THE MAHDI.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1141, 19 February 1884, Page 3

THE MAHDI.

The Vienna correspondent of The Times writing on 6th December, stated : —“ The clerical newspaper Vaterland has published a detailed account of the religious and poliiical revolution in the Soudan, by a Catholic missionary, Father Juhn Dichtl, who was a witness of the events in that district until April last. According to Lis description, the Mahdi, Mahomed Aimed bv name, comes from Dongola. He is about 40 years old, tall, and powerfully built, his skin being of a reddish-black line. He and his two brothers were for a long time employed near Khartoum as ship carpenters, in the building of Nile boats. But be felt another vocation, and went to a Sheikh on the island of Tnti, near Khartoum, a little to the north of the confluence of the White and Blue Niles, to study with him. Some years afterwards he took an inferior degree, and began the life of a dervish of the strictest order. He retired to the island of Kami, on the White Nile, and there took up his abode in a dried-up cistern. He never left this habitation for six years, except cn Frida vs, to go to the mosque, and then retired again to his den. In this way he obtained an odour of sanctity over the whole country. Everywhere reports were 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 ar.ose to know this wonderful man. and to ask his advice in religious matters. Large crowds of pilgrims came to see him, who, on their return, spread his fame. When he was widely known as a saint, and was sure ef his influence, he announced his mission to a large assembly of M ihomedans. ‘ Twice already,’ he said, ‘ 1 have been called upon by the Archangel Gabriel to drew the sword of Faith from the sheath, in order to reform the bad Moslem, and found a Mahomedan world-empire, .which will secure the general peace of the world.’ He added that bis mission came from the Prophec, who had not been able to fu fil it. ‘ Follow me, therefore,’ he cried, ‘ fori am 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 to come, with the name of the Mahdi—that is, ; Given by Allah.”’