DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.14563#0337
CHAPTER XXXVII.
MOHAMMEDAN INFIDELS— PROSPECTS OP EVANGELIZA-
TION -TOLERATION.
Much that I have seen and heard in Egypt goes to sat-
isfy me that Mohammedanism, as a practical and vital sys-
tem, is losing its hold upon the masses of the people; that
it has become a traditionary thing, and that the minds of
many are in the transition state of unbelief, which will pre-
pare them to receive a more substantial faith. Of the in-
strumentalities to be used in the evangelization of Egypt, I
shall speak more at length in a subsequent chapter on the
Copts. But in immediate connection with the view of Mo-
hammedanism just presented, it will be interesting to study
the phases of the common mind toward that system.
Many of the common people are evidently indifferent to
the established religion of the country. They seldom visit
a mosque, or go through the prescribed forms of prayer.
Friday, the Mohammedan Sabbath, is very much like the
Sunday of continental Europe: the more devout close their
shops for an hour or two and go to the mosques, but the
rest of the day is given to business or pleasure. Among the
crew of our boat, there were some who never performed
their devotions ; one even mimicked the devotional attitudes
of others ; and their wit consisted chiefly in transposing sen-
tences from the Koran, in punning upon its sacred words,
and in imitating its style wdien conversing upon trifling sub-
jects, like the low wit of some American newspapers in
MOHAMMEDAN INFIDELS— PROSPECTS OP EVANGELIZA-
TION -TOLERATION.
Much that I have seen and heard in Egypt goes to sat-
isfy me that Mohammedanism, as a practical and vital sys-
tem, is losing its hold upon the masses of the people; that
it has become a traditionary thing, and that the minds of
many are in the transition state of unbelief, which will pre-
pare them to receive a more substantial faith. Of the in-
strumentalities to be used in the evangelization of Egypt, I
shall speak more at length in a subsequent chapter on the
Copts. But in immediate connection with the view of Mo-
hammedanism just presented, it will be interesting to study
the phases of the common mind toward that system.
Many of the common people are evidently indifferent to
the established religion of the country. They seldom visit
a mosque, or go through the prescribed forms of prayer.
Friday, the Mohammedan Sabbath, is very much like the
Sunday of continental Europe: the more devout close their
shops for an hour or two and go to the mosques, but the
rest of the day is given to business or pleasure. Among the
crew of our boat, there were some who never performed
their devotions ; one even mimicked the devotional attitudes
of others ; and their wit consisted chiefly in transposing sen-
tences from the Koran, in punning upon its sacred words,
and in imitating its style wdien conversing upon trifling sub-
jects, like the low wit of some American newspapers in