Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-10-13
THE LEARNED MEN.
MoLLAHs OF THE INDIAN FRONTIER
AND THEIR INFLUENCE.

E1pouudcrs Of tho AIohnmmedan Law.
Given Credit For Supernatural Powers.
Jealous Of the Dlgnity of Their Positions.
How Village Got Sacred Shrine.
During the spring Of 1887 accompanied
asuryeying party which set out from pcsh
awur to penetrate the country north Of tho
Khyber and examine such routes as would
be available In the event Of the pass being
held by powerful enemy. During that
timo had many opportunities OF studying
the manners and methods OF the molluhs
those remarkable men who usc their in
nuence over thor fnnatlcal followers to
drive them 10 revolt against the cncroach'
ments OF tho Feringhecs.
The visitor to the towns Of the indie
pendent tribes will often sec n venerable,
white bearded old man, followed by
crowd Of young Pnthnns, who show every
Sign OF respect for their leader In his
right hand the venerable figure carries %
staff and in his left large volume Of the
law according to Mohammed When tho
procession reaches public placc, tho lead
er seats himself; his disciples stand round
or sit at his feet and the general public
assemble at a little distance to hear the
gems of wisdom that full from the holy
mans lips or TO roar Mt the worldwide
"chestnuts, " not always Of the most de-
corous character, which he sometimes un
bends sufficiently TO tell. Such u man is
mollah. one Of class that exercises an in
fucncc over the inhabitants Of the Afghan
hills 30 passionate and wide that to Euro
peans II is beyond belief.
The mollahs arc collectively known rs
the Ultima, or learned, They are the
schoolmnsters, lawyers judges, Us well ~
the priests, many Of them being men OF
great ability and scholarship, and Us they
are all passlonately devoted to their order
1t cannot be said TINT their influence is al
together evil. They are great peaccmak
ers in land where fighting is the breath
of mans nostrils. l once suw one OF
them in Lalpoorah rush between two bod.
les OF Mohmunds who were drawn up to
attack each other, and, by passionate
prayers to them to remember their com
mon God and their common country
make those desperate men forgot their
purpose and go away as quietly as fright
ened schoolboys.
The position of mollah is conferred on
such candidates as have undergone "a spe-
cial course OF study In the intricate Mo
hanmcdan law and successfully passed an
examination therein. The principal part
Of the ceremony consists Of the most saint
ly mollah present investing the novice
with tho wide flowing gown OF white cot
ton and the peculiarly shaped turban.
The mollHhs marry and live like the
laity in most particulars, though some of
them assume the most ridiculous nusteri-
ty, frowning on the slmf lest amusemcnts
and even condemning all music, except
the warlike drum and trumpet as being
effomina,e. 10 such men the merry hd-
die or tho signing luto is as the horns of
the evil one.
One rich source of revenue with the
priesthood Is it's fine collection of charms
and inoantations. 1t Is no uncommon
sight TO sec an ancient Afridi or Mohnund
sitting with u mollah and vigorously re-
pcating II charm or performing subtle
incarnation to enable him to fix the aifec-
tions of some fair lady who is not cnnm-
orod OF his gray hairs.
a mullah's most sensitive point Is the
dignity OF his Office. When that is out
ragged, there Is trouble in the lind lie
calls the brethren 70 council, They sus-
pond all tho rites Of public worship, de-
nounce their enemy as n dog ind an inf.
del, cover him and his people with their
maledictions and practically exoommunl-
cate him. II thissfloes not bring the UNI
happy man to his senses the mollahs don
their sacred robes, and, carrying tho green
standard OF the prophet, go up and down
throughout the land proclaiming the Mo.
halnmcdan warcry and calling ON the
faithful to avengc the honor of tho apostle
of the prophet, To those who flock to their
side they promise eternal bliss; to those
who ignore thor appeals, everlasting tor
ture. The mollah voice is not raised in
vain Ho soon has u frantic army follow
ing the greon flag, willing to go anywhere
md do anything Its leader pleases.
When moilnh dies, the place OF his
death becomes Hacred shrine ut which
miracles arc worked. There is not vii
lage throughout the whole pathan coun.
try which has not It's holy spot to which
the sick, tho halt and the blind resort for
relief. In this connection II curious story
Ia told of one Of the sections OF BoncryAls
1t had long been Il source of grief to tho
Inhabitants Of the village that no holy
man had ever been good enough TO die
among them, The consequent absence of
a miracle working shrine had degraded
them in the eyes OF their neighbors, who
looked on them as a set Of wrotches 30
abandoned that no saint would end his
days In their midst, The men of the
village determined to put an end TO this
degrading suspicion in characteristic
oriental method, There was living in
distant town molluh with the highest
reputation for holiness a dcputatlon
from the benighted village waited on this
mollnh and implored him TO shed the light
OF his countenancc on them for a few days.
The priest was so flnttered ut this tcsti.
inony 10 his piety that he gladly consent.
cd, He was entertained on his arrival to
n considerable feast When the banquet
had ended. the chief rose and sulemnly In.
formed their guest OF the sad condition OF
tho villagers through no holy man ever
having died In their midst, adding that
they lntcnd to end 80 unfortunate
stntc OF things by killing their visitor A.
bis soul would az once pass to paradise,
and us the scene OF his death would be-.
conc "a miracle working shrine, they did
not consider he had anything to complain
Ct,-SL ,JumpS GuZettp