DeSoto times. (Hernando, Miss.) 1879-1898, 1890-01-30
the SHEIk-UL-lSLAM.
Look at the Great and Unknown MAJ
Who Is the Boss Moslem.

Who Is the Boss Moslem.
During the German Emperor's stay
the great ma jority of Turks here showed
themselves TO be progressive by wei.
coming him warmly. There were some,
however, who regarded his presence
with aversion. They were the thor
oughly orthodox Turks, who have an
unspeakable hatred of every thing for
eign. At the head of these fanatics
stands the Sheik-ul-lslam, the highest
priest of the Moslem world.
This Sheik-ul-Islam refused to pay
homage to the German Emperor. He
could not even be induced to call upon
| him. Shcik-ul-Islam's name is Omer
Lufti and he is Turk of the old stripe,
fanatical and bitterly orthodox, yet
withal very learned man. lie was re-
minded in vain by his friends that hos
pitality is duty, according to the
Turkish religion, and that the Koran
says: "Thc guest is sent by God"
The Sheik-ul-Isla (Omcr Lufti) forti-
fed his position against this verse with
other Koran verses and kept carefully
away from all celebrations in honor of
the German Emperor. DiogeneS, too,
when Alexander the Great came tC
Athens, did not wish to see the great
sovereign, and when Alexander COM
manded him to ask for grace orders, of
course, did not exist in those days-the
sage answered: THE one thing | ask
of you is that you get out of my light"
Another DiOgenes lived in modern times,
the tiler of Amiens, who, during Ma
poleon's entry, hammered away on his
roof, The Sheikul-Islam is not so wiHe
and gruff as Diogenes, nor SO industrious
and Indifferent as the tiler of Amiens.
He deserves, however, some little at
tention.
Tho present Sheik-ul-Islam, Omer
Lufti, is great, lanll man with a repcl-
ent, parchment-colored face. Every
line of his face is terribly earnest. No
one ever saw him laugh In the hamlet
of Djurmlidjia he owns little cottage
with only three rooms, where he form
erly lived with a coal-biaCk female
slave, whom he married as soon as she
became a mother.
Some years ago he was made IIukut
Reisi, that is, president of the Civil
Court Of Scutari. lIewas famous forhis
love for animals, and was won't to keep
and pet all sorts of sheep goats, hens
and asses. Suddenly the unaccountable
disfavor of the Sultan fell upon him,
and he was banished from, Com staqtino;
pie. He was soon recalled, and was
made Grand Judge in Stamboul. A short
time ago he was raised to the highest
ecclesiastical dignity in Turley-hc be-
came Sheik-ul-lSlam. The Sultan gave
him a magnificent palace, in which he
and his coal-blacl1 wife and his COlorcd
children now live.
This man remained true to his tradi-
tons in ignoring the German Emperor.
His action was much discussed, especial
" in view of the fact that he called upon
the Shah of Persia during his last visit
here. Omer Lufti, however, is unfort-
unately one of the many. Turkish
fanaticism possesses the clergy hero
almost completely. They have been
entirely upset by the Emperor's
visit. Terrible, fateful days these,
according to the Turkish newspapers
The Sultan, representative of the
Prophet, went out to meet a giaour, and
even rode in a carriage with woman, the
Empress. "Stupendous sim moan the
faithful. That means the end of the
world. Hence earthquakes, hence con-
flagrations.
Heaven itself spoke. Saturday, Sun
day and Monday of the Emperors visit
were foggy and there was breeze.
Nature was appalled, at the unheard-&
event; the wind was still for astonish-
ment; the sun and moon had hidden
themselves 50 as not to see the awful
sight, say the faithful. Then it rained.
mature wept,' is the orthodox inter
pretation of it, A strong north wind
blew on the day of the Emperor's de-
parture. 1T was a devil sprung from
hell to drive out the giaour."
Such is the train of thought followed
by the orthodox Turks; such the fan
tastic supcrstitions with which the be-
levers at large are entertained; and the
signal for all this came from the Sheik-
ul-Islam, Omer Lufti, the highest
priest of the Moslem world.-ConStan-
tinopole Cor. Vienna Tageblatt.