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son at nine battles; and fifty enterprises of war were achieved in ten years by himself, or his lieutenants. The spoil taken was first collected into one common mass,

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when distribution was made. One fifth was reserved for charitable uses; the remainder was shared in adequate portions by the soldiers. Allured by the hope of plunder, thousands flocked to his standard; and were taught by the prophet to believe, that the reward of eternal glory would surely be the portion of such as were faithful to it. "A drop of blood," said he, "shed in the cause of God; a night spent in arms, is of more avail than two months of fasting and prayer; whoever falls in battle, his sins are forgiven; at the day of judgment, his wounds shall be resplendent as vermilion, and as odoriferous as musk; and the loss of his limbs shall be supplied by the wings of angels and cherubims."

During the sixth year of his flight, Mahomet conducted his army to Chaibar, a city inhabited by Arab Jews. Meeting with unexpected resistance, he laid siege to the place, and at length carried it by storm. On entering the place, he took up his quarters at the house of Hareth, one of the principal inhabitants.

Hareth had a daughter, by the name of Zeinab, upon whom devolved the duty of preparing a meal for the prophet, and his attendants. During the preparation of it, she inserted a quantity of poison into a shoulder of mutton, one of the dishes prepared for the occasion.

Being seated, Baskaar, a companion of Mahomet, was served with some of the mutton, and while yet at table was seized with convulsions. Suspecting treachery, the prophet instantly rejected from his mouth the greater part of the piece which he had just taken; but not before a portion of the poison had passed into his stomach. It was not sufficient, at the time, to produce any serious effect; but three years from the time it brought him to his end. When Zeinab was questioned as to her motive in attempting to poison the prophet, she is said to have answered, "That she was determined to make trial of his powers as a prophet; if he were a true prophet," said she," he would know that the meat was poisoned; if not, it would be a favor to the world to rid it of such a tyrant."

As to the punishment inflicted on the intrepid Zeinab, the Moslem writers are not agreed. By some it is pretended, that she was pardoned; by others, that she was put to death.

The strength of Mahomet continued for a time to admit of his prosecuting that successful series of conquests, in which for years he had been engaged. But, at length, in the sixty-third year of his age, and the tenth of the Hejira, A. D. 632, the poison, which had been gradually undermining his constitution, began to operate with renewed violence.

Sensible of the approach of death, he is said to have viewed and awaited it with characteristic firmness. The third day before his dissolution, he ordered himself carried to the mosque, that he might for the last time address his followers, and

bestow upon them his benedictions. In the course of his address, he is said to have spoken as follows: "If there be any man, whom I have unjustly scourged, I submit my own back to the lash of retaliation. Have I aspersed the reputation of any Mus sulman? Let him proclaim my faults in the face of the congregation. Has any one been despoiled of his goods? The little that I possess shall compensate the principal and interest of the debt." "Yes," replied a voice from the crowd, "thou owest me three drachms of silver." Mahomet heard the complaint, satisfied the demand, and thanked his creditor, that he had accused him in this world, rather than at the day of judgment. He then freed his slaves, seventeen men, and eleven women; directed the order of his funeral; and having endeavored to compose the minds of his friends, he not long after closed his earthly career.

His remains were deposited at Medina, in the very room in which he breathed his last, the floor being removed to make way for his sepulchre, and a simple and unadorned monument some time after erected over them. The house itself has long since mouldered or been demolished; but the place of the prophet's interment is still made conspicuous to the superstitious reverence of his disciples. The story of his relics being suspended in the air, by the power of load-stone, in an iron coffin, and that too at Mecca, instead of Medina, is a mere idle fabrication; as his tomb, at the latter place, has been visited by millions of pilgrims, and from the authentic accounts of travellers, who have visited both cities in disguise, we learn that it is constructed of plain mason work, fixed without elevation upon the surface of the ground.

