RELIGION*.
Hindu empire of Mujapdhit,then supreme on the island «as overthrown ™d
the Mahometan religion- became the established fatth of the country. When
the Portuguese first visited Java in 1511, they found a Hindu f a g in Bantam;
and subsequently, they are said to have lost their footing in ttatpro-
vince, in consequence o f the arrival and estatilish^errt ol a Mahometan
prince there j hut with the exception of an inconsiderable number m some
of the interior and mountainous: tracts, the whole island appears, to ave
been" converted to Mahometanism rn the course o f thV | S S B B |
tury, or at least mt the period of the establishment of the Dutch at Batavia
I IQ BSpBi-r ijjij r4i;:r^ H • . . . 1
The natives are I W W W M I m H B M *
though they have long ceased to respect the temples-and idols of a former
worship, they stifl retain a high respect for the laws, usages and national
observances which prevailed befoto the introduction of Mahometan s .
And although some individuals among them may aspire to a higher
sanctity and c lo s e r 'conformity to ^Mahometanism than others, it may be
fairly stated, that the Javans in general, HI tl“'
preme God, and that Mahomet was his Prophet, and observe, some of the
outward forms of the worship and observances, ^ r e A i t ^
flic doctrines of that religion and arc the least b,gated of its follower^.
Pew of the chiefs decline the use of wine, and if the common peepk^bstam
from iuebriating liquors, it is not from any religious motive. Mahometan
institutions, however, are still gaining ground, and with a free trade- a great
accession of Arab teachers might be expected to arrive. Property mud y
descends according to the Mahometan law f but in «« ’« ' f sf 1
metan code, ns adopted by the Java«, is strangely blended with the more
ancient institutions of the country.* Pilgrimages
* <• T b e ^ i r i o a of the t o a n s is m general M a h o n » h o t Wtftgled ^ th - many supers«-
,, u . ,» a « » : , H o t « « |lgg
« from- bigots, to their religion, as other Mahometans g e n e ra ^ are. They are a*
tractable by nature, and although they do not easily forget or forgive an mjury they would
A r a ^ m ^ e d - p e o p l h u n d e r good laws and a mild government. ||gjggg
„ mA othW crimes, ( 3 6 now committed in. some places, are to be attributed moiettt-t
* a a ^ i - t i o u ; than to any bad dispositions ill the people. The s a m ^ a y b
« L a r k e d of the indolence and indifference which now characterize. ^
J J J ? with personal and commercial freedom and security, would soon render them md
« trio\it.”—Hogendorp's Memoir on Java, 1800.
BKLIfilOP. 3
Pilgrimages to Mecca, are aerntpon. Wbito the Dutch first established
themselves on JMggg it weejjoti.jpiushftl. for tbe> chiefs of the highest rank to
undertake the vöyage, as wilt he seen in the course of the native history.
As'}SQonl,i‘b@iw#ye^ .as the Dhtsb ,d)tafeed’ a,bSapFeaaa©y, they did all they
could to .check this practice, as well as the admission of Arab missionaries*
and by the. operation; @f the syatémiio^ «©mmerciail monopoly which they
adopthd^ sweseeded pretty effectually«: Ifedsoestoot* however, appear that. this
arose from any desire t.Qi cheek the prpgress.of Mahometanism on Java*, or that
it was witiifanyvi^ te Mtwftiee As (k^trines c^;’©hristiamity, Aat, they wished
to cut off .the eummunifiation pith .MeespÉ their sole: objects appear to. have
been the safety .of ,ithe*?; pwn power and the tranquillity of the country.
Every Ar^bi frdm.Mecea, as. well as,every Javan who had, returned ferae a
pilgrimage thither,, assumed on Java the character of a saint, and the
credulity,of-the ■ cbmmon people wasisuch, .that .they top often attributed to
such persons supernaturalpawers.jd/Tbus.respected, it was not. difficult for
them to rouse the country torihelllan, andthey became the most dangerous
instruments in xha. hands' of the native, authorities opposed to: the Dutch
interests. . The Mahometan, priests have almost invariably been found most
active in every case., of insurrection. Numbers.of: them, generally a mixed
breed between the Arabs and the islanders, go about fem state'to state in
the Eastern Islands, and it is generally by their intrigues and exhortations
that the native chiefs are stirred up to attack or massacre the European^ as
infidels and intruders.
The cfBsmeroial monopoly of the. Dutch,, however injurious! to the
country in other respects, was in this highly advantageous to the character
of the Javans, as it - preserved them from the reception of many o£ the
more intolerable and deteriorating tenets of the Koran, i
I have already mentioned, that every f illage has its priest, ;and that, in
every village of i nap or tance there is a mosque Or building set apart adapted
to religious worship. Thei usual Mahometan service-is performed; and the
Pmghulu, of - priest, is consulted, apd decides, in all cases of marriage,
divorce, and inheritance. He is bound also to remind the villagers of the
proper season for the cultivation*of-'the lands.- He is remunerated by a
tithe of the produce of the land, certain fe'ès* which are paid on circum-
cisions, marriages, divorceS, and funerals, and presents ^wMeh are usual at
partienfe seasons and on particular occasions,
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