Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-04

the great masses of the population have
had voice and no opinion But they
are showing extraordinary intelligence
and patriotism.
The new parliament has proven more
intelligent and powerful than those who
have been resisting its influence and plot
ting for its anticipated overthrow. While
the deficiencies of the country are not yet
fully understood. and the Males has not.
provided the constructive legislation
necessary. and has not been able to put
into operation any of the reforms Its
leaders have advocated and promised, you
may be certain that a great awakening
has taken place in Persia; a long step
has been taken in the progress of civil
cation. and the people will never consent
to return TO the political tyranny which
prevailed there a few years ago. The
spirit of liberty is abroad in the land
and it cannot be Stifled.
Audacity of the Press.
This is demonstrated in most sig
nificant manner by the utterances of the
newspapers Several of them openly adj
vocate complete religious liberty and the
entire separation of church and state. The
significance and the audacity of such ut
terances will he understood when it is
shown that such apostaSy from Islam has
usually been punished with the penalty OF
death. Not long ago one of the principal
papers in Teheran printed an article point
ing out how the union of church and
state has always been a source OF trouble
in European countries. Ii described at
length the political conditions in the
United States and declared that America
had become the greatest nation in the
world because of the religious liberty and
uoIitical equality enjoyed by it's citizens.
The same spirit of religious tolerance
and the same Indifference to the hostility
Of the Mohammedan mullahs are shown
by individuals. Last spring ii was widely
advertised that one OF the native attaches
Of the American school had been con-
verted from Islam to Christianity Al
though number of private individuals
threatened him, with death if he became
an apostate. he suffered no actual Derse-
cution nor was any official notice ever
taken OF his change OF faith. He re-
manned at his post in the. school and went
TO and fro through the streets daily at
tending to his duties. and was never mo-
Tested in any way. Nor have the mullahs
made any attempt to reclaim him.
Religious Freedom Gaining.
THE Christian missionaries report
largely increased attendance at rel gious
services, and the Sunday schools have
had twice as many pupils during the last
winter as ever before. Native helpers
doing evangalistic work among the towns
and villages report the same conditions
everywhere. and are astonished at the
liberation with which their prOpa ganda is
regarded and the indifference of the Of
ficials and the Mohammedan priests
recent issue of Il Persian paper has
translation of letter from missionary
of the Church of England giving an ac-
count of the baptism of seven young
Moslem women into that faith. and the
first Christian marriage of Mohammedan
converts. He also reports that class OF
twenty-seven men has been formed for
inquiry into the truths of Chr stianity
The editor publishes this letter evidently
for the purpose of commenting upon It,
because he makes appeal to Religious
fanaticsm and does not demand the en-
forcem ent of the MOslem law. He merely
calls the attention of the mullahs 10 the
facts reported and advises them to get
out of their mosques and rescue the lamos
of the faithful from the Protestant
wolves
This is mos extraord nary incident
IS will be appreciated by those who are
familiar with the fanaticism that pre-
walls in all Moslem communities and the
universal horror with which apostasy is
regarded by the Moslem population Such
a publicat on should have caused serious
trouble in Teheran, but no one has taken
any notice of it, 1t received with
absolute indifference. Nothing more need
be said.
another remarkable incident, as illus
trating the change in public sentiment.
when n group of seven young Mos
lens. students in the American school
including two princes. announced their
intention of becoming Christians. Their
neighbors and friends regarded them with
curiosity and expressed some surprise at
their intention. but made no effort to re-
strain or dissuade them. When the young
men went to the Presbyterian miss onary
to he baptized they We're asked If their
parents had given their consent. One of
them replied. My father understands
what l am going to do;- and I am getting
him interested also The two young
princes said We have told our father of
our desire to become Christians and TO be
baptized into the Protestant Church and
he said, "All right; go ahead: become
Christians If you want to-. young
woman from prominent Moslem family
also was publicly baptized into the Chris
tian church with the consent of her
parents.