MOHAMMEDANISM.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 52, 16 October 1911, Page 2

MOHAMMEDANISM.

WHAT IS HAPPENING IN AFEICA. Islam swept over Europe from the Mediterranean to France, but the tide was eventually driven back by the valour of the West (writes the Sidney “Morning Herald”). Then Mohammedanism over-ran Asia, but was foiled and enervated by the riches of tlie East. Then the restless tide of -shun fanaticism turned its face southward and devastated northern Africa, until blocked by the mighty Sahara. Hut to-day Islam is again steadily pursuing southward and threat niiag to conquer Africa. The one obsvacie in the patli of the invaders is ihc fierce fighter that Kipling tails the Fuzzy Wuzzy. In the heart of Africa is a region as big as Austraba, inhabited by 2UO tribes, totalling f'u,000,000 Fuzzy Wuzzics. Against these fierce fighters the onslaught of Isiam beats in vain. This is the fourth great check to restless, fanatic Is.am. But Britain has cried peace in Africa. The Mohammedan, having failed to convert the tribes of the plateau by the sword, is succeeding by fiery fanatical preaching. In ton years’ time—if Christianity looks on apathetically—this barrier will be removed, and 35 million fanatics newly (enovrted to Mohammedanism will reinforce the Hood tide of Islam. TJa n once more—and perhaps successfully—the Crescent will challenge the Cross. J his is the position in darkest Africa, and already prophetic voices are sounding the tocsin, calling upon Christianity to a twentieth century crusade. One of the prophets, better qualified than any other living man to speak on the subject, is Dr. Karl W. Kumni, the distinguished explorer, who, on September 25, before a gathering of students and visitors at the Sydney University, outlined the position of the negro, the Mohammedan, and the Christian in Africa. A 700 Years’ Conflict. Hr. Kumrn pictured in graphic style the 70U years’ conflict between Mohammedanism and Christianity, lunw the tide of Islam swept westward to Franco, where Charles Martel stemmed it, and how the Poles coming to the assistance of Western Europe at the siege of Vienna, turned the tide back towards Asia. Had Vienna fallen, there would have been no Napoleon, no Occident, no England. It was the valour of their forefathers in Central Europe that hurled back ihe flood tide of Islam. Then Islam swamped Asia, over-running Asia-Minor, Persia, India, and even China, and down to the East Indies, until the whole Continent seemed given over to Mohammedanism. But the wealth of the East acted as a narcotic. The poverty-stricken Arabs suddenly emerging on the riches of India, foil asleep in luxury. Wealth was ever a drag on religious enthusiasm. Next Islam tackled Africa. The library of Alexandria was burned. In the seventh and eight century Tunis and Tripoli, with their wonderful marble palaces and cities were overthrown. So were Algiers and Morocco. There were 25 million people in Egypt and ten millions in Tripoli in the time of Constantine. After a thousand years of Mohammedanism not one in ten remained. There were 160 U bishoprics in Northern Africa, then came the Mohammedanism invasion, and the bosom of war swept away ninetenths of the people and all Christianity. The idea that Mohammedanism was advancing in Northern Africa Was entirely erroneous. It was all an uphill cul-de-sac. Eventually Islam crossed the Sahara, and in 1066—when William the Conqueror landed in England—Timbuktu was founded. Devastation fell upon Nubia, where to-day are the ruins of dozens of Christian churches. Islam established sultanates south of the Sahara. Here in Northern Nigeria there was an indigenous civilisation which knew the use of gunpowder before Europe., But with Islam’s advent came more awful atrocities. But the sultanates, established in 1400 to ,1500 A.D., could not conquer the 200 free tribes of the plateau. For 500 years Islam tried to bring these warrior tribes into subjection, but failed. These were the finest race of fighters in tile world. When Lord Kitchener reconquered the Sudan he did not fight the Arabs; he fought these Dervishes, the negroes, who were mowed down by the Maxims, who could bo killed, but not defeated. Moslem and Pagan. These tribes were clean-living, musical, virile people, and fierce lighters; and no race of people multiplied so quickly. The white man might supersede the red man in America, and the black man in\ Australia, but he could never oust these negroes from Africa. In spite of plague and pestilence and slavery' there were now 2UO million people in Africa. England had fought the slave trade and the sleeping sickness, and now the population was increasing enormously. England had the finest parts of Africa and the finest races of Africans. But having established peace between Moslem and Pagan, the Moslem was converting the Pagans, a thing Islam could not do by force of arms. Tribe alter tribe was going over to Islam, ills result would be that the new converts would become deeply religious anc l fanatical. The Koran taught that the Christians wore infidels and should be exterminated. Would the new flood of Islam perpetrate anew the bloodshed and massacre of early cenwhen millions were put to the sword? In Gordon’s time there were seven and a half million people in the upper Nile. After thirteen years of Islam there were only one and a half, million. Possibly the last great war between the Crescent and the Cross uonld be fought out in Central Africa. It would lie an awful conflagration. from a political, national, business, religious, and commousense standpoint the only thing possible to stem the Gdc. of Islam, said Dr. Kumrn, was to Christianise those Pagan millions, and establish a chain of missions from the Niger to the Nile., But the n’egro should not be Europeanised. There should not be superimposed on them a civilisation that could not fit them. ! hey should lie treated as in Uganda. It was a time of crisis in Africa. Unless the missions Christianised those 35 million Pagans, who could he easily’ won, the whole of Africa would go. ihc Sudanese must lie saved from the grip of Islam. It was a challenge to Christendom. Professor David, the chairman, in describing the lecture as a masterly .•luminary of the situation said that as there was nothing in all our civilisation greater than the Christian reigion, it was surely their duty to see that those children in Africa should receive its benefits.