The New York herald., 1865-02-24
POLITICAL YCRCE or IDEAS.
Lecture by Professor Draper Before tht
Historical s.>ciety.


Historical Sa>cfoty.
Professor John w. Draper delivs~sd lecture before
ths New York Historical Society evening" being the
third Of the course Subjec-'PotcaS Force Of Ideas
Mr. DePeyster President Of the Society," occupied the
chair.
Professor DRAPER, after few words Of Introduction
sdd The philosophical conception the historical oro
gress OF humanity must not be altogether Of material
kind. This however, was true, the view which he
had presented In the preceding discounss He would
leave the subject in very imperfect oonditlouH hs
did not direct their attention to the i'm
pelling power Of ideas he proposed, there.
fore, TO show tho political force OF an idea
and how sentiment expressed few can bre~>
uP naonalities overthrow antiquity resrange the
present themselves to establish the truth of this Rome
for example, afforded appropriate text; but the
subject would pc TOO familiar 70 all ana no would there
partly from policy, has hitherto bssn very much sequcs
tered from our view On tho eastern shores Of the Rcd
the people Of antiquity tho designation OF Araba-un
fortunate or happy These parts described as land Of
incense and perfumes recede through long ranges Of
interior hills and lose themselves In endless deserts Of
sand. or these mountains some Horeb and Sinai,
have become sanctaed the history OF the human
In the dry q cloud s Ia the sky 1t
rverless country except In the rainy season, when
streams rush in torrents from the mountains In some
localities the tempea.ure varies greatly the nights are
freezing cold, while in the day the heat rises hun
beautiful oasesnatura gardens OF wonderful llxur
Gnce in the most frighful serty Here the hot breath
OF the simoom smtes though issued from the mouth
OF furnace and lifts up binding columns Of sand that
seem 70 reach to the sky These whrlwinds of sand
said In the poecai imagery Of the inhabitants to
desertangels of desolaton bowng their hers homage
| 70 tha Lord. The products arc rich aud varied
the pumpkin, adored by the Yanke race Hero also
flourish the date, the cocoa tree the fan leafcd palm
aud pantain. The horcuurist might envy its botany
while the doctors stow approval upon land which has
wilderness Of Arabia Is also the birthplace most
noble OF all quadrupeds-the horse-whose neck Ii
clothed with thunder and the breath Of whose nosts
is terrible, who pawoth the valley and rcjoicos in his
strength though he smelleh the battle afar ol-yet he
plays with the children around his masters tent How
deeply has the life Of this beautiful affected the
civilization OF Eurepe What had II not 10 do with
ohvary' 1t turned the bloodthirsty warrior into
gentle aud adventurous knight. This woodless and
forcstess country nevertheless the birthplace of the
sciences and religion Of half the human race In the
year 500 was BORN In Meccaa little town in that country,
now sacred in the eyes Of all mussumen, who
has exered a widespread influence over the humane
Iace-Mahomet surnarned the Impostcr. Though de-
scended from and proud family, his early life
was spent In penury, and when only boy OF thirteen
he give himself up the pursuits
trade age forty he abandoned mercantile
pursuits In very remote times there had fallen At Mecca,
meeoc stone Tho primitive inhabitants haS guarded
the celestial body with religious carecrected temple
through self-denal too absemous life Mahomet be-
the victim Of mental deusions to that extent that
No told his wife that he feared he might become insane
From the Jewish anchorte who OF old sought retreat
bencath the shadows Of the palm treesfrom the phlo
sophie Hndoo who seeks for happiness in bodily mac
ton and mental exercise to the preaching soldier who
snforces bis opinion by the edge Of his swordhe stages
OF delasion numerous and successive But these
produced at any time In the brain Of Impressions
or whatever he has heard whatever has been
vestges Of former thoughts stored up These traces
vivid at frst apd by degrees they decline In
ss % my u.
