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9

THE MOHAMMEDAN CONTROVERSY

mankind the right way; and that the Messiah would be but a man. Hence to worship him is inexcusable, much. more to consider him as a God" (p. xlix.). Mahommed Ruza, in his reply to Henry Martyn, still further alters the passage : "David has also said, Send a lawgiver, oh God, that men may know that Jesus is a man and not a God" (p. 231).

The fact that Christ did not punish the woman taken in adultery, is assumed as conclusive evidence that Christianity abrogated the Mosaical law. The following will serve as a specimen of Ahmed's reasoning: —"Moses was no prophet, because he opposed the law as given by Jacob. In the law of Jacob it was allowable to marry two sisters, for he married both Leah and Rachel; which is contrary to the law of Moses . . . . You Christians are reduced, therefore, to this alternative, either you must deny the mission of Jesus; or must allow that he opposed Moses" (p. lxv.). This is much the same style of reasoning as we have at the present day. The greater part of the remaining arguments consist of attacks upon the credibility of the Scriptures, by showing that they contain discrepancies and unworthy sentiments, and that the apostles and evangelists were men of doubtful character. Ahmed also gives the Catholics a sly hit about the Reformation: —"It appears that you Christians oppose all the prophets. You need not, therefore, reproach and reprobate the English as you do . . . . You say that when some cursed persons came who endeavoured to corrupt the Holy Scriptures, they were unable to succeed; but corrupted only those books, which their own, reprobate doctors had written out; and these are the English, some of whom are now at Isfahán (p. xciv.). What were our English ancestors then about; were the Reformers silent at Isfahán? There is a curious account of the mode in which Gospels are said to have been fabricated, and which is ably replied to at p. cii. Having devoted a few more pages to the refutation of Ahmed's objections, Lee proceeds to describe a Latin work by Philip Guadagnoli, of the College de Propag. Fide, in defence of Xavier, and refutation of Ahmed. Lee's silence confirms the opinion one forms of its poverty from the frequent references it contains to the authority of Fathers,

           

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