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THE MOHAMMEDAN CONTROVERSY

books, from the time of their alleged authors to that of their publication; e.g., from the time of Ezra to Ptolemy, and from that of the apostles to Constantine. The fifteenth Question asserts that the miracles of Mohammed are the only ones of any prophet that can be proved by testimony, those of all others being dependent upon his evidence (pp. 183-245). The sixteenth holds that, notwithstanding the corruption of the Bible, it contains more prophecies in favour of Mohammed than in favour of Christ. This subject is treated at great length, and with much casuistry (pp. 245-385). The seventeenth and main proposition is that the same objections may be brought against Moses, Jesus and the other prophets, and their books, as against Mohammed. Under this head is embraced the refutation of the Mîzân and Dîn Haqq (pp. 385-709). The eighteenth proposition closes the book, with a chapter on the beauties and excellencies of Islam.

The work is written in pleasing language, and in a more respectful style than generally characterises such productions but this praise is only comparative, for bigotry and pride often overbear the author's natural good feeling, and dictate passages respecting Christianity which the dogmas, even of Islam, should have led him to shrink from. Added to the usual materials brought forward by Moslems on such occasions, there is an ostentatious display of some shallow English learning and ideas which the author has picked up from translations and conversation. On the whole, the spirit of the work, though abounding with the usual blasphemies which make the ears of Christians to tingle, is better and more reasonable than we usually find. A few specimens, taken pretty much at random, will, perhaps, be interesting to the reader.

Thirteen pages are spent in labouring to prove that Mohammed is "the Prince of this world" spoken of in the New Testament. In disposing of the objections to this view, he endeavours to explain away the text,—"the whole world lieth in wickedness": and finding that other versions translate the latter words "in the wicked one," he adds:—

Behold! Two copies give it one way, and three the other. To which shall the preference be given? How conclusively the corruption of the

           

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