becoming subject 70 these halucnatons Tho images
that thus emerge from the brain have bcsn cassed
by Psychologists among the phenomenA OF inverse vision
cerebral sight, and from the moral effect to which they
give rise We are very liable to connect them with the
supernstura Yet such is the constitution OF man that
the brightest and wsos encounter those cons Of their
Imagination with awe, and few things have exerted
ritual visItatons The visions Of Mahome, ended in
tncturng tho daily life Of half the pcope OF Asia and
Brutus IN his tent q. ssrds putsn end TO that political
system that had made the great republic the arbrsss Of
things that that gives force these illusions
Of tho BRAIN Tho form Of cloud no bigger than man
as the eye follows it. takes on definite shape and the
sufferer sces with dismay moping raven perched on
having retired 70 the solitude Of the DESERT and dsSosns
himself 70 meditation, fasting and prayer, became the
victim OF these supernatural dclusons and was visited
him the Prophet OF God II Is related that he sat
with his wife shadow entered his tcn "Dos' thou see
anght" said Cad0za, who remarked his agitation, and
who after tho manner Of Arabian mairons wore her
vol 81 do" said tho Prophet whersupon she uncov.
face 10 hos s
claimed Cadoza W angel, for he has respected my
Il was ia one Of these visions he received the divine
commission to preach 81 said his wife, ''will be thy
first believer" and they kne down In prayer together
Since that evcnful night nine thousand millions OF hu
ngs have acknowledged him 10 be the Prophet of
God Mahomet possessed that combination OF Qualities
which more than once decddh the late OF empires.
preaching soldier ho eloquent in the pulpit and
valiant in the field His theology simple There rs
but God. Asserting that everlasting creed, he id
not engage In vain metaphysics, but applied himself TO
improve the social condition Of his people, by regulations
respecting personal Cleanliness sobrety and fasting and
prayer Before other works he estimated ailnsgviug
and charity To the declaration that "there is but
Cod he added ''and Mahomet Is his Prophet"
consider tonight In the departing twilight OF Arab
summer even ng thai deuded man and conding woman
kne down. hand in hand the entrance OF thoir tent
and prayed TO the All Mcrcul that he would take pity
on them aud show them what to do. DO y.u say, thon,
that there IL political force In deaf The dogma
Of aahomet sent quivcrng thrill through the souls Of
men, from the Gulf Of Guinea to the Chinese
their foundations under Empires venerable for their
antiquity, religions covered with tho hosr Of ages
csn melt % sho % graceful I' ice ' forms THAT that DcP"ss
| the windows o winters morning, tho breath
Of meD and VRen. Rer works. There nothing wonderful
in this propagation OF thought from man 10 you
light candle from flame, and again and again kindls
Others in succession from another without any i'm
pairment Of the intrinsic brightness Of any, thought
passes from one 70 another over growipg and never
/ God and the Divine mission imposed ON man. passed
forth from tho prophets mind and received by his
trusting wife and few friends and fire was kinded In
Arabia that caused many struggle. The prophet fought
battles aud victories, and the nation bowed At lat
under the convincing argument Of his sword Within
| twelve years after the death OF that great leader
| his followers had reduced thirty six thousand
fortified places in Persia, Syria and Afrcs, conquer
ing and extending thcr dominons thousands OF Ines
and vest The churches OF Syria and Asia Minor
Utterly destroyed Jerusalem, the holy city Of the
East with all its touching recolccons sczcd and
held. His descendants nvnded Europe and conquered
Spain when the Caphs ruled great maenincencc and
when tho portcntous maxim declared that what
be- sh Such Is the progress and such Is the power
Of idea Say more, hcn that dcas have no force
In truth, ideas govern the world The tide Of human
inteuge followed the movement Of the Arabian
peasaM the tides Of the sea follow tho movements
| do NOT meet our approval, but Il Is with
their force not with their goodness or badness We
concerned Think not that the dogma OF the Prophet
| made it's way by tho aid Of sword alone The sword
may have momentary power ovor national creed, but