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The Mufti watches on the highest pinnacle of the Mosque for the first ray of the morning sun, to exclaim aloud "Ali is great, and Mahomed is his Prophet;" and the Rev. S. Smith wittily describes the religion of a certain Romanising section as consisting in the restoration of mediæval bowings to the east, and curtseyings to the west, genuflexion, circumflexion, &c.
The practice of turning, especially to the east, deriving its origin from sun worshippers, is not authorized in scripture, and it is no where commanded. It is true that the worshippers of the true God were at all times to "look to Jesus," and the whole of the Jewish ceremonies and types had this for their object. As the Angel of the Covenant he preceded or went behind the Israelites as they required his guidance or protection. And after the dedication of the Temple, which was typical of Christ, they were instructed by Solomon's dedication to look to the Holy Temple, or rather to the indwelling Saviour. Jerusalem lay due west of Babylon, and yet to it and not to the east their worship was always directed, as we find to be most remarkably instanced by the Prophet Daniel vi. 10, where it is said, "When Daniel knew that the writing was signed" (by King Darius,) "he went into his house, and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem," (i.e. to the west) "he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed and gave thanks unto God as he did aforetime."
Had he turned to the east he would not have appeared to violate the customary usage in that respect. David, before the dedication of the Temple, says in the cxxi. Psalm, "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills," which Augustin interprets Heaven; and again, in Psalm cxxiii. 1, "Unto thee lift I up mine eyes O thou that dwellest in the Heavens."
Hebrews, xii. 2—"Looking unto Jesus."
Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Printed at the Journal Office, Grey Street, by John Hernaman.
