New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-17
ISLAM.
INFLUENCE OF THE BIBLE ON MAHoM-
ETANISM.

THE BIBLE AND ISLAM: or The Innq sn,s,S o,
q Mohammsd Being the Ely LECTURES ,0o DID, 3D.
3l9 Charles Scribncr's Sons.
THE MOHAMMEDAN CONTRovERsY, and other
indian oc Asos 3D. M Charles CIR Mi ssribners sons
A small library Of valuable works Is accunu-
lating by the publication Of the successive
courses OF lectures on the Ely foundation In the
Union Theological Seminary Of which the pres
ent volume contains the ninth. Recent events
IN the Turkish Empire have Mortified Chrlsten-
dom and have brought forward for reconsidera-
ton the favorable Judgment OF Mahometanisn
which eminent Christian writer's in this time OF
religious Cancellation had previously expressed.
This favorable judgment DR.. Smith on the
whole reaffirms. but only in comparative V'e"'
as he contrasts Mahometanism with 'he
heathenism which It displaced and with the oe-
generate Christianity which It combated' Iha'
IN theology and morals II made great advance
upon heathenism is indubitable In place OF the
bond OF blood between men Of one tribe, own
ing no obligation TO any other men, 1t suosti-
tuted the bond OF common faith IN which Ill
believers became brothers
Islam signifying submission. Is the designa-
ton of Mahometanism as a system TO submit
10 Allah Uhe one Cod. and TO Mahomet as HIS
IL,
one IS placed within the pale OF the Roman
Catholic Church by submission to the Pope as
the infallible Vicar OF Christ. DR.. smiths iec'-
ures are devoted to a critical comparison OF the
Biblical teachings with those OF Mahomet' 30
many are the correspondence in the mloSt OF
much diversity that there Is good ground TOT
classifying Islam as an heretical onshoot from an
.Jud@o- Christian stock and not growth OF an
alien kind. Among other points this Is notaoie'
"Nahomet srasped the Christian (which was
also the JEWISH idea Of 'he brotherhood OF
believers and organized his society on that
basis That he did not rise to the height OF inc
Christian conception Of the orothernooo VI d"
men can scarcely excite surprise when we see
how far the Church is from apprehenoihs '"iS
conce ption even TO the present day.
DR.. Smiths conception Of Mahomet Is tha' no
was IN the main sincere and that no originally
contemplated no such development as the logic
Of events and circumstances gave to the re'or-
nation which he began. In this respect ne was
M, un,,ke Cromwell The essential. not the
only vice Of his system is its immooility' smut
I'M 70 the conclusions reached In the seventh
century and opposed to all advance beyond
them II is when this rigid system, FORMING
Church-State. undertakes. as does Islam. 10
WELD the sword Of political power against 'hose
outside It's pale. that 1t becomes menace 70
c,,u,zation as In the person Of Hamid II. and
needs 10 he oyerthrown. One may concur In Dr.
Smiths tribute to the many upright and con-
sc,ent,ous lives that are regulated by the pre-"
cents ~ Islam II is beyond doubt that many
Nous Noslems abhorred the Armenian mas
sacres and saved tens Of thousands from de-
struction. Nevertheless the law OF Islam grams
M alternative TO Christian dogs except oea'n
or political servitude under tribute THIS Is the
root OF the misrule and misery winch are INC
disgrace OF Turkey and the shame or passive
or conniving Europe.
The futilitv Of theological controversy, espe-
c,alv as conducted on the old lines is illustrated
nv thu account in the first Of Sir William Mu'T
.ssavs of famous debates between Christians
and Mahometans In behalf Of their several
tenets The second essay Is upon the dog
ranhies of Mahomet The third deals win III
snrenCer's monograph On Mahonetan traditloh.
on UNSURPASSED authority that subject Tne
las, two are OF more interest IN Great Britain
than here, viz. The Indian Liturgy e~nioi'"e
the inadeuuacy Of the Anglican Prayer BOOK 10
the needs OF the Church In India: ana Inc
psa,,er" q plea for a freer and moro intelliglpie
use OF the Psaler In the Anglican services. inli-
Eating and improving upon the example OF inc
Church IN America These essays. except the
last. we're printed many years ago In the Cal
cutta Review" but have still a living interest
+or students Of the subjects with which they
deal The Comparative Schedule OF Ancient
and Modern Liturgies." thirteen IN ALL arra"seU
IN tabular FORM Is worthy OF special mentioh-