El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-01-28
Copyright. 1910, by Frank G. carpenter.)

]
| ings rise high over the green, and out
1 Of them like fingers pointing to heav-
en-, are the minarets of 200 mosques,
with the mighty dome Of the Great
Mosque in the center. At the right
of the latter are the arched roofs of
bazaars which have been famous for
ages. and away of from the rest is
big yellow building with a roof of red
tiles That is the center Of Mofam-
medan fanaticism- It is the barracks
where thousands Of Moslem soldiers
are quartered. More than 1900 troops
are kept there, and in a time Of up
risings and massacres, such as that Of
last spring. they form the greatest
danger to Christians.
Damascus is a Mohammedan city. Tt
has about 30O,0 people. and four
ffths Of them follow the prophet It
has also about $4,000 Greeks. 5000
Jews, and lesser numbers of Syrians.
Armenians, Persians and Druses The
city has Mohammedan schools and the
students are as dangerous as those
who denounced Col Roosevelt in the
university at Cairo. These people are
very devout.e One sees them reading
their Korans in their shops. and at
every mosque I observe score or
more of the faithful washing them
selves before they go into their pray
ers The mosques are full OF tur-
baned old men and young men, who
all pray singly and in groups, and in
many one finds companies of worship
ers. under a leader. There are also
male classes listening to the explana-
ton Of the Koran by the priests, and
there are men Sreading singly.
The Great Mosque OF Damascus.
But come down with me from the
hill and take a stroll through the city.
This IS Sunday, and we shall first visit
the mosques. There are 20 large ones.
where sermons are preached every
Friday, and III which might be called
chapels, connected with which are Mo-
hammedan schools. Many Of these
mosques have libraries ana in all Of
them the chief study taught is theo-
logy, including the Koran and the ira
dtiions of the propehts. After that
comes law, and then philosophy, logic
and grammar. Modern sciences are
learning are entirely neglected.
The chief center Of Moslem religious
life is the Great Mosque. This is one
of the finest OF Mohammedan church
es. It stands right in the center of
the city, and it covers about seven
acres. or almost twice as much space
as the capitol at Washington. It has
a great court paved with marble, in
which is a fountain, said TO mark the
half way station on the route from
lConstantinople to Mecca It is there
that the worshipers battle certain
parts of their persons before going
into their prayers. On the other side
of this enormous court is the mosque
proper. the oblong floor Of which COW
ers over an acre. Many great columns
uphold it's roof and other columns
stand between IT and the court
In a 3IOhammedan Church.
Entering this room, we find 1000
men and perhaps hundred women at
prayer. Nevertheless the building
seems empty. The worshipers are
scattered over the floor. The women
are alone, and the men dare not look
at them They are closely yelled, and
they do not notice us as we go by
Most of the men are on their knees,
or sitting upon the floor. All have
removed their shoes before they came
into the church and they now lie be-
side or in front of them The floor is
covered with costly rugs, the presents
from devout Mohammedans. Think Of
roofing a large field, UNFOLDING the
roof by mighty columns, and then car
petfng that field with oriental rugs,
any one Of which would be fit to hang
upon your walls as a treasure, and
you have some of the outlines of the
picture which now lies before US.
There are strange things in the
mosque In its center is a marble
chapel, supposed to stand oyer the
ashes Of the head of John the Bap-
tist. Men are sitting before the chap
Ell. with their heads facing Mecca, and
they rise and fall as they pray to, John
the Baptist. the forerunner of Christ
and to Mohammed as the prophet Of
God. 1t is thus that religion, like
politics, makes strange bedfellows.
Heart of the MOhammedan World.
Damascus is the heart of the Mo-
hammedan world. At its back is
Persia, altogether Mohammedan. At
its south Palestine and Arabia, which
are more Moslem than Christian, while
at the north are other realms Of the
sultan-Turkey in Asia and Europe
All around II the people are Moham-
medans who hate the Christians, and
massacre them whenever they can
This was the case last spring, when
thousands were killed and the most
terrible slaughter of Christians by
heathens known to the world took
place in this region. Multitudes were
massacred, and it was only because
the great Christian nations of Europe
were afraid of their pocketbooks and
of the loss of that balance of power
which might result from a war that
the Turkish empire was not wiped out |
as a punishment therefor. The mat
ter was hushed up, and but little Of |
the true story was told in the papers. |
1 refer to the bloOdshed which took /
place throughout Asia Minor when the !
sultan, Abdul Hamid was overthrown /
and the present sultan and govern
ment put in his place.
MOhamme1's Holy Tent.
Another strange object in the Great /
Mosque is the holy tent Of the pilgrim
caravan. This is used during the pill
grimage to Mecca, which generally /
starts at Damascus. This pilgrimage
every Moslem is bound to take once in
his life; and the followers of the
prophet come from all parts at a GER
tain time of the year, and ride or
march toward their holy city
AS they approach Mecca they take
of their clothes. laying aside every
thing from the soles of their feet to
the crowns of their heads They then
put on aprons, and carrying only
piece Of cloth over the left shoulder,