Mahometanism

That our Elders and readers may understand a little about Turkish religion, we extract the following sketch from the 'Universal Traveller [Traveler]."

'The religion of European Turkey is the Mahometan, Christian, and Jewish. The Christian embraces the Armenian, Catholic, and Greek churches. Mahometanism, however, is the prevailing faith, and its professors, acting upon the principle of exclusion inculcated in the Koran, regard with disdain and aversion, all who adopt a different faith.

The Koran is the bible of the Mahometans. It was the work, as our readers will know, of Mahomet, the founder of this religion, who was born in Mecca, A. D. 569. In his youth he was a travelling [traveling] merchant. His fortunes and influence were established by his marriage of a rich widow by the name of Cadjah, in whose service he had been employed. At the age of forty, he began to promulgate his religion which, partaking somewhat of Judaism and Christianity, has been called a 'Christian heresy.' In successive years, he published portions of the Koran, as suited his convenience, accommodating his revelations to exigences [exigencies] as they occurred. At first, his success was small, his converts few; but at length he gathered strength, made himself master of Arabia, and now for more than twelve hundred years, Mahometanism has prevailed to a great extent in Asia, and also in Africa. Turkey in Europe is one of its strongholds.

The Koran inculcates the belief of six articles or commandments.

1st. The belief in one only God.

2d. The belief in Mahomet's apostolical [apostolic] character.

3d. The observance of the Ramazan Fast.

4th. The practice of the five prayers and ablutions.

5th. The application of two and a half percent, of property to the poor.

6th. The performance of the pilgrimage to Mecca.