According to tradition, Mahomet was distinguished for the beauty of his person; and was highly recommended by a natural oratory, by which he was able to exercise great influence over the passions and affections of men. Towards the rich, he was always respectful; to the poorest citizens of Mecca, he was kind and condescending. The intellectual endowments of Mahomet were also distinguishing. His memory was capacious and retentive; his wit easy and social; his imagination sublime; his judgment clear, rapid, and decisive. Yet, with all these advantages, he was an iiliterate barbarian; and, in his compositions, was obliged to depend upon the assistance of others.

Respect to decorum forbids our dwelling upon the private character of Mahomet. Fanaticism, ambition, and lust were his master passions. His guilty excesses of an amorous kind were not only very numerous, but were pretended by the prophet to have been allowed and sanctioned by the Most High. No man's wife was safe from his attack; nor could any of his followers with impunity withhold an object upon whom he had cast a libidinous eye. He had immediate recourse to revelation; and from God took occasion to draw permission to cover the scandal and the sin of his taking to his bed of defilement the wife of any man whom he chose.

18. The death of Mahomet, for a time, filled his followers with consternation; but at length, gathering strength from their loss, they pushed their conquests; and Syria, Persia, Egypt, and other countries, successively submitted to their arms. In the year 637, they reached Jerusalem, and the "Holy city" fell under their dominion.

In the succeeding century, 713, the Saracens, a name applied to the followers of Mahomet, but which was derived from a people who inhabited the north-western part of Arabia, passed from Africa into Spain, where they put an end to the kingdom of the Goths, which had existed three hundred years. From Spain they advanced into France, designing the conquest of Europe, and the extermination of Christianity. Between Tours and Poictiers, their countless legions were met by an army, under the brave Charles Martel, and three hundred and seventy thousand of the Saracens were defeated and fell in a single day, A. D. 732.

This was a severe blow to the enemy of the cross; but, at a subsequent period, the arms of Mahomet were triumphant in several countries. Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, and the maritime coast of Gaul, fell into their possession; and even to the walls of Rome they spread terror and dismay.

In the beginning of the thirteenth century arose the Ottomans, so called from Othman, their chief. They inhabited the northern border of the Caspian sea. These Ottomans, (afterwards called Turks,) were converted to the Mahometan faith by the Saracens. At a subsequent period, turning their arms against the Saracens they

humbled that proud people, and subjugated such parts of Asia and Africa as had submitted to the Mahometan faith.

Bajazet, the third sovereign in succession from Othman, conceived the plan of extending his victorious arms over Europe, and of blotting from existence the religion of the Gospel. Just as he was ready to fall upon Constantinople, Timur Beg, commonly called Tamerlane, the mighty emperor of the Tartars, fell upon him, with a million of men, and subdued him and his army under his power.

Tamerlane and his army professed the Mahometan faith. True to the principles of his religion, he employed the most inhuman severity towards Christians, whenever within his reach, many of whom by his orders suffered death in the most barbarous forms, while others were condemned to perpetual slavery.

From their defeat by Tamerlane, the Turks gradually recovered, and in the follow. ing century, 1453, during the reign of Constantine XII., Mahomet II., at the head of thirty thousand Turks, besieged and took possession of Constantinople. From this time, the eastern empire ceased to exist, and Constantinople has since continued the seat of the Turkish government.

At the present time, Mahometanism is spread over Turkey, Tartary, Arabia, Africa, Persia, and the dominions of the Great Mogul, and is thought to embrace about one hundred millions. The Mahometans are divided into two principal sects, who differ concerning the right of succession to Mahomet. The Sheichs or Shiites, who are chiefly Persians, believe in Ali, the son-in-law of Mahomet, as his true successor, ne being appointed to that office, by the impostor, on his death-bed. The other sect called Sonnites, believe in Abubeker, the father-in-law of Mahomet, who by means of the army was chosen to succeed him. The Sonnites inhabit East Persia, Arabia, Turkey, and Independent Tartary. A new and powerful sect has recently sprung up in Arabia, called Wahabees, who profess to be reformers.

