Russian discovery of “a new British intrigue.” It appears that Great
Britain, not content with the virtual annexation of Egypt and the
Sudan, is even, while carrying out her plans for the absorption of
the Transvaal and the advancement of her interests in Persia, busily
engaged in setting up a Mohammedan Power which is to rival that of
the Sultan, and is ultimately to be used as a means of menacing, if
not destroying, Russian authority in Central Asia. The puppet Prince
selected for this purpose is the Sherif of Mecca. According to the
_Novoe Vremya_, the Sherif has recently received from England a
letter stating that the British government, having decided to invest
a certain worthy but impecunious Mohammedan Sheikh with the Caliphate
of Zeila, on the borders of Somaliland, and recognizing the Sherif as
a descendant of the Prophet and great protector of Islam, considers
it desirable for the Sherif on the day of the appointment of the new
Caliph to issue a manifesto expressing his approval. In return for
this service, Great Britain will proclaim Mecca and Medina the private
property of the Sherif, will assure to him the greater part of the
revenues of the new Caliphate, and will defend him by diplomatic means,
or even by force of arms, against the interference of the Sultan or
any other Foreign Power. It is perhaps needless to say that the author
of this intrigue is said to be Mr. Chamberlain, who is described as
a man “without faith, without truth, capable of trampling under foot
every commandment, whether of God or man, in order to accomplish his
purpose of placing Great Britain at the head of the Powers of the
world.”—_Times_ of India, 1899.
[83] He speaks of it as follows in his Histoire des Langues Semitques,
p. 342 “Cette langue, auparavant inconnue, se montre à nous
soudainement dans toute sa perfection, avec sa flexibilite, sa richesse
infinie, tellemen-complete, en un mot, que depnis ce temps jusqu’a nos
jours elle n’a subi ancune modification importante. Il n’y a pour elle
ni enfance, ni vieillesse; une fois qu’on a signalé son apparition et
ses prodijieuses cont quêtes, tout est dit sur son compte. Je ne sais
si l’on trouverait un autre exemple d’un idiome entrant dans le monde
comme celui-ci, sans état archaïque, sans degrés intermediaires ni
tatonnements.”
[84] Von Kremer, Guidi, Hommel.
[85] Sayce, Sprenger, Schrader, De Goeje, Wright.
[86] Assyrian Grammar, p. 13.
[87] An account of this language or dialect was given by Surgeon H. J.
Carter in Journal Roy. Asiat. Soc., July, 1847.
[88] Lansing.
[89] Found in the _Edinburgh Review_ for July, 1866, article “Mohammed.”
[90] “It would take a long list to exhaust the religious, literary and
scientific contributions to the Arabic language from the missionaries
in Syria. They include the translation of the Scriptures and the
stereotyping of the same in numerous styles; the preparation of a
Scripture guide, commentaries, a concordance, and a complete hymn and
tune book; text-books in history, algebra, geometry, trigonometry,
logarithms, astronomy, meteorology, botany, zoölogy, physics,
chemistry, anatomy, physiology, hygiene, materia medica, practice of
physic, surgery, and a periodical literature which has proved the
stimulus to a very extensive native journalism. The Protestant converts
of the mission, educated by the missionaries, have written elaborate
works on history, poetry, grammar, arithmetic, natural science, and
the standard dictionary of the language, and a cyclopædia which will
make a library by itself, consisting of about twenty volumes of from
six hundred to eight hundred pages each.”—_Dr. G. E. Post, in New York
Evangelist_.
[91] Gen. xxv. 16.
[92] In the _Edinburgh Review_, July, 1866.
[93] International Routes of Asia, by Elisée Reclus, in New York
_Independent_, May 4, 1899.
[94] Smith’s Kinship and Marriage in Early Arabia, pp. 9, 17, 131.
[95] What the boys and girls of the towns can study we have described
in our chapter on Mecca.
[96] This is the testimony of Burckhardt and Doughty.
[97] Arabia Deserta, Vol. I., p. 238.
[98] Translation from Mekka, Vol. II., p. 187.
[99] See Burckhardt’s book for further particulars.
[100] Signifying “Allah.”
[101] Baidhawi’s Commentary _in loco_.
[102] For on account of these ancient superstitions and idolatries
still practiced, see W. Robertson Smith’s “Religion of the Semites”
and his “Kinship and marriage in Early Arabia.” The mass of purely
Mohammedan superstition can be studied in books like the Arabian Nights
and Lane’s “Modern Egyptians.”
[103] This chapter is an enlargement of a paper on “The
Star-Worshippers of Mesopotamia” read before the Victoria Institute,
Adelphi Terrace, London, 1897.
[104] Kessler.
