Kiadás dátuma
1900. 09. 15.
Kötet
21
Szám
18
Az Őrtorony
Views From the Watch Tower
Az eredeti angol nyelvű Őrtorony folyóiratok
../literature/watchtower/1900/18/1900-18-2.html
SEPTEMBER 
15. 
1900 
ZION'S 
WATCH 
TOWER 
(276-277) 
Its 
uniform 
requirement 
of 
total 
abstinence 
from 
intoxicants. 
Recognizing 
the 
fact 
that 
Chri<;tianity 
makes 
few 
proselytes 
from 
Mohammedanism. 
and 
that 
the 
latter 
is 
growing 
rapidly 
in 
numbers 
and 
influence. 
the 
Britioh 
Government 
has 
of 
late 
years 
been 
attempting 
to 
gain 
the 
confidence 
and 
support 
of 
her 
Mohammedan 
subjeC'ts. 
whose 
numbl'r 
is 
estimated 
at 
one 
hundred 
and 
fifty 
millions-fifty 
mIllIOns 
more 
than 
all 
denommatlOns 
of 
Protestant 
Christians 
in 
the 
whole 
world. 
Doubtll'sS 
this 
change 
of 
attitudl' 
toward 
the 
very 
religion 
again~t 
which 
all 
the 
Crusades 
of 
medieval 
times 
were 
waged, 
though 
due 
to 
polItical 
policy. 
is 
haeked 
by 
the 
changed 
re­ 
ligious 
sentiment 
of 
our 
day;-which 
undcr 
the 
lead 
of 
the 
higher 
critics 
has 
declared,- 
"The 
hope 
of 
the 
race 
lies 
in 
a 
deeper 
study 
of 
the 
great, 
inspired 
writers 
of 
the 
past, 
such 
as 
Shakespeare. 
Homer. 
Dante 
and 
a 
fpw 
others, 
whose 
works 
have 
charmed 
the 
minds 
of 
people 
of 
t'ulture. 
The 
Bible. 
also, 
though 
a 
little 
out-of­ 
date. 
has 
been 
recognized, 
in 
the 
past, 
as 
a 
work 
of 
inspira­ 
tIon. 
and 
you 
may 
find 
it 
helpful 
to 
include 
it 
in 
your 
course 
of 
reading." 
General 
sentiment, 
therefore, 
resolves 
itself 
into 
this,­ 
SInce 
our 
wisl' 
men 
tell 
us 
that 
the 
Bible 
is 
unreliable, 
and 
that 
thp 
dl'ath 
of 
Christ 
Jesus 
no 
more 
redeemed 
the 
world 
than 
did 
the 
death 
of 
other 
reformers; 
and 
since 
they 
tell 
us 
that 
future 
happiness 
depends 
upon 
the 
cultivation 
of 
our 
mental 
and 
moral 
qualities, 
and 
that 
Shakespeare's 
and 
other 
writings 
are 
quite 
as 
good 
or 
better 
than 
the 
Bible 
for 
such 
(·ultnrl'. 
how 
do 
we 
know 
but 
that 
the 
Mohammedan's 
Bible-­ 
thc 
Koran-is 
as 
good 
or 
better 
than 
our 
own, 
and 
they 
as 
right 
as 
we 
or 
more 
so? 
Therefore 
let 
us 
not 
any 
longer 
say 
wIth 
tIl(' 
Bible 
that 
there 
is 
no 
other 
name 
than 
that 
of 
Jesus 
givl'n 
undpr 
heaven 
or 
among 
men 
whereby 
we 
must 
be 
saved; 
but 
ld 
us 
say. 
Get 
morality 
and 
education 
in 
the 
name 
of 
Mohammed 
or 
Jesus 
or 
Confucius 
or 
whomsoever 
you 
please. 
Nurh 
would 
be 
the 
logical 
outcome 
of 
such 
teachings; 
and 
thereby 
we 
are 
reminded 
of 
our 
Lord's 
words 
respecting 
these 
times-"When 
the 
Son 
of 
Man 
cometh 
shall 
he 
find 
the 
faith 
on 
the 
earth 
?"-Luke 
18:8. 
