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Show Saladin By REV. T. B. GREGORY. December 6, 1193. , Saladin, tho illustrious Mohammedan sultan, diod 720 years ago today. Soven conturies Is a long time for a man's namo to live, but thero aro as yet no signs that Saladin 'a namo is perishing per-ishing from tho memory of tho rnco. Saladin, though a "Pagan," and, from the viewpoint of his Christian contemporaries, an "infidel dog," was ono of tho greatest and most mngnani-mous mngnani-mous of the children of meu. By tho strength of his own gonius and will power ho mado for himself a throne, upon which he sat with all becoming dignity and honor for many years governing, gov-erning, as a rule, with wisdom and mB?avo as a lion, ho was the very soul of honor and generosity; and in toleration tolera-tion and charity, in thp fundamental olementB of truo manhood and ttoo graces of a gentleman, stood head w ua shouldorn abovo most of tho monarchs of his timo. . . , Whero is the imagination that &s not becu onthused ovor nnd over again with tho stories of his mighty tilts with the mnilcd crusaders; and where is tuc heart that has not been touched with tho wav ho treated Richard the Lion Hearted, who lay in the royal tent burning up with fever how ho sont into his camp the camels laden wltn snow to assuage tho fiery disease that was consuming him! Saladin did not boliove, with old Jack Falstaff, that honor wns a ' mero scutcheon." On, tho contrary, he believed be-lieved that it was the greatest thing in tho world, that it mado tho man, and that without it n man was no hotter than an empty shell. It was against those who had no senso of honor, and no regard for thoir plighted word, that. Saladin unsheathed the sword of Uib most terrible wrath. Such was tho groat Mohammedan statesman and warrior, and, therefore it is that, his name lives and will over live while heroism and good faith aro admired among nion. |