Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1889-10-07
suNNIrEs AND sHEl1Es

Tho Two Great Religious Divisions or the
People OF Islam.
There are among the Moslems two
great divisions, the Sunnite3 and the
Sheites. The Turks are all Sunnites,
the Persians all Sheitea They differ
in that the latter regard Ali, the
nephew and son-in-law of Mohammed.
with greater love than they do Mo-
manned himself. Ali ma "ried Fatima,
hlohammed' b daughter, and by her had
two sons, Hassan ind Hussein. 1t Is
Gaid that Mohammed predicted their
death; and indeed one day Ali and his
two sons and a la "ge number of friends
ind adherentS were massacred. Tho
Sheites declare that Mohammed en-
comprised their death, and to this day
the two sects hate each other even
more than they do the Christians. The
anniversary Of this fatal day is cele-
brated religiously every year among
the Sheites- They gather in groups:
around q certain man, who, seated in
their midst on some elevated spot, be-
gins the recital in a monotone of the
tragedy. Gradually he warns up, no
becomes excited, he throws up his
hands. he even sobs with anguish as
he proceeds, and graphically describes
the misfortunes Of the Inflated Ali and
his two cons. And the audience. with
downcast eyes. reverently shaded with
their hands, follow with all absorb
ing interest his words Presently they
begin to sob. and finally to cry aloud
with anguish, and eat their heuds and
breasts and tear their hair. The re-
otter sways his audience with throng-
ing words OF passion, with soft whi5pe 8
Of entreaty, with broken CALCULATIONS
of agony. Then suddenly his mood
changes. What has passed has been
u confession OF their sin and n confess
sion of the justice of any punishment
that might fall on them. For tho
theites we're originally Sunnites and
approved of the death Of Ali, and it
was only later that they became
Sheites and seeded from the Sunnites,
and by this ceremony they lament over
and expiate the sins of their forefa-
theirs. And now succeeds earn
est prayer with appraised hands
to God to receive Ali and his
sons into favor and to par
don them in His mercy. Then. when
this is finished, nargilehs or hubble
bubbles are handed round, and the
whole company enjoy quiet smoke to
calm their excited feelings. IN some
places knives are made use of ard
fearful wounds self-inhicted, and in
some cases death has resulted. Last
year (18S8) the anniversary was on
September 10. But with the pilgrims
We had this ceremony continually,
night and day, until it became
nuisance, and orders were given that
after eight p. m. no more noise should
be made. Yet, strange to say. while
accusing him Of this murder and con-
Gemning his action, the Sheites do not
dcny that MOhammed Is tho true and
only prophet Of God. With the Sum
mites Ali and his sons are of no ac-
count-Cornhill Magazine.
England, with n population of &c.
OOO.O00. had under $500 students ut
her universities in 1882. Germany,
with a population of 45, 100000, had
over $4,000 university students. That
same year the United States, with u
population of 100000 had 66, 437
students in colleges, 1921 in schools of
theology, 3,079 in law schools, and
ID. l5l in medical schools; total, so, =
5S8.
There are 345 colleges In the
United States. They have $50 in
structors and Is, 40S students in the
preparatory departments, and $500
instructors and 81 500 students in the
collegiate departments. The total
number derived from productive funds
is $2,736.5S0. Tho tuition fees amount
to $l.5GS, 1873 annually. The total value
Of collegiate grounds, buildings and
apparatus Is $43. 5G5, 4l3.
A wealthy man. whose identity is
not disclosed. has subscribed $500, 600
for tho establishment OF Christian
university at Marking, China, Mr..
Arlington, OF Leeds, Eng, has offered
S7j,Oj0 for the beginning of mission
work among the Indian tribes in the