Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, November 11, 1900, Page 16

Experiences of a Mohammedan Convert The mission founding of the Love and Peace in Omaha recently by J. 1. Tam inosian, & native of Syria and a converted Mohammedan, I8 €0 out of the ordinary in religious work that we print a picture of the founder of this mission and also pic tures showing some of the religlous cus toms of the Mohammedans The followers of Mohammed, according to recent estl mates, number about 150,000,000 human be ings. “There is no God but God” is the principal tenet in Mohammedan dogmatics and He has created the world and the lu- mortal soul of man, whose life on earth He shall judge and reward or punish in a future state. But the further development of this ldea, especlally of the relation be- tween God and mankind, is narrow, fan- tastic and arbitrary. Before the almighty power of Allah the free will of man van- ishes. Mohammedanism I8 fatalism. lm- mediately after the passage quoted above follows: ““And Mohammed is His apostle Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses and Christ are acknowledged as prophets sent by God but Mohammed is the fulfillment of ali prophecy and the Koran the final revela tion. The five principal commandments in the moral code of Islam, symbolized in Mohammedan art by the hand with its five fingers, are prayer, almsgiving, fasting, pilgrimage and war against the intidel The influence which these five command- ments exercised in the time when they ac- tually bore sway over the Moslem mind {8 very apparent in history. But at pres- ent only the first of them, the different modes of which are shown in the accom- panying pictures, has maintained its au thority intact. That of the last is en- tirely lost and that of the three others I8 disputed, or at least subject to commen- taries of a doubtful character. Travelers in Mobammedan countries speak with unqualified praise of the ear- nestness, sincerity and devotion with which the Moslem performs his prayers several times a day after careful ablution, kneel- ing on his prayer carpet, as shown in form b, If he cannot go to the mosque, and with his face turned toward Mecca Forsnkes Armenian Failth, J. 1. Taminosian is an Armenlan by birth, having been born in the village of Bathyas, about eighteen miles southwest of Antioch, Syria, August 26, 1869, He was reared in his native city, where the disciples were first called Christians. His parents were Armenians. His father was a deacon in the Coogregational church and the early training of the son was about the same as American boys recelve. Like many boys in Christian lands, he forsook the faith of his patents when he became & young man. This vas brought about in the followiug manner as told by Mr. Taminosian: “When 1 was a young boy attending school we had a neighbor who was a Mo- hammedan shelk. One day when absent from school 1 saw children, as well as grown people, gathering in his house. From the window In our house 1 had seen the ceremonies they performed. It was a won- derful show. Some were eating fire, others playing with snakes and still others stick- ing needles through their bodies and eat- ing glass. These torturous performances seemed to have no effect om them. 1 was amused and desired to learn their pecullar tricks. At my earliest convenience I visited the shelk and expressed my desire to learn ‘that trade.’ He replled: ‘My son, we do those things by the strength of our religion. Those are miracles. Only holy people are eutitled to exercise them.' Then there ceme to my mind the words of Christ: ‘Behold 1 give unto ycu power to tread on gerpents and scorpions and over all power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt you.' I was convinced that the true gospel was exercised among the Mohammedans and started to receive in- structions about the religion of Moham- med, “It was not long before my family knew 1 was secretly visiting the house of the sheik. In order to accomplish my purpose and release myself from persecution I left my home and relatives and under an as sumed name went to Egypt. After many trinls and dificultles 1 gained the sympa- thy of Prince Ibraham Pasha, cousin to the khedive, Tewfik Pasha. While in his palace I announced my faith in Mohammedanism. He appointed an especial teacher to give me Instructions in the mysteries of Moham- med’'s religion. Three years later 1 was ordained a priest, but continued my educa- tion for another year, when I was sent to Constantinople with a recommendation to the grand vizier, Kamel Pasha, who was second to the sultan in power. 1 was pre- sonted to the sultan, Abdul Hamid, who desired to hear the story of my conversion to Mohammedanism. 1 was his guest for three days in the Yildiz Kiosk, the private palace. He honored me by glving me 5600 plastres pension salary and appointing me to preach at St. Sophla mosque, with 3560 plastres monthly wages. He also con- ferred the honor of shelk (blshop) upon me, and I began performing ceremonies in that great and famous mosque. “During my summer vacation, when 1 was in the city of Adana visiting the grand vizler's brother, who was governor of that state, an Armenjan bishop sent me a mes- sage desiring to have a conversation with me. I accepted the invitation and visited him at the appointed time. With tears in his eyes he sald: ‘My boy, why did you not try to be a bishop in the religion of Christ among your own nation? Do you really believe that Mohammedanism is bet- ter than Christianity? 