St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1890-03-08
THE ShElK.Ul.lSlAM.


Who IL the Boss Moslena.
During the German Emperor's stay
the great majority 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-Islam, 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. Sheik-ul-Islam's name is Omer
Lufti. and he is Turk Of the old stripe.
fanatical and bitterly orthodox. yet
withal . very learned man. He was re-
minded in vain by his friends that hos
ritality is duty, according to the
Turkish religion, and that the Koran
says: THE guest is sent by God"
The Sheik-ul-Islam (Omcr Lufti) forti-
fed his position against this verse with
other Koran verses and kept carefully
away from all celebrations in honor OF
when Alexander the Great came t.
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: 1.-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 Sheik-ul-Islam is not so wise
and gruR as Diogcncs, nor 50 industrious
and Indifferent as tho tiler Of Amiens.
He deserves, however, some little 1t
tention.
The present Sheik-ul-Islam, Omer
Lufti, is a great, lank man with . repel-
ent parchmentcolored 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 q coal-black female
slave, whom he married as soon as she
became q mother.
Some years ago he was made Hukuk
Reisi. that is. president of the Civil
Court of Scutari. He was famous for his
love for animals, and was wont to keep
and pet all sorts of sheep, goats, hens
and asses. Suddenly the unaccountable
iisfavor of the Sultan fell upon him.
and he was banished from Constantine
pie. He was soon recalled. and was
made Grand Judge in Stamboul. A short
time ago he was raised 70 the highest
ecclesiastical dignity in Turkey-he BE-
came Sheik-ul-Islsm. The Sultan gave
him . magnificent palace, in which he
and his coal-black wife and his colored
children now live.
This man remained true to his tradi
tions in ignoring the German Emperor
His action was much discussed, especial.
ly 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 giaour, and
even rode in a carriage with woman, the
Empress. ''Stupendous SIM" moan tho
faithful. That means the end of the
world. Hence earthquakes, hence con-
hagratiOns.
Heaven itself spoke. Saturday, Sun
day and Monday Of the Emperor's visit
were foggy and there was breeze.
Nature was appalled, 1T the unheard-of
event; the wind was still for astOnish-
ment: the sun and moon had hidden
themselves 90 as not to see the awful
sight, say the faithful. Then it rained.
Mature wept," is the orthodox inter
yretation of it. A strong north wind
tlew on the day Of the Emperor's de-
parture. ut was . devil sprung from
hell to drive out the giaour."
Such is the train Of thought followed
by the orthodox Turks; such the fam
tastic superstitions 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.