[105] Surah ii. 59; v. 73; xxii. 17
[106] According to Gesenius, Sabeans should be _Tsabians_ from
_tsabaoth_, the “host of heaven.” Nöldeke and others say it comes from
a root _subba_ to wash, baptise, and refers to the manner of their
worship. Gibbon is perhaps correct when, on the authority of Pocock,
Hettinger, and D’Herbelot, he states the origin of their other name
thus: “A slight infusion of the gospel had transformed the last remnant
of the Chaldean polytheists into the Christians of St. John at Bussora.”
In regard to their name _Sabeans_, Lane’s Arabic dictionary says that
it comes from a root meaning “one who has departed from one religion
to another religion.” The Arabs used to call the prophet _as-Sabi_,
because he departed from the religion of the Koreish to El-Islam.
Nasoreans is the name given them by some authors. According to
Petermann they themselves give this title only to those of their number
who are distinguished for character or knowledge. It doubtless comes
from [Greek: Nazôrãioi], the early half-Christian sect of Syria.
[107] The only grammar of the language is the elaborate _Mandäische
Grammatik_ of the indefatigable scholar Nöldeke. One great drawback of
the book however is that the _Hebrew_ character is used throughout and
not the Mandâitic.
[108] Leviticus xiv. 4-7, 49-53.
[109] Cf. Job xxxi. 26-28.
[110] The first printed and translated edition of the _Sidra Rabba_
was by Math. Norberg (Copenhagen, 1815-16), but it is said to be so
defective that it is quite useless critically; Petermann reproduced the
Paris MSS. in two volumes at Leipsic, 1867. Besides the _Sidra Rabba_
there are: _Sidra d’Yaheya_ or Book of St. John, also called _Drasche
d’Malek_ (discourse of the King); The _Diwan_; The _Sidra Neshmata_, or
book of souls; and last, but not least, the books of the zodiac called
_Asfar Malwashee_. Except for the _small_ portion of the _Sidra Rabba_
found in Brandt’s recently published _Mandäische Schriften_ (1895) all
of the above still await critical study and editing.
[111] See the history of Gnostic teaching, especially that of the
Ophites and Sethians. All the evil characters in the Old Testament,
with Cain at their head, were set forth as spiritual heroes. Judas
Iscariot was represented as alone knowing the truth. I find no large
account of the serpent in the Sabean system; this may be otherwise
accounted for.
[112] Gibbon.
[113] Sale’s Koran.
[114] Galatians i. 17.
[115] Gal. i. 18; Acts ix. 9, 25.
[116] Many others, including Hilary, Jerome, Theodoret and the
Occumenian commentators are stated by Rawlinson (St. Paul in Damascus
and Arabia, p. 128), to hold the same opinion. Porter, not alone
of modern writers, puts forth the same view in his “Five Years in
Damascus,” and supposes that Paul’s success was great enough to provoke
the hostility of Aretas and make him join the later persecution.
[117] “Kinship and Marriage in Early Arabia,” p. 214.
[118] Koran, Surah vii. 71.
[119] Desert of the Exodus, p. 50.
[120] Acts xvii. 26.
[121] Acts xvii. 29.
[122] Acts xvii. 31.
[123] Acts xvii. 25.
[124] Acts xx. 20, 27.
[125] Wright’s “Early Christianity in Arabia,” 1855.
[126] Buchanan’s Christian Researches.
[127] Wright, p. 77.
[128] The latest version of his life is by Nöldeke in his “Sketches
from Eastern History.” (London, 1892.)
[129] Wright, p. 144.
[130] Kurtz’ “Church History,” Vol. I., p. 386.
[131] See however, _Christianity in China, Tartary and Tibet_, by Abbe
Huc, Vol. I., p. 88 (New York, 1857). He speaks of Christians in Nejran
as late as the tenth century.
[132] See Smith’s “Short History of Missions.” Peroquet, Vie de Raymund
Lull (1667). Low de Vita Ray. Lull (Halle, 1830). Helfferich Raymund
Lull (Berlin, 1858). Dublin _Univ. Mag._, Vol. LXXVIII., p. 43, “His
Life and Work.”
[133] O merciful God, who hast made all men, and hatest nothing that
Thou hast made, nor wouldest the death of a sinner, but rather that
he should be converted and live: have mercy upon all Jews, _Turks_,
Infidels, and Heretics, and take from them all ignorance, hardness of
heart, and contempt of Thy Word, and so fetch them home, blessed Lord,
to Thy flock, that they may be saved among the remnant of the true
Israelites, and be made one fold under one Shepherd, Jesus Christ our
Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Spirit, one God,
world without end. Amen.
[134] “Life of Henry Martyn,” by George Smith, C. I. E., LL. D., (1892)
p. 226.
[135] Journal of Mr. Anthony N. Groves, Missionary to and at Bagdad.
(London, 1831.)
[136] George Smith’s Life of Martyn, p. 563.
