different kind of devotion from
that which is desirable in a place set apart for the worship of God.

The Moslem idea of woman is vile and degraded. A Moslem absent from home
never addresses a letter to his wife, but to his son or brother, or some
male relative. It is considered a grievous insult to ask a Moslem about
the health of his wife. If obliged to allude to a woman in conversation,
you must use the word "ajellak Allah," "May God elevate you" above the
contamination of this subject! You would be expected to use the same
expression in referring to a donkey, a dog, a shoe, a swine or anything
vile. It is somewhat like the Irish expression, "Saving your presence,
sir," when alluding to an unpleasant subject.

A Greek christian (?) in Tripoli came to an American Missionary
physician and said, "there is a woman, 'ajell shanak Allah' here who is
ill. I beg your pardon for mentioning so vile a subject to your
excellency." Said the doctor, "and who may it be?" "Ajellak, it is my
wife!"

I remember once meeting the Mohammedan Mufti of Beirut in Dr. Van Dyck's
study at the printing press. The Mufti's wife, (at least _one_ of them,)
was ill, and he wished medical advice, but could not insult the Doctor
by alluding to a woman in his presence. So he commenced, after
innumerable salutations, repeating good-morning, and may your day be
happy, until he could decently proceed to business. "Your excellency
must be aware that I have a sick man at my house. May God grant you
health! Indeed, peace to your head. Inshullah, it is only a slight
attack!" "He has pain in his back, headache, and he will not eat." "Has
he any fever?" "A little." "I will come and see _her_ this afternoon."
"May God increase your good. Good morning, sir!"

The Mohammedan laws with regard to polygamy, inheritance and divorce,
are a decided advance on the Pagan Arabs of "the Ignorance."

The Pagan Arabs allowed any number of wives. The Koran allows _only
four_ to any believer, the prophet himself having peculiar privileges in
this respect. The modern practice of Mohammedans in taking a score or
more of wives is directly contrary to the Koran. The Pagan Arabs
suffered no woman to have any part of the husband's or father's
inheritance, on the ground that none should inherit who could not go to
war, and the widows were disposed of as a part of their husband's
possessions. The Koran says, (Sura iv.) "Women ought to have a part of
what their parents leave." A