West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1885-07-24
MoHAMMEDANs IN INDIA.
The Inhuence of the Mosleus- In the Eass
as Opposed ta nrahnanism.

ss Opposed Go BrahIDauism.
As regards their influence in India
there is much TO be said. both good and
bad That tho MuSsulman faith is su-
perior rs an ethic institution to the
Brahmanic belief may we'll bo doubted.
If the principles which govern the lives
of the best BrahmanS could be clearly
and succinctly taught thcy would be
found to contain excellent elements Of
public morality. Unfortunately, how
ever, Brahmanism is dressed and
adorned with a multitude of symbolism
and tawdry idolatry which only con
fuses the supplemented and furnishes
food for the sarcaSms of the wise. Tho
danger of symbolism is everywhere the
same. The ignorant will always con
found the symbol with the attributes of
that God in whose honor symbols are
invented.
IL is for this reason that Brahmanism.
or Hinduism, by which | mean TO SIG
nifty the principal Brahmauic sects of
worship now prevalent in India, has
dcgeneratcd into the groS>cSt idolatry
as far as the mass of Hindus are con
cerned. Mohammadan' SIN, on tho 9th
or hand, has maintained i'm "A great
measure its original faith i'm an inyisi-
bic aud supreme God. This is due to
the extreme simplicity of the religion
in its beginnings excluding as il does
every kind of image worship by the
primo prohibition: "Thou shalt not
make craven image of anything hav-
ING a soul. That is the way the
prophet worded his command. and il
has been interpreted TO mean every
living thing. Mohammadan rulers have
never even stamped their coins with
portraits of themselves. but only with
superscriptions and dates
But the Hindu mind is naturally very
imaginative and is not easily satisfied
with any simple form of bcliof The
three hundrcdfold pautacon offers some
especial attraction to each individual,
and. as among the Egyptians of old,
every man may carry his god in his
pocket, without any particular disbe-
lief in his neighbors favorite deity, who
may be quite rs powerful, but is not so
sympathetic TO his own tnste. On the
whole, Hindu is more likely TO turn
atheist than TO become q Mohammadan,
and the conversion of Hindus TO Chris
tianliy has been entirely insignificant
The only conversions of any historical
Importance were those of st. Francis
Xavier who made Christians of the in
habitants of Goa, in Southern India, by
military process of persuasion now no
longer employed i'm matters OF religion.
The Mohammadans brought with
them to India their faith, their strong,
manly characteristics and their wonder
ful architecture, which has entirely per-
vaded the land. 1t is almost always
possible TO distinguish Mohammadans
from IIlndus at sight They generally
wear Boards. whereas the Hindu is
shaved, save for his mustache; they are
more erect. more muscular and OF
bolder aspect; they wear their clothes
differently. Tor all Mohammadans but
ton their white linen garments or their
cloth cattans AS we do that is TO say
the left side is brought over the right -
whereas all 1indus button the right side
OF their coats over the left But wher-
ever there are Mussulmans, there YOU
will find their graceful minaerts and
mosques, their domed sepulchcrs and
solitary tombs, their light balconies and
pointed doOrways, contrasting with the
heavy architecture Of the Hndus
There are TO be found in private
dwellings in Ahmedabad, Mussulman
city in the west Of India, such spcci-
mems OF beautiful design and exquisite
workmanship as are hardly 10 be met
with anywhere else +. HariOn CyalO-
fOTd, IN HnTDeT'S Ma00z zine