Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-21
Movement to Emaucipate
Mohammedan Women.
HINDUS LOSING FAITH
INFLUENCE OF THE GROWTH OF
CHRISTIANITY.
Effect Of the Teachings Of Ramohun
Roy and the Seekers After
Truth.
az wrLLIAM E. CURTIS.

Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star and
Chicago Record-Herald.
CALCUTTA, March 90 1904.
During the present winter there have
been several movements among the Hindus
and Mohammedan citizens Of India looking
to the advancement Of their races ana CO
religionists. At Bombay, In December, was
held q Mohammedan educational confer
ence, and committee was appointed to
draw up plan Of permanent organization
for the purpose Of awakening among the
members OF that sect an interest in the adj
vancement OF women and the education OF
the masses. Representatives were present
from nearly all of the provinces in which
there Is Mohammedan population. and
resolutions we're passed declaring that. in
the opinion Of the conference. schools
should be established throughout India to
educate young women and children of both
sexes in strict conformity with the customs
and doctrines of Islam. 1t was asserted
that such educational facilities are abso-
lutely necessary to keep the children out
of the public and Christian schools.
The most notable feature Of the confer
ence. which marks an entirely new depar-
ture In the history Of Islam. was the pres
ence. unveiled and in modern dress, Of Miss
Sorabjee, highly educated and accom-
plished member Of that sect, who appeared
0dAAy upOn LILO pA6tIOTIu, participated III tu0
debates and made long address upon the
emancipation Of women She declared that
In population Of 10000 900 Of Mohammed-
ans only 1000 girls are now attending
school. which, she said. Is menace to civil
lization, detriment to Islam and a dis
grace to the members Of that church.
have been informed that this Is the first
time that a Mohammedan woman ever
mace an address before a public assembly
OF Mohammedans because the Koran does
not permit women to appear In public and
custom requires them to conceal their
faces. Miss Sorabjee was, nevertheless, re-
ceived with respect, and made a decidedly
favorable impression upon the assembly,
which was composed of men of culture and
influence and true believers in the teach
ings of the prophet.
The Spirit of Progress.
Another notable feature of the conference
was the unanimous recognition of the grow
ing influence of Christianity in the Indian
empire. and the opinion that in order to
preserve their faith the followers Of Islam
must follow its example. Progressive Mo-
hammedans have become convinced that
not only their men put their women viii
insist upon having an education and will
seek 1t In the Christian schools IL facilities
are not furnished by members of their own
religion Aga Khan. Mohammedan
prince who presided over the gathering. ex-
planned that the conference was called in
obedience to the spirit Of progress, and as
an indication that the Mohammedan Sec
ton of the community were alive to the dis
advantages under which the members of
their faith were laboring and to the need
OF educated men as leaders in society and
commerce.
Mr.. Tyabji. one of the judges Of the SUI
preme court OF the Bombay presidency,
took even more advanced ground and de-
clared that the schools proposed by the
conference must be far in advance of those
heretofore provided by Mohammedans. and
nnh Low, 49,
modern sciences as well as the maxims of
the Koran. By that remark he uncovered
the great defect of Mohammedan educa-
ton, which Is purely religious, with the ex-
ception OF single institution in northern
India OF which l wrote you some weeks
ago
The conservative element of the Moslem
population holds that a knowledge of read
Ing, writing and arithmetic is sufficient
Tor members OF that sect: hence in most of
their schools they teach nothing except the
Koran. which is the book Of books, the
law Of laws and contains knowledge SUI
ficient for all mankind under ali circum
stances Some progressive Mohammedans
go q little too far in the other direction and
would ignore all Arabic literature and leave
az eocieslaseicaI AFFAIRS to the priests. The
Arabic and Persian languages are rich in
learning. poetry and general literature But
they are not cultivated. and are almost
unknown to the Moslem priests, who are
the school teachers of that faith TODAY
They have left the revival of Arabic bellies
lettres entirely to foreigners. and corfine
themselves to the Koran and the common
taries that have been prepared upon IT, It
ID asserted that one can learn more of
Arabian and Persian literature TODAY in
London, Oxford. Paris. Berlin or Zurich
than Is known in Constantinople or Cairo
OF any other Mohammedan city. and that
Professor Max Muller of Oxford has done
more to encourage its study than all the
Mohammedan priests and professors In ex-
istence. "
At almost the same time, although in an
other place, several Of the leading think
ers and scholars Of the Brahmin caste were
discussing the same subject with the same
purpose. and from the same point of view.
Ihey nave nave been endeavoring to inaugurate
what they are pleased to call "the renais-
sance of the Hindus." And there is also an
active movement for a revival of Buddhism
although thus far 1t is confined to Japan
tinct in India.
Hindus Losing Their Faith.
At the Hindu conference several thought
full people expressed the view that some
thing must be done to revive the vitality of
that religion because 1t II the faith of near
ly 200O00OO0 souls in India alone over
whom 1t is gradually losing Its influence, be-
cause OF the vigorous propaganda Of the
Christians. 1t was not admitted that the
Hindus are adopting the Christian religion,
but merely that they are losing confidence
in their own and drifting toward material
ism
1t is universally recognized among edu-
Gated Brahmins that India is approaching
great religious crisis which demands the
attention of all who are interested In the
welfare Of the people. The movement is
slow, but quite obvious to all who are
watching the development of reforms that
have been proposed for the last fifteen or
twenty years. 1t Is based upon the fact
that Brahminism, as taught at the temples
OF India today, does not satisfy or even
appeal to educated men. At the same time
1t Ii insisted that true Hinduism has the
same ideals and the same spiritual advan-
tages that are offered by Christianity
A recent writer placed Hindu and Chris
tan principles side by side for the purpose
of demonstrating that there is very little
difference In their essential features, and
that Christian principles and sentiments
were taught by Brahmins In India long
before 'the unique figure of jesus Christ
appeared before men as O supreme attrac-
ton" The same author declares that
christianity Is nothing but pure Vedaism
In Disguise" and that .'ail that is vital In
Christianity may be found also In higher
Hinduism Nevertheless 1t is admitted by
the leading thinkers Of each that the old
religions of the east are In a state Of stag
nation and decay. and whoever inquiries into
the reasons comes to the irresistible conclu-
aion that neither Hinduism nor Buddhism