Look, moreover, not only to the spirit of the lawgivers, but to the general principles on which the laws are based. The tendency in all civilized9 European States is to separate religious from civil laws. In Moslem States, on the other hand, religious and civil laws are inextricably interwoven.
Look to the consequences which result from the degradation10 of women in Mohammedan countries. In respect to two points, both of which are of vital importance, there is a radical11 difference between the position of Moslem women and that of their European sisters. In the first place, the face of the Moslem woman is veiled when she appears in public. She lives a life of seclusion12. The face of the European woman is exposed to view in public. The only restraints placed on her movements are those dictated13 by her own sense of propriety14. In the second place, the East is polygamous, the West is monogamous.
It cannot be doubted that the seclusion of women exercises a baneful15 effect on Eastern society. The arguments on this subject are, indeed, so commonplace that it is unnecessary to dwell on them. It will be sufficient to say that seclusion, by confining the sphere of woman’s interest to a very limited horizon, cramps16 the intellect and withers17 the mental development of one half of the population in Moslem countries. An Englishwoman asked an Egyptian lady how she passed her time. “I sit on this sofa,” she answered, “and when I am tired, I cross over and sit on that.” Moreover, inasmuch as women, in their capacities as wives and mothers, exercise a great influence over the characters of their husbands and sons, it is obvious that the seclusion of women must produce a deteriorating18 effect on the male population, in whose presumed interests the custom was originally established, and is still maintained.
—Lord Cromer
in “Modern Egypt.”
[Pg 113]
From the day of its inception19 until the beginning of the last century, Mohammedanism never came into close, continuous contact with a pure Christianity. Its very beginning was a protest against a Christianity that, in its worship, had all the appearance, at least, of idolatry. The Mohammedan leaders then, as well as in subsequent generations, saw nothing in Christians21 which made them believe that Christianity could be better than their own religion. The Christianity with which Islam was in conflict was not such a manifestation22 in the lives and practises of its followers23 as to compel the intellectual approval of Moslems or even to command their attention. All the churches of Syria, Armenia, and Asia Minor24 had become worldly and formal, from which had departed the gentle spirit of their Lord, who exalted25 meekness26, truth, purity, and righteousness. As the Mohammedans passed on towards the north and west in their victorious27 progress, not once did they encounter the strength of Christianity displayed in quiet meekness and forgiving love. In Europe they met the Church in arms and saw in it nothing to compel their respect.
Wherever Mohammedanism has penetrated28, it has not come into vital touch with living Christianity. All that the Mohammedan knew of the practical teaching of Jesus Christ, up to the beginning of the last century, he had obtained from observing the Christians whom he conquered and controlled. It is no wonder that he concluded that his own religion was superior, when he saw the intemperance29 of even the leaders in the [Pg 114] Church, and when he took note of what seemed to him to be the worship of pictures and idols30. He could not see that the Christian20 was more truthful31, or honest, or pure, than himself; hence he naturally concluded that the Christian religion was no better at least than his own faith.
A traveler in the interior of the empire, and putting up at a caravansary kept by a Mohammedan, asked him if it would be safe to leave his luggage in the outer court. The Mohammedan replied with great earnestness, “Certainly it will be safe, for there is not a Christian living within a three hours’ journey of here.” This incident reveals the opinion of at least one Moslem regarding the power of Christianity to make men honest.
The Mohammedans have never had an adequate opportunity of knowing Jesus Christ as Redeemer and Lord and of becoming his true disciples32. They have never seen the true Christ in the face and life of his followers. They have had only a distorted vision of him, dwarfed33 and disfigured and marred34, and in that vision they have seen no form of comeliness35 and no beauty that they should desire him. It is only in comparatively recent years that an effort has been made to bring to the attention of Islam the fruits of the true Christian life. It is not possible nor is it expected that the experiences and prejudices of twelve hundred years will be overcome in a single generation or even in a century. Such deep-seated convictions can be changed only by prolonged fasting, prayer, and sacrifice. Modern missions in Turkey are an attempt to show to all in that country what true Christianity means in the individual, in the family, and in society. It is not an attempt to convince the Mohammedan by argument that Mohammed is the false prophet and that Jesus Christ is God. Such an attempt would result only in failure. The [Pg 115] Mohammedan must be made to see in the lives of the true followers of Jesus that which will give him a clear vision of the Son of man, and lead him to cry out, “My Lord and my God.” I repeat, Mohammedanism has never yet had an opportunity to accept Christ and that we may not expect it to become Christian until the Christian world has demonstrated to it the beauty, love, purity, and power of the true Christian life.
These facts regarding Turkey and the various peoples who comprise its population were not fully36 known to the early missionaries37 nor to the officers of the Mission Boards. The country was largely unexplored and the vast interior was almost a terra incognita. Mohammedanism was vaguely38 understood. There was a clear knowledge of the conditions and needs of the Greek Church, but the Armenians and the other races in the remoter interior were but partially39 understood and only by a few. The most of our knowledge of Arabia, Syria, Eastern Turkey, and the interior of Asia Minor, the customs, beliefs, and lives of the people who dwell there, is the heritage which has come to us from the investigations40 and reports of missionaries who have traversed in every direction all parts of the country, except sections of Arabia. Many of these, by living among the people for a generation and mastering their language, have been able to speak with the highest authority upon what they have seen and known. We are approaching this question, not with the doubtful knowledge or even gross ignorance of eighty years ago, but with all the light that has come to us from fourscore years of mission operations which now cover practically the entire country.
