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of his power had now become great; and many tribes, of their own accord, sent and acknowledged his authority over them. At the close of the year, he made his last pilgrimage to Mecca. The number of Moslems, who accompanied him on this occasion, was ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND! From this, some estimate can be made of the rapid increase of his followers.

The religion of Mohammed was now firmly established. Three years had passed since he conquered Mecca. In that time he had destroyed the idols of all Arabia, and extended his conquests to the borders of the Greek and Persian empires. He had fought a desperate battle with the armies of the Greek emperor, and defeated them. His throne was now firmly established. He had laid the foundation of an empire which has since extended over almost half the world. India, Persia, the Eastern division of the Roman Empire, then called the Greek Empire, the whole of Asia Minor, Egypt, Barbary, and Spain, eventually fell into the hands of the Mussulmen. But, the effects of the poison which he had taken at the house of the Jew,

began more and more sensibly to appear. Every day, the disease gained upon him.

Elizabeth. I think he must have felt very bad, when he saw death coming, after he had been all his life imposing upon mankind.

Mother. But, as he had lived, so he died, deceiving the people. Three days before his death he was carried to the mosque, where he preached to his disciples for the last time, prayed with them, and gave them his parting blessing. "If there be any man," said he, "whom I have unjustly scourged, I submit my own back to the lash of retaliation. Have I injured the character of any Mussulman? Let him proclaim my faults in the face of the congregation. Has any one been robbed of his goods? The little that I possess shall pay the principal and interest of the debt." "Yes," replied a voice from the crowd, "thou owest me three drachms of silver." Mohammed paid the debt, and thanked the man that he had accused him in this world rather then at the day of judgment. He had twenty-eight slaves: seventeen men and eleven women. He now set them all at liberty.

Samuel. Why, mother, how would it sound to read about Christ's holding slaves.

Mother. It would indeed sound most revolting. It would carry with it an idea of selfishness wholly inconsistent with the perfect and holy character ascribed to him in the Bible. But his followers are directed to manifest his spirit and to imitate his example. If it would be revolting to speak of Jesus Christ as a slaveholder, it ought to excite the same feeling to speak of his followers as such. It is utterly inconsistent with the spirit of the Gospel for one man to make a slave of another.

Samuel. I am sure I should not like to be a slave; and I think any person would do wrong to make me a slave; and I suppose every body else feels just so. But the Lord Jesus says we must do to others, as we would wish them to do to us. How could any one obey this rule, and make a slave of another.

Mother. It is impossible, my son. The spirit of slavery is the spirit of selfishness, injustice and oppression; and cannot be reconciled with the spirit of the Gospel. Yet, there are

many that call themselves Christians, who hold slaves.

Peter. But Mohammed gave his slaves their liberty, when he died; was not that good, mother?

Mother. It only discovers still further his selfish spirit. Of what use could his slaves be to him after he died? He kept them in bondage as long as they could be of any use to him; and then he let him go free. I have but a poor opinion of the liberality of a death bed. It is only giving away what we cannot keep.

Mohammed directed the order of his funeral, and appointed Abubeker to performf religious services, in his place, in the mosque. Just be

fore he died, he said that the angel of death was not allowed to take his soul, till he had first asked his consent!

Elizabeth. O, mother! how could he be so bold as to lie, while the hand of death was upon him?

Mother.

His last words were,

"O God! par

among my fellow

sprinkled his face

don my sins. Yes, I come

laborers on high." He then

with water and died. Some of his followers,

could not believe that he was dead.

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"How

can he be dead," said they, our Witness, our Intercessor, our Mediator with God? He is not dead. Like Moses and Jesus, he is only wrapped in holy trance, and speedily will he return to his faithful people." Omar threatened to strike off the heads of the infidels who should say that the prophet was dead. But, Abubeker asked them whether God or Mohammed was the subject of their worship. "The God of Mohammed," said he, "liveth forever; but the Apostle was a mortal like ourselves," He showed them also that Mohammed's death was foretold in the Koran. At length, he quelled the tumult, and quieted the people. MohamImed was buried under the floor of the room in which he died, at Medina.

Samuel. Mother, can you tell us something more about the character of Mohammed ? Mother. He was the most successful Im

postor that ever

lived. His natural abilities were very great. He had traveled much, and was well acquainted with human nature. In the arts of insinuation and address, he was without a rival. His temper was cheerful, and his man

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