The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1909-08-28
POWER in TURKEY
GREAT MAN INDEED is The
TCHELEBI OF kONIAH.
Next to the Sultan Ranks the Head
Of the Dervishes, Whom the
Mass of the People Fear
and Love.

Next 70 the sultan, the Tchelebi Of
koniah, who was summoned sooner
than was planned to grid the sword Of
Osman upon Mehemed V, is the great
est parsonage in the Ottoman empire,
for he is the direct descendant of Ala
Eddin, sultan of the SeIJuks, who
gave up his title to the founder of
the present dynasty, Osman the Il
lustrious. so as to be able to lead
retired life. This happened early in
the fourteenth century, and ever since
then the descendants of Ala Eddin
have invested the sultan by girding
him with Osman's sword.
The Tchelebi and his followers,
who are rich in land and live in a
monastery at Koniah in Asia Minor.
are known to the European world as
dancing dervishes. A dervish can be
either dancing or a bowling dervish,
but dancing dervish ranks higher
than his bowling brother. Their cere-
mony, as performed in sitting hall
on Tuesdays and Fridays in Pera or
Scutari, seems to the tourist rather
/ comical, but behind it lies that deep
reverence for the prophet and the
fanaticism of the faithful. 1t is
through the dervishes that the Turk
ish masses understand their religion.
/ Therefore, they are not to be des-
/ pissed, even by the tourist, whilst to
the historian they form link be-
tween modern religion and the long
forgotten practices of ancient Egypt.
/ Each dervish, on entering Tchele-
bis monastery, has to take a vow of
chastity, poverty and obedience, his
calling answering to that of the monk
Of western ideas. All the same they
are allowed TO marry and have a
house In the town, though they must
pass at least two nights a week in
their monastery. Neither do they
keep strictly to the vow of poverty,
for besides a trade, many get large
sums as presents from the faithful.
Humility of soul they profess; but no
man has a prouder manner and ex-
terror than dervish. The monastery
of kOniah over which Tchelebi rules
is very large indeed; but the usual
number of inmates in such places is
about 40. Their chief is called a sheik
or Grand Mutt. They get their food
and lodging free and are supposed
to take their meals alone in their
cells. To the European mind, how
ever, they seem to spend most of
their time in cafes and other public
places, where they harangue the PEG
pie and receive presents begging
is supposed to be forbidden. They GO
long journeys; the Koniah dervishes
often reaching India. Every Moham
medan offers them food and lodging
on the way, so they get there for
nothing.
Amongst the more educated Turks
they have lost much of their ancient
prestige and they have come down tc
be mere conjurers. But the people
fear and love them, and did Tcheleb
Of Koniah refuse to grid on Osman's
sword, or did the sultan abolish the
ceremony, millions of the faithful
would refuse to acknowledge Mehem
ed V as their caHph There are, in
the Ottoman empire, about six o.
these monasteries. which the Turks
call Mevlivi. from the name of theil
founder = Mevievahina-Djell -Eddin
el-Roumi They have a tekha or con
vent at Pera. Constantinople; and 8
room at Scutari, where they perform
their exercises.