"Conversions, too, in these countries are impossible, since a change of opinion would brand with perpetual opprobrium, and would often be punished with death by a tribe, a village, or a family. As for the Mahometans, conversion amongst them is unheard of. Their religion is a practical deism, the morality of which is the same in principle as that of Christianity, but is not founded on the doctrine of the incarnation of the Deity. The doctrine of Mahometanism is simply a belief in divine inspiration, manifested by a man wiser and more favoured with the celestial emanation than his fellow-creatures. Some miraculous operations have since been mixed up with the mission of Mahomet, but these legendary miracles of Islamism do not form the foundation of the religion, and are even rejected by enlightened Turks. All religions have their legends, their absurd traditions, their popular aspects; the philosophical view of Mahometanism is pure from these grosser mixtures; it consists only in resignation to the will of God, and charity towards men. I have conversed with a great number of truly religious Turks and Arabians, who admitted nothing but what is reasonable and human in their creed. Their reason had no efforts to make to accept dogmas from which it revolted. Their's was practical and contemplative deism. Such men are not easily converted; it is natural to descend from marvellous to simple doctrines, but not to remount from the simple to the marvellous."—(Vol. II., p. 176.)

Here is an observation of the most striking truth, “con"version from Mahometanism to Christianity is unheard of." M. De Lamartine fairly avows that portion of the cause which he had penetrated with the discrimination which is the prerogative of genius. And as a Catholic he could have penetrated no further. They have never had an opportunity of seeing Christianity unalloyed with idolatry, and they naturally conceive that all Christians must be idolaters. We were acquainted with an Arab Emir of the mountains of Lebanon, who had renounced Christianity and become a Mahometan, on account, as he said himself, of his not being able to bear the idea of creature worship; and this, at a time when there were numerous Protestant missionaries in Syria that were sending home volumes of reports and researches. We witnessed the interest and avidity with which the Damascenes perused part of the Scriptures in Arabic, which were lent them by an English merchant, and we overheard ourselves one of the Ulema, after reading a portion of the holy writ, exclaim, "I had always thought these Englishmen were atheists."

"The grand idea which there fills and expands the imagination of all people, is that of religion. Throughout (the East), the manner and laws of all the tribes are founded on the religious principle. The West has never displayed this, and why? because they are a less noble race, children of barbarians, still savouring of their origin. These lofty matters are out of place in the West, where the lowest of human feelings and ideas, constantly take precedence of the highest. It

is the region of gold, of agitation, and noise. The East is the region of profound meditation-of instruction-of adoration."-(Vol. II., p. 321.)

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What meaning is conveyed here to the mind of a reasoning being, by the expression, "manners, and laws, founded on the "religious principle?"-and then "they are nobler than the men of Europe," and the men of Europe "less noble," because "sons "of barbarians?" Our author sees things that surprise and overwhelm him; he has not time to examine, and yet, travellerlike, he must explain. The resumé of their character he draws up in the following remarkable words:

"The Turks are, in my estimation, the first and most worthy amongst the numerous races that people their vast empire; their character is the noblest and most dignified, their courage is unimpeachable, and their virtues, religious, civil, and domestic, are calculated to inspire every impartial mind with esteem and admiration. Magnanimity is inscribed on their foreheads and displayed in their actions: if they had better laws, and a more enlightened government, they would be one of the greatest people the world has seen."-(Vol. III., p. 381.)

We cannot here help quoting an expression which we heard from the lips of a worthy and most useful American Missionary, addressed to some fellow Missionary, who had arrived from America, ready to make an Auto-da-fè of all Mahometans,-"You will see practised by the Turks the "virtues we talk of in Christendom!"

Nobody, of the commonest information, is ignorant of the fact that Mahometanism reckons the Old and New Testament as inspired writings, and as their law; no one is ignorant that, though Mahomet is the last and greatest of the prophets, Christ to them is "the spirit of God," and that the Koran, in all its excellent parts, is a transcript of the Testament, the remainder being wild and inoperative fancies: but how few reflect on the different character which this state of mind gives to the Mahometan's regard for Christianity, and the Christian's regard for Mahometanism! The Mahometan (strange as it may seem to the religious animosity of Christendom, which reflects itself, to its own eyes, in the dispositions of the East), though he may not inquire particularly into the dogmas of our various churches, denies not the prophetic character of Jesus; and the expressions of contempt which many have misapplied to Christianity, are called forth by the symbols and externals of those sects which, to him, are the only personification of Christianity. A Protestant feels and expresses more

loudly the same, without being set down as an infidel. Islamism does despise the external practices, and the church government, and even some of the dogmas of the sect to which M. De Lamartine belongs; it rejects an organised and bachelor priesthood-saints' worship-auricular confession-the adoration of the Virgin-and revolts at the idea of transubstantiation. But from the pride and rites of the Romish Church where can it turn to form to itself a correct estimate of Christianity? solely to its Eastern rival; where all its faults are displayed without the veil or palliation of its riches, dignity, and instruction. When, however, Mahometans have had opportunities of observing the forms of Protestant worship, and have entered a Christian Church-where no crucifixes-no images-no exhibitions of religious witchcraft or priestly fraud-no revolting display of a malefactor's tortures as a personification of the Deity*—they exclaim, and naturally too, "This is not Christianity, this ❝is our own worshipt!"

