r of the similarity in the Arabic language
of "Ahamad" and the "Holy Spirit" and he claimed to believe that Ahamad
or Mohammed was the Holy Spirit which Jesus promised to send into the
world. When told in reply that Jesus promised to send the Comforter
into the world immediately after His departure, and that Mohammed did
not live until 570 years after Christ, the priest had no more to say.

This great prophet of the desert who converted the wild Arabs was born
about A.D. 570 at Mecca. He was the only child of Abdulla and his
mother Halima, both from the noble family of Koreish who claimed that
they were the descendants of Ismael and that their family was
hereditary guardians of the sacred Kaaba mosque in which was kept the
holy black stone worshipped by all Arabs.

The Moslems have many legends and traditions regarding the birth of
Mohammed. The sun moved from its place and gave a more brilliant light,
with the seven colors of the rainbow; the angels bowed themselves to
him and sung a new song in heaven; all the trees were shaken as by a
strong wind. He was born circumcised and with his navel cut. A seal of
prophecy was written on his back in letters of light. Immediately
prostrating himself on the ground he raised his hands and prayed. Three
persons as brilliant as the sun, one holding a silver goblet, another
an emerald tray and the third a silken towel appeared in company with
the angel Gabriel, the latter holding in his hand a knife. Gabriel cut
open the child's belly, the first angel poured cleansing water over the
child to wash away all sin, the second held the emerald tray beneath
him and the third dried him with the silken towel, and then all saluted
him and called him the "prince and savior of mankind." His father died
at the age of twenty-five years, before his son was born. He left his
widow five camels, a few goats and a slave girl, her name being Amina.
At the age of six years Mohammed had a fit of epilepsy. He frequently
fell down and foamed at the mouth, and snored like a camel. About this
time his mother died and he was reared by his grandfather
Abdul-mota-Kalib and his uncle Abu-ta-lif and nursed by his faithful
slave Amina. For a time he herded goats, a disreputable occupation
among Arabs. But he afterwards glorified in it, pointing to the example
of Moses and David and saying that God never called a prophet who had
not before been a shepherd. In appearance he was of medium size,
slender but broad-sho