1 declared the truth that I had been honored with titles, but there {8 no satisfaction in my soul I sald I realized 1 did wrong, but there is no possibility to release myself from that bondage, because everybody allowed to Join Mohammedanism, but no one can leave it without penalty of death, the teaching of their religion The dear old reverend gentleman sald: ‘If you go back to Constantinople I will write to the patriarch, who can appoint some people who can asslst you to escape Etchmeadzin, in Russia, where you can cultivate yourself in Chris tianity."” I accepted the suggestion and in order to accomplish my purpose when I returned to the manslon of the governor I said to him ‘I like to go back to Constantinople the purpose of joining according to to for the army, where I can gain more glory for It was hard for him to go against my soul.’ the teachings of his religion, therefore he sald: ‘I don't llke to be a stumbling block in your way; do as the Lord directs you." Joins the Army. “On the 12th day of June I salled from Mercinia, landing at Constantinople on the 19th day of the same month, Only four days betore my arrival, on the 15th day of June, 1890, the Armenian trouble took place. The patriarch had run away from his ofMice The representative of that office, after hear- ing my story, was suspicious, thinking me a detective, Therefore he objected to taking any part in the matter. When I was dls- appointed I joined the army I am sorry to say my duty called me to take part in shedding the blood of my own nation. Two bands of soldiers and oune lieutenant were appointed to recelve forty-nine Armenlans from the city jall and destroy their llves. I was one of the soldiers. Before we reached the place of destruction one of them recognized me. With a tender volce, in the Armenian language, he said: ‘'My brethren, 1 feel that we are going to be killed, but 1 know & man among those sol- dlers who denied Christ and now is ready THE ILUSTRATED BEE. Georgia Woman With % shed the blood of his own natlon.’ He gazed up to the sky, appealing to God Almighty in shis manner ‘Oh, God, open his eyes, wuch his stony heart make him realize what he is doing. It is a curse for me to have my blood shed by his hands He was continuing his prayer when I lost myself, falling to the earth with the smite of conscience I knew my life would be in danger if 1 refused my duty, but the love of nation and justice to humanity made me willing to sacrifice my life rather than to commit such a crime When 1 recelve the command from the lieutenant nd to my duty I refused. He reported the fact to the general and sent me to jail immediately The matter provoked the general and my having Armenian blood in my veins was against me. A report with strong preju dices was prepared by the general and sent by epecial carrier to the sultan. The sultan had full confidence in the general and he therefore passed sentence by say ing Let him be banished to south Arabia after fulfilling his term as a soldier in the city of Yamen; in place of his re- celving his discharge let him receive death After twenty-one days in jail with MOHAMMEDAN RELGIOUS CUSTOMS gnithment in Turkish 5"10‘1'., no privilege of reading or ing, living on dry ing on the damp soldier overcoat was read to me Res I by Yo g Turks, “While I was on my way to the steam skip 1 saw a few people standing at a corner near the seashore. 1 signaled the sign of danger of life according to the in structions of the Young T society to which I belonged. 1 received no response My grief and sorrow were increased. When we reached the steamship the captain gave the eommand and started his journey “After two days we landed in the gulf of Smyrna. At night there came a great crowd and took me from the hands of the soldliers by force. They had been instructed of the facts by the Young Turks' society, the result of the signal which I gave while on my way to the steamship I was kept secretly about ten months, but when the goesips exposed the place of my hiding to the government I was obliged to escape, snd immediately went to the American missionaries’ home By them 1 was sent to America, reaching this country June 65, 1883." talk bread and water, sleep ground, with only my a8 covering, the sentence writing or urks Half Dozen Trade There is one Georgia girl who does not propose to rust out, and she is not afraid, ap pare of wearing out Already she 18 engaged in six occupations, and it is said she is sceking to add still further to her activities, She Is Miss Lulu M. Pierce of Thomson, She is now postmistress of her town, church organist, editor of the county newspaper, correspondent of several city dailies, fire insurance agent and a solicitor for health insurance. One would think she could find enough to do in these half dozen occupations to keep her busy, but she is not yet satisfled and is seeking for more employment She was not obliged from necessity to go out into the business world but did so because of a pointed inclination to do a man's work. She says she has a man's ambitions, thoughts and ideas and feels like exercising them Miss Plerce was but 18 years old when she her start made in business. It was when ¢ - “‘wba\\‘ | \o“fi“?