THE FAREWELL.
"Sondry folk, by aventure y-falle in felaweschipe."--_Chaucer._
And now, our tale draws to a close, and time permits but a parting
glance at those who have been so long a goodly company of friends.
Amzi has, in his descent to old age, developed a wonderful activity of
mind and body. He has become one of the most influential members of the
little town in which he has taken up his abode. Realizing as never
before the duty which man owes to man, and fully awakened at last to the
fact that our talents are given us to be exercised fully, he no longer
dreams away time in the Arab Kaif; but, from morning to night, his plump
figure and good-natured old face are seen, up and down, in the mart, in
the council-chamber, in the church, wherever he can lend a helping hand.
He has even assumed the role of schoolmaster, and upon the earthen floor
of an unused hall he gathers day by day a troop of little ones, over
whom he bends patiently as they cling to his gown for sympathy in their
small trials, or as they trace upon their wax tablets, with little,
uncertain hands and in almost illegible characters, the words of a copy,
or text.
"Aye," he says, "who knows what these little ones may some day become?
They are as impressionable as the wax upon which they write. Heaven
grant that the impression made upon them may be mighty for good!"
Kedar has married a Bedouin maid, and is happy in his free life in the
old land. Naught but the desert could satisfy him; he would stagnate in
the calm life which those in the Jordan valley are finding so pleasant.
As yet he and Manasseh have not been molested in their work by the
Moslems; and in their remote mountain recesses they are persistently
fighting against heathendom, and are leading many to live better and
nobler lives.
And Yusuf? He is in his home-land again. Once more he stands upon the
highest point of the Guebre temple. The priests have not refused him
admittance, for no one has recognized in this harmless old man the once
Guebre Yusuf.
Ah, it is heathen Persia still! The fires flicker upon the altar, and
the idolatrous chants arise on the air. Yusuf covers his face with his
mantle and weeps. He has but a few years of strength before him, but he
will spend them in trying to bring the Gospel of love to these poor,
blind people.
He grieves for his benighted country; but when the moon slowly rises,
shedding her soft rays over the old scene, the mountains, the valleys
below, all calm, peaceful, radiant, he is comforted. He thinks of Him
who "created the lesser orb to rule the night," and a great joy fills
his heart that he has been led to a recognition of Him, and that he has
been enabled to lead others to Him.
His face glows with serene happiness and hope. He raises his eyes to the
calm, deep heavens, and says:
"O Father, I thank thee that 'mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of
hosts,' and his dear Son! I thank thee that thou hast led me to see
Truth! O God, thou hast taught me from my youth, and hitherto have I
declared thy wondrous works! Now also when I am old and gray-headed, O
God, forsake me not until I have showed thy strength unto this
generation, and thy power to every one that is to come! And now, Father,
'what wait I for? My hope is in thee,' the great God, the ever-loving
Father, now and for evermore. Amen and amen."
And there will we leave him.
"May he live
Longer than I have time to tell his years!
Ever beloved and loving, may his rule be!
And when old Time shall lead him to his end,
Goodness and he fill up one monument!"
--_Shakespeare._
THE END.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] The month of Ramadhan was held as holy prior to Mohammed's time;
its sanctity was but confirmed by him.
[2] Medina at this time bore the name of Yathrib, but in this volume
we shall give it the later and better-known name of "Medina,"
derived from the earlier "Mahdinah."
[3] The Moslems _now_ assert that the sacred fire went out of itself
at the birth of Mohammed.
[4] A fourth, the "Darb-el-Sharki," or Eastern Road, has since been
built by order of the wife of the famous Haroun al Raschid.
[5] Joseph Pitts, A.D. 1680, says: "Mecca is surrounded for several
miles with many thousands of little hills which are very near to
one another. They are all stony-rock, and blackish, and pretty
near of a bigness, appearing at a distance like cocks of hay,
but all pointing towards Mecca."
[6] Burton says the black stone is volcanic, but is thought by some
to be a meteorite or aërolite. Burckhardt thought it composed of
lava. Of its appearance Ali Bey says: "It is a block of volcanic
basalt, whose circumference is sprinkled with little crystals,
with rhombs of tile-red feldspath on a dark background like
velvet or charcoal."
[7] By the latest statistics the number of Mohammedans now scattered
throughout Asia, Africa, and the south-eastern part of Europe
amounts to some 176,834,372.
[8] Moslems assert that upon this night Mohammed was carried through
the seven heavens of which El Islam tells.
[9] The initial "A" is placed at the top of all Arabian writings. It
is the initial of "Allah" and the first letter of the alphabet,
and is symbolic of the origin of creation.
[10] Burton gives seven hundred.
* * * * * *
TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES:
Obvious printing errors were repaired; these changes are listed below.
Title Page Original text: Elgin, Ill,
Correction: Elgin, Ill.,
Original text: David C Cook
Correction: David C. Cook
Chapter V Original text: may know thee as we should.'"
Correction: may know thee as we should."
Chapter VI Original text: This hullucination
Correction: This hallucination
Original text: McLellan, Psychology
Correction: McLellan, Psychology.
Original text: See page 23
Correction: See page 23.
Original text: called 'El Amin"
Correction: called 'El Amin'
Chapter VII Original text: be poured on my defenseless and
Correction: be poured on my defenceless and
Chapter IX Original text: Death is the end of life
Correction: "Death is the end of life
Original text: "Ikh! "Ikh!"
Correction: "Ikh! Ikh!"
Chapter XIV Original text: He forebore to thrust
Correction: He forbore to thrust
Chapter XVI Original text: For this I am thankful.
Correction: For this I am thankful,
Chapter XVII Original text: giving him a shake. "what
Correction: giving him a shake, "what
Original text: the fair little Imra
Correction: the fair little Imri
Chapter XIX Original text: "Here, Manasseh!" interupted Yusuf
Correction: "Here, Manasseh!" interrupted Yusuf
Chapter XXIII Original text: peace with those of Mecca."
Correction: peace with those of Mecca.'"
Chapter XXVII Original text: thus comes in Bedouin garb?'"
Correction: thus comes in Bedouin garb?"
Footnote 2 Original text: derived from the earlier "Mahdinah"
Correction: derived from the earlier "Mahdinah."
Footnote 6 Original text: like velvet or charcoal.
Correction: like velvet or charcoal."