The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-12-26


There is no land too remote to interest the
people of America either prospectively or
alphabetically, and every incident, political
or local, in the living history Of nations has
o reflex bearing upon us. We looked on with
great sympathy when the European Powers
were embroiled in the Crimean war, and now
again the internal interests of Turkey are the
subject of contemplation. The progress of
reform in Turkey especially the recent effort
for the secularization Of the uacknr, or mosque
property, has become the subject OF the
wiseacres Of the American press, who, some
Of them, declare that no such measure can be
effected without the downfall of Mohamme-
danism, while others threaten nothing but
revolution and blood as the result Of such
an innovation upon the old Mussulman regime.
The surmises Of these Christian writers are
too oneSided to elucidate this subject; for,
after all, editorial omniscience is but human,
and is the result Of the enterprise and the
liberal and extended knowledge of corps
Of such men as few journals but the HERALD
possess.
At the time Of the Syrian massacres we
gave an interior view of the sources and
development Of that dreadful event, to the
surprise of our own and our European readers;
and now we will expose the penetratia Of
the institutions Of the mosques. Every form
of religion is maintained by the clergy apper-
tanning thereto, who are supported in various
ways. The Mussulman theologians-for they
have no regular priesthood-live by the charity
of the true believers. The funds realized from
almseiving have been immense-for charity is
one of the five cardinal points ofMohammedan-
ism, which exacts at least 1.-THE ofevery mans
possessions. These donations, together with
numerous endowments, have long been accu-
mulating, and now constitute an immense
mosque property, termed aucfcuf, and princi-
pally invested in real estate. The income of
this funded property has till very recently
been under the control of the clergy, the
Ulemas, or the learned In the law. 1t Is sup
posed by those who have been endeavoring to
| enlighten our American public on this subject
that any attempt on the part Of the Ottoman
government to interfere with the administra-
ton of this immense income Of the mosques
would be sacrilegious and beyond the power
Of the Sultan, and that the opposition Of the
Ulemas would create revolution. 1t is stated
that the Sultan is under the written law, the
Koran, as much 80 as are his subjects, and that
therefrom. But the Sultan rules by Divine
right; he is the embodiment Of Church and
State. He not only proclaims 'L'etot e'est
n,oi,' but also, +" l am the Church by virtue Of
my Kbalifat."
True, there is a Sheikh-ul-Islam, or expounder
of The faith but he only represents the Sultan
in the Church. as the Grand Vizier does in the
State. If the Sheillh-ul-Islam misinterprets the
law the supreme arbiter is the Sultan, who can
depose him at win. Nor can any combination of
Ulemas arrest the HatOt the Sultan, for they in
turn need to be sustained by popular sentiment.
Though the Janissaries were true believers,
and it was not lawful 10 lift the hand against Q
brother, yet the Sultan justified and dared to
consummate their destruction, because they
transgressed the Koran by disloyalty. Fatalism
prohibited any murmurs or efforts to avert the
DEGREES Of Allah yet when policy and inte-
rest rendered commercial and friendly relations
with Europe highly desirable, selfpreservation
became lawful, as only the exercise Of the
Iroddels-eejs,zeeych, or lesser will. and sani-
tary policy justified the establishment Of quar-
antine Tho truth is that even before and since
the Crinean war the Turks have been con-
WINGED that what they have to maintain Is their
political and not their religious nationality;
and the Koran will never belle national unity
and existence.
The vaclsnf estates and incomes have been
subjected, like al else in Turkey TO theft and
Misrepresentation. Not long ago the govern
mcnt established Bureau Of Vackufs, 10 pre-
side over the administration of the mosques,
formerly each mosque having exercised on iso-
lated control Of its own resources. OF course
this official cegnizance Of the disbursements
nterierod with the private schemes of the LOT.
tas and Ulcmas; although, as usual, the bene-
ficiaries were very small minority, for q tallow
candle, a loaf of bread, plate of rice and q
lodging in The Imaret, or almsbouse, constituted
the s,uun,sm bonom OF worldly comfort Of by
far the greater number. Hitherto, besides
the support Of the clergy, The ostensible
use of this mosque income has been the
establishment of Institutions of charity, such
as hospitals, almsbouses, baths, fountains,
khsns, &C.; such being the real intent Of
charity according p the Koran and other re-
ligions Inasmuch az the Sultan is himself the
lawful Trustee OF The Commonwealth Of all
Islam--tbe Observation-Disclosures has the
right TO use the public wealth for the general
good The question is, can the Sultan use
the charity fund Of the nation for the nations
needf Or shall true patriotism, which would
nourisb, sustain, elevate and resuscitate .
dying empire, be sacrificed on the altar Of
priestcraa and superstitious ignorance even
of the nations own religion? The Uiemas