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

= 49, -
their ancestors had, centuries before
torn from the degenerate Goths. an
the Holy Office of the Inquisition, III
der the able direction of Thomas D
Torquemada, SOON stamped out the las
feeble embers of Mohammedanism i
Western Europe.
But, for centuries still, the Turkisl
Empire, on the east, erected upon tn
ruins of the country of Constantine, re
mained menace, not alone to tn
Christian Church, but to all the exist
ing governments of Europe; but tina
which, at first, had contributed to tn,
extension of the Ottoman dominion, il
time sapped the strength of the power
now speak Of the Jnnissdrses. Ear
IL in the history of the Turks as Mo
hammedan power, their chiefs adopted
the policy of taking into their military
families youths of the Christian people
captured in war. These were trainel
up to hate their native countries ana
their fathers religion. They were no,
trained to love of their adopted coun
try, but only dependence upon and
obedience to the will! of the Sultan
Without country, kinsmen or friends
restrained by no ties, bound by no oath
save to their master, devoted entirely
to ambition and the desire for distinc.
ton, they were terror to their masters
enemies and to their fellow subjects.
Depending upon this body for protec-
ton against domestic faction and for
eign enemies, the Grand Sultan neg
lected and discouraged the warlike
spirit and national pride of his subjects;
consequently, they degenerated and
became hewers of wood and drawers OF
water, without enthusiasm for king or
country, or for the spread of religion.
Is it necessary to rehearse the history
of the Prmtorian Cohorts, in that of the
Janissaries? / think not. The story
OF faction, venality, revolt aud murder
of the one is that of the other. Each
deposed many rulers, and, for money,
set up others; each caused the capital
cities of Rome and of Constantine to
run with blood; each materially hast
ened the decay of the empires whose
support was their duty.
The same story of domestic faction
distIacting from foreign enterprise, and
internal prosperity, is APP
plicable to Roman and Ottoman his
tory, and the long exercised power by
these warlike mercenaries made re-
vival of the glorious courage of the
earlier citizens impossible.
Then, is it strange that Peter the
Great determined to destroy the power
Of Turkey, and that his successors
should strive to follow to the end the
policy of that great soldier and states
man? Is it strange that the vigorous
should covet that greatest
strategic point on the worlds face, Con-
the Golden Horn, which
.arries with it the command of the
orient, fin other than feeble hands?
The Mchammedan power in Europe
lad been extinct an hundred years
lgo, had not Christian nations inter-
cred to prevent the disturbance Of the
balance of power, and spent untold
Millions of treasure and sent hundreds
# thousands of Christian souls to the
'resence Of the Savior, to preserve the
xistence of the religion of his would be |
ival. There is now no war between
christian and Mohammedan. The |
var Of swords to further the war of re-
gious ideas has ceased to have an ex.i
stence. Wars are now carried on for
ggrandisement Of territory, and for
he advancement of commerce and
emporal sovereignty.
And that such is the case Is evidence
hat the supremacy of Mohammedism
u the countries now under its sway
as received its death-blow. For thei
and spiritual is with them SO
1timately blended that disaster to one
misfortune to the other. Fanaticism,
sligious enthusiasm. made the tenn
oral, territorial conquests, and the
'ss of the latter, is sure indication Of
deterioration of the former.
France, Spain and Italy are casting
'vetous eyes upon Morocco, Tripoli
nd Tunis; Algiers is now a French
rovince, as are India and Egypt, of
,ngland. The picket lines of Russia
MI England are almost in sight of one
mother in Central Asia. In fifty
ears the Asiatic Moiiammedan coun-
les, save Arabia, will he tributary TO
hristian nations. Then a short, sharp,
uick, cruel war. and the Empire of
urkey il, Europe will be no more.
he Star of Mohammed will have for
YER set, and the successor of the fiery
arrior of the desert will melt away
efo1e the Krupp gun and repeating ,
fie Of the native Of colder cline.
sulers being deposed,
nd the Koran as o law-book being
applied by the edicts OF the conquer
8, a Mohammedan people will dlsap-
ear, as did the heathen philosophers
ter their last feeble fash of prosperi- !
, under Julian the Apostate. As for
rabia. her coasts, as far as the mod
n artillery Of war may reach, may {
knowledge Christian conqueror. ,
ut her children will ever roam the
lid wastes of land q free people.
she will ever again experience 2
.e like of what followed A. d. 622,
10 fnr,r aInnn onYa fall 4