The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1882-08-30
amer. Nlohammed's earliest standard

banner. Wohammed's earliest standard
wa, the white turban which he captured
from Boredo, and he adopted subse-
quently the black curtain which hung
before the door OF his wife, Ayesha,
which passed to Omar, the Abbassides,
Selm l., and finally to Amurath ILL.,.
who took it to Europe. This "black
eagle" which Is inscribed with tho
words, "Nasrum min Allah"-"Tho
Help Of God"-was instituted dH-on, in
conlradislinctlon to the great white ban.
ncr Of the Korelshites. Another account
insists that the Sa1ajat-i-SherG Is q
green flag, brought down from heaven
10 the prophet by the angel Gabriel,
and it Is kept, in fair covering of green
taifeta, incloscd in case Of green cloth,
in the mosque OF AyCnb ut Constantine
pic. A third authority recites that II is
carefully preserved in the seraglio in a
ease built into the VAL, "The stand
ard" we read, ais twelve feet high, and
the golden ornament, closed ball
which surmounts it, holds copy of the
Koran written by the caliph, Osman Ill.
IN times of peace il Is guarded in the
hall Of the Noble Vestmcnt," where are
preserved the prophets dress and other
relies. Still another authority declares
that it is "Nn innocent piece of rotten
and faded silk, which used TO be covered
with sacred writings, and which once
was green IN color. The only legiblc
word remaining upon u is 'Alem'-
world-which appears in asecnded fold
near the staff. The flag is never un-
furled nor, indeed, can it be from rot
tcpncss-but is kept rolled on its staff
and covered with green satin cover,
the whole packed away in gold or
gildcd bOx,h
When the holy standard Is to be
brought ou', it is carried in Its green
cover through the streets of CONSTANT
noplc, and aftcrth city walls are passed
it is Gin the field" II is then slowed
away in the gilded box once more and
this IS carried with the army much as
the Jews used to take the nrk of the COW
cnant 10 the wars. When 1t Is in tho
field every MoScm is in duty bound TO
follow in its train. The usual procla-
nation is: "l'his is the prophets ban.
ncr: this is the standard of the caliph-
ate. It is planted before you and un-
imcd over your heads, o true beiev-
crs, To announce tpyou that your religion
is threatened, that your caliphatc is in
nntn and that yOur lives. yOur wives,
your children and your possessions arc
in danger of becoming prey to cruel
enemies. Any Mo,lcm, therefore, who
refuses TO take up arms and follow this
holy llag is an iutidel amenable to
death" When the flag was brought
out in 1868, according TO Baron Tolt,
the Christians had no difficulty in rent
ing windows and housetops from which
10 view the ceremony, but when the
proclamation was made. "I.et no inf.
del dare to profane with his presence
the holy standard of the prophet, and
let eve Y MuSSulmau, il he sees an un.
lcicyor, instantly make it known!"
| their hosts pushed them over the roofs
| or drove them out of the houses TO be
bulchcred bv the soldiers and mob. The
scene was different when few years
I ago, in order to obtain Christians as
volunteers, "ilags OF brothcrly love-
were paraded through the streets Of
Cunslaninopc, which bore in white
upon crimson ground he cross and the
cic.ccnt.-M T. World.