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which are: sacrifice of property, life, reputation, and
religion. The command of the llahi, "divine," faith
means that, in case of an indispensable conflict, if one
does not sacrifice all he possesses, he must renounce
these four degrees. Further, it is the divine com-
mand, that one may relinquish something of the four
degrees, but never make an abandonment of his God.

The Emperor further said, that one thousand
years have elapsed since the beginning of Muham-
med's mission, and that this was the extent of the
duration of this religion, now arrived at its term.

Another of his ordinances abolished absolutely
the obligation of bathing after pollution by spermatic
emission. The sages said that the most exquisite and
best part of a man is mani, u sperm," and that the
seed of creation is pure. What sense is there that,
after the common natural secretions bathing be not
required, whilst the release of a quantity of delicate
matter is subject to an entire ablution ? Yet it is suit-
able to bathe before indulging sexual propensity.

It is equally absurd to prepare food for the spirit
of a corpse, which then belongs to minerals : what
sense is there in it? Yet the birth-day of a person
is justly made a great festival, and called " theban-
" quet of life." Moreover, when one's soul has at-
tained the full knowledge of the primitive cause, and
has left its mortal garment, this day also is devoted
to rejoicing, and named " the day of union."