The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-08-04


We feel that Calico must have been wiser
than he meant, when, on rising from his knees
before the inquisitors, he could not help NUT
tering, "And yet the world does move" For
we have read the report by our special London
correspondent Of the speech Of the Sultan at
Guildhall, in London, in which he avows, ~
have two objects in view in visiting this and
other parts Of Europe-one, to see, In these
centres of civilization, what still remains to be
done In my own country to complete the work
which we have begun the other, to show my
desire to establish, not only among my own
subjects, but between my people and the other
| nations Of Europe, that feeling Of brotherhood
which Is the foundation Of human progress and
be glory Of our age" Our correspondent Is
quite right in pronouncing this speech to be, In
its manner, its matter and the circumstances Of
its delivery, one Of the most extraordinary
ever uttered by an Oriental monarch.
But If we remember that Abdul Aziz Khan
stic school Of the Montasales, which dates from
tho eighth or ninth century. than to that Of Ell
Ashari, the father Of the later orthodox theo-
logy, aud that he has not only favored European
customs. but has even played Henry the
Eighth, by secularzing the Mosque lands in
Turkey, we shall not, perhaps, be so much
surprised at his declaration Of sympathy with
the spirit of the present age.
II is true that the Koran, the sacred book of
the Mohammedan religion, is venerated as the
code that regulates all ethical, civil political,
criminal and military concerns of the Moslems,
as we'll as the chief literary treasure of the
Arabic languages; and that the Soona, or tradi-
tons, are scarcely less venerated by most Mos
lens, as regulating, conformity with the Koran.
the doctrines, rites and ceremonies of the Mo-
hammedans, and determining the Interpretation
of the Koran. 1t is also a popular idea that
whatever is not authorized by the Koran is
prohibited by it, which would cut of at once
all realization of modern ideas; and there
fore devout shefks of the Puritan sects of
Moslemism have obstnately opposed every
modern invention, from the cut of Partisan
coats and pantaloons to American steamboats,
and telegraphs. Nevertheless, Mohammedans
who conscientiously abstain from wine be-
cause it is expressly forbidden by the Koran,
just as conscientously get drunk on the strong,
fiery liquors which do not happen to be pro-
hibited. And surely it will not be impossible
for the enlightened Sultan to induce complais-
ant sheiks TO interpret the Koran in such a way
as to facilitate his obvious wish to introduce
into Turkey the latest improvements of modern
civilization.
AT the same time-although we remember
that Islamism itself was originally and pro-
fessedly an Improvement on Paganism, on
Judaism and ON the effete Christianity of the
Eastern Church-we cannot abandon our i'm
preston that in entering on the path of human
progress al this late period the Sultan is biting
his own nose of. We cannot readily see how
the fierce religion Of the sword can consist with
modern ideas Of religious liberty, or how a
representative assembly can consist with the
patriarchal government which led the Sultan's
vassal, the viceroy Of Egypt, on one occasion,
when he wished to buy the farm of poor
Mussulman who refused to part with the in
hertance of his fathers angrily to exclaim,
"But am your father !" and to order the canals
to be cut off, so that the lands of his victim be-
came worthless and had to be sold. No; we
must hold the speech OF the Sultan, noble as
seems the spirit which anmates it, to be the
death kneil of Islamism. And curiously as
we know ancient systems Of error may be ad-
justed TO the later developments of truth, we
cannot hope that O. the sick man" OF the East
can be cured-at least in Europe, even by re-
course to such desperate remedy as the adop-
ton of the modern civilization Of the West.