THE SELAMLIK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 25 August 1909, Page 81

THE SELAMLIK.

By a Banker:

Cnce a week, on Friday, the Mohammedan Sabbath, the Commander ot the Faithful, as he ia pleased to call himself, proceed* in state to his mosque. For «n hour ot two before the hour of prayer the roads lead* iag to this fine OrieKtal fane ar« practically cvlosed, except to those having permission to occupy an enclosure opposite the mosque gates. And now regiment after regiment inarches in, each -preceded by its band aJidl followed by its water-bearers, men carrying. abeep§kuie.-r-tUes appear more .like pigskins, but As thai animal' is anathema to the Moslem, the former supposition ia , correct — distended - with water, -which is poured out through -the animal's nose into a cup said handed round wihen. the regiment' halts. *" w '

And still they march on, thousands upon thousands of them, lining the entire xoadv six deep, from the place to the mosque, the"' Dands playing weird Oriental music or Western marAes, with almost the precision of an English "regimental band. la front is a great assemblag.: of colonels aiwfl general^, mostly covered with orders an<s medals, and decorated 'With heavy bullion epaulettes; whilevon the farther side a long line of water-bearers' is stationed.' A few* carriages, the coachmen,- footmen, and) runners all- in gorgeous livery, now drive in, conveying* Turkish ladies to the garden of the mosque, some in ordinary Oriental' garb, but several dressed in the height of Parisian fashion, though covered with an extreme!; diaphanous veil, Which entirely failed to conceal 'their good looks.

And now - from the minaret of the mosque an official in stentorian -tones Titters the muezzin, or . call to - prayer. A biigl< .Bounds, the line of troops, present arms, andt the. aged Sultar slowly drives- down in. an open Victoria, " stalling and bowing, passing} -into the njpsjjue midst the' loud huzzas* of thei' ■ • soldiery. ■ After about half an hour — ancß, during the .time ol waiting the Sultan w| good enough to send refreshments to the visitors— the astute old monarch emerges' fron- the" mosque and drives back to «hi« palace. Aye, those Moslems, however lax theifC morality, and however cruel their methods* cannot have it laid to their charge th*f they ara ashamed of their Teligion. "Whet* they hear the muezzin work ceases, and instantly they bow -clown in prayer. But, alas! how m*ny Christians must plead guilty, to such a charge, and would be ashamed ta be seen on then: knees? And yet the religion of the Christian— the belief that the Son of God visited tile eartih in human form, and aft&r suffering scoxn and contumely and re' proooh died in agony upon the/ Cross, His sufferings being the punishment for our sina borne by Him in our stead, ia t far xnora comforting creed tiian cold Mohammedanism 1 . And ev«n the Koran - admits thtrf "Christ i* the Word of God. proceeding from Himself. * —[Koran, chap. 111.l