i c*W7 Che mobammedan missionary Problem, - Ulitb a Chart Y\ ~J Vt d r> a . By THE REV. S. M. ZWEMER. F. R. G. S. “ Father, the hour has come, glorify Thy Son.” N these words are joined the highest motive and the most potent plea for missions to the Moslems. The awful sin and guilt of the Mohammedan world is that they give Christ’s glory to another. Whatever place J esus Christ may occupy in the Koran — and the portrait there given is a sad caricature, what- ever favorable critics may say about Christ's honorable place among the Moslem prophets — it is nevertheless true that the large bulk of Mohammedans know extremely little and think still less of the Son of Mary. He has no place in their hearts or in their lives. All the prophets have not only been succeeded but also sup- planted by Mohammed. He is at once the ~ — sealer and concealer of all former revelations. — — — — — “ — Mohammed is called Light of God, Peace of the World, Glory of Ages, First of all Creatures, and other names of yet greater import. His apotheosis was completed by tradition. In the Koran be is human; in tradition he becomes sinless and almost divine. No Moslem prays to Mohammed, but every Moslem prays for his aid in endless repetition daily. He is the only powerful intercessor on the day of judgment. His name is never uttered or written without the addition of a prayer. Ya Mohammed is the open sesame to every door of difficulty, temporal or spiritual. One hears that name in the bazaar and in the street, in the mosque and from the minaret. Sailors sing it while raising their sails; hammals groan it to raise a burden; the beggar howls it to obtain alms; it is the Bedouin’s cry when making an attack on a caravan; it hushes dusky babies to sleep as a cradle song; and it is the best name to swear by for an end of all dispute in a close bargain. The exceeding honor given to Mohammed’s name by his followers is only one indication of the place their prophet occupies in their system and holds in their hearts. From the fulness of the heart the mouth speaketh. Mohammed holds the keys of heaven and hell. No Moslem, however bad his character, will perish finally; no unbeliever, however good his life, can be saved except through Mohammed. One has only to question the Moslem masses or read a single volume of the traditions to prove these statements. In short, Christ’s name and place and office and glory have been usurped by another. Islam in its final result, if not in its essence, is anti- Christ. An abomination of desolation standing now for thirteen centuries in the Holy Place; a __________ scourge of God which fell on an unholy and idolatrous church: a temple to half-truths, built on blood, buttressed by civil law, and the shrine as well as the shelter for one hundred and seventy million people, — such is Islam. To one who knows anything of the Eastern religion it is not surprising that there is an Eastern question. The finger of Providence is now pointing to an Eastern crisis on every side of the Mohammedan horizon. What does it mean ? “ Father , the hour has come, glorify thy Son.” The glory of the Son of Isaac pleads for the evangelization of the seed of Ishmael. Over against Carlyle’s or any- body else’s hero-worship we put the eternal truth of God in regard to His beloved Son. “It pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell,” — not in Mohammed. 622 A. D Cbc Mohammedan (This Chart was specially prepared for the Third Inte ational MOSLEM POPULATION LANGUAGE GOVERNMENT Koumania, Bulgaria, etc. Europe Greece Turkey 111 Europe 5,811,617 Asia 134,642,764 Africa luaala In Europe Turkey In Asia Arabia Persia Kussta In Asia Afghanistan Baluchistan India China neo, etc Eim>t Zanzibar Morocco, Tripoli 1,187,452 Slavonic I tide pendent 24,165 Turkish 2 , 000,000 Turkish 2,600,000 Kusslun 12 , 000,000 10 , 000,000 7,560,600 Turkish and Arabic Persian 8,261,000 Russian 4,000,000 500,000 Paslitu Baluchi 57,321,164 Hi ndustani 20 , 000,000 Chinese 15,000,000 Malay, etc. Kingdoms Kingd Turkish Russian Turkish *4 Turkish % Independ Monarch) Russian Absolute Monarchy British Protection British Chinese StttejrtMdj French 6 , 000,000 150,000 Arabic Swahell British Occu patio u Brit. Ac Ger. Protection Region of hake Tsitd boutUtU Sokoto Sahara, etc 60,150,000 Total Mos lent Population *354 1790 to 634 622 800 Indli IIIB| Wr | lndl tod i ■ 1 000 t So 1000 f awn i 1000-1306 I I | lid It 742 • Vtrtf 1400-1478 1800 638 1800 t mM hnl) ltd In 9,100,000 Tribal 14.000. 000 10 . 000 . 000 200,604,381 llaitsa ■ lam i tie Tribal Tribal 1700-1800 h dioo 1800 S« 1800 S( Explanation of Colors: R^ Green White under Christian rule or protection, under Turkish rule, under other governments. 