Part 3

The story of Islam, the Church which has grown up side by side with the Church of Christ, is laden with suggestions upon this subject of the failure of the latter to bring in the Kingdom of the Father. One or two of these only can be noted.

1. Reference has already been made to several of the most noteworthy; _e.g._, the reality of the Muslim Brotherhood, and the easily-kindled missionary ardour; to the same category belongs another striking fact. The Muslim is never ashamed to confess His faith. His devotion to God and his loyalty to the Prophet are not matters too sacred for conversation. They are his deepest life, wherefore should he shun reference to them? When as much can be said of the members of each Christian Church, much will be gained.

“I’m not ashamed to own my Lord, Or to defend His cause.”

2. Islam is broken up into some two hundred sects; Christianity into as many, or more. The family feuds have, in each case, been fiercely maintained. But, at the call—“_Fight for the religion of God_,” Islam rallies as one man, a solid front is offered to the enemies of the Faith. Just at this point, once again, Christianity has failed. The family feud is carried into the enemy’s country, and weakens the aggressive warfare, as only those who have taken part in that warfare can tell.

3. The solidarity of societies is a rarely realized but very solemn fact. The Church of Christ cannot divide herself into portions, and fling responsibilities from division to division, from age to age. Whether consciously or not, when one member suffers all suffer, when one member sins sin has come upon all; and history teaches no lesson more plainly than that the harvest of the deeds of one generation is reaped by another. Thus, the most solemn lesson provided by the story of Islam is contained in the very existence of Islam. A disloyal Church presented a false Faith to one of the most earnest Seekers after God who has ever gone forth upon the great Quest; and the Church has spent much wrath upon the “false Prophet” who has ever since been her greatest opponent. But she has never fairly faced her sin, nor acknowledged that the Islam of to-day is to all intents the harvest of the seed of false doctrine she sowed thirteen centuries ago. To discuss the truth or the falsehood of Muhammad’s claim will be the task of Islam when she is brought face to face with the true Christ; it is beside the mark for the Church of Christ. To her falls the far more awful duty of wiping out as best she may, and at whatever cost, the darkest blot which has marred her long history. Can it be that her Lord cannot largely own her aggressive work done in His Name, until the wrong has been righted?

III

THE COMING BATTLE

“_Fight for the religion of God, and know that God is He Who heareth and knoweth._”

Muhammad.

“_Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations ... and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world._”

Jesus Christ.

THE COMING BATTLE.

Islam and Christianity are not sister religions, as some would have us believe. The very existence of Islam is a challenge to Christianity; and since Muhammad sent out his missionary armies, the two Faiths have been constant rivals and enemies. All apologists of any weight on both sides acknowledge the mutual exclusion of Christ and Muhammad. Nothing is gained on either side by denial of this position.

History has corroborated this view only too literally. In Muslim lands those bearing the Christian name have suffered and do suffer in proof of it. “_To remain a Christian_,” writes Mrs. King Lewis, in her book—‘Critical Times in Turkey, and England’s Responsibility,’—“_means to court death in some terrible manner_.” The best that can be said of other lands is that there is an armed neutrality.

The two antagonists must one day meet; and the war, on the one side at least, will be a religious war. It will be a terrible war, waged at fearful cost. It could hardly be otherwise, for the wrongs to be avenged on either side are deep and of long standing.

It is a saying with Mussulmans that Christianity fears to meet Islam. Missionaries in Arabia have been taunted with the fact that parties of two or three men are sent by the Church of Christ to convert Arabia, and the inference is drawn that the older Faith dares not seriously to confront the younger. Some colour is given to the reproach by the fact that Christian Europe dares not to confront the moribund Turkish Empire in defence of those who bear the Christian name.

The question of Christianity is, whether the inevitable war shall be primarily or entirely a war of the nations, bloody and disastrous; or whether it is not possible even yet for the Church to unite her forces, and to meet the common enemy with a frank avowal of the first wrong, and an offer, belated indeed, but now earnest and sincere, of the knowledge of Christ.

The approach of Christian to Mussulman must always be a difficult and delicate task. He is prepossessed against Christ, he cannot believe that Christianity is other than a polytheistic Faith, “The very bells of the churches ring, Jesus, Mary; Jesus, Mary,” said a Muslim woman. Disdain of the Prophet rouses his bitterest antagonism. Discussions and arguments end as they began.

But there is a soul of honour in him, and a fair approach meets, as a rule, with a fair response. “You have read the Quran? Bring me a Bible,” said a bigotted Muslim woman to the writer.

“Shall we talk the matter quietly over? Tell me of your Faith, and of what it means to you; and will you give me also a hearing?” Such an appeal rarely fails; and if Christ and His message be fairly introduced, the result may safely be left with Him.

THE END

A SHORT BIBLIOGRAPHY OF ACCESSIBLE BOOKS UPON THE SUBJECT.

_A Dictionary of Islam._ By the REV. T. P. HUGHES, late of Peshawar.

_Notes on Muhammadanism._ By the REV. T. P. HUGHES, late of Peshawar.

_The Life of Mahomet._ By SIR WILLIAM MUIR.

_Mahomet and Islam._ By SIR WILLIAM MUIR.

_Mohammed, Buddha, and Christ._ By PROFESSOR DODS.

_The Religion of the Crescent; or, Islam: Its Strength, Its Weakness, Its Origin, Its Influence._ By the REV. W. ST. CLAIR TISDALL, M.A.

_Christianity and Islam._ Epochs of Church History Series. (A. D. F. Randolph and Co., New York.)

_The Quran._ Of which there are several translations.

RICHARD CLAY & SONS, LIMITED, BREAD STREET HILL, E.C., AND BUNGAY, SUFFOLK

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Transcriber’s note:

Archaic and unusual spellings have been maintained from the original book.

Obvious errors in printing have been corrected, as detailed below.

The Table of Contents was expanded to include the Preface, Table of Contents, A Short Bibliography of Accessible Books Upon the Subject, and this Transcriber’s Note.

The book cover image was created by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.

Details of the changes:

Page 15 had crossed his path, who had spoken or[of]

Page 24 corrolary[corollary] to the teaching regarding the Will,

Page 34 pullution[pollution] before entering the presence of

Page 41 Islam is in advance of the law of great[Great] Britain