"Said she, 'Thy good deeds gave me peing; see * * $ * # How the Most High doth truly treasure Joy for his servants.'" The Mohammedans believe that the time of death is appointed unto every man, according to his allotted mission in mortality, and that when the summons to pass hence is issued, none can evade it. Illustrative of Allah as One who appointeth life and death, the Moslem tells the story of Al Beidhawi, an Indian prince who once was visiting King Solomon. As the two conversed together in the twilight, there approached in visible form Azrael, the death-angel, who looked with careful attention upon Solomon's companion. The prince was troubled, and asked the king: transport his guest through the air, is in keeping with many legends of early days which represent Solomon so favored of God as to have power over the hidden forces of nature, and particularly over the winds. A characteristic feature of the doctrines of Islam is the strictness with which the precepts are put forth, and the rigor with which compliance is required. Justice is magnified, and is never allowed to lose her dues; but, greater than Justice is Mercy, and not an iota of the latMoter's rights may be abated. hammed taught that in the heavens are graded intelligences; that angels are not of the highest order, and may err in judgment and zeal, if not in intent; but that God who knoweth more than do they, errs not, either in Justice too strict, or in "What name, I pray thee, wears yon Mercy undeserved. messenger?' To have an errand unto me,'-bid now Allah's most favored name among the Moslems is "The Merciful;" and thus they tell how He rebuked those who thought Him to consider: Waft me, upon the swiftest wing that Say Ar-Rahman! "The Merciful" Him beats should die.' call; For He is full of mercy unto all. Once on a day in Paradise, Then followed Azrael. In that hour the Justice and prince Died of a hurt, sitting in India." This version of the legend may be compared with Longfellow's rendition in the story of Azrael told by the Spanish Jew as one of the "Tales of a Wayside Inn." The incident of ascribing to Solomon power over the winds, so that by a word of command the monarch was able to Of the third planet, hath not eyes Sentence against her; she had nought Had such compassion for the misery Of that parched hound: 'Take off her chain, and place Another story, which deals not with the supernatural, is taught to emphasize the worth of clemency; it The veil once more above the sinner's is associated with Allah's name,"The Compassionate." face, that such good deeds will surely bring reward in kind either here or hereafter. They delight in the sto ry of a certain miracle said to have been wrought in Abraham's behalf in recognition of his many hospitable services. Let it be remembered that they regard Abraham as one of the greatest among the patriarchs, and they attach to him the title "Friend of God," (Khalil Allah or Al Khalil). They say that during a grievous famine which afflicted his people, Abraham sent messengers to a friend in Egypt, begging a little corn by loan or purchase. The Egyptian denied the request, saying that he would have gladly shared with Abraham had the patriarch desired the food for himself and family, but he would doubtless deny himself as he had so often done, and would distribute the precious corn among the poor; and as the famine was sore in Egypt also, food was not to be sent away. The messengers, returning in sorrow, thought not alone of their hunger and privation, but of the humiliation of their master, he who had ever been so generous now was denied a few measures of meal in his hour of need. They resolved to fill their sacks with sand, and so enter the camp apparently laden with food, that the people might not know of their failure in Egypt. And thus they "Journeyed to Kedar, when lay Abra In extolling the omniscience of God, the Koran teaches that man is incapable of comprehending the purposes of Deity, and therefore ought he to accept the gifts of Heaven, whether such come as days of pleasantness and seeming good, or as apparent ills. In the chapter entitled "The Cave" occurs this story. An angel, sent to earth on certain errands, was met by Moses, who asked that he might be permitted to accompany the angel, to observe his doings, and thus to learn of God's ways with men. At first the heavenly being denied the wish, saying that man with the wis A lowly hut; the garden fence thereof These are but a few of the fables and stories by which the Moslems. in the wilderness have sought to impress the lessons of God's goodness, and man's duty, frail though mortal be. Let it not be thought that because of the wholesome teachings herein quoted, the Mohammedan faith approaches a fulness of precept, or a satisfying food for the hungry soul. Their creed if fully practised is but a partial preparation for the gospel of eternal life to which they are as yet strangers. The good they do shall not be lost, however; and as they are faithful to the laws of right as they have received them, so shall they be worthy of greater Toppled to fall; the Angel thrust it blessings. We, professing to be the down, The little harvest of the cottage folk. people of God, have nought, I think, to learn from Islam, as to precept and doctrine; our faith includes all of theirs and much beside; yet I am 'What hire, asked Moses, 'hadst thou not so sure that many amongst us for this deed, Seeming so evil?' Then the Angel said, 'This is the parting betwixt thee and me. Yet will I first make manifest the things Thou couldst not bear, not knowing; that my Lord Exalted above all reproach-be praised. The ship I broke serveth poor fisherfolk Whose livelihood was lost, because there came A king that way found whole, seizing all boats may not with profit contemplate the strict practice with which those people of the far East observe the requirements of their religion. "Realism has no advocates among children."-Anon. "Walk worthy of the vocation Now have they peace. Touching the wherewith ye are called." Arab boy: In two moons he had slain his mother's son, "The river makes its own shore Being perverse; but now his brother and each legitimate idea makes its lives Whose life unto his tribe was more, and he own channels and welcome."-Emerson. "MILADI." Katherine Arthur. Continued from page 155. CHAPTER IV. Mutual Improvement? One morning as Miladi was looking down on the Thames, a halted near her and sang: man "London Bridge is fallin' down, fallin' down, fallin' down, London Bridge is fallin' down, my fih lydy O!" derstand the rules. All us great fellows have to twist things a bit sometimes." "Then I'm to understand that you are one of the 'contemporaries?" " said Miladi. "Certainly. Listen: I stood on the bridge at mid-day, When the clocks weren't striking a bit. She did not turn round. The voice And the moon rose over the city. continued: "Alas, my lydy's could to me, could to me, could to me, Although I sing so sweet to she. Turn fih lydy O!" The last line was almost shouted into her ear. Miladi turned with indignant eyes, but, on seeing the offender, broke into a laugh and extended her hand. "Mr. Harding, by all that's wonderful!" "By all that's wonderful, truly, since I'm by you," he replied. "Oh, if you interpret it that way," said Miladi, "I shall exclaim over again and say, Mr. Harding, by all that is beautiful, wonderful, and wise." "What modesty! What self-depreciation!" cried the young man. "But that first look you gave me! Where did you get that? For one moment I thought it was Hallowe'en and the spooks had me." "You deserved a scare," said Miladi. "The idea of making me think that a costermonger was warbling into my dainty, shell-like ear. And what a grammarian you are. Whoever heard of anyone's 'singing sweet to she!" "That's poetic license," explained Mr. Harding. " 'Her' wouldn't rhyme with me,' would it? You don't un Behind the church tower? Nit! That proves it:" "Oh, what a noble mind is here o'erthrown,'" Miladi sighed. "But how strange that we should meet in this great London." "Why, I thought we decided on the ship that affinities gravitate towards each other, no matter where they are," he protested. "That is so," Miladi assented. "Consequently,while you were combing your perfumed locks, it came to you that we had first met on the water and should probably meet again on, at, or near the water. So, with a lover's intuition, you rushed off immediately without your breakfast-of course you wouldn't stop for such a trivial thing as breakfast, what man would?-and straight here." came "What a brain you have," he said. "I wish I had it." "There is one thing I admire about you," Miladi said. "You always realize what your weak point is." "I've a notion to put you in the river!" "But your judgment con-Thames the notion. Ah, what have I done! Live, I implore you! Live, for my sake," she pleaded. For Mr. Harding had fallen apparently lifeless on the stone seat in the jut of the bridge. |