The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-11-16 00:00:00

THE _REV. HUGH S. BROWN'S LECTURES.

The Rev. Mr. Brown delivered another of his course of
lectures upon the religions of the East, in the Concert Hall,
last night. The subject of the lecture was the rise and pro-
gress of the Mahometan religion. In opening the subject,
the rev. lecturer described the geographical position and
extent of the great Arabian country in which the founder
of the Mahomedan creed had his birth and promulgated his
doctrines. He dwelt upon the character of the tribes who
inhabited those regions since the race had sprang from
Ishmael, of whom the prophecy had gone forth before his
birth that his hand should be against every man and the
hand of every man against him. The indomitable character
which descended to the children of the desert and was per-
petuated by them, was illustrated by the manner in which
they had held their country against every conqueror ; how
they had resisted the approach of Cambyses, and held them-
selves ready to dispute the dominion of their native wilds
with Alexander the Great, should he have attempted to
invade them ; and even the Romans, although under
Trojan they had reached the head of the Persian Gulf,
they never were permitted to do more than touch the ex-
treme frontier of the territories of Ishmael. The lecturer
then spoke of the early religion which at first, as was natural
to a wild and unhoused race, was merely a worship of the
heavenly bodies, but which gradually was led to confound
the symbol with the thing signified, and from revering the
planets as the signs of God, and as what they belived to be
mediators between themselves and the Deity, degenerated
at last into the worship of idols. He then spoke of the well of
Zem-zem, which stood in the desert, and was believed to
possess marvellous properties since Hagar laid her child Ish-
mael beside it. Close to this well was the most holy temple of
Arabia, the Caiba, in which was the famous black stone
believe to have been endowed by God with the attributes ofy
a guardian angel. This spot being the constant resort of
pilgrims, the lecturer showed how, in the course of time,
habitations began to spring up in the desert around it, which
gradually became streets and squares, until the great city of
Mecca, the birth-place of Mahomet and the source of his
creed, stood upon the spot. The destruction of Jerusalem by
the army of Titus, and the planting of the Roman gods
upon the spot, consecrated to the worship of Jehovah, com-
pelled large bodies of the Jews to take refuge, fulfilling the
prophecy of the Scriptures in the solitudes of the desert. A
number of the native tribes became proselytes to Judaism.
At this time Arabia was also visited by many preachers of
the Gospel of Christ, and no fewer than six tribes, and por-
tions of others, embraced that faith. But, the lecturer pro-
ceeded to explain, corruptions, superstitions, and asceticisms
crept in among the followers of that faith, until under the
delusion that their acts would propitiate the God who they
declared by their creed had been propitiated already, they
performed acts of irrational mortification, which equalled, if
they did not surpass in extravagance, the wildest fanatical
excesses of Indian or Chinese religious self-torment. The
teachers of the creed differed in the doctrines they taught,
and the wildest delusions began to be introduced under the
name of Christianity. From this condition of society in
these regions an opportunity was offered for one who, like
Mahomet, came forward to reduce all creeds under one
monotheistic system. Therefore, the lecturer denied that
there was any truth in the assertion so often made without
due thought that Mahommedanism had gained a victory over
Christianity in the East. Over the doctrines of Christ in
their true form, that creed had never gained a triumph, but
it had overturned in the East the stuffed idol which
had been set up in the place and under the name of Chris-
tianity. He also showed that the Khoran itself contained
very little which was original, and that its teachings were
principally borrowed from what Mahomet had learned of
the religions of Judaism and Christianity. Entering at this
point upon the life of Mahomet, the lecturer detailed the
circumstances of his birth and education under the old idol-
atrous and polytheistic doctrines, and showed how his mind
gradually began to entertain doubts of the extravagant creed
which he had been taught, and to inquire more deeply into
the truth. At this period of his life, the lecturer expresed
admiration for the strong mind breaking through all the ties
of family, habits, education, and interest, and seeking out a
creed upon which his reason might rest. He pointed out
the different sources from which he might have derived, in
his early days, a knowledge of the Jewish and Christian re-
ligion, and through this means easily began to doubt the
creed of his ancestors. It was said that Mahomet had been
a curse and a destruction to Eastern Christendom ; but he
reminded his hearers how Eastern Christendom had cursed
itself, and how its own hand had very nearly destroyed it.
The early preaching of Mahomet in the streets of Mecca,
and to the pilgrims arriving in the city, were described by
the lecturer, and the declaration with which he had started,
but subsequently abandoned, that only by perseverance, and
not by violence, should his principles be spread. The lec-
turer then adverted to his assertions, that he had had inter-
course with Heaven through the mediation of the angel
Gabriel ; and here arose the first question in the mind of
every one regarding his imposture. These assertions might
have been the result of fanatical visien., as it woo beyond
doubt that Mahomet was subject to fits resembling epilepsy,
and might have received, as actual occurrences, the visions
of fov et ,and CA unay. But even if they were impostures, the
lecturer showed that similar imposture were common in that
age, even among the teachers of Christianity ; and while
he did not seek to exculpate Mahomet, while every one
would feel that imposture of whatever kind was despicable
and damnable. The entire career of Mahomet should not
be viewed with too hasty contempt, nor what he had done
as a reformer, if not a religious teacher, be entirely over-
looked. The lecturer then detailed the further incidents in
the career of Mahomet, his flight from Mecca, and favour-
able reception at Medina ; the numbers which surrounded
him; his total abandonment of his early peaceful declaration,
and his resort to arms, declaring that he was sent by God
as the last prophet, and ordered to subdue by the sword.
From this period to his final return as a prince and conqueror
to his native city, the lecturer unequivocally condemned his
career, pointing at the same time, to the many examples
which had preceded him over Christian monarchs who
endeavoured to establish the religion they professed by the
sword. That system had succeeded with the Mahometan
creed because it was a false creed, and required such inter-
vention ; but, as the lecturer showed, it had even failed
when tried by Christians, because Christianity was the true
creed, and looked with contempt as well as sorrow upon the
delusion of those who thought to assist its progress by
bloodshed. Having traced the career of Mahomet to its
conclusion, the reverend gentleman announced that, upon
the next night he would speak of the Khoran, examine its
doctrines, and show the effect which they had produced.
Loud bursts of applause followed the conclusion of the
lecture.

