reputation for miraculous power obtained by superior sanctity. People apply to them to interpret dreams, cure diseases, pray for the birth of children, for rain, harvests, and other blessings. People of the highest rank receive them at their tables, and the Imams are generally selected from their communities. The rosaries used by Dervises consist of ninety-nine beads, usually made of holy earth from Mecca or Medina. They pass these through their fingers at prayer, while they recount the ninety-nine qualities of God mentioned in the Koran.

A follower of Mohammed always calls himself a Moslem, which signifies a Believer. From the plural of this the European word Musulmân is formed. All sects entertain the greatest reverence for Mohammed. All their writings commence with a benediction on his name. They call him "The Lawgiver, The Prince of Men, Last and Best of the Prophets, The Most Noble of Apostles, The Refuge of Revelation, The Sanctified One, The Most Perfect of Created Beings, The Beloved of the Lord." They universally believe him to be the Prophet predicted by Moses, and the Comforter whom Jesus promised to send. They adduce passages from Apocryphal Gospels and from our Scriptures to prove it, and say that other texts, containing more positive evidence, have been fraudulently suppressed by Christians. The Crescent is the adopted emblem of their religion, because the new moon lighted him in his flight from Mecca. The country around that city swarms with pigeons, which they never kill, lest they should destroy some descendant of the sacred bird, sent by God to build a nest at the mouth of the cave where he was concealed. They have a similar feeling concerning spiders, because a spider spun a web across the entrance. Mohammed emancipated Zaid for believing in his mission; therefore, no Mohammedan ever holds a person of his own faith in slavery. The ancient fast of Ramadam is rendered still more holy by being associated with the first revelations he received from Heaven. During the entire month, they taste no food or drink between sunrise and sunset. They VOL. III.-35

8

abjure baths and perfumes, and shun the sight of women. The fast is rendered void by inhaling the mere smell of food; and some are so strict, they will not even swallow the moisture in their mouths. As they reckon their months by moons, the fast is moveable. When it occurs. at the sultry season of the year, the pious, especially those who labour, often suffer very severely. Their teachers inculcate that fasting, to be of any avail, must include abstinence from worldly cares, evil thoughts, and impure ideas. Many of the old opinions and customs were transferred to the new religion; that being an invariable compromise between the conservative and progressive tendencies of man. The Caaba lost none of its sacredness. There is a tradition that Mohammed said those who died without visiting it might as well have died Jews or Christians. The poorest Moslems often make great sacrifices to visit Mecca once in their lives; and some go annually. On their way, they almost invariably turn aside to visit the tomb of their Prophet at Medina. Reverence for his memory is reflected on all his descendants. The sovereignty of Mecca and guardianship of the Caaba is still entrusted to them, and they take rank above princes. In the lapse of centuries, they have become numerous, but they all have honorary titles, take the highest seat in company, receive a stipend from the public treasury, and are distinguished by a turban or girdle of green, which is a sacred colour.

Any system of religion or morals which did not profess to be founded on the Koran would be taught at the peril of life. All the sects study it in the light of either the Sonnite or the Sheah Book of Traditions. In case of palpable contradictions, they say if a passage is not true in one aspect it is in another, and that God can easily reconcile what seems incongruous to the human mind. Some few venture to declare that they receive only such traditions as can be reconciled with reason; but such are regarded with horror by orthodox believers.

