The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1882-11-08
MosIem Forms and Ceremonies.


The life Of good Moslem seems all
interviewer with forms and ceremonies
and the law OF the Koran or some such
sacred words seems forever on his llps,
mixing most freely with all secular
matters. No action, however, trivial
NAV be commenced without commend
ing il 10 Allah A Mohammedan win
not even light lamp without blessing
the name Of the prophet Even the
cries Of the street hawkers bring III ire
auent illusions TO spiritual market ~
when the poor waicr-carricr offers a cup
Of cool, refreshing drink to all pa-,cr'-
BY, crying aloud, "Oh! may uod re-
ward men Whatever be the matter IN
hand, one of the company will certainly
inter some such rcmindcras ''Seinm"o'
and his friends will reply " Bismillah,
meaning in the name OF God. In trdih'
The fatalism OF which wc hear 50 murh
seems little else than a strong faith;
power OF living calmly as IN the pres
ence of God Cust rs the strongest prac'
teal characteristic Of poor Hindu
faith seems 10 be simple sabmi.s on TO
the will OF the Almighty. underwhat'
ever name he NAV recognize Him ="
faith or iatal>m EN-. well-nIgh Il"
merge, and our own Scotch expression
of " II WAS been To- be- seems t"lrra.
blv akin TO the "kismct' %. the
East. | remember an old hou.emnd
being sorcly perturbcd nj s'ng
knocked over and smashed valuable
china vase; but few minute later 'h'
recovered her cluanimity and eN'
claimed "Weel, wccl il had been hn-
/ the family, and it was been 10 be
broker so LAYING this fattc~.ng JUNCTION
10 her SON. she went calmly on with her
busting. Lane, speaking o! this con.
tnual allusion 10 the proYidcn ~
God. mentions that no MOslem VIII
speak of any future event or acton
without adding "lf il be tie will 81
God" He eNpla M tie cries OF me
night watchmcn. whose dreploncd
voices resound through III" dark hours.
One man cr.es: go Lord q EvcTa,'-
ing.' Another says: IL cNto, the per.
lection of the living King, who -.""prih
not, nor deth." lie tells, too q! Il
mode Of entertain NJ a party Of guests
in Cairo by The recital Oi 4 EWDrh,
which means the whole OF The Koran
chantcd By men hired for the occasion.
Just imagine Inviting a party IN l.ondcn
10 hear the whole Bible chantcd A. Il
pastimc, with an accompaniment oil
nine, and coffee. Mr.. Lane also peaks
of the reverence with which the Holy
Book il treated - always placed ~
some high, clean pace, WIRE no Other
book or anything else may be laid above
it, He attributes the MohainmrdanS
dislike to printing their 81 red book t
the dread lest impurti should attach Il
the ink, the paper or, abo'c all, lc'
tho ink should be- applied 10 ih" hol.
name with brush made ol hog
bristlcS. Worse than all. The book. be-
coming thus common, is IN double dan
ger of being touched by ini.dc's III
dread OF dishonoIins sacred names cN
tends even TO tho ninc'y II NJ titles .
the Prophet and the name, OF thoN
near o kin to him. Thus one man wi.
refuse TO stamp his name upon his pipe
bowl. because il bears one Of The nam"
of .hc Prophet, which will thus b
made TO pass through the lire. AnOthc
man, less scrupulouS, is blamed bcrau'
he has branded his name, which i ais
sacr d name on certain cnmcI' an
horses. The sin thus committed
thrccfold: First the iron brand j. pu
in the fire, which is horrible eacrll"g,
secondly, it is applied to the neck Of I'll
camel, causing blood Ia flow and poilui
the sacred name; thirdly. the camel
certain some day, in lying down, 10 ~
his neck on something unclcan. III
dread of casting holy thing into Il
fire does not, however, seem to app
TO such rs can lie consumed. \ NJ
hammcdan, finding fragmcn, OF pap
covered with VIZ ting, will burn II,
that il holy words should be thereon j
scrbed the flames may boar them
and the angels carry them to Heaven.
GemlcmdnS .MQdSue.