Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-01-15
thursday. JANUARY Is. 1885.


temporarily and spiritually. But tn,
germs of disease were brought int,
activity before the body of Moham
med was entirely cold.
Not observable for time, seeming
ly not of a weakening nature for ages
still the dread disease of political con
sumption was marching on, and is now
marching to the end. of at least, politi
cal death for all nations of this faith
The germs, the causes of this decline
are many. and arising from diverse
sources. The first, in point of time
being that of the successorship to the
first prophet. Scarcely was he laid
away before three factions arose, com.
posed of the followers of three disciples
who aspired to the vacant place. Al
first, the successorship was settled
peacefully, but there were heartburn
ings, and assassination was called in
to settle the dispute, too frequently.
Then, from individual murders, the
transition was easy to the more dig
nified war, which is only murder by
the wholesale. The descendants of the
three claimants still exist, and though
the aspiration to the successorship
may not survive, the rancor incident
to wrongs perpetrated nearly, or more
than, thousand years ago, is not yet
extinguished.
Egypt, Africa and Spain soon refus-
ed to acknowledge. as the head Of the
religion that Caliph or successor of the
prophet whose seat was at Bagdad,
and who was of the Abbassides, and
acknowledged the claims Of the de-
scendant of another family. Still, the
religion was seemingly not the weak
er; still the pilgrim from Delhi and
from Cordeva met at Mecca, though
their blood frequently mingled in fra
trio idal strife to determine as to whom
the mantle of the Prophet belonged.
But the principle of spiritual secession
being established by the success of the
first, was soon followed by its natural
successor, the rebellion of princes from
the temporal yoke of him whom they
reverenced as their spiritual sovereign,
whether the latter were of Bagdad or
Grenada. AS the warlike spirit of the
rulers decreased, SO did the people be-
come more unruly, and the less au
thority did the government exercise;
the more feebly were all
measures for the good of the state and
Of the faith prosecuted. Again, the
successors of the prophet, copying after
the example of Diocletian and Con-
willfully multiplied the num-
Der of officers, and the difficulties of
access of the people to themselves,
hereby thinking to increase the awe
If the commonalty, and thereby for
'aking the plain and unpretentious,
'ut far stronger, personal rule which
and the earlier Caesars ex-
rcised. For the same reason that the |
'uEy successors of Julius and Octavius
equired prostration and. alteration
'rior to an audience, the lecherous
;aliphs always hid themselves behind
N impenetrable vail, save to their own
No longer the leader of
faithful appeared in the mosque and
scending the pulpit poured forth rude
ut moving eloquence as the inspira-
ton from the God of the universe.
he surrounded himself with
yards, and, closing all access to him
elf by eunuchs. accursed of God and
1an, spent his days and nights in the
embraces of the beauties
( his seraglio. Is it strange then that
is people, with whom still lived tra-
itions of earlier days, should revolt
| disgust at such degeneracy? This
ecessitated foreign guards for his per-
on. Then it was only matter of
me when the servants should become
le masters. With the last Caliph of
agslad ended the line of personal sue
essors of the Prophet.
Whatever of success that afterwards
this faith was not the result
combined, united efforts. but was
by nature. The faith did not
npel the jealous to war for the faith Is
Ike; ambition only and alone led to
lat, and the rivetting of the faith up
\ the conquered was an after consid-
alton. And then, again, vast energy
i,, hot x,ft
,e same faith, as in that between
and Bejazet, which, had
lie forces Of the Crescent been united,
urope could not have been saved. I,
Besides, the Inhabitants of France,
ermany, Austria and Russia were
cry different la character and habits
om those who SO easily succumb ed to
e Mohanmedan power in the earlier
res of the faith. II
Aud when the Mohammetlan power l
,peared in Europe and suppressed, we
ay say, the Greek church, it then
ced power far more aggressive, bet
r organized, and one spiritually and 9
more powerful, by reason /
that power being vested in one man,
Ie body. speak Of the Roman re-
zion and the Pope.
The inhabitants of Europe giving 9
cir thoughts and hands to war as a a
lstime. pleasure and occupation, and ]
cir conscientes into the keeping of '
g Holy Church for their souls sakes,
ere easily brought to believe that war {