The fundamental doctrines in which all agree are, that

God is One; that it is impious to divide his personality, or to associate any other being with his worship; and that Mohammed is the last and best of all the prophets He has sent. Mohammedans adopt the old Persian ideas concerning Angels with ethereal bodies formed of celestial fire. Each of the seven departments of Paradise is governed by one of these radiant beings. They appoint others to various offices; thus Gabriel is always sent with revelations; Azrael separates the souls and bodies of mortals at death; and Israfil will sound the trumpet to summon bodies from their graves, at the resurrection. Like the Persians and other ancient nations, they believe that every human being has two attendant angels from birth to death. One on his right hand notes down his good actions, and the other, on his left, records his evil deeds. The kindly angel has control over the other. When man does a good deed he writes it down, with delight, ten times; but when he commits any wickedness, he says to the angel on the left hand: "Wait seven hours before you write it down. Perhaps he may repent, and ask forgiveness." They say the dead are visited in their graves by two dark angels, who cause them to sit upright, while they question them concerning the unity of God and the mission of Mohammed. If their answers are satisfactory, they are left in peace to be refreshed by breezes from Paradise. Otherwise, they beat them with iron maces, and leave them to be stung by ninety-nine serpents, with seven heads each. This is believed so literally by many people, that it is a general custom to build tombs in such a manner that the dead can easily sit upright. Some sects reject the account altogether; others understand it allegorically; saying the serpents represent remorse for sins. The good and evil words and deeds of men, as recorded by their attendant Spirits, are said to be given to Gabriel, who weighs them in a balance, and dismisses souls to heaven or hell according to their merits. All are obliged to pass over a bridge called Al Sirat, "fine as the thread of a famished spider," with an edge sharp as a scimitar. Beneath this bridge roar the flames of hell,

and beyond it are the regions of Paradise. True believers are conveyed across like a flash of lightning; some will pass with difficulty; and others will slip into hell. Those who delight in spiritual interpretation, say this hair-breadth bridge signifies the narrow and difficult path of piety in this world. Some who are not good enough to pass directly into Paradise, are supposed to remain in a place partitioned off, until by acts of adoration they have more than balanced the evil they have done, or the worship they have omitted. He who has wronged another will be obliged to make over to the account of the injured party a proportionate quantity of his own good works. If he has no such treasury to draw upon, he must be accountable for an equal share of the sins of his victim. Moslems may have to wait in some place of expiation from nine hundred to seven thousand years, according to their degrees of guilt. But because they have believed in the true faith, they will all finally attain to Paradise, by help of their own prayers, and the continual intercession of Mohammed. Hindoos and Persians believed in seven ascending spheres of light and happiness, above which dwelt the Supreme; and in seven descending spheres of darkness and suffering. Mohammed also taught that there were seven hells. Commentators say the first is for sinful Moslems; the next is for Christians; the third for Jews; the fourth for Sabians and Fire-Worshippers; the sixth for all those who worship a plurality of gods, and have no Sacred Books; the seventh and deepest is reserved for hypocrites of all religions. All who disbelieve in Mohammed will be punished eternally, in degrees proportioned to their obstinacy in rejecting him. The tortures described are of various kinds. Excessive hunger and thirst, intolerable stench, stinging serpents, roasting over intense flames, and being shod with shoes of fire, which will make the brains boil. In Paradise all that delighted the soul or senses of man in this world will be increased and refined beyond human imagination. These joys are progressively multiplied and rendered more intense in the ascending regions of Paradise. Only martyrs

and great saints will attain to the pure spiritual bliss of daily communion with God which far transcends all other enjoyment. In the seventh and highest Paradise is the palace of Mohammed, and the Tree of Happiness. Immediately above this is the throne of the Most High.

On the subject of marriage and the forgiveness of injuries, the moral tone of Mohammedans is far below that of Christians. But they manifest more sincerity and earnestness in acting up to their standard. All travellers agree that they are remarkably characterized by honesty in their dealings; insomuch that at a distance from cities, it is a common custom to leave shops open without any person to tend them. Purchasers go in and take what goods they want, and leave on the counter the price marked on them. Exceeding liberality to the poor is another admirable trait; and in no Christian country are the chains of slavery so light, or so easily removed. The total abstinence from all intoxicating drink commanded by the Koran, is not unfrequently disobeyed; but devout believers never taste such liquors; they will neither buy nor sell them; nor will they consent to be supported with money obtained by such traffic. The estimate of women is very much lower than in Christian countries, but it is a mistake that they suppose them to have no souls. The Koran, and the Books of Traditions frequently allude to them as sharing the punishments of hell and the joys of Paradise. The majority of the people do not avail themselves of the license to marry four wives. The general tendency is to have but one. Friday, the ancient "Day of Assembly" among the Arabians, is the Mohammedan holy day. All go to the mosques to attend religious services, and when they have performed their devotions, they return to their customary business. They say creation was finished, and the resurrection will take place on that day. They call it the Prince of Days, and consider themselves peculiarly honoured, that God granted them the privilege of being the first to observe it. Some of the very strict consider it wrong to attend to worldly business during any VOL. III.-35*