[137] In 1876, after the death of Dr. Wilson, Mr. and Mrs. Stothert of
the Free Church Mission arranged to take a trip up the Persian Gulf as
far as Bagdad. They were deeply impressed by the spiritual needs of the
whole of Eastern Arabia. On the way they sold Scriptures and on their
return called attention to the needs of Bagdad. For twenty-five years
special prayer was offered for Eastern Arabia every Monday by these two
missionaries!
[138] _Church Missionary Intelligencer_ for May and June, 1887.
[139] The General also published an account of his journey in Yemen
from a geographical standpoint in the _Geographical Journal_, Vol. IX.,
p. 479. See also _The Missionary Review of the World_, October, 1895.
[140] “The Missionary Expansion since the Reformation.”—Graham, p. 19.
“Life and Letters of Rev. A. Stern.”
[141] On Van Tassel’s work and experiences see “North Africa” (21
Linton Road, Barking, London), Vol. for 1890, pp. 4, 21, 43, 59, 78;
Vol for 1891, pp. 2, 14, 27, 31 and 50.
[142] Mackay of Uganda, by his sister, (New York, 1897) pp. 417-430
gives the article in full.
[143] The text of this resolution is quoted at the head of chapter
thirty-five.
[144] See “Memorials of the Hon. Ion Keith Falconer.”—Robert Sinker
(6th Edition Cambridge 1890) and Ion Keith Falconer, Pioneer in Arabia
by Rev. A. T. Pierson, D. D. (Oct. 1897, _Missionary Review of the
World_).
[145] Kalilah and Dimnah, or The Fables of Bidpai, by I. G. N. Keith
Falconer, Cambridge, 1885.
[146] Life and Correspondence of T. V. French, First Bishop of Lahore,
by Rev. Robert Birks, (Murray, London, 1895). 2 vols.
[147] The letters appeared in the _Church Missionary Intelligencer_,
for May and July, 1891.
[148] An able plea for the acceptance of the Mission by the Church was
made by Rev. J. A. Davis, in the _Christian Intelligencer_, N. Y.,
September 18, 1889.
[149] This meeting with General Haig was described by him in an account
in the London _Christian_ (June, 1891).
[150] The Mohammedan Missionary Problem.—H. H. Jessup, D.D., 1879.
[151] Vol. II., pp. 503-529.
[152] Notes on Islam: A Hand-book for Missionaries.—Rev. Arthur
Brinckman. London, 1868.
[153] Reprinted in “North Africa” (April, 1892), under the title:
_Preaching, not Controversy_.
[154] History of the Church Missionary Society, Vol. II., p. 155.
[155] The Mohammedan Controversy and other articles—Sir Wm. Muir,
Edinburgh, 1897.
[156] _Missionary Review_, October, 1893, p. 727, in article by “C. H.”
[157] Christianity, Islam and the Negro Race, by E. W. Blyden, London,
1888.
[158] Missions in Sumatra, Dr. A. Schreiber, “North Africa,” May, 1896.
[159] Gen. xii. 3, xviii. 8, xxii. 18, xxvi. 4, xxviii. 14; Num. xiv.
21; Forty-three of the Psalms; Isaiah ii. 2, 18, etc., etc.; Jeremiah
iii. 17; Dan. vii. 13, 14; Joel ii. 28; Jonah, iii., iv.; Micah v. 4;
Hab. ii. 14; Zeph. ii. 11; Hag. ii. 6, 7; Zech. ix. 10, xiv. 9; Mal. i.
11.
[160] See Isaiah xxxv. 1-3, xl. 3, xli. 19, xliii. 19, li. 3; Ezekiel
xxxiv. 25, xlvii. 8; Ps. lxxii. 9, etc.
[161] According to Gesenius this is Suez, while Keil identifies it with
Jifar, a site in the northwestern part of Arabia near Egypt.
[162] Compare Rom. iv. 11, and Gal. iii. 17.
[163] Gen. xxi. 9-22.
[164] Gen. xxv. 11-18, and 1 Chron. i. 28.
[165] Isaiah xxi. 13-17 and Jer. xlix. 28-33.
[166] See Smith’s Bible Dictionary.
[167] Cf. Exodus xxiii. 31 and Deut. xi. 24.
[168] _The Christian Intelligencer_ (N. Y.), March 15, 1899.
[169] Consult Bibliographies of Palestine and Syria with inference to
Nomad life; also D. Islam.
[170] Consult also list in Gilman’s Saracens.
[171] Consult British and Foreign Bible Society Reports for account
of Scripture circulation; the _Free Church of Scotland Monthly_
for reports of Keith Falconer Mission; the _Church Missionary
Intelligencer_, 1887, vol. xii., pp. 215, 273, 346, 408; _Missionary
Review of the World_, 1892-1899, October numbers, and _Record of the
American Bible Society_, 1898-1900.
End of Project Gutenberg's Arabia: The Cradle of Islam, by S. M. Zwemer