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appears astonishing to the sober-minded, who have not been influenced by similar associations. The observance of these peculiarities was often spoken of as "faithfulness in the day of small things,"-their dereliction, as a breaking down the hedge of defence, and admitting "the little foxes to spoil the tender vine." Thus, instead of endeavouring to awaken young people to a sense of their lost condition by nature, instead of setting before them the free salvation, the grand principles and glorious privileges of the Gospel, which, like the light and the air, are essential to every child of Adam, they shut up their hearers into the littleness and the narrowness of a sectarian spirit.

Nor were the zealous advocates of Quakerism satisfied with the general inculcation of its "testimonies." It was once more frequent than perhaps it is now, to preach to states-it is needless to explain the term. Friends of mature age must recollect the time when it was very common; nor is the practice yet entirely relinquished. When this took place in public assemblies, it was left for the conscience of the hearers to appropriate what they might feel to be applicable to themselves; but when similar communications were made in private companies, in families, or pointedly to individuals,—very frequently to females of that susceptible age when enthusiasm is most easily kindled,-when such heard themselves addressed as being "preciously visited with the day-spring from on high," as "under the preparing hand for eminent usefulness in the church;" when they were exhorted, not to search the Scriptures, that they might learn how " in the old time the holy women who trusted in God adorned themselves," but " to dwell deep with the manifestations of Divine grace in the secret of their own hearts," and "to give up all that the Lord was calling for ;"-when they were assured, as with prophetic authority, that "if they faithfully abode the turnings of the Divine hand, they would be raised up as testimonybearers in the cause of truth," is it- can it be any marvel that such predictions, operating on minds of this class, should insure their own fulfilment? They must, of necessity, frequently and powerfully recur to a mind which presumed not to doubt the influence under which they were delivered; and the natural struggle with feminine timidity would be lamented in self-condemnation, as a culpable reluctance to yield to Divine requirings. How naturally it follows, that in the mental abstraction of a silent meeting, passages of Scripture should present themselves, accompanied by an awful, undefinable persuasion that they were so revived for the benefit of others! Can we wonder that, after many hesitations, much deep and secret suffering, "the

apprehension of duty" conquers the reluctance of nature, and the Rubicon is passed?

So far from feeling surprise at the result of a concatenation like this, we may perceive such an evident relation between cause and effect, that the real wonder would be, if the number of female ministers did not preponderate in a Society trained in the unhesitating adoption of these views. And, taking into consideration the greater natural susceptibility of women to religious impressions, as well as their comparative freedom from secular engagements, it seems a very reasonable inference that the preponderance of female ministry in the Society of Friends will continue to increase; and that, from the joint influence of this ministry and of birth-right membership, the professors of Quakerism will be divided into two classes, the one adopting a religion of feeling; the other, frequently perceiving that what is delivered as from Divine authority accords neither with Scripture nor with reason, may be tempted to regard the influence of the Holy Spirit as altogether an illusion. These may endeavour to satisfy the conscience by fulfilling the external obligations of morality and benevolence, and will complacently substitute natural theology for the religion of the New Testament.

MOHAMMEDANISM.

[WHILE we rejoice in beholding the Gospel mighty, through God, to the pulling down strongholds, it is well, also, at times, to take a view of the extent to which mankind is held in bondage by the great enemy of souls. The present paper exhibits a faithful analysis of one of the grand delusions of Satan, in which probably not less than one fourth of the human race are involved. The religion of the false prophet presents a most formidable obstacle to the triumphs of the Cross; for, whilst the success of Christian missionaries, though devoted as Henry Martyn in Persia, or energetic as Groves at Bagdad, have been hitherto productive of very few converts among the followers of Mohammed; on the other hand, the missionaries of this false faith are found actively at work wherever Europeans have been able to penetrate in Africa; and that with great success, as the education of the young is very much confided to their care. It is a singular circumstance, that Mohammedanism is said to have made 20,000 converts at Cape Town within a few years, whilst the progress of the Gospel there has been small in comparison. It is probable that one cause of

this may be the great kindness which the disciples of the Koran show towards all slaves who embrace the faith of their masters, whilst with nominal Christians the reverse appears to be the case. Another cause may be the prevalent habits of intoxication amongst those English with whom these people come most in contact; as it is said to be a common taunt thrown out in some parts of the East, on observing a native intoxicated with wine or spirits, "That man has left Mohammed, and gone over to Jesus." The Christian mind must deeply deplore the impediments which the vices of nominal Christians thus cast in the way of the diffusion of the saving truth.

The authorities which have been consulted in preparing this essay are, Gayner's Translation of Abulfeda's Life of Mohammed; Sale's Preface to the Koran; Mills's History of Mohammedanism; the Koran; the Hedaya, or Body of Mohammedan Laws; Lane's Customs and Manners of the Modern Egyptians; D'Ohsson's Tableau de l'Empire Ottoman; Taraki Tabari; D'Herbelot's Bibliotheque Orientale, &c.

EDS.]

