Show ly sir RMON subject genesis 1612 speaking front from genesis 1612 ac 12 ismael is spoken of and the angel says he shall bo be as a wild one among men and aad his hand shall bo be against every m man in and every mans hand against him rev air carver said in his hia sermon upon mohammed in the founders of world religion series it is thus that from one man abraham that the jewish and through it tile the christian religion has sprung together with its ita most formidable rival and enemy at at ismael tha son of Ab abraham the arab tribes are proud to trace their pedigree little did sarah think when she was persuading abraham to take lake hagar that she was orl originating a rival race which with keenest animosity would run through races and peoples and cause rivers of blood to flow so great a fire from frohn a little light kindle so far reaching and duful are the issues of even a little act of impurity arabia is a land of 0 deep interest to all who study it we are still bound by its influence and will continue to be the recipients of its thought tor for ages the desert land teaches us in many things two thirds of the stars of the second and third magnitude bear arabian names our numeral system comes from the hindmo through arabian channels much aluch of our older science was landed to us its through arabian channels namely algebra chemistry old astronomy and arabia is at our door each day through her products the gunk Arabic from hadra mant the coffee used in blending many abany of our words as alcohol zenith f j almanac algebra magazine with their meanings are from the arabs who has not been entertained by the tales talea of Ar arabian ablam nights arid alid yet arabia contil lues to be the great anti indus trial center of the world and unchanged by all influences tho the ara t atil holds to hs old traits brave strong a wandering tribal people capable of if great developments both bodily and mentally he is weak in one line only and that the moral one in him the need of deep moral teaching is clearly shown by its lack in him we see how great a factor morality is in the making of a people for ages agea this race had been without any set forra form of religion each had lived as he would and so had not lived morally at all but in A D was born one who should cement his wandering people into one central form of government and give to td them a religion father died two months before he was born and his mother died in ints pis sixth year but ho he was of ohp afi most st noted families millea fa and his kindred raised him and later when his rell religious lous views caused him to be persecuted ted protected hm him he was ever of a deeply religious nature and from boyhood spent much time in prayer A shepherd in early and a camel driver lu iu later years he had much time to bo be alone and think and plan and pray at the age of 25 he married a wealthy widow she was an exceptional woman she became his first convert and as long as she lived ati his life was in overy every way above reproach but ather death he entered into info doubtful paths he not only lived a loose moral life but used the harsh cruel methods to advance his religion which in later centuries caused so much bloodshed his kinsmen in mecca persecuted him and lie he was forced to 10 flee to medina whore where he by wise and just dealings soon became tv the ruling power this influence he used ased to further his religious views with increased power came a loose justice and the latter years of his life aro arc shadowed by bitter eions waged against the unbelieving but ho he Is one of 0 the very great figures of history to him alone la Is the distinction of having founded a religion a people and a state his religion grew aided by the sword very rapidly and soon helda large part of three contine continents as but it was checked by the battle of tours toura and driven from europe his followers today however number about and still possess the old traits of their leader he claimed to have distinct visions and revelations what these were is unknown like those of joan of are arc they remain a my mystery story all admit ho he was deeply sincere though fanatical his effect on arabia was for the bettering of the people he left them better in mot every way than he found them but his effect upon others was rather of a lowering tendency though it must be said that many of his followers were to the horld at large and kept alive much of the learning of the past until other nations were able to receive it but his system lacks elasticity and cannot endure development and growth it is bound to the post this Is largely due to the place and character khar acter of the koran it is the 4 belief of islam that this book holds all that need be known and so education consists largely of committing it to mentory min memory tory there Is in his bis belief no pace place k for reason force and tradition rules all the rewards in 6 heaven are arc largely of a coarse sensual nature and tills this influences daily life in an evil way defois christ emulated the dignity of labor mohammed did not and ills his followers the indolent way As s we study his religion we value anew oar our own for the purity of its teachings jesus christ by his pure aud and blameless life does more mor c by his hip example than by his hl precept people coill all turn from what we teach to view how we emulate it in our daily life they will judge our re ligion by ourselves mohammed by his sensuality by his intolerance by ills his indifference to rights of others is a great load fur his religion to carry jesua christ by his hia forgiveness his hia purity his sympathy is a blessing to his cause the character of christ Is his strongest aid to lila hia can cause so we see further the tha superiority of the bible as a religious book it is a book whose influence has been progressive nations ts grow and develop in its influence it Is tha alia book of books from its influence leaders aders like gladstone knok writers like scott poets like browning tennyson find and wadsworth have received a new nev glory and power rulers like a victoria have ascribed their reigns power to it and yet it is unread while the passing holds our time again we see sea in this wild untutored arab the mighty influence of corn com with god say his anions were mare delusions and fancies it if you will say that he was aemi ins labano ano during ing their pel periods lods it if you will or that they were epileptic you still have to explain whence canio camo the marvelous power which lifted a wild arab to tile position of a world leader and through him a nomadic nomad I 1 c people to a world power there was some cause thoro there which produced the mighty effect ile ho I 1 risked life again and again in adherence to what wh at ho he believed to be the I 1 word of god if this unlearned arab could be so used and so given determination mi nation by his poor erratic way os of communion with god how much more could we when we know the true truc god if we would with our whole heart seek him ii if his delusions as many call them could so give him faith and strength how much more could our reality streit strength th di L ut us mohammed had bad one mighty truth that was tile the belief in one god his chief creed wras was there is no god but allah and mohammed is ills his prophet the last of it may be false but tho the first of it is true he knows god as allah the check knew him as theos the jew called him je hovah we call the same great ruling spirit god oh hearer it if from this fragment of oc truth which the arab knew he could draw power until he could cement wandering tribes into nations inspire men with faith until they would gladly lie die for it send forth a conquering spirit that would shako the very strongholds strong holds of europe what might not the earnest christian do it he believed and lived the truth which lie he has today it has been said that the greatest study of mankind is man iian 1 and w when hen one sees the possibilities of one life as illustrated and shown in the lives of budda Allo mohammed hammed men whose hi fluence has bridged thousands of years crossed continents sharpened shap ened the life of billions one sees anew the capabilities in the roost most common life and the possibilities of the smallest child this is childre childrens its day let us learn anew the worth 0 of each child let us s count no effort or labor too great to guide and rightly train and help them give them your best you can never tell how great will bo be the harvest of your toll toil and may god grant that from the children of ogden there may go influences which sh bless and cheer the land |