The Washington herald., 1909-06-04

Lord Cromer, the British prOconsUl, who
ruled over Egypt FOR a quarter Of a cen
tury, once asked the head OF Ei-Azhar
whether his professors taught that the
earth went round the sun. or the sun
round the earth He replied that he was
not sure: that some nations held one way
and some. another; that his general i'm
preston was that the sun went round
the earth. but that he had never paid
much attention 70 the matter. and that
the subject was too unimportant 10 merit
serious discussion By anybody. he did
not have even the bOldness OF the faith
OF the Rev. John Jaspar, OF Richmond.
"a. who proclaimed that "the sun do
move" proved it by the Bible. and de-
fed science.
Yet Moslem boys and girls are fockinR
70 the schools provided by American mis-
sionaries. Those younger people who do
not intend to enter the priesthood have
a keen desire for knowledge and even
the conservatives have permitted the
Introduction OF primary school studies
into the "kuttabs." or village schools
attached TO the mosques where nothing
but the Koran was formerly taught. But
the same families which send their sons
and daughters to a foreign school 10
EEt a uuoluEoS eQuCdllOl Will resist WIN
might and main the introduction OF infidel
science into the great religious institu-
tions OF El-Azhar That university is at
once the strongest citadel Of the faith
and the place where the faith is being
slowly. but surely. strangled TO death
There Is. Mohammedan journal pub
lished in Russia which is devoted TO re-
forming Islam and bringing the faith
OF the prophet into touch with the ad-
vsneing world. The movement has re-
ceived no encourag cement except from
Europeanized Mosleus. who have been
trained IN religious thought on the boule-
wards Of Paris. who are agnostic al heart.
and whose only regard of Islaim is poIit-
ical and not devotional. The late Nous
tafa Kamel Pasha. leader OF the patriotic
Nationalist party in Egypt was a devout
MOslem. who earnestly desired to reform
his faith and 10 free II from the shackIes
Of thirteen centuries Of priestly tradition.
which has quite covered over the original
doctrines and teachings Of Mohammed
Once in 4 while n man will arise IN the
faculty OF El-Azhar who strives 10 ad-
just the inelastic code OF the seventh
century 20 the rapid progress and con-
slant change Of the twentieth. But the
body or Islam Is conservative and ignor-
ant IL viii not be moved.
Il has been proved in various portions
Of the world that the Mohammedan re-
llgion cannot adopt Occidental civillza-
ton and survive. To EurOpeanize a Mos
lem means 10 rob him Of all faith That
is a serious thing 10 CO. FOR while one az
nestle may be an exemplary man.
people without a sheet anchor OF faith
is certain 10 sink SO few Moslems have
been converted TO Christianity that the
record is not worth repeating In Tur-
key in Syria in Egypt. in India. IN Cen
tral Africa, wherever the missionaries OF
the cross have gone they have made
many converts; but not from Islam The
Mohammedan is a mOnOtheist. and he be-
reves in one God. The TTlnitarian the
ory Of orthodox Christianity oTends his
mOnotheistic sense. II Christian civiliza-
ton shakes his faith in Islam, Il leaves
him without any belief whatever. What
the second and third generations will be
o. VIII do remains for time 10 show.
Many Of the more enlightened and de-
vout Moslems lament the decay OF their