Never in the history of modern missions has a more difficult and complicated work been undertaken. The questions which entered into the mission problems of the Turkish empire were legion, assuming new phases [Pg 116] at every turn and every phase presenting a new difficulty. The one dominant41 note that runs through it all is the fact of Mohammedan rule. This fact in all its length and breadth must be taken into consideration. Add to this the antiquity42 of the old churches, the form of Christianity, from which the spirit has fled, the race hatreds43, the poverty of the country, the uncertainty44 of everything that pertains45 to the government, except that it never fails to be superlatively bad, the conviction of the Moslems that they have seen true Christianity and know it to be as bad as their own government, and we have a few of the difficulties which confronted the early missionaries. On the other hand, there were the encouraging features of the reverence46 of the Oriental churches, all of them, for the Holy Scriptures47, their allegiance to the Church, and their respect for ecclesiastics48, to which must be added their superior intelligence, eagerness to learn, and capability49 for great advancement50. Surely Turkey presented a varied51 scene marked by high lights and dark shadows. Without hesitation52, men and women of unusual intellectual and spiritual capacity and breadth, and of indomitable courage, entered this country to win it for Christ and for Christian civilization.
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1
lethargic
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| adj.昏睡的，懒洋洋的 | |
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bode
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| v.预示 | |
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profess
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| v.声称，冒称，以...为业，正式接受入教，表明信仰 | |
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Moslem
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| n.回教徒，穆罕默德信徒；adj.回教徒的，回教的 | |
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succumbing
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| 不再抵抗（诱惑、疾病、攻击等）( succumb的现在分词 )； 屈从； 被压垮； 死 | |
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crucible
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| n.坩锅，严酷的考验 | |
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distinctive
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| adj.特别的，有特色的，与众不同的 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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civilized
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| a.有教养的，文雅的 | |
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degradation
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| n.降级；低落；退化；陵削；降解；衰变 | |
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radical
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| n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的 | |
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seclusion
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| n.隐遁，隔离 | |
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dictated
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| v.大声讲或读( dictate的过去式和过去分词 )；口授；支配；摆布 | |
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propriety
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| n.正当行为；正当；适当 | |
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baneful
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| adj.有害的 | |
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cramps
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| n. 抽筋, 腹部绞痛, 铁箍 adj. 狭窄的, 难解的 v. 使...抽筋, 以铁箍扣紧, 束缚 | |
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withers
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| 马肩隆 | |
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deteriorating
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| 恶化，变坏( deteriorate的现在分词 ) | |
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inception
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| n.开端，开始，取得学位 | |
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Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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Christians
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| n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 ) | |
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manifestation
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| n.表现形式；表明；现象 | |
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followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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minor
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| adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修 | |
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exalted
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| adj.(地位等)高的，崇高的；尊贵的，高尚的 | |
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meekness
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| n.温顺，柔和 | |
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victorious
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| adj.胜利的，得胜的 | |
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penetrated
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| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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intemperance
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| n.放纵 | |
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idols
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| 偶像( idol的名词复数 )； 受崇拜的人或物； 受到热爱和崇拜的人或物； 神像 | |
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truthful
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| adj.真实的，说实话的，诚实的 | |
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disciples
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| n.信徒( disciple的名词复数 )；门徒；耶稣的信徒；（尤指）耶稣十二门徒之一 | |
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dwarfed
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| vt.（使）显得矮小（dwarf的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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marred
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| adj. 被损毁, 污损的 | |
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comeliness
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| n. 清秀, 美丽, 合宜 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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missionaries
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| n.传教士( missionary的名词复数 ) | |
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vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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partially
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| adv.部分地，从某些方面讲 | |
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investigations
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| （正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究 | |
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dominant
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| adj.支配的，统治的；占优势的；显性的；n.主因，要素，主要的人(或物)；显性基因 | |
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antiquity
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| n.古老；高龄；古物，古迹 | |
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hatreds
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| n.仇恨，憎恶( hatred的名词复数 )；厌恶的事 | |
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uncertainty
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| n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物 | |
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pertains
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| 关于( pertain的第三人称单数 )； 有关； 存在； 适用 | |
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46
reverence
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| n.敬畏，尊敬，尊严；Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称；v.尊敬，敬畏，崇敬 | |
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47
scriptures
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| 经文，圣典( scripture的名词复数 )； 经典 | |
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48
ecclesiastics
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| n.神职者，教会，牧师( ecclesiastic的名词复数 ) | |
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49
capability
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| n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等 | |
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50
advancement
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| n.前进，促进，提升 | |
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51
varied
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| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
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52
hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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