19. The seventh century presents a considerable difference, between the east and the west, in respect to the state of the Church. In the east the influences of divine grace seem to have been entirely withheld, and in respect to the prosperity of the Redeemer's kingdom, we have nothing cheering to record. Even in the west, superstition and vice were lamentably on the increase; but in some countries, particularly in England and France, true godliness shone for a considerable part of the century.

Milner observes, that during this century "there was a real effusion of the Spirit in England; so that numbers were turned from idols to the living God. The pastors, first of the Roman, and afterwards of the British communion, labored in the west with simplicity and success. Edwin, one of the British monarchs, with all his nobles, and very many of his subjects, was baptized. Towards the close of the century, however, the aspect of things was somewhat changed, and the faith and love of many grew cold."

From England, several missionaries were sent to the continent, and by their labors some faint glimmerings of the Gospel were scattered through Germany, Batavia, Friesland, and Denmark. Among these, the famous Willebrod, an Anglo-Saxon, distinguished himself, by embarking with eleven colleagues for Batavia and Friesland, which were the principal scenes of his labors.

20. During this century, the authority of the Roman pontiffs was gradually increasing; a great degree of pomp and splendor marked their spiritual court, and things were rapidly tending to the maturity of the antichristian power.

21. In the following century, about the year 727. the great controversy began between the Greek emperor and the bishop of Rome, respecting image worship. This is the date which Milner assigns for the beginning of the popedom, which from this time is to be regarded as antichrist indeed; for it set itself by temporal power to support false doctrine, and particularly that which deserves the name of idolatry.

The introduction of images into places of public worship, seems to have commenced at a considerably earlier period than this; but as yet no council had given its sanction to the practice, and many in the Church were strongly opposed to it. But, during the seventh century, the evil made a most rapid progress, and in the eighth arrived at its zenith. It did not, however, succeed without a struggle, and as the conflict ultimately issued in bringing about two important events, viz. the schism between the Greek and Roman Churches, and the establishment of the pope as a temporal potentate, we shall briefly sketch the leading particulars of the controversy.

22. In the year 727, as already stated, Leo, the Greek emperor, began openly to oppose the worship of images. But no sooner had he avowed his conviction of the idolatrous nature of the practice, and protested against the erection of images, than Germanicus, bishop of Constantinople, and Gregory II. bishop of Rome, warmly opposed him; in which opposition they were supported by great numbers, both in the Roman and Greek Churches.

23. In the year 730, Leo issued his edict against images, deposed Germanicus, and ordered the removal of an image, which had been set up in the palace of Constantinople.

As the officer, charged with this service, mounted the ladder, and with an axe struck the image several blows, some women present threw him down, by pulling the ladder away, and murdered him on the spot. An insurrection ensued, which was quelled by the emperor, at the expense of much blood.

The news of this flew rapidly to Rome. The emperor's statues were pulled down, and trodden under foot. All Italy was thrown into confusion; attempts were made to elect another emperor in the room of Leo, and the pope encouraged the attempt. Greek writers affirm, that he prohibited the Italians from paying tribute any longer to Leo.

24. In the midst of the controversy Gregory II. died, and was succeeded by Gregory III. who soon after his election assembled (732) a council, in which he excommunicated all who should speak contemptuously of images.

25. Both Leo and Gregory III. died in 741; the former was succeeded by his son Constantine, who inherited all his father's zeal against images; the latter was succeeded in the popedom by Zachary, who entered into the controversy in favor of images, with all the spirit of his predecessor.

26. At this time Childeric, a weak prince, occupied the throne of France. Pepin, son of Charles Martel, was his prime minister. The latter, aspiring to the throne, referred the question to pope Zachary, Whether it would be just in him to depose his sovereign, and usurp the throne? Zachary answered in the affirmative, and Pepin ascended the throne.

