MOSLEMS AND CHRISTIANS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXIII, Issue 12584, 3 October 1908, Page 4

MOSLEMS AND CHRISTIANS.

One of the most remarkable results of the new regime in Turkey is the sudden growth of cordial relations between Moslems and Christians. Nowhere has this been more noticeable than at Beirut. Only five years ago the city was given over to mob violence, in which the desperadoes of the Moslem community gained the upper hand ,and between 30,000 and 40,000 Christians fled for their lives to places outside the city. Nothing but the timely presence of three American war vessels prevented a terrible massacre. Hence the most impressive feature of the present demonstration (says a correspondent) wad ' the vehemency, the continued reiteration of the sentiment of brotherhood of Moslem and Christian, who were to live together in peace in a new era. No such utterances were ever heard before in Turkish, history. Anyone predicting such a possibility a month ago would have been treated as a visionary. But here were 100 turbaned Moslem speakers ringing the changes on this theme until we seemed like those standing in a dream. One venerable sheikh with green, turban, flowing robes, and a stentorian voice, told how 40 yearß ago the Moslem and Christian mothers used to nurse each other's children, and the young men to call each other brethren. Then came the awful bitterness of the present regime, which had fomented fanaticism, hatred, and bloodshed. But that was now past, and in the future they were again to live .as brethren. Again and again the Moslem speakers gave the salutation, "Essalaam alaikum ya ahwy!" ("Peace be upon you, O brethren!") which had been withheld from the Christians for so many years except by all but the most liberal and enlightened Moslems. At one place in the streets was a large incription which expressed the new spirit in a verse from the Koran side by side with a verse from the Bible: — "The beginning is from God, victory is near"; "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom."' Then came a sentiment perhaps never before written in public — "Long live the Moslem-Chris-tian brotherhood," and below it, "Long live Liberty." It was almost impossible to believe our ears and our eyes. Thus at many places and many times, during the day, when the people caught' sight of a.. Christian priest and turbaned Moslem in proximity to each other, they were pushed into each other's arms and made to kiss each other!