Northern Weekly Gazette. — 1907-12-07 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

OUR EXPIXTATIONS. father, and, after his death, on Abu-Talib. His As most of the unhappiness of the world arises youth was passed tending sheep and camels in rather from disappointed desires than from posethe neighbourhood of Mecca. At the age of tive evil, it is of the utmoet, coneequenoe to 25 he became the business ,agent of a widow attain just notions of the laws and order of this named Khadija ; his integrity and diligence won universe, that we may not vex ourselves with him her affections, and he married her when fruitless wishes, or give way to groundless at. he .wa.s 26 and Khadija 40 years of age. lit is unreasonable discontent. We should ooneider to this remarkable woman, that Mohammed this world as a great mart of commerce, whets owed much of his success. Her wealth gave foreame exposes to our view various oasemocroisi him a position of importance, and her devotion —riches, ease, tranquillity, fame, integrity, encouraged him to believe that ho was indeed knowledge_ Everything is marked at a settled the apostle of God. For 23 years she was price. Our time, our labour, our ingenuity is Mohammed's sole wife, but after her death, in so much ready money, which we are to lay out 619, he .married ten wives, besides owning con- to the best advantage. Examine, compare, ctibines and slaves. Political considerations, choose, reject, hut &toad to your judgment, and and the early deaths of all his male offspring, do not, like children, when you have purchased doubtless influenced some of these alliances. For one thing, repine that you do not possess a long time it was his custom to retire, along another which you did not purchase. Such ia with his faithful Khadija, for meditation and the force of well-regulated industry, that a prayer to a cave on Mount Hiri. Here his steady and vigorous exertion of our faculties, epileptic tendencies induced ecstasies and directed to one end, will generally insure suovision-s which alarmed his wife, until one day oess. Would you, for instance, be rich? Do he told her that he had received from the angel you think that single point worth the sacrificing Gabriel the first of those messages which were everything else to? You may then be rich. afterwards incorporated in . the Koran. In- Thousands have become so from the lowest stantly Khadija attached a new meaning to the beginnings by toil and patient diligence_ But strange visitations which had befallen her hus- you must give up the pleasures of leisure, of a band. Mohammed proclaimed the unity of the vacant mind, of a free, unsuspicious temper. If Godhead, condemned infanticide, murder, and you preserve your integrity, it must be a coarseidolatry. Towards Christians and Jews his spun and vulgar honesty. Those high and lofty attitude was one of conciliation and friendship, motions of morals which you brought with you The propaganda produced at first but slender from the schools meat be considerably lowered, results; at the end of five years Islam could not and mixed with the baser alloy of a jealous and claim more than half a hundred adherents. Per- worldly-minded prudence. 'You must. learn to sistent persecution at length drove Mohammed do hard, if not, unjust,. things; and for the nice and his followers from Mecca; and it is this embarrassments of a delicate and ingenious spirit Hejira, or flight, to Medina, in July, 622, which it is necessary for you to get rid of them as fast marks not only the year from which the Molvam- as possible. You mutst shut your heart against medan world computes its era, but marks the the Muses, and be content to feel your widerturning point in the prophet's career. In ten standing with plain, household truths. In short, years from the Hejira Mohammed numbered his you must not attempt to enlarge your ideas, or followers by thbusands, and although his belief polish your taste, or refine your sentiments, but in the divinity of his mission never failed, must keep on in one beaten track, without turnneither regal state nor personal ambition ever lug aside either to the right hand or the left. appealed to him. There is evidence that his "But I cannot submit to drudgery like this; I last days saw a return of the magnanimity of his feel a spirit above it." 'Tis well; be above it, earlier years, and calm submission to the will then; only, do not repine that you are nut of God. Mohammed died in 632, and was buried I riole—Fergus Win. Urwin, Allenetile Oottaersa at iTheana.--Baat. Kay, Bowburn, FerrL 3dieciamaley