St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-04-06
Notes from Turkey.
FASTs AND FEAsTs.-Iv.

ly than Christmas. Every body makes
and receives presents, every body
makes and receives calls. People play
games of chance for luck for the coming
year, make quantities of good resolu-
tions, and exercise the devil out of their
houses.
The various customs that travellers
delight to record as especially charac-
teristic of the different nationalities, do
not find their way to any great extent
to the Metropolis. They are generally
confined to the more ignorant and super
stitious people of the interior, and diff
fer very much with the locality. |
have had many rites and ceremonies
explained to me as characteristic of New
Years day, but none of them have a
national prevalence. l suppose that
the origin of many of these ceremonies
would be found far back in the days of
paganism and though incorporated
into the religious belief and practices of
so-called Christians, once formed part
| Oh Uue rites OF luOlatry.
This could hardly be otherwise among
peoples who were converted from
heathenism to Christianity as nations
rather than as individuals, and in this
way, no doubt, crept in to the Eastern
church many of those torms, beliefs and
practices, which seem so unchristian to
| 80 ~. l. Il
follower of Christ.
KOREAN BAIRAM.
Some time ago | wrote you about the
great Turkish fast Rhdmdsdn, and the
feast that followed it called BOuyOuk
BGiram. | have now to speak of an
other Bairam which occurs seventy
davs later than the other and is called
KOrban. The word is not unfamiliar
to the readers of our English Bible, it
being the same that was used as an
excuse by certain Jews in the time of
Christ for the dishonor of parents,-
Corban, a gift. The word has been re-
tained in the Semitic family of Ian
guages, and the Turks give it the same
meaning to-day that it had in the time
of Christ.
The feast, which begins on the tenth
of the month ZilhiUeh, and lasts four
days, is a season of universal rejoicing
and giving of presents. On the first
day, very early, the Sultan goes to
mosque in a brilliant procession of
Pashas, Ulema, and soldiers, and, re-
turning to the palace, receives their
salutations and homage. This pageant,
| suppose, is more like one of the old
Roman hiumphal professions than any
thing else to be seen in the present age
of the world.
The beautiful Arab horses,-the mag
niicent trappings, brilliant with gold
and sparkling with diamonds s,-the
naughty Pashas, glittering with gold
lace and jewelled decorations,-th
gaily dressed soldiers with long, waving
.. plumes and brazen battle aXes-the
stately priests with massive turbans,
white and green, and flowing robes,-
preceding, surrounding and following
> at respectful distance the august
Padishah, form spectacle which may
be seen but once i'll a lifetime; and
: once seen is never forgotten.
For two days before the beginning OF
Bairam, the courts and steps of the
principal mosques in the city are to bt
seen crowded with sheep for sacrifice
One is reminded of the oxen, and sheep
and money changers, which were fOunC
E. in the temple at Jerusalem on feas
days, and which excited the indignation
OF our Lord.
At Korban Bairam every Turk wht
can by any means afford it, from the
Sultan down, kills sheep with his owl
hands, and distributes it to the poor
= | have somewhere heard, though | Cal
- this is in cOmmemOration of the offer
ing up of Isaac by Abraham his father
1t is very likely true, as we know tina
MahOmet incorporated much of th'
T Hebrew theology into his religion, an'
= the Koran enjoins reverence for TIN
old heroes and prophets of the Jews
1t may be too that this feast is in i'm
itation of the Jewish Passover, but tn
e bigoted Mussulmans little think tha
their ceremony is symbolical of th
sacrifice of Christ, the Lamb of God
the great gift of the Father to the poo
and needy.
year ago l was in Smyrna durin!
ST the Korban Bairam, and the streets
that city literally ran with the blood
the slaughtered victims while on al
sides fires were blazing, around whic
$. the poor were making merry over thei
Y. feast of Sleeps heads and entrails, sucI
" as tor twelve months they had no
- tasted.
The Mussulman is never so religion
as during his fast and feast days. Hi
{! neglected prayers are then performe
he with scrupulous exactness, and his yea
N n for his creed as well as his hatred of til
mt Christians is famed anew. Until with
in comparatively few years, th
- Christian population felt their lives
: peril during Rhamazan and Bairan
and went into the streets as little a
er possible. During the last year goo
w w deal of solicitude was felt ON these day