27. As a reward to the Roman pontiff, Pepin, in the year 755, conferred on Stephen, the successor of Zachary, several rich provinces in Italy, by which gift he was established as a temporal monarch.

The arrogance and impiety of this Roman pontiff may be learned from a letter which he forged, and sent to Pepin, as the production of the apostle Peter: "Peter, called an apostle by Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, &c. As through me, the whole Catholic, Apostolic, and Roman Church, the mother of all other Churches, is founded on a rock; and to the end, that Stephen, bishop of this beloved Church of Rome, and that virtue and power may be granted to our Lord to rescue the Church of God out of the hands of its persecutors: to your most excellent princes, Pepin, Charles, and

Carloman, and to all the holy bishops and abbots, priests and monks, as also to dukes, counts and people, I, Peter, the apostle, &c. I conjure you, and the Virgin Mary, who will be obliged to you, gives you notice, and commands you, as do also the thrones, dominations, &c. If you will not fight for me, I declare to you, by the holy Trinity, and by my apostleship, that you shall have no share in heaven."

This letter had the desired effect. Pepin passed the Alps with an army, and assisted the pope against the Lombards, who, being intimidated, surrendered to the pope the exarchate of Ravenna, and twenty-one cities. Thus was the sceptre added to the keys, the sovereignty to the priesthood.

28. The question concerning images still continued to agitate the Catholic Church. At length, in the year 787, a council was assembled at Nice, under the auspices of the empress Irene, and her son, which established the worship of images, and proceeded to anathematize all who should reject it, or attempt to remove any images from places of public worship.

This council consisted of three hundred and fifty bishops. Their result was sanctioned by the empress and her son. Idols and images were erected in all the Churches, and those who opposed them were treated with great severity. The language employed by the above council in their anathema, is worthy of notice, as showing the impiety and profaneness to which the advocates of the Roman hierarchy had at length arrived. "Long live Constantine and Irene his mother-Damnation to all heretics Damnation on the council that roared against venerable images-The holy Trinity hath deposed them."

29. But it must not be supposed that the prevailing corruptions of the Church, or the arrogant claims of its successive popes, were implicitly allowed by all other bishops and Churches, even in Italy itself. On the contrary, there were many who warmly remonstrated against the corruptions of popery, and the worship of images.

30. But among the opposers of the errors of the Church of Rome, no man is more conspicuous then Claude, bishop of Turin, who, about the year 817, began by preaching the pure doctrines of the Gospel, to lay the foundation of those Churches, which, amidst the thick darkness of the succeeding centuries, flourished in the valleys of Piedmont in Italy and in whose history, during a long and gloomy night, is doubtless to be traced the true Church of the Redeemer on earth.

This truly great man, who has not improperly been called the first Protestant reformer, was born in Spain. In his early years, he was chaplain to the emperor Lewis, of France. This monarch, perceiving the deplorable ignorance of a great part of Italy, in respect to the doctrines of the Gospel, and desirous of providing the Churches of Piedmont with one, who might stem the growing torrent of image worship promoted Claude to the see of Turin, about the year 817.

In this event, the hand of God may be perceived; since, in the very worst of times, he so ordered his providence, as to preserve a seed to serve him, and a spot where true religion should shine, amidst the moral darkness which was enveloping the rest of the world.

At Turin, and in its vicinity, Claude raised his voice most successfully against the existing errors of the Church. He removed the images from the Churches, and he drew the attention of the people to the Bible. He taught them that Jesus is the true Head of the Church; denied the authority of the popes; and censured, in just terms, the idolatry and superstition which every where, through their influence, abounded. It may appear a matter of surprise to some, that an opposer so zealous and intrepid as Claude certainly was, should have escaped the fury of the Church of Rome. But it should be remembered, that the despotism of that wicked court had not yet arrived at its plentitude of power and intolerance. To which may be added, as another very probable reason, that some of the European monarchs viewed the domineering influ

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