d men ought to fear and tremble before Him as slaves. The
writer was reasoning with a Mohammedan one day and spoke of God as "our
heavenly Father." He said "you blaspheme. Don't call God a father." This
could not be as he never had a wife. Allah has foreordained all things,
good and evil. An unconditional resignation to Him is true wisdom. He
is known because He has revealed Himself through chosen messengers,
angelic and human, such as Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus, our
great and chief prophets, but Mohammed is the last and the greatest
above all.

CHAPTER V.

THE PRIESTHOOD.

The Muj-ta-hid is the highest order of the priesthood but this order is
divided into four degrees. The members of the highest degree reside at
Karbala, the sacred city. The chief of this degree is called
Naib-el-emam and in the belief of Shiite Moslems he is the
representative of Mohammed. His position is the same as that of the
pope in the Roman Catholic Church; and he is believed to be infallible.
His authority extends over the entire clergy and in some respects over
government. He resides in the most holy mosque which was built on the
tombs of Hassan and Hussein, children of Ali, who were Martyrs in the
war between the Shi-ites and Sun-neh Moslems. He has power to declare
holy war. Vast sums of money are contributed into his keeping every
year which he spends in defraying the expenses of thousands of pilgrims
who flock to this shrine, and also for students who study in that
mosque. He leads a simple life but it was stated by one of the pilgrims
that he makes considerable money for his children. When this great
chief dies there is a day of lamentation throughout Persia and lords
and counts feed thousands of poor men and divide money among them. All
business is suspended for the day.

The late Shah, it is said, sent three different messengers to this high
Church official before he could get an interview, the churchman
pleading humility and unworthiness to receive the king but before the
latter departed after the interview he was charged to be a good and
faithful ruler.

The second degree in the Muj-ta-hid is called Arch-Muj-ta-hid. It is
composed of four priests who reside in the four places known as
Era-wa-nee Shirazee, Khorasonee and Isphahonee, and one of these
officials succeeds Na-ib-el emam at the death of the latter.

The third degree is the common Muj-ta-hid who are numerous. In my city
Oroomiah of 30,000 inhabitan