The Arkansas banner., 1849-11-13
fhs Prosrrss Oi nahomtlanlsm.

Tho Rfogffks 0f Mahomtianism.
 The noble conduct and eemains pisiy oF the Fun peror of Turkey, upon several FreeAs occasions has attsscied to his and his eonntsy the attention and eonmendatiOn of the liberal press throughout the civilized world In the aaiversaI progress of nations towards Ilberal institutions, the Turks have not been lsft behind. Quietly and peacefully, but not less EeaIousy, they have kep, pace in the march o improvement with aheiF ostentalious and ioud- sounding christian eosemporsries. It has been well said that sTurkey. by those who regard il through the light of sBluebcard' legends. Eest of hares, aud all iniidrl horrors has been set down ss next hopeless tn the work cf christian enlightenment; tboaeh better read and more charitable men have found wisdom in its Koran, and humanity in its turbanned Moslems."
 They are taught, by the precepts of their religion the necessity of practising, in their every day in- tercourse, what we csll the christian virtues; and recent developments have shown that these uneb' trusive Pa9ahs have not been idly sleeping upon their scimitars unheeding the reformations that were taking place around them. During the last ten years their Sultans have been actively and n- dustriousIy engaged in extending and enIarging thelf Tcldlt0uS Wttu OtHtE souHu of the voice of the Muhi, calling the faithful to their prisons, the spires of cbrstaB churches have been permitted to 'meet tho sun in it's comag'' in contrast with lhe gilded crescent of the Mosque" Another t.ibute has been paid to the genns of our FULroS, ia the introduction of steamers upon the Bosphorns; the press has been beralIy patronized; factories have been esabshed the arts and sciences have been nobly encouraged, and railroads construc- ted, while, by judicious administration of the law, peace has hitherto been preserved at home and 1 abroad.
 The generous gift of the SultaB to the fsmishing subjects of Great Britain, his noble contribution 10 the Pope at Rome, ,the representative of religion ever opposed to his own, and more recently his msgnanimous condact in the affair of ihe Polish and Hungarisn refugees, claim for him the posses sion of virtues ennobIing to christianity itself The following extract, from the London cores pondent of New York Tribune, contains just re- buke the Pharsaical spirthat has been too often manifested by us toward the nO less confident fol- lowers of Mahomet:
 "We onghtio know little more Of Mahomet tanisH, and are the progressive side ei the world, we should not wait ioTtbe Meslem missionaries Coming 10 convert but take the initiative and begin c lytize ourselves. How would Koran Society be received in New York with tracts on the Mahoine- virtues, and sui aule appeals from the lights ot heathenisin 10 the poor henigEted Chftsiians7- Really the question is pertinent, for il does appear that the Mnssunans have carried their rel gion into sphere that the pToless-d followers of Christ have moi yet penetrated. have often been stuck with the act tbss the whole force of protestanism at ali events is pietisc and Sabbatiea; to human relations anl upon weekdays, il has nothing 10 say. If you ask your Bishop for the Christian code of friendship, hospitality, trade. he will tell you that these are secular mat each independent Of religion, though properly brought under aatward conformity 10 #. but that Christianity lies in faith alone You insist that these the substances of worldly intercourse and ought to be cared for nay, Iegislated for. by faith; but he that faith is ths substance o things not seen and must not soil it's fingers by desceHdng 10 preside tbe rules of earthly life In a word wihsix- -sevenths Of our time. and wth ninety -pns hundTedihs Of our relations, holy Religion proiesses to have no'hing 10 do; content II Sunday be observed, clergy hoDored and iithes and fees daiy registered and paid. ll would to be not so with the MahoInetan Their holy books and high religious tunctionaries, stii dwell upon oi the tangible virtues, still hold the hem o AstIeas garment, and iinplore her to descend again tron the skies. II am not mistaken, This worthy conduct Of The Sultan wiil have great effect upon whateter is Jeff of the Religious Mind in Cbristen- dol1; shall blush for the filthy calumnies that o,i dvines and our religious societies have put iorh against our .Alatome,an brethren, who are much better Christians than ourselves"