WHAT 
GREAT 
BRITAIN 
IS 
DOING 
FOR 
MOHAMMEDANISM 
f'hortly 
atter 
the 
capture 
of 
Khartoum 
by 
General 
Lord 
Kitchener. 
and 
at 
his 
instance, 
a 
Mohammedan 
college 
was 
founded. 
known 
as 
Gordon 
College, 
and 
more 
recently 
another 
Mohammedan 
school 
was 
founded 
at 
Sierra 
Leone, 
on 
the 
west 
coa~t 
of 
Africa 
Thi<; 
lattl'r 
institution 
was 
opened 
with 
con­ 
siderablc 
ceremony 
under 
the 
auspices 
of 
the 
acting-governor, 
Malor 
Nathan. 
and 
of 
it 
the 
New 
York 
Sun 
says 
editorially:- 
"The 
ceremony 
began 
with 
a 
prayer 
in 
Arabic 
offered 
up 
by 
the 
Imaum 
of 
the 
mosque, 
Alfa 
Omaru, 
who 
afterward 
gave 
a 
short 
arcount 
of 
the 
efforts 
to 
promote 
education 
made 
by 
the 
Sierra 
Leone 
"Moslems. 
He 
referred 
to 
the 
years 
1839 
and 
1841, 
when 
the 
Mohammedan 
religion 
was 
considered 
as 
a 
danger 
to 
the 
colony. 
when 
Moslems 
wpre 
persecuted 
and 
their 
mosqul's 
pulled 
down 
by 
excited 
mobs. 
Thanks, 
however, 
to 
an 
enlightened 
policy, 
matters 
were 
set 
right, 
and 
for 
more 
than 
fifty 
years 
the 
Moslems 
have 
enjoyed 
full 
toleration 
and 
the 
protection 
of 
the 
British 
Government. 
In 
1872 
the 
festi­ 
val 
of 
the 
Lesser 
Bairam 
had 
been 
attended 
by 
the 
governor, 
Sir 
John 
Pope 
Hennessy, 
with 
a 
military 
escort, 
and 
in 
1879 
another 
governor, 
Sir 
Samuel 
Rowe, 
had 
entertained 
seven 
hundred 
Moslems 
at 
Government 
Honse 
on 
the 
occasion 
of 
the 
Bairam 
Festival 
of 
that 
year. 
In 
18!H 
Governor 
Hay 
handed 
mer 
a 
fine 
property 
with 
commodious 
buildings 
to 
the 
Moslem 
community 
for 
educational 
purposes, 
accompanied 
by 
a 
grant 
for 
the 
payment 
of 
the 
teachers. 
These 
successive 
events 
were 
importartt 
epochs 
in 
the 
history 
of 
Islamism 
in 
West 
Africa, 
and 
the 
Imaum 
looked 
forward 
to 
the 
day 
when 
the 
present 
elementary 
school 
would 
become 
the 
stepping-stone 
to 
a 
col­ 
lege." 
In 
his 
reply 
Major 
Nathan 
cited 
examples 
of 
Moham­ 
medans 
occupying 
official 
positions 
in 
Indian 
and 
in 
Egypt, 
and 
added 
that,- 
"He 
wished 
them 
to 
perfect 
themselves 
in 
Arabic 
in 
order 
that 
they 
might 
know 
what 
real 
Mohammedanism 
is. 
When 
they 
understood 
the 
Koran, 
he 
said, 
they 
would 
see 
that 
their 
religion 
was 
one 
telling 
them 
how 
to 
live, 
and 
not 
a 
religion 
of 
charms 
and 
gewgaws. 
Knowing 
English, 
they 
would 
have 
the 
literature 
and 
wisdom 
of 
the 
white 
man 
open 
to 
them: 
and 
with 
Arabic, 
they 
would 
be 
able 
to 
read 
not 
only 
the 
Koran, 
but 
the 
'Makamat' 
of 
EI 
Hariri, 
known 
already 
to 
some 
of 
them, 
and 
the 
'Alif 
Lailat 
wa 
Lailah,' 
the 
translation 
of 
which 
English 
people 
read 
with 
pleasure. 