In an attempt to sketch the prominent features of the chief religions of the East, which is the object of the following pages, that professed by the followers of Mohammed naturally presents itself first to our consideration. Including among its votaries the most intelligent, the bravest, and the most powerful nations of Asia and Africa, with most of whom our own country has held or now holds some political relation, and upon whom she possesses more or less influence, it strongly claims our attention, and the time cannot be wasted which is bestowed on a diligent study of its principles. An additional and thrilling interest is given to the inquiry by the remembrance that the fiery tide of the Mohammedan conquest was not confined to Asia and Africa; it reached the heart of France; and, for six days, the fate of Europe, to all human eyes, was suspended on the plain of Soissons. The time and circumstances of Mohammed's appearance in the Eastern world were very remarkable; and as they certainly promoted the success and modified the character of his pseudo-religion, a short account of them cannot be considered as irrelevant here.

During the latter half of the sixth century, the period in which Mohammed was born, the peninsula of Arabia was peopled by professors of two important and influential false religions, the Sabæan and the Magian, as well as by many followers of the Jewish and Christian faith; and it is a remarkable and important circumstance, that by all

these the unity of God was acknowledged; though the doctrine was debased, in the instance of the Sabæans, by the worship of idols. These, however, as well as the heavenly bodies, which they also worshipped, were distinctly acknowledged as inferior to the one creating and sustaining God. The Magians have been represented as fireworshippers, both in ancient and modern times; but, in the former case, the name was given by historians themselves practising the most debased idolatry; and, in the latter, by Mohammedan writers, the Magians' most malignant and prejudiced enemies. They themselves have constantly asserted, that their apparent worship of fire, celestial and terrestrial, was only a homage to the purest existing emblem of the supreme God.

The Jews, at the period we are speaking of, held a peculiar and commanding position in Arabia. They had been supported by royal favour, and proselytes had been gained by the terrors of sword and fire. Whole tribes held their tenets; and they proved, during the false prophet's course, his most bitter enemies. In the early part of his career he had shown them much clemency. A large proportion of the doctrines of the Koran is taken from the Old Testament; and more still from the Talmudical glosses and fables with which the Jewish rabbins adulterated the simplicity of the Scriptures.

The state of the Christian church at this period was singularly favourable to the claims of an innovater. Arabia has always been peculiarly the country of heresies; and whilst some of these so far agreed with the doctrines of the New Testament as to acknowledge the divinity of Christ, others stopped short of this, and confined themselves to a confession of his apostolic character. But even in what was called the orthodox church, the declension of religious feeling, and of outward decency of observance, was great and appalling: contentions amongst the clergy, frequently terminating in bloodshed; boundless ambition; the luxury of ecclesiastics, which often surpassed that of princes; and the prevalence of image worship, to an extent unknown to the Romish church, form the most prominent points in this picture of human depravity; and, if it were permitted us to compare guilt with guilt, we might doubt whether the blindest adherence to a false religion could be more fatal than this hideous perversion of the

true.

Whilst Arabia was in this state of feeling, he who was to be the instrument of a mighty change throughout the East, was born amongst the powerful tribe of the Koreish-not of humble birth, as the foolish or malignant assertions of his Christian biographers would lead us to

suppose, but of one of the noblest families of his tribe. His great grandfather, Hashem, was guardian of the Caaba, or square temple, said to have been built by Abraham,—an edifice especially venerated by the Koreish, and the care of which was always intrusted to one of the noblest men of their tribe.

The young orphan, for his father died two months before his birth, lost his mother also at the age of six years. His education thus devolved on his paternal grandfather, Abdolmotleb; but this relative dying, also, soon afterwards, left him to the care of his uncle, Abu Taleb. By him he was inured to arms and to commerce, making with him several campaigns against the Syrians; and, by this double training, he was gradually forming for a course of life which required at once the most prudent policy and the most daring valour. By Abu Taleb he was introduced to the confidence of Khadijah, a rich widow, who made him her confidential steward, and whom he afterwards married. This marriage was in his twenty-fifth year.

From this period he appears to have led a life of enthusiastic and solitary contemplation for fifteen years, retiring every year, during the month of Ramadhan, to fast and pray in Mount Hara, near Mecca. At the end of this period he communicated to his wife, Khadijah, that God had vouchsafed him a revelation, by the hands of his angel Gabriel. His first converts were, his wife, his slave Zeid, and his cousin Ali, the son of his guardian uncle Abu Taleb,-a young man of warm and energetic character, who became his most zealous supporter.

During the course of the next three years, six principal inhabitants of Mecca were added to the number of the converts; and to these were given the name of Ansari, or helpers. Emboldened by this increase of numbers, Mohammed publicly declared his Divine mission at an assembly of his relations, and there appointed Ali his vizir, or lieutenant. His other relations received his announcement with little cordiality; and many of them treated it with contempt.

He began, after this, to preach publicly among the Koreish, and to propound to them his principal doctrines: these were, the belief in one God, and worship of him alone; the necessity of circumcision, of fasting, of almsgiving, of prayer; frequent purification by ablution; the pilgrimage to Mecca; and abstinence from blood, that which has died of itself, intoxicating liquors, and the flesh of unclean beasts. These tenets will all be spoken of more at large in the sequel of this essay.

The Koreish heard Mohammed with some patience, till he began to