large/12430/twooldfaiths_1901_librivox_64kb_mp3/twooldfaiths_12_mitchell_64kb_79
large/12430/twooldfaiths_1901_librivox_64kb_mp3/twooldfaiths_12_mitchell_64kb
English
12430
To perform the pilgrimage to Mecca and Mount Arafat, with the slaying of victims at Mina, and the worship of the Kaaba, is an ordinance obligatory (with the condition only that they have the means) on all believers, who are bound to make the journey even from the furthest ends of the earth  an ordinance intelligible enough in a local worship, but unmeaning and impracticable when required of a world wide religion. TO PERFORM THE PILGRIMAGE TO MECCA AND MOUNT ERAPUT WITH THE SLAYING OF VICTIMS AT NINA AND THE WORSHIP OF THE KABA IS AN ORDINANCE OBLIGATORY WITH THE CONDITION ONLY THAT THEY HAVE THE MEANS ON ALL BELIEVERS WHO ARE BOUND TO MAKE THE JOURNEY EVEN FROM THE FURTHEST ENDS OF THE EARTH AN ORDINANCE INTELLIGIBLE ENOUGH IN A LOCAL WORSHIP BUT UNMEANING AND IMPRACTICABLE WHEN REQUIRED OF A WORLD WIDE RELIGION
is own (which is doubtful), still the rites and ceremonies, the customs and the laws enjoined upon his people, were suitable (if suitable at all) for the Arabs of that day, and in many respects for them alone. Again, the code containing these injunctions, social and ceremonial, as well as doctrinal and didactic, is embodied with every particularity of detail, as part of the divine law, in the Koran; and so defying, as sacrilege, all human touch, it stands unalterable forever. From the stiff and rigid shroud in which it is thus swathed the religion of Mohammed cannot emerge. It has no plastic power beyond that exercised in its earliest days. Hardened now and inelastic, it can neither adapt itself nor yet shape its votaries, nor even suffer them to shape themselves to the varying circumstances, the wants and developments, of mankind. [Sidenote: Local ceremonies: pilgrimage. Fast of Ramzan.] We may judge of the local and inflexible character of the faith from one or two of its ceremonies. PLATED THE REFORMATION OF OTHER RELIGIONS BEYOND THE PENINSULA OR THE FURTHER SPREAD OF HIS OWN WHICH ISUBTFUL STILL THE RITES AND CEREMONIES THE CUSTOMS AND THE LAWS ENJOYED UPON HIS PEOPLE WERE SUITABLE IF SUITABLE AT ALL FOR THE ARABS OF THAT DAY AND IN MANY RESPECTS FOR THEM ALONE AGAIN THE CODE CONTAINING THESE INJECTIONS SOCIAL AND CEREMONIAL AS WELL AS DOCTRINAL AND DIDACTIC IS EMBODIED WITH EVERY PARTICULARITY OF DETAIL AS PART OF THE DIVINE LAW IN THE KORAN AND SO DEFYING AS ACRILEGE ALL HUMAN TOUCH IT STANDS UNALTERABLE FOREVER FROM THE STIFF AND RIGID SHROUD IN WHICH IT IS THUS SWEAT THE RELIGION OF MOHAMMAH CANNOT EMERGE IT HAS NO PLASTIC POWER BEYOND THAT EXERCISED IN ITS EARLIEST DAYS HARDENED NOW AND IN ELASTIC IT CAN NEITHER ADAPT ITSELF NOR ITS SHAPE ITS VOTARIES NOR EVEN SUFFERED THEM TO SHAPE THEMSELVES INTO THE VARYING CIRCUMSTANCES THE WANTS AND DEVELOPMENTS OF MANKIND WE MAY JUDGE OF THE LOCAL AND INFLEXIBLE CHARACTER OF THE FAITH FROM ONE OR TWO OF ITS CEREMONIES
large/12430/twooldfaiths_1901_librivox_64kb_mp3/twooldfaiths_12_mitchell_64kb
file
download/librilight/large/12430/twooldfaiths_1901_librivox_64kb_mp3/twooldfaiths_12_mitchell_64kb.flac