In 
concluding, 
Major 
Nathan 
urged 
them 
not 
to 
rest 
content 
until 
they 
had 
in 
Sierra 
Leone 
a 
Moslem 
college 
whence 
wisdom 
and 
knowl­ 
edge 
might 
go 
forth 
over 
the 
whole 
of 
West 
Africa." 
The 
Sun 
belipves 
that 
the 
importance 
of 
the 
incident 
can 
hardly 
be 
overestimated. 
It 
.,ays:- 
"The 
news 
of 
the 
official 
encouragement 
given 
to 
the 
Mo­ 
hammedan 
religion 
and 
the 
culture 
of 
its 
sacred 
language, 
Ar~ 
bIC. 
will 
in 
a 
very 
short 
time 
spread 
from 
the 
Atlantic 
to 
the 
Red 
Sea, 
and 
the 
wisdom 
of 
the 
polIcy 
that 
dictated 
it 
will 
be 
justified 
by 
the 
resulting 
spread 
of 
British 
influence 
among 
the 
Moslem 
populations 
of 
North 
Africa. 
In 
all 
prob­ 
11 
bility 
it 
will 
lead 
to 
a 
corresponding 
rivalry 
on 
the 
part 
of 
the 
French, 
whose 
hold 
on 
the 
Arabs 
of 
Algeria 
is 
none 
tOG 
strong, 
owing 
to 
mistakes 
in 
policy 
and 
the 
want 
of 
character 
of 
many 
of 
those 
appointed 
to 
office. 
"The 
next 
century 
no 
doubt 
has 
many 
surprises 
in 
store; 
but 
whatever 
they 
may 
be, 
not 
the 
least 
strange 
will 
be 
the 
spectacle 
of 
the 
two 
\Vestern 
nations 
that 
led 
in 
the 
crusades 
promoting, 
for 
political 
and 
territorial 
reasons, 
the 
creed 
they 
then 
tried 
to 
crush." 
However 
peculiar 
all 
this 
may 
appear 
from 
the 
standpoint 
of 
nominal 
"Christendom," 
it 
is 
perfectly 
clear 
to 
all 
of 
the 
"royal 
priesthood." 
We 
see 
the 
fallacy 
of 
the 
claim 
that 
European 
kingdoms 
are 
Christ'.~ 
kingdoms-that 
the 
Word 
of 
God 
never 
did 
recognize 
them 
as 
anything 
but 
"kingdoms 
of 
this 
world" 
ruled 
by 
"the 
prince 
of 
this 
world." 
\Ve 
see 
that 
the 
nominal 
churches 
are 
not 
the 
one 
true 
Church 
of 
"saints," 
whose 
names 
are 
written 
in 
heaven. 
We 
see 
that 
the 
Crusades, 
Inquisitions, 
and 
all 
similar 
attacks 
upon 
human 
bemgs 
and 
their 
moral 
and 
religious 
liberties 
were 
never 
authorized 
by 
the 
Lord; 
but 
were 
wholly 
contrary 
to 
his 
Word 
and 
spirit. 
We 
see 
that 
it 
is 
perfectly 
proper 
and 
consIstent 
for 
worldly 
people 
and 
governments 
(English, 
French, 
German 
or 
what 
not) 
to 
favor 
any 
system 
or 
all 
systems 
of 
education 
and 
religion 
that 
will 
in 
any 
degree 
counteract 
vice 
and 
im­ 
morality, 
and 
preserve 
peace. 
'frue, 
we 
who 
have 
had 
the 
eyes 
of 
our 
understanding 
opened 
to 
see 
matters 
clearly 
from 
the 
Bible 
standpoint 
could 
do 
nothing 
against 
the 
truth 
and 
in 
favor 
of 
error-nothing 
to 
foster 
and 
encourage 
the 
error 
or 
even 
to 
apparently 
bid 
it 
Godspeed. 
But 
we 
are 
not 
in 
official 
positions 
where 
such 
questions 
could 
come 
to 
us: 
because 
we 
are 
"not 
of 
this 
world" 
even 
as 
our 
Redeemer 
was 
not 
( 
John 
17: 
16 
), 
therefore 
the 
world 
disrespects 
us 
(John 
17: 
14), 
and 
offer'! 
us 
no 
places 
of 
public 
influence. 
