The National tribune., 1904-01-21

Of communicatioo between Singapore,
BOrneo, and 0t1a1apointD early controlled
b the MAhoneDn1R and the Philippines:
and, finally, tt 1hct that two distinct
classes may Be eb9rved among the Moros
today; one 2 aoaofnating class with al
most absolute peNer over the life and
property OF the ntlar; md the latter prac-
tically race otBsla1es. This higher grade
presumably Arevdeseendants of the Arabs
or Hindoos wto AEiginally implanted the
faith Of the HtoD4et, and as the ruling
race have maimained Il with least modi-
Of the Sultan q J11os The principal dat
tos belong to etlis Aaas; they are the guar
dams Of the sacrs1 book, many OF them
have made spil4Einagea to Mecca, and the
word OF one a these is well-nigh abso-
lutte with thosei OF thssf lower class under
his control. 6ays Rajal,s q Spanish IN
vestigater: Ehe in.asion OF the Malone
tan MalayssMust. inamy modest opinion,
go back to those authorized by Mahomet
and brought to conclusion by some of
his subchiefs., 1t is well known that the
subjects OF that extraordinary man carried
the beliefs OF Islam throughout India, ex-
tended them over the islands Of the sound
and the other archipelagos Of Oceania."
SOURCES OF THEIR FAITH.
The worship Of the serpent by the
Samales Of southern Mindanao and Of the
peninsula, suggest HindOo contact; while
the prevalence Of ancestral worship SO
general to-day among the pagan tribes,
and which tinctures the views of the
Christianized natives, may be attributed to
the influence of the Chinese as found in
the religious philosophy of Confucius. /
was told by an American officer located Mt
Bangued. Abra Province, Luzon, that a
chief OF the lgOrrOtes, an educated man OF
an investigating turn, claimed a pure Hin
doc or Brahmanistic origin for the faith
Of his tribe; and this officer asserted that
they possessed antics resembling the idols
OF the Hindoos. So it is not unreasonable
to believe that the natives of the Philip
pines have at one time or another, in whole
or in part, been subject to q great va
riety of religious influences.
That these influences have tended,
among illiterate tribes, to raise thought
and character somewhat above the low
levels of savagery, cannot be doubted; but
1t is only fair TO say that none of these,
not even the Moslem influence, can bear
comparison with the civilizing influences,
considered from a purely secular point
that the Roman Catholic Church has ex-
erted upon the Filipino people. Take the
single item OF architecture; Moro
mosque is mere shelter, a village but
collection of shanties; but Visayan,
Wool. Tagalo, or Ilocano town. with its
church. plaza and tribunal building, al
ways bears the suggestion OF civilization.
While not denying that there may be ex-
amplcs OF great honesty and virtue among
the Moros, and even among Maguianes, as
told by Professor Worcester, yet the high
est morality is that which stands the strain
Of the highest civilization toward which
the race tends. Every people who make
the slightest effort in that direction are
doubtless entitled to be informed in the
practical arts, science, and in everything
tending to their progress: and in this re-
spect the influence of the Catholic Church
in the Philippines deserves orr high COM
menda ton. The adaptability of that faith
to the native mind. the effect of American
0ccufa ton, and the future faith OF the
islands are questions that remain to be
considered.
test CTo be eortinued.)