— Y“M‘\‘ng Form No. %~ -] \ ) / Thomas E president Watson, former nominee for vice on the populist ticket, and a resident of Thomson, was editing a paper in Atlanta called the People's Party, which had a circulation of 17,000, Mr. Watson suddenly had need of a business man, and I\nm\mL; Miss Pierce from childhood and having con- fidence that she could fill the position he wired an offer to Miss Pierce, asking her to go to Atlanta, She had similar confidence and took the first train for Atlanta. Although new to the newspaper business Miss Pierce entered into her new duties heart and soul and made an astonishing success The paper was $600 in debt when she took hold of ft. She soon had it of debt and a comfortable sum in the treasury. As Editor Watson was often out of town and there was a paucity of editorlal matter, Miss Plerce was often obliged to write the editorials. She wrote good ones, and her work attracted the at tention of Atlanta daily mewspaper men and she was offered several positions on the dailles there. S8he had about decided to muke journalism her life work, when she temporarily succumbed to an attack of nervous prostration. When she recov- ered she had such a distaste for politics out November 11, 1000 pcpulism, democracy, soclalism, repub licanism and all other isms dealing with political questions—that she determined to have nothing further to do with them When she had recovered from nervous prestration she accepted a position in the Thornbury college at Atlanta as instructor in latin and mathematics, being an expert in both of these branches. Then she re turned to Thomson and one by one ac quircd the various professions mentioned at the beginning of this story. Miss Plerce's nerve was recently illus trated by an experience she had with a Themson negro, who on several occasions robbed the postoffice at Thomson. The negro belonged to a notorious criminal family and she was threatened with vio lence if she prosecuted the thief. This only made her all the more determined and, going to Augusta, she had him prose cuted. In newspaper work Miss Plerce is editor of the McDuflie County Journal and corre- spondent for the Atlanta Journal and Augusta Herald. She has the “‘news in- stinet,” and has run down many a story that has escaped the vision of the other correspondents in the town. “1 do not think that there are more ob- stacles in the way of women than of men in the business world,” says Miss Pierce, “and 1 see no reason why women who do not care to be lotus eaters should not go into business or professional life. I work for the sheer love of it—it is play for me."” Roman Cookery The honor of having produced the first cook book in the world belongs to the Romans. 1ts authorship has been attributed to Caelius Apicius, a gastronome who lived 114 years betore the Christian era under the Emperor Trajan, Here are two recipes taken from its pages: “Kirst, for a sauce to be eaten with boiled fowl, put the following in- gredients into a mortar: Aniseed, dried miut and lazer root, cover them with vinegar, add dates and pour in liquamen (a disilled liquor made from large fish which were sulted and allowed (o turn putrid in the sun), oill and a small quantity of mustard sceds. Reduce all to a proper thickness with sweet wine warmed and then pour chis same over your chicken, which should previously be boiled in anisced water.”” The second recipe shows the same queer mixture of ingredients “Take a wheelbarrow of rose leaves and pound in a mortar, add to it brains of two pigs and two thrushes boiled and mixed with the chopped-up yolk of egg, oil, vinegar, pepper and wine, Mix and pour these together and stew them steadily and slowly till the perfume is developed.” The Romans were very fond of surprise dishes, such as pigs stuffed with live thrushes, and, to anticipate a little, this taste descended so near our own times as the reign of Charles II, as witness a recipe of that date for making two pres which were to be served together—one containing live birds and the other live frogs. When the latter was opened “‘out skip the frogs, which make the ladies to shriek and skip,” whlile the birds when released were to add to the general confusion by flying at the candles and putting out the lights. A dish of pea- cock was a favorite “plat” at Rome and was gerved at the beginning of dinner. The bird, having first been done to death by stifling, was then skinned, the inside was filled with the flesh of other birds and the whole sewed together again and finally sent in to table aflixed to a small branch, as if alive, Professional Eaters 0. A. Wright of Madison, Wis., supervisor of Indian schools, tells an interesting story concerning the professional eaters of the Sioux Indians on the Devil's Lake reserva- tion in North Dakota. The professional eater among the Devil's Lake Indians, ac- cording to Supervisor Wright, pursues a recognized profession which entitles him to distinetion and eminence, measured largely by his capacity, The more capacity the more eminence and distinetion, The Sioux at Devil's lake are a hospitable people A guest must be fed, and the table placed before him must be bountifully sup- plied. If not, it is a gross violation of Indlan etiquette, which subjects offenders to harsh criticism. The obligation on the part of the guest is equally pinding Very often the latter is the unfortunate victim of too much kindness If, however, he should fall to dispose of all the food placed before him his offense would be as great as that of the host whose larder failed to respond to the de- mands ot the prevailing social usage among these Indians. The capacity of some of these professional caters is phenomenal. They are said to be carefully trained to their calling, and the returns for their services are certainly very remunerative to the Indian mind, One who is about to make a call and who feels that he will not be equal to the occasion secures a professional eater. The latter secures for his services the food he devours and $1 in additicn Supervisor Wright met one of these professional gentlemen at Devil's Lake who had recently performed the re- markable feat of eating seventeen pounds of fresh beef. Some doubt is expressed here as to the posgibility of a man eating so much meat at one sitting. Mr. Wright told the officials, however, that the story is vouched for by Agent Getchell and Father Jerome, the latter Catholic misslonary at Devil's Lake. The supervisor added that the In- dian was extremely modest amid the shower of congratulations bestowed upon him by friends and admirers,