OUTLINES FROM THE HISTORY OF EDUCATION. 637 



him and kiss the dust of his feet. Equally valuable are the ink of the doctor 

 and the blood of the martyr. The world is supported by four things only the 

 learning of the wise, the justice of the great, the prayers of the good, and the 

 valor of the brave." 



Men who could feel and utter such truths might well have some- 

 thing to do in the world. On the 16th of July, 622 a. d., Mohammed 

 fled for his life from Mecca to Medina ; eighty years passed, and Syria, 

 Persia, Northern Africa were subdued, and the Moslem host stood 

 upon the southern coast of the straits of Gibraltar, prepared for the 

 conquest of Spain. Mohammed made a nation. 



It were most interesting to obtain a philosophical account of this 

 man's character and career. This is not, however, in the line of our 

 present purpose. It is sufficient here to remember that monotheism 

 w T as the one lesson taught the Semitic race. The original God-idea 

 was One Being, God over all. It is very justly remarked that, in the 

 opinion of Mohammed, this idea had been narrowed by Judaism : God 

 had become the God of Israel. Again, this idea had been falsely de- 

 veloped by Christianity in her doctrine of the Trinity, and in her an- 

 thropomorphic Saviour. Directly opposed to both of these is the 

 proclamation of the Prophet, " There is but one God, the Living, the 

 Ever-living, the Holy, the Self-contained, and Mohammed is his 

 prophet." 



This pure monotheism recognizes no distinctions among men ; no 

 Jews, no Christians, no classes God is one God. Here is the source 

 of Mohammed's power. 



Our literature is filled with testimonials to the marvelous expres- 

 sion which Arabian culture received in Spain. There is no need to 

 enumerate the schools of learning or the achievements of this people 

 in every direction. I am confident that a few words from the Arabi- 

 ans themselves will do more than can be accomplished in any other 

 way, to show their attainments in thought and feeling. 



In Persia the faith of Islam became a mystical pantheism ; this 

 finds beautiful expression in the lines of Rumi, who died in the 

 year 1262 : 



" I am the little sun-dust I am the great sun-ball ; 

 To the little dust I say remain, and to the sun, pass on. 

 I am the morning's glimmer, I am the evening's haze ; 

 I am the wild leaves' moaning, I am the sea's high billow ; 

 I am the mast, the rudder, the steersman, and the ship ; 

 I am the physician, the sickness, the poison, and the antidote ; 

 The sweet, the bitter, the honey, and the gall; 

 I am the chain of Being, I am the ring of worlds." 



To this all-soul humanity should make complete surrender : 



" Truly death ends life's need, 

 Yet shudders life 'fore death ; 