Fidelity 
to 
our 
Lord's 
principles 
thus 
saves 
his 
faithful 
from 
perplexities: 
they 
have 
died 
to 
worldly 
poli­ 
tics 
and 
its 
aims 
and 
duties 
and 
methods, 
and 
have 
been 
"translated 
into 
the 
kingdom 
of 
God's 
dear 
Son," 
and 
are 
thus 
members 
of 
the 
''holy 
nation" 
which 
has 
not 
yet 
come 
into 
power 
and 
ruling 
authority-waiting 
for 
their 
King 
to 
exalt 
or 
set 
them 
up 
in 
power 
and 
great 
glory 
at 
the 
time 
when 
his 
kingdom 
shall 
be 
revealed 
to 
the 
world 
as 
the 
supplanter 
of 
all 
kingdoms 
of 
this 
world. 
METHODISM 
AND 
HIGHER 
CRITICISM 
"The 
'heresy' 
case 
of 
Professor 
Mitchell 
(see 
The 
Literary 
Digest, 
January 
27), 
has 
been 
effectively 
disposed 
of 
for, 
at 
least, 
some 
years 
to 
come. 
By 
the 
recent 
General 
Conference 
of 
the 
Methodist 
Episcopal 
Church 
at 
Chicago 
it 
was 
referred 
to 
the 
bishops, 
who, 
apparently 
finding 
it 
as 
embarrassing 
a 
SUU1Pi't 
to 
handle 
as 
did 
the 
Conference, 
referred 
the 
matter 
of 
Dr. 
Mitchell's 
retention 
to 
the 
trustees 
of 
Boston 
Univer­ 
sity. 
by 
making 
him 
eligible 
to 
re-election 
for 
five 
years­ 
until, 
conveniently, 
after 
the 
next 
meeting 
of 
the 
General 
Con­ 
ference. 
The 
fact 
that 
the 
trustees 
of 
one 
of 
the 
leading 
:\fethodist 
theological 
seminaries 
have 
now 
unanimousl,\' 
re­ 
elected 
Dr. 
Mitchell, 
who 
is 
one 
of 
the 
most 
prominent 
Ameri­ 
can 
exponents 
of 
the 
higher 
criticism, 
and 
has 
been 
accused 
of 
deviating 
widely 
from 
the 
traditional 
view 
as 
to 
the 
author­ 
ship 
of 
certain 
Old 
Testament 
books, 
is 
regarded 
as 
an 
event 
of 
significance. 
The 
largest 
Protestant 
denomination 
in, 
Amer­ 
ica 
thus 
tacitly 
votes 
to 
retain 
an 
upholder 
of 
the 
lvigher 
criticism 
as 
official 
instructor 
of 
her 
young 
clcrics."-Ltterary 
Digest. 
PRESBYTERIANS 
BEING 
SIFTED 
The 
General 
Assemhly 
of 
the 
Preshyterian 
Church 
recently 
in 
session 
in 
St. 
Louis, 
in 
reply 
to 
overtures 
for 
a 
revision 
of 
its 
Westminster 
Confession 
of 
Faith, 
rl'ferred 
the 
matter 
to 
a 
committee, 
whose 
business 
it 
shall 
be 
to 
learn 
the 
opinion 
of 
the 
local 
Presbyters 
and 
to 
report 
to 
the 
Assembly 
of 
1901. 
The 
Presbyterian 
weekly 
journals 
give 
the 
best 
clue 
to 
the 
results, 
for 
they 
are 
generally 
under 
the 
care 
of 
the 
leaders 
amongst 
the 
ministry, 
who 
generally 
"try 
to 
be 
on 
the 
winning 
side." 
From 
the 
trend 
of 
comments 
by 
these 
journals 
(The 
In­ 
terior 
and 
The 
Herald 
and 
Presbytl:T 
alone 
seem 
to 
urge 
re­ 
vision) 
we 
opine 
that 
the 
Confession 
will 
probably 
not 
be 
revised 
but 
reaffirmed. 
