within. Women like my friend Helweh might do much toward effecting a change for the better in the mode of life in harems, and men like Saleh Bek would aid and encourage it.
It seems to me that all that we can do is to enter into sympathy with the Moslem women, and try to awaken and develop all the highest feelings of their nature, and to help them to understand and feel the power which they have of governing and elevating themselves, and to encourage them to exercise that power, and to think seriously. This may be done without the aid of books, and without perplexing them with new mysteries and dogmas. We might lead them insensibly to acknowledge and understand those ancient and universal laws of love which Christ declared to be the foundation of all religion—"The Lord our God is one Lord.... Love him with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind, and love thy neighbor as thyself. This do, and thou shalt live." Words like these can rouse no anger or opposition, and they will daily become more clear and comprehensive to every one who truly takes them as a guide and rule of life. By striving earnestly to obey these simple laws, by measuring every thought and action by them, women shut up in their harems would become Christians, though they might still be called Moslems. Then their daughters would at an early age be led to love God with a trustful reverence, and taught to contribute to the happiness of all around them. Their sons, whose hearts and minds would naturally be ennobled and enlarged, would in manhood respect and honor their early teachers.
Thus, by degrees, women might be safely and surely emancipated, and the most jealously-guarded harems would be gradually converted into enlightened and happy homes. The character of the whole nation might thus be changed; but any attempt to exercise an influence from without, would certainly fail, if the religious prejudices or ancient customs of the people were directly attacked or condemned, for a
