Covenanter Witness Vol. 54 - Rparchives.org

Missionary Number
LESSON HELPS FOR THE WEEK OF APRIL 24, 1955
"THE FIELD IS THE WORLD,
TV. E SEED IS THE WORD Of GOD
VOLUME LIV WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 1955 NUMBER 14
WorldiStrategy
DR. CLYDE W. TAYLOR
for Christian Missions
Executive Secretary, Evangelical Foreign Missions Association
In United Evangelical Action, used by Permission.
(Continued from last Missionary Number)
Mohammedanism
Mohammedanism is a religion that never should
have existed. If the Church of Christ had obeyed
His command, the Arabs would have been won from
their superstitious idolatry to Jesus Christ. But
the Church had gone decadent. Its missionary
zeal
had vanished and it was left to an illiterate Arab
of the city of Mecca in the 7th century to rebel
against the idolatry of his people. He had oppor
tunity to observe the small Jewish community and
the small Christian one. He had read to him the
Scriptures that were available. He became convinced
there was but one true God and ridiculed idolatry.
He claimed the archangel Gabriel had appeared to
him. He became the Prophet of Allah. We won't go
into his flight from Mecca to Medina, his gradual
ascent to power in Medina, his return, conquest of
Mecca and eventual political control of Arabia. His
religious war exterminated opposition.
What is the secret of the power of this satanic
the
masterpiece, for missionaries know it to be the most
difficult of religions. The sacred book, the Koran,
was written by his followers recording his many
discourses and visions. He drew heavily on his know
ledge of Hebrew and Christian writings. It is a
religion that demands works daily prayers at least
five times, and many
other things to do. The obed
ience of the Mohammedan is startling. In modern
civilization it is not unusual to see a Mohammendan
stop his huge truck on the highway, take out his
prayer rug and pray with his face toward Mecca at
hour of prayer. He isn't ashamed of his religion.
Conversions may be made by force if necessary. It
becomes a state religion, more or less intolerant. In
most Mohammedan lands it is actually illegal for a
Mohammedan to change his religion. In many in
stances, apart from the legal violation, converts have
been put to death by their closest relatives for turn
ing to Christ.
This religion is divided into almost as many
sects and divisions as Protestantism. Some are very
missionary minded. It is estimated that in some
years as many as 5,000 new Mohammedan lay mis
sionaries have gone down into Africa to trade and
make converts. Once they take over, the messenger
of Christ finds the going very hard. This religion of
one God Allah, with one prophet, Mohammed, with
his materialistic idea of heaven, dominates over
150 millions of souls. It does everything possible to
completely close lands to the Gospel through political
control. It dominates the lives of its followers and
threatens deviation by death. Yet the picture isn't
all dark. In some lands through education the young
er generation learns the Gospel in schools. In some
sections of Africa Mohammedans are accepting
Christ as never before. Pakistan, the largest of Mo
hammedan lands, still has religious liberty. We need
to press forward with the claims of Christ but let
the missionary to the Moslems be sure God has call
ed him to that work. May he enter it with his life
revived by the Holy Spirit.
(Continued on page 216)