The 
result 
of 
this 
course 
would 
be 
to 
sift 
out 
thE. 
honest 
but 
deluded 
souls 
in 
pulpit 
and 
pew 
who 
for 
years 
have 
burdened 
tlleir 
consciences 
(and 
in 
many 
in­ 
stances 
hardened 
them) 
with 
slander 
against 
the 
divine 
char. 
acter 
and 
deceit 
toward 
all 
mankind 
in 
professing 
the 
West- 
[2695] 
SEPTEMBER 15, 1900 Its uniform requirement of total abstinence from intoxicants. Recognizing the fact that Christianity makes few proselytes from Mohammedanism, and that the latter is growing rapidly in numbers and influence. the British Government has of late years been attempting to gain the confidence and support of her Mohammedan subjects, whose number is estimated at one hundred and fifty millions—fifty millions more than all denominations of Protestant Christians in the whole world. Doubtless this change of attitude toward the very religion against which all the Crusades of medieval times were waged, though due to political policy, is backed by the changed religious sentiment of our day;—which under the lead of the higher critics has declared,— “The hope of the race lies in a deeper study of the great, inspired writers of the past, such as Shakespeare, Homer. Dante and a few others, whose works have charmed the minds of people of culture. The Bible, also, though a little out-ofdate, has been recognized, in the past, as a work of inspiration, and you may find it helpful to include it in your course of reading.” General sentiment, therefore, resolves itself into this,— Since our wise men tell us that the Bible is unreliable, and that the death of Christ Jesus no more redeemed the world than did the death of other reformers; and since they tell us that future happiness depends upon the cultivation of our mental and moral qualities, and that Shakespeare’s and other writings are quite as good or better than the Bible for such culture, how do we know but that the Mohammedan’s Bible— the Koran—is as good or better than our own, and they as right as we or more so? Therefore let us not any longer say with the Bible that there is no other name than that of Jesus given under heaven or among men whereby we must be saved; but let us say, Get morality and education in the name of Mohammed or Jesus or Confucius or whomsoever you please. Such would be the logical outcome of such teachings; and thereby we are reminded of our Lord’s words respecting these times—“When the Son of Man cometh shall he find the faith on the earth?”—Luke 18:8. WHAT GREAT BRITAIN IS DOING FOR MOHAMMEDANISM Shortly atter the capture of Khartoum by General Lord Kitchener, and at his instance, a Mohammedan college was founded, known as Gordon College, and more recently another Mohammedan school was founded at Sierra Leone, on the west coast of Africa This latter institution was opened with considerable ceremony under the auspices of the acting-governor, Major Nathan, and of it the New York Sun says editorially :— “The ceremony began with a prayer in Arabic offered up by the Imaum of the mosque, Alfa Omaru, who afterward gave a short account of the efforts to promote education made by the Sierra Leone Moslems. He referred to the years 1839 and 1841, when the Mohammedan religion was considered as a danger to the colony. when Moslems were persecuted and their Mosques pulled down by excited mobs. Thanks, however, to an enlightened policy, matters were set right, and for more than fifty years the Moslems have enjoyed full toleration and the protection of the British Government. In 1872 the festival of the Lesser Bairam had been attended by the governor, Sir John Pope Hennessy, with a military escort, and in 1879 another governor, Sir Samuel Rowe, had entertained seven hundred Moslems at Government House on the occasion of the Bairam Festival of that year. In 189] Governor Hay handed over a fine property with commodious buildings to the Moslem community for educational purposes, accompanied by a grant for the payment of the teachers. These successive events were important epochs in the history of Islamism in West Africa, and the Imaum looked forward to the day when the present elementary school would become the stepping-stone to a college.” In his reply Major Nathan cited examples of Mohammedans occupying official positions in Indian and in Egypt, and added that,— “He wished them to perfect themselves in Arabic jn order that they might know what real Mohammedanism is. When they understood the Koran, he said, they would see that their religion wag one telling them how to live, and not a religion of charms and gewgaws. Knowing English, they would have the literature and wisdom of the white man open to them: and with Arabic, they would be able to read not only the Koran, but the ‘Makamat’ of El Hariri, known already to some of them, and the ‘Alif Lailat wa Lailah,’ the translation of which English people read with pleasure. In concluding, Major Nathan urged them not to rest content until they had in Sierra Leone a Moslem college whence wisdom and knowledge might go forth over the whole of