Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1892-11-12
LIGHT UPON ISLAM.
A BOLD DEFENSE OF THE DOCTRINES
or THE KORAN.

Points OF the Religions That Have for
Their Foundations the bible and the
Koraa-IsIam Democracy.
NJ Alislner could not know the east
any better than he does IL he had been
horn there, and we copy from his new
volume. souvenirs du Monde Mussul-
man. fe. novel views and considera-
tions addressed especially to statesmen
aud thinkers:
The greater portion of the precepts Of
the Koran have meaning which es-
capes us because that meaning Is at
variance with our ideas and our man.
ners. and this is what gives rise to po-
litical errors of an incalculable reach.
The Mussulmans do not fail TO return
the attacks that are made upon them.
Conceding to us the advantage in ma
terial and scientific point of view. they
mold that the riches aud learning of the
few do not make the happiness of the
many. and they claim superiority for
their moral and social constitution.
Essentially democratic in its origin,
Islam has sumptuary law which puts
a tax of 2i5 per cent upon the jewels of
women and upon all objects of luxury.
This money has served for centuries TO
assist poor tradesmcn and to buy them
tools Thanks To- the prohibition of
wine and spirits. the social problem is
solved for them On seeing the dangers
that mover over our civilization, the
Mussulnans compare it to the smoking
remains of burned tent They think
that If it should disappear in the flames
of anarchy for want of an organic prin-
ciple il would be incapable of rising
again from its ashes. while their faith
maintains order in everything, the con
dition sine qua non of progress.
'You accuse MS, they say. "of being
deprayed Are you less SO, you who
keep mp perpetual orgies in your great
cities. expose your half clad wives and
daughters at balls and feasts, and allow
them to be whirled around in the arms
of anybody and everybody? You re.
proach us for our ignorance In order
10 pass through life with honor your in.
strnction is not SO good rs ours. Thanks
10 the proverbs and the rules of wisdom
that are taught to our children, they
conduct themselves like little men
With you the men, and even the
little children You charge oul
functionaries with venality. Who
contributes to its establishment il it i,
not the vulgar herd of traders OF every
class that Europe has scattered all ovel
the east? You cry down our judiciary
We too have right to accuse yours. Yor
charge us with fatalism. Fatalists W,
are. just like your learned men and youi
philosophers. who base their calculation
upon the immutability of natural laws
Resigned in the face of plaques, cata
clyslns and death, we say 1T was writ
ten. For the rest we follow the word
of the prophet.
'One day the prophet asked an Aral
visitor what he had done with his camel
The Arab replied, i have left him a
thy gate. Hast thou tied himg inquired
the prophet. No. have left him to tn,
care of God. 'Thou hast done wrong,
said Mohammed Thou shouldst frs
have tied him. and then have recon
mended him 10 God.
The Christian doctrines Of predesti
nation and of grace are more depressin,
than our fatalism. Your ignorance o
Islam makes you confound MussulmaI
slavery with ancient slavery and tina
which existed until recently in Russii
and in Brazil With the Mussulman
there are no slaves All are brothers
not in the Platonic sense Of the Bible
but actually. having the same laws ant
the same positive duties according I,
the terms of the Koran. Unlike Chris
tianity. Islam has never treated as sal
able things, transmissible with the land
troops Of men who professed the com
mon faith. as was done with the serf
of the Middle Ages, the moujiks o
Russia, and the negroes of your colonies
Prisoners Of war are the only slaves tina
il recognizes. but their children are bor1
free. and they themselves can becom
so by embracing Islam.
1t is the custom from time immemc
rial in certain countries for parents I
part with their children for money, i
order TO ward of poverty and open u
to themselves career of fortune. B
virtue of Mussulman equality this ca
reer Is limitless in the east How man
slaves have become pashas, general
and ministers? Almost all the sultan
have been the sons of slaves. The blac
slaves taken from central Africa find !
Egypt and in Turkey a fate incompal
ably superior to that of the slaves c
your colonies. Slavery is for savage
the first step toward civilization.
their recruiting and their transportatio
give rise 10 well founded protests, tn
fault is not with Islam Neither III
Bible nor the Koran is responsible "a
abuses
The Mussulmans proclaim the sup'
riority of their Allah; but they acknow
edge Moses as prophet and Jesus 9
Rouh Allah. the soul of God. The
veneration for Jesus extends to tn
mother Tie immaculate conception
introduced into Catholicism by Pins II
has been for twelve centuries Mussu
man belief
To the extreme simplicity OF III
dogma must be added the positive enjo,
ments which the paradise OF Mohamme
opposes TO the platonic joys of II
Christian paradise, in order 10 compr
.hend the resistance of Islam to all a
tempts at conversion. christianity
menace, lslamisn a PROMISE sal
Napoleon |. aud his opinion is worth
OF meditation. Paris Figaro.
Eating Before Sleeping.
Scientific men now delare that eatir
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