Mahdi, the False Prophet

Feilding Star, Volume V, Issue 21, 21 February 1884, Page 3

Mahdi, the False Prophet

The Vienna correspon >nt of the Times, writing on December 6, stated :— " The clerical newspaper Vaterlnnd has published a detailed account of the religious and political revolution in the Soudan, by a Catholic miss onary, Father Johanu DTchtl, who was a witness of events in that district until April last. According to hxs description, the Mahdi. Mahomed Ahmed by name, comes from Donogola. He is about 40 years old. tall, and powerfully tmilt; hi* skin b<*ing of a reddish - black hue. He and his two brotlu-n w#re for a long time employed near ' Khartoum as ship carpenters, in the building of Nile boats. But he felt an other vocation, and went to v Sheikh on the island of Tuti, near Khartoum, « little to the nsrth of the confluence of the While and Blue Niles, to study with him. Some years after he took an inferior degree, and began the life of a der rish of the strictest order. He retired to the inland of Kana, on the White Nile, and there took up his abode in a dried up cistern." He never left this habitation for six years, except on Fridays to go to the mo>que, and then retired again to his den. In this way he obtained an odour of sanctity orer the whole country. Everywhere reports are circulated of his contemplative life and his fasting, of his weeping as he read the Koran, and of his kindness to all who approached him. A practice arose to know this wonderful man, and to a»k his advice in religious matters. Large crowds of pilgrims came to see him, who, on their return, spread hlsfanie. When he was widely known as a saint and was sure ot his influence, he announced his mission to a large assembly of Mahomedans. "Twice already," he said, "I hare been called upon by the Archangel Gabriel to draw the sword of Faith from the sheath, in order to reform the bad Moslem, and to form a Mahomedan world-empire, which will secure the general peace of the world." He added that his mission came . from the Prophet, who had not been able to fulfil it. " Follow me therefore "he cried, " for I nm the Mahdi, and I will lead you into the kingdom which Allah has prepared for the Faithful." He referred of course, to the Mahomedan tradition that another and last Prophet is toeome, with the name of Mahdi- that ' i*, "Given by Allah."