From the London Gazettee of last night.

Commissions signed by the Lord Lieutenant of the County

Palatine of Lancaster.

4th Royal Lancashire (Light Infantry) Militia—Ensign
Thomas Byron Whitehead to be Lieutenant, vice Phibbs,
who retires ; Nov. 7.
The Artillery Corps of the Royal Lancashire Militia.—
Second Lieutenant John Railton to be First Lieutenant ;
Nov. 7. Second Lieutenant William Graham Furnival, to
be First Lieutenant; Nov, 7. Second Lieutenant John Eneas
Deans Campbell to be First Lieutenant ; Nov. 9.

BANKRUPTS.
John Edward Loader, Mile End, builder.
Thomas Cook Millington, Maldon, Essex, chemist.
John Ready, Holywell-street, Shoreditch, oilman.
WilliamWrenn, Penge, Surrey, grazier and cattle dealer.
John Salter, Whitechapel, and Ratcliffe-highway, yeast
merchant.
Robert Craigie Hopekirk, Exeter, perfumer.
Charles Robert Roper, ackney, chemist.
James Roberts, Coal Harbour, Blackwall, coal and timber
merchant.
James Windeyer Lewty, Wilden, Worcester, William
Partridge, Birmingham, and Edmund Lewty,. Stourport,
Worcester, plate workers.

AUSTRALIAN ROYAL MAIL STEAM PACKET COMPANY.—
On Monday an extraordinary general meeting of this
company took place at the London Tavern, Bishopsgate-
street, for the purpose of resolving the time required for
the tenure of shares by a director previous to his election
from the period of six consecutive months now required
by the deed of settlement to the period of ten consecutive
days next preceding his election, as agreed to at the
last general meeting, and since sanctioned by the
Board of Trade; and so far as may be requisite in relation
thereto, annulling, altering, or varying the existing provi-
visions of the deed of settlement. Also for the purpose of
appointing new directors, appointing an auditor, and fixing
the remuneration of directors and auditors. Mr. Frith in
the chair. The chairman announced that an application
had been made to the Board of Trade, and that a result
was a conception of the proposed alteration in the deed of
settlement. A long and angry discussion took place respect-
ing the election of seven new directors. Ultimately a
number of gentlemen were proposed seriatim, and their
election agreed to by a majority present, on which a poll
was demanded, and it was agreed that the polling should be
proceeded with during the next three days, and that the
meeting be adjourned till Friday, to ascertain the result of
the poll.
THE CITY OF LONDON CORPORATION COMMISSION.—
Yesterday, Mr. John Remington Mills, silk manufacturer,
was examined before the city corporation commissioners,
and amongst other statements he made some curious dis-
closures as to the doings in the election of sheriffs. In an-
swer to a question from Mr. Lewis' one of the commissioners,
he observes ;—Parties who want to be sheriffs employ cor-
rupt means to have themselves appointed. The under-sheriffs
put up persons who are willing to serve, and the election is
carried by the longshore men. You will find that the un-
der-sheriff's are nearly the same for a long period of time.
In the years 1814-15 the fines for refusing to serve the office
of sheriff amounted to £16,000 ; and it was stated that
the reason why this sum was exacted was to entertain the
Emperor of Russia and other foreign potentates. Now
Alderman Challis, when he served, by playing his cards well
got £2OO out of the £5OO which I paid for refusing .to
serve. (Laughter.) Up to 1830, the fines for not serving
the office of sheriff were paid into the general fund ; bat
after December, 1830, the fund,. by a resolution of the
Common Council, was devoted to improvements in chari-
ties and other purposes, but they have never been so
applied.