELDS into chaotic Who'll
the prejudices and superstitions Of al
countries" In other words, Mecca i
the sink hole OF Islam. All witnesse
agree as to the fragrant immoralit
which pervades the streets, and eve
the mosque, of the sacred city. tn
prevalence of the slave trade. tn