IV. Mohammedanum and Christianity. — The friends and advocates of Mohammedanism have repeatedly, es- pecially in our day of comparative religious research, urged upon the Christian world a consideration of the claims Islam has in the advance of humanitarian prin- ciples and the propagation of civilizing infiuences. Is- lamism, it is declared, started as the outspoken foe of all creature-worship; with emphasis proclaimed the su- periority and sublimity of God ; and, like the Jew and the Christian, the Moslem based his faith upon the re- vealed book known as the Bible. It is further urged in defence of the Arabian religion that its successes and rapid spread over a vast portion of the then known world would stamp the religion of Moslem with the ap- ])roval of the Most High. As a matter of history, we have to record that scarcely a century had elapsed after Mohammed's death when Islam reigned supreme over ^Vrabia, Syria, Persia, Egypt, the whole of the northern coast of Africa, even as far as Spain; and, notwith- stantling the subsequent strifes and divisions in the in- terior of this gigantic realm, it grew, and grew out- wardly, until tiie Crescent was made to gleam from the spires of St. Sophia at Constantinople, and the cry "Al- lah il Allah" resounded before the gates of Vienna, and that but for the successful opposition of Charles jNIartel, the Moslems might not only have caused the downfall of the Romish hierarchy, but even extirpated Christian- ity itself. Sec Sakacexs. If, however, we inquire into the causes of these successes of the Crescent, we find that Mohammed's law was artfully and marvellously adapted to the corrupt nature of man ; and, in a most particular manner, to the manners and opinions of the Knstcrn nations, and the vices to which they were nat- urally addicted: for the articles of the faith which it jiroposed were few in number, and extremely simple; and the duties it required were neither many nor diffi- cult, nor such as were incompatible with the empire of appetites and passions. It is to be observed, further, that the gross ignorance under which the Arabians, Syrians, Persians, and the greatest part of the Eastern nations labored at this time rendered many an easy prey to the artifice and eloquence of this bold advent- urer. To these causes of the progress of Jlohammedan- ism we may add that these victories of the Crescent w'cre secured, not b^' tlic spread of the Koran, but by armies in hostile array, invading peaceful countries for spoil and devastation. It is an error even to place the first conquests and the rapid S])rcad of Islam to the credit of Arabian religious fanaticism. We must refiect that military glory ami Iniotv to the Bedouins, who formed the tlower of the first Arabian armies, were not less eu-
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ticing than the pleasure-gardens with everblooming virgius [see Houkis] voucheafed to the faithful. Nor must it be forgotten that the state of the countries and nations conquered by the Arabs was decayed and rotten, fiilling to pieces at the first touch. In Persia and Syria, as well as in Egypt, in Barbary, in Sicily, and in Spain, the Arabs were victorious because the. population was dissatisfied with their governments, and often in secret understanding with the enemy. Persia was weakened by long wars with Byzantium, and divided by the no- bility ruling the court ; while, besides, many of its in- habitants, of Arabian origin, especially in the Western provinces, sympathized with the kindred troops. A similar condition of things prevailed in Syria, where also the Shemitic population predominated, looking upon the Byzantines as their oppressors. In Egypt, to the antipathy between Copts and Greeks was added an ecclesiastical pressure against the Monophysites by the Byzantine court, which held to the doctrine of the double nature of Christ, For the subjugation of Sicily the Saracens were mostly indebted to the traitor Eu- phemius, and count Julian made way for the Arabs in the conquest of Spain, the more rapidly accomplished sisice a part of the maltreated people were indifferent spectators of the struggle, while another part even aided the enemy. Thus it is explained how the Islam, within a short century, victoriously raised its standard from the Guadalquivir to the Indus. But thus rapidly it also went to decline, when the caliphs became effeminate, and were controlled by foreign mercenaries ; when rude force obstructed every scientific elevation ; and internal feuds, in consequence of no appointed succession by Mo- hammed, consumed its best energies. If undisputed le- gitimate foundation was formerly wanting to strengthen monarchy, because the adherents of Ali believed only his descendants worthy of succession, this difRculty is still greater under the Osmanlis, who are not looked upon as legitimate dynasts even by the Sunnites, and hence it has happened twice in our day that Christian bayonets have had to defend the sultan against an Ara- bian army commanded by an ambitious Turk (Ali and Ibrahim Pasha). How long European diplomacy will succeed in nursing the sick empire cannot be predicted ; but it is certain that if no other reforms than those hitherto introduced, and these mostl}' on paper, impart a fresh, vigorous spirit to the Mohammedan states and the Islam faith, both will verge on ruin.
The Christian must, moreover, refuse all credit to Is- lam as a civilizing influence, because it has failed to prove itself such after a trial of centuries. In the East, as we have already conceded, it has done some good. But let it not be forgotten that it scarcely accomplished as much as Judaism could have secured. Had Moham- medanism been confined to the limits of Arabia, it would have accomplished a mission, an appointment — possibly even divine — for it would have fitted that countrj' for Christianity as such, as the IMosaic institutions fit for the higher laws of Christianity. And, as has been well said, " were it not for the all-important fact that Chris- tianity had been preached in the interval, the mission of Mohammed would appear exactly analogous to that of Moses. If the religion of Mohammed Avas imperfect, so was that of IMoses ; if the civil precepts of Moham- med were adapted only to a single nation, so were those of Moses also. Indeed, in some respects, Mohamme- danism is a clear advance upon Judaism. It more dis- tuictly represents God as the God of the whole world, and not of one nation only ; it preaches with more clear- ness the doctrines of God's general providence, of a res- urrection, and of a final judgment. ... In short, had Mohammedanism only preceded Christianity, it might have been accepted as another step towards it; the mosque might have been an appropriate and friendly halting-place between the synagogue and the church. As it is, Mohammedanism, coming after Christianity, has proved its deadliest enemy. Its claim to be to Christianity what Christianity was to Judaism is belied