and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren” and also the promise, from Mount Nebo Press (the publisher),
“Written by men and women who are not employed to boom anyone’s Book Bindery Shop, who hate snobbery in life
or literature, and who, expecting little shall be disappointed.”
In the Vol. 2, No. 6 (November 1897) issue, the Editor writes a brief note to the readers. He writes, “With this number
‘The Ishmaelite’ completes its second volume and celebrates its first birthday. Twelve months ago the young Ishmael
was sent into the desert “the desert of local encouragement to struggle for his life. He has not been all that he
wished to be, he has not taken on all the flesh he hoped for, yet to have lived is much. Right here does he pitch his
tent.”
On the back cover of the Sept. 1897 issue is the poem “Fate’s Arrears” by Emma Carleton. “Great Omar says that
today is life/ Oh, blesses bard, you are far astray;/ Each day we die, in an endless strife/ Paying the bills of
Yesterday.” In Volume 3, No. 1, 1897, we find the poem “To a Friend” by F. K, Farr from Lebanon, Tennessee. “With
a copy of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam/ Though dark mistrust hath part in Omar’s strain,/ Though youth is stealing
from us, not again/ To open for us two his manuscript,/ Nor this nor that, old friend, shall yield us pain./ For this
alchemic rhyme makes blossom new/ That rose by Ivan’s garden-side that blew;/ And certain memories our hearts
keep well/ Shall yield our lives’ delight, till life be through.”
Finally on the back cover of the Nov. 1898 (Vol. 4, No. 6) we read, “Ishmael was no prophet, neither was he a
prophet’s son.” Yet the 57th verse of the 14th chapter of the Gospel According to Matthew was as applicable to
Ishmael as it is today to his humble and unworthy descendant “The Ishmaelite”. Tis the same old story of honor
coming from afar. Oh, ye unenthusiastic Indianapolitans! Know ye not that the stamp of approval has been set upon
our brow by Boston, by New York, and by Ottumwa, Iowa? Can it be that you are not yet convinced that it is the
proper thing, not only to approve, but to subscribe? What will you? Must we follow in the foot-steps of Mr. Beecham
or Mr. Bok and print the seductive testimonial? No, no! Arise yourselves, ye conservative citizens, and show them
that dwell beyond the borders of the Wabash that you know a good thing when you have been told about it.”
Due to family responsibilities I had to postpone the trip. I did look up a map online and found information about a
church called the “Church of the Burning Sands” in Mecca, Indiana and a wooden bridge and cemetery called al-
Arabia at the same place. Since one of my interests is in the history of Islam in America, I still plan to visit there and
to search for more literature written by these traveling poets and vagabonds of the early Midwest.