1898 A. D it missionary Problem ier»tional Convention of Student Volunteers, Cleveland, 1898) MISSIONARY EFFORT I DATE PROTESTANT AGENCIES VISIBLE RESULTS Indirect 1859 tic lli tCpiscopul N. and otlicrw M ■■ None among mosleins None — WBmmBm IHn Indirect ■ uMmnorUnl 1830 A. n. c. f. in. Foreign Christian mission Bible translated. Literature Col- leges. Schools. Kvang. Churches None B. A F. Bible Society gjjgfSS 1 ndirect ■it Important Direct 1818 1885 1 890 A. B. C. F. 1H., C. II S. Presb. ltd., etc. Keith Falconer mission The Arabian .11 Isslon, It C A Strategic points all occupied Bible trails 1. Herat u re, schools, and colleges. Churches. Bcyrout Press. Bible distribution, medical work. Preaching. Four stations. I ndirect and direct 1811 C. IB. S., Presb. Bd Bible translated. Schools. Converts martyrs None — Bible Societies Bible translated None — — Bible translated egun recently — C. tl. S. math. Uospcl translated Dlr» ct md indirect 1810 C. tl S., Presb Bd. and other Societies Bible translated— many stations. Schools. Controversy. Converts. •Scarcely any — Only incidentally by various Societies Bible translated Direct M BSfWiii i iVi ittii I'm IS 02 1858 Various Dutch Societies Uheniah til** Society in Java. All agencies freely at work. Bible translated Portly direct id Important 1854 V. P mission, C. m. S , North Africa mission Controversial literature. Schools. Converts. Churches. Direct 1875 I'nlverMlties UIImmIoh Three stations. Schools. Hospital aud Dispensary Direct 1 8S4 North Africa mission, etc. s' Uledical l?lt»sioiis Indirect 1889 ii it it Preaching and touring. Literature Direct 1 SS5 it it it Direct 1884 it it it number of converts i) None None None The statistics of population are based on the Statesman’s Year Book. 1897, and the Encyclopaedia of Missions. “ The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into His hand ,”— not into the hand* of Mohammed . God hath exalted Him and given Him a name which is above every name," • • • • far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this world but also in that which is to come;’’ that at the name of Jesus every Mohammedan “ knee should bow,” and every Arab “ tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.” These are some of the promises for the success of missions to Moslems. Have we ever claimed them for this purpose? And if we have in meagre measure claimed them, yet how' far our faith has out measured our faithfulness. There was a thousand fold more enthusiasm in the daik ages to wrest an empty sepulchre from the Saracens than there is in our day to bring them the knowledge of a living Saviour. There is no Peter the hermit, and no one girds for a new crusade. We are playing at Missions as far as Mohammedanism is concerned. For there are more mosques in Jerusalem than there are missionaries in all Arabia; and more millions of Moslems in China than the number of missionary societies that work for Moslems in the whole world ! Where Christ was born Mohammed’s name is called from minarets five times daily, but where Moham- med was born no Christian dares to enter. America entertains perverts to Islam at a parliament of religions, while throughout vast regions of the Mohammedan world millions of Moslems have never so much as heard of the incarnation and the atonement of the Son of God the Saviour of the world The Holy Land is still in unholy hands, and all Christendom stood gazing while the sword of the Crescent was uplifted in Armenia and Crete, until the uttermost confines of the Moslem world rejoiced at her apathy and impotence With the glorious motto, “the evangelization of the world in this generation, are we to leave out of reckoning this vast problem whose bare outlines are given in the chart ? Is this to be the measure of our consecration ? Is this the extent of our loyal devotion to the cause of our King? His place occupied by a usurper and His glory given to another, while the Church slumbered and slept; shall we not arise and win back the lost kingdom? Missions to Moslems are the only Christian solution of the Eastern Question. “ Father, the hour has come, glorify thy Son.” God wills it. Let our rallying cry be, Every stronghold of Islam for Christ ! Not a war of gunboats or of diplomacy, but a Holy War with the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Let God arise and let His enemies be scattered. “Father, the hour has come, glorify Thy Son.” E Prayer for the mobammedan Ulorld O Lord God, to whom the sceptre of right belongeth, lift up Thyself, and travel in the greatness of Thy strength throughout the Mohammedan lands of the East; because of the anointing of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, as Thy true Prophet, Priest and King, destroy the sword of Islam, and break the yoke of the false prophet Mohammed from oil the necks of Egypt. Arabia, Turkey, Persia, and other Moslem lands, that so there may be opened throughout these lands a great door and effectual for the Gospel, that the Word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified, and the veil upon so many hearts may be removed, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. — C. M. S. Intelligencer PRESS or 1. SCOTT CO., 14S WEST »IRO ST., N. Y