The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-07-29


the peace. These popular officers administer
kind OF rude justice by rule OF thumb and serve as
organs OF communication between the people ana
the prince governors. Some OF the most iormioa-
BILE representative bodies in the world began AZ
obscurely and fearfully till they we're nursed ny
circumstances into q holder existence. But what'
ever may be in store for children or our grand
children they scarcely likely to see representa-
tive government established In Persia.
PERSIAN RELIGIOUS sRCTs.
By far the greater part OF the inhabitants Of
Persia are Monammedans the total number of dis
senters from the established religion being con-
syderably under a hundred thousand souls. The
<iissenters consist chiefly OF Armenians, Nesto-
rians Jews, Guebres or Parsees and few Roman
Catholics. There is also
AN AMERICAN COLONY
OF Protestants established among the HISTORIANS.
They lead very heroic and useful lives, and have
done more for the amehoration OF Persian morality
and the steppage cruelty and persecution than all
the European diplomatic missions together. Mr..
Perkins was not long ago, the chief man in this
colony; and the name OF o gentleman so thor
oughly estimable deserves to be more widely
known TO his countrymen in the United States
than possibly it may be-
THE ARMENIANs. ~s-
The Armenian dissenters in Persia are supposed
to number about 1900 families or 260a5 souls,
though there is no exactly reliable census upon
which to base this calculation. The HISTORIANS,
including Protestants and Roman Catholics, num-
Der about 41o0 families, or, probably. $4,000 souls.
The Jews are estimated at $1,000 souls, and the
Parsees at 1900 families, or 100 souls as nearly
as can be. judged from the most recent statistics
The Shiite religion which is the dominant creed
OF Persia differs to some extent from the Sunnite
faith, which is the uppermost form OF religious
belief in Turkey.
THE PERSIAN PRIESTHOOD.
The Persian priests very numerous and are
divided into many orders. The chief of them at
the present time is that OF Mooshtehed Of whom
there are but I'VE in the whole country. The
Mooshtehed allow of no interference from the
Snah, and all vacancies in the post are filled by
election among members OF the order.
THE sHE1K-UI-IsLAM
Next In rank to the Mooshtehed is the Sheik-ul-
Islam, or Ruler of the Faith. There is one of these
Bheiks in every large town, but he is really only
nm ofiicer Of the government being appointed and
paid by it.
THE INFERIOR CLERGY.
Below these dignties are the mouturelle, the
muezzins and the mooilans. There Is a mouturele
for each mosque place Of pilgrimage. The
muezzn is a sayer OF prayers, and moollah is a
conductor OF religious rites and ceremonies. The
Armenian Church is governed by two bishops.
Both reside at lspahan, and one is a Roman
Catholic.
STATE OF EDUCATION IN PERSIA.
The upper classes in Persia can generally read
and write and cipher little. Their learning sell
dom goes beyond that; and there is pious reason
Tor their ignorance. The Caliph Omar sagaciously
observed that "there was no need of any book but
the Koran; because whatever could by any posi-
bilty be good in literature was to be
found in It," Thus, although many OF the
Persian Khans are almost as good scholars as
American village children In the nrst year OF their
studies, yet writing is not only an art in Persia
but it is distinct profession practsed by meerzas,
who go about with an inkhorn and a reed and are
much esteemed There can hardly be said to exist
D Persian literature in modern times. There Is
newspaper "a sort Of court journaD printed At
feheran, and now and then rambling tale, attri
buting marvellous deeds and gifts to kings, and
chiefly occupied with ''Napoon" (Napoleon), finds
rs way into print and limited circulation. There
is no such person Persian publisher, and no
such thing as a Persian booksellers SHOP. Such
nncient books as read by the learned still
mostly in manuscript and bear very high price.
THE AMERICAN MISSIONARIES.
Mr. Perkins and the American missionaries en-
deavored. with considerable success to educate
the HISTORIAN Christians. They even extended
some degree OF culture to women. But they met
with great difficulties IN their task The Persians
demanded that their children should be paid for
going to school, in the same manner as for per
forming any other kind OF labor.
THE MISSIONARY AND THE MINISTER.
Nevertheless, Mr.. Perkins and his colleagues per-
severed till they got together q large number OF
pupils and Mrs. Perkins, lady of singular energy
and intelligence, formed girls school Of more
than hundred young persons Of the female sex.
Pleased with these results and DESTROYS OF ex-
tending their labors to wider field Of action, they
Invited the late Prime Minister. who was all-pow-
erful, to inspect their arrangements.
The Prime Minister, hearing that there were no
less than a hundred young women. well washed
and dressed by American benevolence, collected
together at q village within an easy ride OF his
whereabouts, replied to Mrs. Perkins invita-
ton with the most gratifying alacrity. He
inspected the school, not only with polite
ness. but with fervor, and expressed himself de-
lighted with 1t. Mr.. ana Mrs. Perkins already saw
the weldeserved reward OF their Efforts within
their grasp, and possibly hoped to inaugurate q
new and improved system OF Christian instruction
in a heather country, now that they would be pro-
tected by the most able and influential statesman
IN the Kingdom. Their dreams were abruptly dis
PEELED, for taking cordial leave Of Mr.. Perkins
the Persian Prime Minister whose eyes had q
strange glitter In them, unhesitaiingly suggested
that six Of the female pupils should be sent after
him to his private residence. Mr. Perkins COL
1apsed. and never more coveted a visit from a
Mussulman Minister
PERSIAN LEARNING.
What the Persians do know when they aspire to
be men OF letters is this They know the longest
words in their own language ana In the Arabian
tongue These they roll about in their mouths in
the most amazing manner; and they go on talking
al each other for hours in an uncomfortable manner,
which resembles nothing so much as "Duncombe."
PERSIAN AUTHORS.
The favorite writer's in Persia are still the com.
pliers OF the ARABIAN Nights Entertainments
and the Persian poets Saadi and Hafz.
Saadi, or as his name is in full in Arabic written
Persian, Sheikh Mosh Eddin Saadi Alshirszi--
the nrst part OF the name being title of honor,
the two next words his epithet and the last