The times., 1901-05-26
PLANNED BY THE SULTAN
Turkeys Ruler Organizing a Move
ment to StrengthensHis Position.
Preachers of the Ixotan Extending
Their Influence III hrouehout the
worId-Activity of Mosiem Mis-
sionnries in tho Asiatic Territory.

A despatch from constantinople brings
word that the Sultan is organizing
movement for the revival of Mahometan-
! ism throughout the world and the
strengthening of his position as chief of
the Mahometan peoples" This vast
scheme includes pilgrimage from all
parts of the Moslem world to the Golden
| Horn, where Abdul-Hamid win be enthu-
| siastically- recognized as the temporal and
spiritual head of Islam and the only
| rightful holder Of the sacred office of
| CaIiph If the correspondent is well in
formed this picturesque project puts the
finishing touch or at least gives point 20
the labor of twenty years. Pilgrimages
/ to Constantinopie are new. but the fear
of such a revival of -Aahometansm has
been a bogie to Oriental diplomats these
many years over here the p1ottings and
| schemings of Sultans and sheil1s concern
the public little. Only those who take
| special interest in questions of the Orient
| will realize how much is meant by the
SuItans eager desire to have himself de-
| clared Caliph by delegates from all quar-
| ters of the globe. The title Is one he al
ready holds by inheritance from an am
/ bilious ancestor but, as many of the
/ faithful declare without the proper right.
( To the Caliph all Islam owes allegiance,
! and Islam is vast and rapidly increasing
world. few figures VIII give an idea
| of the pace at which the creed of the
Prophet is bringing in recruits from 9TH
! er religions. In 1880 when the present re-
| vival practically began, the crescent
claimed about 175G0,O0O souls Twenty
years later the number of Mahometans
was put at 260 0OO This enormous rate
of increase continues. In fact the ennis
saries of Islam were never so active or
so successful as just now
| Modern Mahometanism, whatever may
be Its inmost thought. has outwardly dis
| claimed all desire to return to the mas
| terful but hardly satisfactory argument
| of the sword in making converts 1t has
| learned that the results of another and
a geutler policy, while less rapidly ap-
| parent are really moro substantial
Moreover the missionaries have learned
to adapt themselves tactfully to the CON
ditions of the people they are trying to
| reach. They are well trained, jealous
teachers, often fanatics, yet not infre-
| quently also men who do not allow their
| enthusiasm for their own faith to blind
them TO the virtue of the religion of
others Many of them-most of them. in
| fact-belong to some one of the great re-
| ligious societies of Islam, and all the
| SeGIS OF MtHDUitNtEiSibFGIc represented
| among them Diversity Of opinion among
| the Mussnlmans is mt SO. great as among
| the Christians. but there-is enough differ
| ence of thought to make four parties.
| with the orthodox MussuFman largely out
| numbering all others put together. Di-
| vision of opinion does not keep the fol-
| lowers of MahOmet from uniting in mis-
| sionary work; in fact, one of the heretical
bodies is especially poted for its proselyt-
| ing ardor.
| THE HOLY. OFFICE OF CALIPH.
Not all these eager preachers Of the
Koran have a political as well as a -e-
iigious string 20 their bow. Some, indeed.
hold that the welfare of islam is best pro-
| NOTED by emphasizing the position of the
! Sultan as head Of the NOsIem world since
he is by far the most powerful Mahome-
| tan prince. Others are equally strong in
their belief that a descendant of the
| Prophet alone should hold the high and
| holy office of Caliph. There are many de-
| scendants Of the Prophet and they are
| all saints" regardless of their own per-
| sonal merit or demerit. There was at one
| time rumor to the effect that the Sui
| tan. in order to reconcile these conflict
| ing parties, was about to adopt as his
| son one of Mahomets descendants, who
| should succeed to both Sultanate and
| Caliphate after Abdul-Hamid's death. The
| report had no foundation in fact but its
| existence shows the feeling Of the Mus
| sulman world. AS 1t is. the Grand Shereef
| Of Mecca is practically the spiritual head
| Of Islam. He comes in contact with
| thousands Of pilgrims, the most devout
| of the faith. and a whisper from him
| goes to every part Of the globe where be-
! levers turn in prayer toward the sacred
| city. This powerful factor in the relig-
| ious life of Islam Is conciiated by the
| Sultan with so much success that the
| desires of Constantinople are carried out
| to ihe letter at Mecca.
! The missionaries the great societies.
/ and the Grand Shereef are the agents OF
| Mahometan propaganda throughout the
world. 1t is interesting to note what they
| have accomplished The Mahometan pop
ulation of Turkey is small indeed COM
| pared with the sum total Of believers.
| Only two or three millions are to be found
| in the Sultan's European possessions. The
| CZar, on the other hand has nine mil
| lions In European Russia. His MahOme-
| tan subjects are well treated, but the So
| cieties are prohibited. Like most great
| religious bodies with a senii-poltical
| tinge, they have not been deferred by
this prohibition from perfecting secret or
| gauizations which have been active In
| proselyting- Among the Finnish people
| Of the Nolga and the lower nOmadic tribes
| of the steppes the faith of the Prophet
| has found favor The Sheik-el-Islam (the
| title given to the head of Mahometanism
| in each country resides at Orenbourg.
| In Asiatic territory the missionaries are
| active. In differing fashions. Some ap-
| peal to fanatics, urging the faithful to
| strange deeds of devotion. organizing pill
and the like. Others have caught the
| methods of Christians and hold open-air
meetings conducting campaigns of edu-
cation In India. the great Mahometan
country of the globe, this Occidental way
| of teaching a new faith Is common. The
| Empire holds nfty-nine million followers
| OF the Prophet. and the rate of increase
| is enormous. 1t has been estimated that
| more than half a million converts are
made each year.
| One missionary boasts of having added
Loss hor nYFta haT
| have records less startling. but still i'm
| Iressive- These Zealots may not be above
| extending figures with a view to self
glorficatiOn; but 1t is undoubtedly true
| that the low caste Hindo s are going
over to Mahometanism in eat numbers.
The doctrine that all 3wers of the
Prophet are equal, set forth in the Koran
and followed to the letter by the mis-
/ SiOnaries, appeals as nothing else could
to these poor outcasts. The Christian
teacher who offers them the same relief
| is handicapped by belonging to the domi-
mating race; but the Ffanometan's tale
seems To the Hindoo as true as 1t is good
Among the cotton weavers of Bengal the
conversions are so frequent that the peo-
pie have been described as going over en-
masse to Islam. In several provinces the
Mahometan population far outnumbers
that of all other religions, The upper
class Hndoos of course. regard the move
ment with little favor Between them and
the Mahometans there is long standing
| jealousy. The son Of Islam never for
gets that he came In as n conqueror and
remains to a great extent on sufferance.
ENTHUSIASM OF THE MALAYs
In the Malay Archipelago there are
| thirty-one million 8Tahornetans, tho larg-
est group outside of India Here, too, there
is great enthusiasm for the cause 1t has
been suggested that the MahOmetan So