One consideration which we now indicate, but which it would require a volume to develope, is necessary to the comparison of the two systems, once struggling in arms, now peaceably co-existing in the East-and that consideration is, that Mahomet conceived his religious system, after all the evils resulting from the political character of the Eastern Church had developed themselves-when a priesthood with a code, organization, and a treasury, had introduced a strong line of demarcation, or rather a principle of opposition, into the heart of the church, placing on one hand the professors of the faith, on the other the servants of the altar. This relative position of the laity and priesthood, led to war between themselves. For the latter, released from the bonds of domestic affections and social interests, and urged by the double promptings of ambition and fanaticism, a new arena

We earnestly recommend to the perusal of those who may be led by our remarks to question the correctness of their own opinions-that extraordinary work, "Mahometanism unveiled," by the Rev. Mr. Forster. Deeply do we regret that Mr. Forster, after reaching to so high an appreciation of so many of the bearings of this question, by the examination of the writings of others, has not had personal opportunities, which would have led him still further. The end and object of that work has no part in this opinion-that was a fixed idea in his mind before the inquiry was undertaken, in which he has elicited so much light.

The Mahometan can only perform his adorations in a holy place (that is not polluted). The Mahometan freely performs his religious rite in a Protestant Church.

of action was laid open: and their fervour of faith and depth of conviction (not to speak of less worthy feelings), added to the devotion of followers and the hatred and provocation of antagonists, had fatigued the Eastern world by a century and a half of unceasing commotions, previously to the appearance of the legislator of Arabia. Mahomet studied the Gospel, and he looked upon the teachers of its spirit. What his profounder lucubrations were who can tell? What the results he arrived at were, we may infer from the practical ends he proposed to himself-the abolition of all distinction between clergy and laity—a principle so systematically insisted on, and so effectually secured, that to this very day it stands unimpaired.

Nor have we the right to affirm that the results obtained were not calculated on as well as arrived at: those results were, cessation of internal religioùs contention-unity in matters of faith and religion without distinctive power or action, becoming the impulse of the whole mass of its adherents. With this grand idea was associated the character of the life of the desert, integrity of mind, firmness of purpose, endurance of disposition, and respect among the early propagators of Islamism for the institutions of all men, as a principle resulting from their own habits-as a feeling prompted by their own character. It was this disposition of mind which tempered the blade of Damascus in the hands of the followers of Mahomet, and if the fatal edge of persecution degraded the scymetar of the Califs, that was a natural result of the condition of the times, and of the fanaticism of their opponents. Thus arose Islamism, environed, in the eyes of the Christian fanatics as of the pagan idolaters, with the apparent attributes of simplicity and of truth; and energetic as was its spirit and its action, its progress seems rather to have been effected by invitation than by impulse.

We come to latter times: and here, in our own century, an equally strange ignorance is to be found in Europe of M. De Lamartine has ventured to inform things as they are. his co-religionists that proselytism to Christianity does not take place; nay, that it is impossible. This is much, but not all. Proselytism is now rapidly going on from Christianity to Islamism. We state, from our own observation, the fact of pro

selytism among Greeks, Bulgarians, and Georgians; we have conversed with individuals of all these races, who have become Mussulmans. The extent to which this goes it may be impossible to state with any degree of accuracy, but it is considerable.

This is not of to-day. A century ago there were no Albanian Mahometans, there are now above a million; the Sclavonic populations were all Christians, they now reckon two millions of Mahometans. The Greeks of Europe have been subject to less change, yet considerable numbers, though no large bodies, that we are aware of, have embraced Islamism. Not so the Asiatic Greeks; the district of Off, which contains a large portion of the remnants of the Greek empire of Trapezuntium, have all become Mussulmans. They speak Greek still (while, strange to say, the Haichrum, or Armenian Greeks, the Greeks of the Greek Church of Asia Minor, speak Turkish); and preserving the scholastic temperament of their race, have all of them applied themselves to the study of the Mussulman law, and are to be found all over the empire, as doctors, judges, and scribes. In each village they tell you the year when it pleased God to enlighten them, and deliver them from idolatry and licentious habits. The Curds and many Armenians passed in a large mass from Christianity to Islamism, on the refusal of the Patriarchs of the Armenian and Greek Churches to permit them to use milk and curds during the long fasts, and these pastoral people have often no other means of subsistence. Even the Jews have been converted to Islamism. A body of them, a hundred and fifty years ago, at Salonica, passed from the faith of Abraham; but they still remain a distinct though wealthy and respected class, under the title of Dunme. The Georgians in the Turkish territory have, within fifty years, begun to abandon Christianity; their conversion is now almost complete. We extract from a recent traveller in that country, some cursory observations on the subject.

"Russia introduced disorders into this province, and "fomented them; the Dèrè Bey system sprang up, and this, "with the discredit attached to Christianity by the neighbour

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ing administration of Russia, has led to the apostacy of the "Lazes. Russia, in separating them administratively from "the Porte, has brought about their religious union to the