New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-12-11
PREACHING ISLAM HERE.
THE CALL TO PRAYER IN UNION SQUARE.
SERVICES AT WHICH SOME FEATURES OF MA
uoMETANIsM ARE EXPLAINED.

! SERVICES AT WHICH SOME ffAII hEo VI MA
HoMErANIsM ARE EXPLAINED
There was no gaudy silken raiment. no ample
| turban. not long black pearu "o o,es0eI''
sword-nothng. in fact, when was Iooheu ioi
could be found az No. Union square yesterday
morning at II o'clock, when the frst meeting OF
the society for the study of Islam took place ana
where the first "call to prayer" ever given in Amer-
ca. except for show purposes was hearn a strange
sight II was too There. in a window overlooking
one OF New-Yorks most populous squares on
bright Sunday morning, stood man OF orien'ai
mien wearing a fez, with hands upllfted and in
a pure. clear barytone voice. chanted first IN
Arabic and then in English: God is great God Is
merciful! God is almighty. testify that there Is
no God but one Cod testify that Mahomet Is
prophet of God. Ye faithful, come TO prayer; We
faithful come to prayer, Ye faithful, come to
prayer now. God is great God is merciiui' Goa
is almighty. Come to prayer
The man who called to prayer was Emin j.
Nabokoff. Nothing about his dress save the iez
indicated in the remotest the Oriental. lie Is
about fifty years old. wears n full beard speaks
English huently and with slight accent which Is
not at all unpleasant He is a native OF southern
Russia and has lived for a long time at Liver
pool where there is Moslem mosque 30
soemnly and with such fervoc did he intonc the
call that all who heard it were deeply impressed
with the ceremony No one could see the fnhny
side of It, and many followed the Mussulman into
conducted.
Mr. Nabokoff explained that Mahometans differ
from all others. inasmuch as each man ls MS own
priest his own mediator, his own savior. lheie
+ is much in Islam which Is wei! for all men to KNOW
the sanitary and dietary laws are the laws when
would make the American temperance societies
lost art He said ALSO 'Islam has innumeraDie
followers in this country. but no organization
He homes that one may be formed Before intro
ducnC John A. Liant. who read an essay IN whlch
he defended Islam from the charge or beins Il
religion OF the sword" Mr.. Nabokon explained
also that the Koran is believed TO BE the wrluhss
of inspired men. but 1t is not 1.-THE direct worn
Of God sent down from heaven to man. 1t was
written by the followers Of the great prophet VINO
himself could neither read nor write but whose
words nevertheless have never been equalled LOT
beauty of anything in the Arabic language.
Mr. Liant who read from the Koran, and whose
paper showed Islam to be for peace and not ior
strife is an American. who is Mr.. Nabokons chief
aid Some things in Mr.. Lants discourse, whch
followed are worthy of note. I'VE Mahometahs De-
leve in only one God" he said; there Is no Goo
but one God and locate, describe or comprehend
him would be impossible. The only way we can
approach him is not through a mediator. not
through the agency of any other being but by DONG
good. That is the faith of Islam Clothe TINS WIN
too much ceremony and you Will forget the reai
object: put two blankets on a man and he VIII DE
benefited put two hundred on him and the opposite
will result" He spoke of observances among his
people which look strange TO American eyes, ana
so they would to any one except 10 people OF ule
| East, Just American customs appear singular u!
Orientals do not call me doctor Deg or you
said the Mussulman TO a gentleman who addressed
him that title. II am no doctor-smpN a me
chanic 1t is one of your strange customs that as
soon one becomes teacher OF feiSlon ne must
be a doctor professor something like that Win
us il Is different-dny one may preach lslan nut
the fact of his doing does not give nm "A utie.
No one receives either pay or glory for such work.
he has simply the satisfaction OF having done MS
duty"
The society so say those at the head OF H. has
come to stay and will conduct services every sun
day morning at No S Union Square. and the sonor-
time will soon become a regular feature Of sunday
morning.
NEW MEMBERS FOR DIR. DAVTES'S CHURCH.
The earnestness and efficiency OF the ministry OF
the Rev. DR.. John r. Davies the pastor OF the
Fourth Avenue Presbyterian Church. were evidenced
yesterday morning at the church service, when
twenty-nine persons joined the church at the occa'
sion of the celebration OF the Lords supper.
In the evening the Young Peoples Association OF
the church held a missionary rally. which was ad-
dressed by the Rev. Thornton Il. Penfield, the
Secretary of the Young Peoples Department Of the
Presbyterian Board OF Home Missions.
| OPENING OF DIR. DUFFIELDS NEW CHAPEL
The Old First Presbyterian Church. at Fifth-avc.
and Eleventh-st.. has built during the summer n
costly and beautiful chapel church home This
will be formally opened the public for inspection
Tomorrow evening. Christian workers and friends
will be cordially welcomed by the pastor ana people
on this occasion. \ number Of prominent ministers
will take part in the Informal service. Or Du,hei
has just begun his third year of service IN this
pastorate