The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-06-04
MoHAMMEDAN SECRET SOCIETIES.

ISLAM pRRMEATKD WITH RELIGIOUS AND 20
IITIcAL OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES INFLUENCE
THEY MAY EXERT ON THE wAR-THE BEK-
TASTY, ABDUL KADER Ell BAGDADI, THE
KHowAN, 1ssAwIYE AND DARKAwY.
From the Pail Mall Gazette, May. IS. 1871
Three or four years ago inquiries made by the
Foreign ONCE through the medium of the consus and
vice consus the SUBJECT OF the religious political
revival then manilcstng itself in Mohanmedan coun-
tries The answers received from various quarters
were far from agreeing with one another in all respects
but amid the conflicting evidence collected one fact
came out clearly and is to be found in several of the
dispatches just published IN the Blue Book Tur-
kew This Is that tho Mussulman nations are pcrmc-
ated by secret societies and their agents Tho ram-
ncatous OF these societies. 10 quote tho letter writ
ten by Mr. Wood from Tunis. "cxtcnd like
a net over the whole OF the Mohamme-
dan world, In towns as well rs villages,
and they have redoubled their zeal in CARRYING out
the sacred object OF thor mssion-nameiy. the
sodatlon OF Islam against tho inldcls' In the
latter term are, moreover, included not only Chris
tans and Israeltcs. but also NIL Mussulman princes
and potentates suspected the Khedvc suspected
OF being favorable to Christian institutions Tho
prominent Of these religious orders, according to
Same witness, the Bektashy, Abdul Kader ell Bag
dadi, the Khowan Tor Fraternity Issawiye and
Darkawy. Closely allied to them, and In many In
stances actually sprung from them, are the secret
societies. properly called, whose mission, being OF
character, is the dangerous,
seeing that the cmissaries they employ are "nspred
with tho utmost blind religious fervor which knows
ie.r which dsdains to calculate consequences and
which eustans them in the performances OF the longest
and most painful journeys"
OF all these sects the Bekashy is that which CON-
prohends the greater the higher aud better
eQ SSk n ia al.
lists or tree Thinkers an1 Mr. Wood thinks that " Is
consequence comparatively harmless But events huvo
occur led in since tho report question
WAS written showing that Tree thinker, or even
member OF the liberal and progressive party, will not
be averse, when opportunity oilers from trading upon
the vulgar enh foscred by the for his
ends. However little the Beklashy hold TO tue old
rigid d0gmas OF lslam they know that their power
lies chiefly IN max,ng use OF those more ignorant
socations which profess narrower creeds The kho-
has its principal headquarters In Yemen and
nj Mecca, AMI as II Is ut the latter town that the
annual general meetings OF all the societies held
its members are better known, ard probably have a
widespread influence among their coreigl onisls
my other Tie Abdul kader 81 Bagnadi
originally purely religious order, but has gradually
changed ITS character, and now, though less active
than some OIL tho other societies, Is political well.
The most jealous and bigoted, however, OF all the
orders Is the Darkawy, whose principal seat s in Mo-
rocco These are the Jesuts OF Mohamfnedanism--in-
defatigabe and uncomprumsing, hesltating ut no
device Tor the accomplishment of their object. II is
their especial care to work IN close proximity to
tho Christian or jewish missionaries, as to coun-
tcract the adverse influence OF their tcaching ana,
although their affiliations aud branches extend over
the whole OF Western Asia and Northern Africa .tnelr
propaganda Is exercised with greater iervor anat
cism In those countrics-such as lndia-where there
Is considerable Christian clement or which have
fallen under tho dominion influence OF European
Powers" Another socicty, which is not mentioned
by Mr.. Wood is described in letter from Crotc daied
1913. This IS the Mevlevls which, well the
BcKtashy, has been in iuli working activity IN tho
island Tor some years past. II was originated by
dervish chief mt Adm, in Asa Minor, and has rapidly
extended It's organization throughout the Ottoman EN-
pre-, being encouraged everywhere, as IL ap-
ern a It's obec. IS u'N sna sp pe
gious-thn propagation OF lsamism and the educa-
lion OF the poorer classes IN the tenels OF the Koran
Its apostles mold weekly religious meetings Tor the
purpose Of catecnizng their converts and disciples.
and were when the consul wrote constructing a large
'Ickct at short distance outside the town OF Canc.
Both the writer's we have alluded above point out
that. although the secret societies have proceeded
lately with greater caution II must not be inferred
that their ianaticism has abated that they have
in any way relInqulshed their purpose, which Is with
them object fcrvcnt faith On the contrary,
cumstanccs have ia modern timcs contributed largely
10 increase tnc'r power ana extend tneir spheres
Of action For instance, me Introduction OF steam
navigation III tho Mediterranean, the Red
Sea, tho Indian Ocean and the Persian Cur
has enabled their cmissaries to meet at fixed
and regular times at the sacred rendezvous
OF Mecca. Only short time ago the enormous time
spent In travelling overland IN the character Of Pill
grms dervishes made tho task Of meeting IN con-
terence long and arduous prise. Win the pres
ent regular and rapid communications between the
chief centres oil NOLAN Mechanism II is comparatively
easy Tor ali the branch sociees TO meet together nj
any given time and place. Meetings are accordingly
held Mecca at the time OF the plgrimagcs reports
OF past progress are handed IN, fresh measures
concerted the future and the return
pcnished with zeal TO announce tile result oil
their embassy to their several constituents In no
case do the governments venture openly To
oppose these societies. The usual plan Is
70 watch them carefully, ana for this
purpose a whole stan Of well selected
and well paid MussuIman agents are kept up, 10 act as
sort OF detective police, exercising close surveil-
lance EACH society In the meantime the leaders
or the various pushing upward into more IN
iuential circles and cndeavoring to bring into
their ranks government cmpioycs oil all ranks ana
degree TO take an example from Crete. II appears
that tho Bektnshy have long had both tho Muessarf
and The local tribunal Of Rctino entirely under thor
control while the Mevlcvis only year after thcy had
been organized IN the island had attached them
selves great many OF the higher Mussulman officials.
Ii is OF course, impossible 70 Conjecture what will he
The Ultimate effect OF these organizations, which are
beng rapidly developed. But they already cons !.
tute u force with which the rulers OF every Mobamme
mn manila must reckon well vorfhv al MOI