THE MOSQUES.
This day was to be given to seeing the mosques in Cairo. We set off
early, and went first to see the mosque of Sultan Hassan. This is
thought to be one of the most beautiful specimens of Arabian
architecture in Cairo.
It was built in the fourteenth century, and the blocks of stone for it
were brought from the Great Pyramid, of which these were the
casing-stones. Inside, the mosque was beautiful. Rows of coloured glass
lamps hung from the walls; some were especial curiosities, for they were
the finest early glass-work of their kind. The arches also are fine, and
so are some of the ornaments of the roof.
One sight was pointed out which made us shudder. This was the dark stain
of Sultan Hassan's blood on the pavement. He was murdered in the mosque
by his Mamelukes. His tomb is just in the middle of the inner inclosure.
On it we saw a copy of the Mohammedan holy book, the Koran. It was
splendidly illuminated in gold and colours. The sultan's tomb was once
covered with a rich embroidered covering, but this was faded and
moth-eaten when we saw it. The marble pavement, too, was broken in many
places.
The mosque of Sultan Hassan has always been famed for its beauty. It is
said that the sultan cut off the head of the architect, that he might
never build another as beautiful.
From the mosque of Sultan Hassan we went to the mosque of Sultan Tuloon.
It was built about the year 879 after the birth of our Lord, and is said
to be the oldest mosque in Cairo. It has double rows of handsome pointed
arches. There is a fine view from the chief minaret. Our guide told us
that it even excels that from the citadel. But the staircase is spiral,
is outside, and in rather a ruinous state.
[Illustration: MOSQUE.]
On reaching the second gallery, some of us became faint-hearted and
stayed to rest. Even from it the view was a grand one; but those who
went to the top said that we had really seen nothing in comparison.
Lucy was tired and giddy when we came down, so some of us went home with
her while the rest went to see the mosque of El Ghoree.
"It is beautifully painted," said Hugh, when giving us an account of it
afterwards. "And inside there are pillars of marble and
mother-of-pearl."
"Those are in the niche for prayer," his father said. "The windows and
walls of the mosque, and the roof, are ornamented with stone carved like
lace-work. But I think, Hugh, that what I admire most are the horseshoe
arches, and the four grand columns which look as if they had belonged to
some ancient temple."
"What did the man call that niche for prayer?" Hugh asked.
"The Mahrab. In every mosque the Mahrab looks in the direction of Mecca,
where Mohammed was born; and which is therefore to the Mohammedans the
most sacred of cities."
"Do they pray towards Mecca, then, just as Daniel prayed towards
Jerusalem?"
"Yes, they do. When we were looking at the Mahrab, I, like you now,
thought of Daniel, and wished for the day when the knowledge of the
gospel shall have spread over the earth, and when all places for prayer
shall be used for the service of the only true God, and Jesus Christ
whom he has sent."
"I should like to make one little Egyptian girl a Christian," said Lucy;
"would not you, Hugh?"
"But how could we, Lucy?"
"Oh! we could talk to her, and teach her our hymns, and tell her about
our Bible pictures."
"Only," Hugh answered, thoughtfully, "she would not understand what we
said, and we should not understand her."
"I forgot that. Mamma, may we learn Egyptian?"
"That would take a long time, and I think you can do something better
than that. There is a mission already at Cairo, where the children are
taught by persons who understand the language."
"May we see it?"
"Yes, and you can give some of your money and time in buying and making
clothes for those who are very poor. And something else you can do."
"What is that? Can I do it?" asked Hugh, "for I cannot hem and sew the
clothes."
"Yes, we can all do it. We can pray every day for the Egyptian children,
that God will give them hearts to serve him, and to love our precious
Saviour Jesus Christ, who came to save little children as well as
grown-up people."
It was a happy thought that we could all begin that very night to do
something for the Egyptian children. Hugh and Lucy said so, and we all
felt it.