West Africa.” The Sun believes that the importance of the incident can hardly be overestimated. It says:— ZION’S WATCH TOWER (276-277) “The news of the official encouragement given to the Mohammedan religion and the culture of its sacred language, Arabie, will in a very short time spread from the Atlantic to the Red Sea, and the wisdom of the policy that dictated it will be justified by the resulting spread of British influence among the Moslem populations of North Africa. In all probability it will lead to a corresponding rivalry on the part of the French, whose hold on the Arabs of Algeria is none toc strong, owing to mistakes in policy and the want of character of many of those appointed to office. “The next century no doubt has many surprises in store; but whatever they may be, not the least strange will be the spectacle of the two Western nations that led in the crusades promoting, for political and territorial reasons, the creed they then tried to crush.” However peculiar all this may appear from the standpoint of nominal “Christendom,” it is perfectly clear to all of the “royal priesthood.” We see the fallacy of the claim that European kingdoms are Christ’s kingdoms—that the Word of God never did recognize them as anything but “kingdoms of this world” ruled by “the prince of this world.” We see that the nominal churches are not the one true Church of “saints,” whose names are written in heaven. We see that the Crusades, Inquisitions, and all similar attacks upon human beings and their moral and religious liberties were never authorized by the Lord; but were wholly contrary to his Word and spirit. We see that it is perfectly proper and consistent for worldly people and governments (English, French, German or what not) to favor any system or all systems of education and religion that will in any degree counteract vice and immorality, and preserve peace. True, we who have had the eyes of our understanding opened to see matters clearly from the Bible standpoint could do nothing against the truth and in favor of error—nothing to foster and encourage the error or even to apparently bid it Godspeed. But we are not in official positions where such questions could come to us: because we are “not of this world” even as our Redeemer was not (John 17:16), therefore the world disrespects us (John 17:14), and offers us no places of public influence. Fidelity to our Lord’s principles thus saves his faithful from perplexities: they have died to worldly politics and its aims and duties and methods, and have been “translated into the kingdom of God’s dear Son,” and are thus members of the “holy nation’ which has not yet come into power and ruling authority—waiting for their King to exalt or set them up in power and great glory at the time when his kingdom shall be revealed to the world as the supplanter of all kingdoms of this world. METHODISM AND HIGHER CRITICISM “The ‘heresy’ case of Professor Mitchell (see The Literary Digest, January 27), has been effectively disposed of for, at least, some years to come. By the recent General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Chicago it was referred to the bishops, who, apparently finding it as embarrassing a subiect to handle as did the Conference, referred the matter of Dr. Mitchell’s retention to the trustees of Boston University. by making him eligible to re-election for five years— until, conveniently, after the next meeting of the General Conference. The fact that the trustees of one of the leading Methodist theological seminaries have now unanimously reelected Dr. Mitchell, who is one of the most prominent American exponents of the higher criticism, and has been accused of deviating widely from the traditional view as to the authorship of certain Old Testament books, is regarded as an event of significance. The largest Protestant denomination in America thus tacitly votes to retain an upholder of the higher criticism as official instructor of her young clerics.”—Literary Digest. 9 PRESBYTERIANS BEING SIFTED The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church recently in session in St. Louis, in reply to overtures for a revision of its Westminster Confession of Faith, referred the matter to a committee, whose business it shall be to learn the opinion of the local Presbyters and to report to the Assembly of 1901. The Presbyterian weekly journals give the best clue to the results, for they are generally under the care of the leaders amongst the ministry, who generally “try to be on the winning side.” From the trend of comments by these journals (The Interior and The Herald and Presbyter alone seem to urge revision) we opine that the Confession will probably not be revised but reaffirmed. The result of this course would be to sift out the honest but deluded souls in pulpit and pew who for years have burdened their consciences (and in many instances hardened them) with slander against the divine character and deceit toward all mankind in professing the West [2695]

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