Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1855-11-27
The Decline Of Mahome danism.

AMID the conflicting opinions which
are entertained respecting the affairs oil
the East, there is one in which all uav.
clcrs appear 10 be unanimous. It is
that Mahomedanism, the next purest 70.
ligion after Christianity, has long since
eliminated and is now inconteslibly on
the decline.
We say the next purest religion after
Christianity, because all false belief.
have tolerated the worship Of idols, ex.
cept Mahomedanism, alone. The an.
cieni Egyptians adored bulls, crocodiles
and birds. The Hindoos bowed to hid.
eous images of stone. The Philistines
had their ragon. Even Greece and
Rome sacrificed to fictitious gods. |,
is true, that the philosophers, in all
these Pagan lands, averred that the idols
were only emblematic; the great ma jori.
" ofthe people adored the images them.
selves, utterly oblivious to any thing be.
yond. The influence Of such beliefs
was incursbly degrading. Even among
the intellectual Greeks. even among the
civilized Romans, religion was often Ii.
cenlious 10 its effects, and nearly always
brutalizing.
But Mahomedanism is q pure Deism.
Indeed, so fearful was its founder that !,
might some day degenerate into idolatry,
that he forbade the representation Of the
human person for any object whatever.
In consequence, good Moslems, can
employ only flowers and ofabesques 10
ornament even their houses. The Ma.
homedan is taugh, that there is but one
God; that He is spirit; that He loves
justice and truth; that he is Omnipresent
as we'll as Omnipotent; and that he will
finally judge all men. 1t was not mere.
ly the sword, as has been generally as.
sumed that spread the faith Of Islam. 1t
was in part also its doctrines, which,
pure and elevated in comparison with
the grosser religions OF the times, ap.
pealed 10 tie diviner elements Of human
nature. Its rapid extension ceases to be
miraculous, when we consider tha, it me,
nowhere, except in western Europe, with
faith more spiritaI than itself; for the
corrupt Christianity OF Syria and Egypt
in the seventh and eighth centuries, was
bu, one remove better than positive Pa
ganism. The moment. however, Ma
homedanism came into collision with an
earnest Christianity, which it did in
Spain and France, it ceased TO make
progress. 1t is TO the religion Of Gaul,
not less than 10 its chivalry, that the
world owes its preservation from Mos
lem slavery. Had western Europe been
as sensual, as idolatrous, and as degra.
ded generally as the eastern nations, not
even the battle axe Of Charles Marlel
could have rolled back the tide Of Sar.
ucenic invasion.
Like all false religions, Mahomedan.
ism carries within itself the seeds Of de.
cay. The Bible makes no pretensions
to be civil code, undertakes to teach
no scientific dogmas; il is strictly rev.
elalion, when correctly interpreted, con.
cerning the affairs Of the soul. But The
Koran assumes 10 be both spiritual
and temporal authority. Originating in
an ignorant age, it holds false views Of
science, and inculcates political and
moral axioms al variance with human
progress. Brahamism, which teaches
that il is crime TO eat anything having
life, is perishng be(oie the microscope,
which reveals animate, creatures in eve.
ry drop Of water that is drunk, in the
very air we breathe. So Islamism is
dying out before the truths of astrono.
my, geology. and civilization in gener'
al. An educated Turk sees at once that
the Koran is not inspired, but only the
composition Of an ignorant camel dri'
yer. The printing press is reconquerine
the East to Chris,is nifty. Schools have
proved more potent than the swords o.
the Crusaders.
Whatever may be the fate OF Turkey
as a power, Mahomedanism, as reli
gion, mus, perish. 1t is already cfumb
ling 10 pieces. A few centuries, a
most, will see it end. Its Mission il
past. 1t can henceforlh do evil only
and therefore the conqueror is at it,
gates; therefore "mene, meme, teke
upharsin" is written upon its walls.
Great Babylon is about to fall!--Phil
Ledger.