Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-07-27
POWER OF THE PROPHET.
The Relations Betsceess decentralization
and the Ottoman Turks.
from the British Quarterly Review.l


from the British Quarterly Review.]
The Turks have great regard for
the prophets and the holy men whose
histories are given In the Old and New
Testament Scriptures, especially for
Adam, Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses,
David, Solomon and Jesus; but the
glory of all these is eclipsed by their
own Prophet. AS has been remarked
by Turkish author, Gall other proph-
cts and apostles are but diadem on
the brow of our Lord Mohammed."
Many attempts have been made to ex-
plain this profound reverence for Mo
manned by his countless followers.
Other causes may have aided, but the
main cause, doubtless, is to be found,
not in his moral maxims, nor in the
sensual paradise which he offered to his
followers, nor yet in the vague belief
that he spake as the oracle of God, but
in the fact that he is regarded as the
revealer and defender of the doctrine Of
the divine unity. In this character he
became, in the eyes of his followers,
reformer as opposed Cd to idolatry, CO
to corrupt Christianity which accepted
the worship of images, pictures and
saints, and 81 to a pure Christianity
which holds to trinity in unity. But,
whatever may be the cause of this su-
preme devotion, there can be no ques-
ton in regard to the fact. Nothing can
exceed the jealous care with which Mos
lens guard the reputation of their
Prophet; even an insinuation that he
was not all that is claimed for him is re-
sented as a personal insult. The name
of Mohammed kindles burning enthu-
siasm in the breasts of his followers, an
enthusiasm which sometimes breaks
forth in terrible massacres, but is gener-
ally quiet and powerful, like the flow Of
deep and mighty river. Lethargic as
most Turks are, the name of the Proph-
ct at once arouses to action. The form
of the Turk becomes more erect, his
dull eye flashes, his blood flows quicker,
and his step becomes elastic whenever a
detested Christian, more bold than his
fellows, dares to insinuate doubt of
the divine mission of Mohammed.
There is sublimity in the enthusiasm of
the Moslems for their Prophet of
Arabia. It was this enthusiasm that
conquered Constantinoyle, and that
terrified Europe beneath the walls of
Vienna. It is the same rapt and domi-
nant passion that stands like a wall of
adamant in the path of the modern
missionary who attempts to teach the
Moslem pure Christianity; and it is
the knowledge of this that makes the
Christians of the East to-day tremble
in the presence of their Moslem con-
querors. The Christians know that
they are surrounded by those whose IA
natical hatred of Christianity is like
the pent-up fires of volcano; they can
never be sure that those fires will not at
some unexpected moment break forth
with destructive fury.
This blind devotion of the Turks to
their Prophet and their religion is one
of the most effectual of the many him
ORANGES to general progress in Turkey.
As an instance we may here refer to the
much-needed reform in regard to Uakoaf
property; that is, the real estate held
by the mosques, and which, though of
enormous extent, returns little revenue
to the Government. The most en-
Eghtened Turkish statesmen have long
desired to change the laws that control
this property so as to render its trans
fer easy, and to secure for the Govern
ment therefrom a just revenue. It is
well known that this is one of the most
important and pressing questions in
Turkish political economy. Every step
toward solution of this question is OPP
posed by tens of thousands of ecclesi-
astics, who draw their support from the
mosques, and who exert powerful in
fuence over the common people. All
pious Turks are ready to exclaim,
Hands off from the rights and priv
ileges of our sacred mosques!' It is
vain to urge the necessity Of the state;
such appeals fall upon deaf ears, if the
proposed measures are even an imagin-
airy infraction of e supreme rights of
the religion of MIhamlNed.
SLEEPING IN A CAR SEAT.