The Mystical Principles Of Islamism; Or, A Lecture On The Derviches.

me to enjoy his society alone . The Sheik was several paces distant from me , and could not possibly have known what was passing in my mind , otherwise than through his spiritual powers . On opening my eyes , he addressed me and said , ' Toung man , give me a few minutes' time , and your prayer shall be granted . '

To my surprise , in ten minutes more , all present , one by one , without any direction of an audible or visible nature from the Sheik , arose and departed , leaving me quite alone with him . I hastened to approach him , and kiss his reverend hand , and had a pleasant and instructive conversation with him . "

The Derviches , now divided into very many Orders , -differ externally in their mantles , caps , ancl girdles , all symbols of what once were worn by their founders . The number of the gores in the caps serve to designate the Order , and so do other insignia in the way of particular verses of the Koran , or an embroidered

rose , worn on the cap . The mantle is of a peculiar shape aud colour—though it is mostly nearly white —and the sword of A ali is embroidered on its collar , to remind the wearer of his vow and its penalty . The girdle is symbolic of various persons in the time of the prophet , and of their obligation to suffer hunger

and thirst during their devout pilgrimages to the Keabeh , and the graves of the holy dead . To these three symbols there are attached many legends relating to the Peer of the Order , which , though not without interest , would be misplaced here . Benumerating a few of the most remarkable of

y their Orders , the character of the whole will be understood ; for though they differ in name , such as the Kaderee , Mevlevee , Jellallee , Kakshibendee , Bektashee , & c , and in some minor usages and forms of worship , they are all agreed in their principal tenets , particularlin those which inculcate the absolute

y necessity of a perfect obedience and submission to inspired teachers , and the possibility , through fervent piety and enthusiastic devotion , of attaining for the soul , even when the body inhabits this world , to a state of celestial beatitude . Anions the first acts

required of the disciple is that of spending much of his time—with some , forty days and nights ( Matt . iv . 1 ) —in retirement and prayer , invoking the name of Allah ; after which his heart will be illuminated , and he will have the visions before alluded to , the spiritual interpretation of which he receives from the Sheik of

the Tekkeh . The before-mentioned Orders owe their present names to their Peers or founders . The original sects which are the bases of these Orders are said by the Derviches to have been but two in number , ca ' lled the Hululieh , or " inspired , " and the Ittihadiehor " unionists" from which

, , grew five branches . Of these branches is , first , the Vussulieh , or "joined ; " second , the Ashkieh , or "loving ;" third , the Telkinieh , or " learned ; " fourth , the Zurikieh , or " penetrating ; " and the fifth , the Vahdatieh , or " unitarians ; " all relating to Allah . The first maintains that God has entered or

descended into them , and that the Divine Spirit enters into all those who are of a devout and intelligent mind . The second believe that God is as one with every enlightened mind , and that the immortal part forms its union with God , and becomes God . They say that the Divine nature of Christ , who is called by all Mussulmans the Huh-Allah , or " Spirit of God " was

derived from the Spirit of the Deity having entered the womb of the Virgin Mary , and creating a miraculous conception . The fifth sect maintains that God is in everything , and that everything is of God . They themselves admit that their principles are the same as those of

the ancient philosophers of Greece , especially of Plato , who , they assert , maintained that God created all things with His own breath , and that everything is thus both the Creator and the creature . This principle , in many modern writings of the Derviches , is called the Nufts , or " breath , " and , as applied to man ,

is deemed to be the human part of animated nature , and is quite distinct from the Euh , or " soul , " the immortal part . These , whilst they will not admit of the Trinity , as composed of three distinct persons , fully confirm the declaration of Christ , that " He and His Eather are One "—only , however , in the mystical

sense , which recognises Christ as a Prophet and a spiritual Teacher , possessing the highest of the fourth degrees afore-mentioned , but refusing to him the Divine character . They say that the New Testament , or the Book of Christ , may be correct in point of language and wordsbut that the meaning of His

, words is misinterpreted by His followers ; that He never said He w ^ as God the Creator of all things , but only an Apostle or Prophet , sent to declare His Word , —as an emanation of the Deity .

As it has been supposed that- there exists in Constantinople various Masonic lodges , under the name of Melamgoons , or the "Eessrachid , " I may here state that this is the title of one of the older sects of Sufaism . These say that the object of their research is " Light . " At present they are known by

the name of Hamzavees , from a modern peer or founder of a branch of the original stock . I possess a copy of their litany , or ritual , containing some account of their mystical creed , all of which is , however , Mussulman , and in no manner resembles Masonry . Their moral rules are very pure , liberal , and

benevolent , and they wear no costume , nor have any external signs by which they are known . They hold their meetings in secret , in buildings resembling any other private residences , which circumstance has , probably , given rise to the report afore-mentioned . Like the other Tariks , their usual prayers are Islam . In the view of giving some account of those

Derviches best known to the residents at Constantinople , I will add that the sect called originally the Hululieh , or " those who are in a pleasant , excited , or exalted mental state , " perform their devotions accompanied by jumpings , clappings of the hands , and shoutings . Of these are the Euffaees , or " Howling Derviches , "

who " call upon the name of Allah in very audible terms , and through its power profess to perforin very remarkable miracles . Another was called the Teslimieh , or "the submissive aud obedient , " from their doctrines of blind obedience to the commands of their Murchid ( or Sheik ) , from whom they received a small

chain or cord , as a badge , called the Ilishtay Teslim , or " throne of submission . " This sign of obedience will be shown hereafter in the account given of the Bektashees , especially at their reception of a Murid , or disciple . The Order of the Kalenderees , mentioned in the " Arabian Nights , " have the same usage . The Telkiniehs , or the " teachers , " afore-mentioned , maintain that it is wrong to read any book of a religious