THE TIDE OF ISLAM.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 102, 20 October 1911, Page 3

THE TIDE OF ISLAM.

i INTERESTING LECTURE BY A. GREAT EXPLORER. I Mam swept over Europe from the Mediterranean to France, but the tide was eventually driven back by tire valor, of the West (says the Sydney Morning Herald). Then Mohammedanism over-' ran Asia, but was foiled and enervated by the riches of the East. Then the restless tide of Moslem fanaticism turned its face southward and devastated northern Africa, until blocked by the mighty Saliara. But to-day Islam is again steadily pursuing southward and threatening to con- | quer Africa. The one obstacle in the I path of the invaders is the fierce fighter I that Kipling calls the Fuzzy Wuzzy . In the heart of Africa is a region as big as Australia, inhabited by 200 tribes, totalling 35 million Fuzzy Wuzzies. Against these fierce fighters the onslaught of [slam beats in vain. This is the fourth great check to restless, fanatie Islam.

But Britain lias cried peace in Africa. 1 The Mohammedan, having failed to convert the tribes of the plateau by the 1 sword, is succeeding by fiery fanatical preaching. In ten 'years' time—if Christianity looks on apathetically—this barrier will be removed, and 35 million fanatics newly converted to Mohammedanism will reinforce the flood tide of I Islam. Then once more—and perhaps J successfully—the Crescent will challenge | the Cross. This is the "position in darkest Africa, and already prophetic voices are sound' I ing the tocsin, calling upon Christianity ,to a twentieth century crusade. One of | the prophets, better qualified than any other living man to speak on the subject is Dr. Karl W. Kmnm, the distinguished explorer, who, on September 25, before a gathering of student* and visit-) ors at the Sydney University-, outlined the position of the negro, the Mohammedan, and the Christian in Africa. Dr. Kunrm pictured in graphic style the 700 years' conflict between Mohammedanism and Christianity, how the tide of Islam swept westward to France, where Charles Martel stemmed it, and how the Poles coming to the assistance of Western Europe at the siege of Vienna, turned the tide back towards Asia. Had Vienna fallen, there would have been no Napoleon, no Occident, no England. It was the valor of their forefathers in Central Europe that hurled back the flood tide of Islam. Then Islam swamped Asia, .over-running Asia Minor, Persia, India, and even China, and down to the East Indies, until the whole continent seemed given over to Mohammedanism. But the wealth of the East acted as a narcotic. The povertystricken Arabs suddenly emerging on the riches of India, fell asleep in luxury. Wealth was ever a drag on religious enthusiasm.

Next Islam tackled Africa. The library of Alexandria was burned. In the seventh and eighth century Tunis and Tripoli, with their wonderful marble palaces, were overthrown. So were Algiers and Morocco. There were 25 million people in Egypt and 10 millions' in Tripoli in the time of Constanfcine. After a thousand years of Mohammedanism not one in ten remained. There were 1600 bishoprics in Northern Africa, then came the Mohammedan invasion, and the bosom of war swept away ninetenths of the people and all Christianity. The idea, that Mohammedanism was advancing in Northern Africa was entirely erroneous. It was all an uphill cul-de-sac. Eventually Islam crossed the Sahara, and in 1060—when William the Conqueror landed in England—Timbuktu was founded. Devastation fell upon Nubia, where to-day are the ruin.s of dozens of Christian churches. Islam established sultanate* south of the Sahara. Here in Northern Nigeria there was an indigenous civilisation which knew the use of gunpowder before Europe. But with Islam's advent came more awful atrocities. But the sultanates, established in 1400 to 1500 A.D., could not conquer the 200 free tribes of the plateau. For -500 years Islam tried to bring these warrior tribes .into subjection, but failed. These were the finest race of fighters, in the world. When Lord Kitchener reconquered the Soudan he did not fight the Arabs; be fought the Dervi&hes, the negroes, who wctc mowed down by the Maxims, who could be killed, but not defeated.

These tribes were clean-living, musical, virile people, and fierce fighters; and no race of people multiplied so quickly. The white man might supersede the red man in America, and the black man in Australia, but he could never oust tho.se negroes from Africa. In spite of plague and pestilence and slavery there were now 200 million people in Africa. England had fought the slave trade and the sleeping sickness, and now the population was increasing enormously. England had the finest' parte of Africa ami the finest races of Africans. But having established peace between Moslem and Pagan, the Moslem was converting the -Pagans, a thing Islam could not do by force of arms. Tribe after tribe was going over to Islam. The result would be that the new converts would, become deeply religious and fanatical. The Koran taught that Christians were infidels, and should be exterminated. Would the new Hood of Islam perpetrate anew the bloodshed and massacre of the early centuries, when millions were put to the sword? In Gordon's time there were seven and a-half million people in the Upper Nik. After 13 years of Islam there were only one and a-half million. Possibly the last great war between the Orescent and the Cross would be fought out in Central Africa. It would be an awful conflagration. From a political, national, business, religious and common-sense standpoint, the only thing possible to stem the tide of Islam, said Dr. Kuiiiiii, was to Christianise these Pagan millions, and establish a chain of missions from the Xigor to the Nile. But the negro should not be Europeam'sed. There should not be superimposed on them a civilisation that could not fit them. They should be treated as in Uganda. It'was a time of crisis in Africn. Unless the missions Christianised these 33 million Pagans, who could be easily won, the whole of Africa would go. The Soudanese must be saved from the grip of Tslam. It was a challenge to Christendom. Professor David, the chairman, in describing the lecture as a masterly summary of the situation, said that as there was nothing in all our civilisation greater than the Christian religion, it was surely their duty to see that those children in Africa should receive its benefits.