The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-24
LIBRARIES IN TURKEY.
Many Opportunities for Learning in tn
Sultan's Realm.

SuItans Realm.
To read of the barbaris m of the Turks
one would come 20 direct conclusion that
the vicious expounders OF the Mohamme-
dan religion had very few advantages
placed at their disposal to cultivate their
morals and principles and elevate them
selves to higher plane of life. This is a
ridiculous notion, says the New York Mail
and Express. Constantinople has no less
than forty Libraries, each containing in
the neighborhood of 1000 volumes.
Although this great abundance of liter
ature is placed within reach of every Turk
the books are only used by the higher
classes. The Mohammedan creed does
not instruct the Turks to repudiate knowl-
edge, which idea seems to prevail in
America, but, on the other hand, Mo-
BANNED instructed his followers to &C
| quire knowledge and use it to good ad-
vantage. The early Su!tans, as well as
their predecessors, the Saracen califs, were
! highly educated, and direct contrast
with the present dynasty of the blood :
stained throne. They were the patrons
] and Jealous seekers OF knowledge.
"Be the support Of the faith and the
protectors of the sciences" was the dying
declaration OF the first Osman to his sue
ceSSOr, OrckaN, III the beginning OF Inc
J fourteenth century.
That the later Sultans have failed to ad-
here 10 the teachings of the Koran Is
apparent from the present deplora BILE con-
dition OF the country. 1t is nothing more
than a retrogression, drifting from civil
iZation to barbarism and ignorance.
| One of the modes in which the early
rulers of Turkey showed their desire for
learning is the esta blishment of their H.
- HI
| mosques and colleges or apart as distinct
institutions. Red, green or black are the
predomnating colors OF he binding of
volumes. The bindings are of lea Their, and
to protect the books from moths, dust
worms etc., the books are incIosed in
similar material. This protection was a
wise conception, for the destructive little
| insects would have found fresh material
in uncut volumes. The titles of many of
| the volumes, instead OF being printed on
the back, are marked first upon the
edge OF the leaves.
Cases, with glass and ironwork fronts.
are ranged along the walls of the library.
These Libraries are open on every day of
the week except Tuesday and Friday.
Visitors are allowed to use any book.
make extra cts from it or, if they desire,
copy the entire manuscripts. The sub
jects of the greater part OF the works are,
of course, analogous TO the studies taken
up in the colleges. The mass of books
contain copies of The Koran and COM
ments upon it, also the collection of the
oral laws of Mohammed.
The manuscripts are all written or the
finest vellum, and some OF them afford
beautiful specimens of penmanshlp. Most
OF these collections are being added to by
the produce OF the surplus funds arising
from the original endowments, and also
by the liberal contributions of the few
literary admirers. The man of letters,
the statesman or the lawyer at his death
generally bequeaths his collection TO the
Libraries aud receives the benedictions of
those who avail themselves of the vol
umes.