29

THE MOHAMMEDAN CONTROVERSY

counted by God against a Mussulman, while the mere intention to do a good action, is reckoned as one and, if it be carried out, as ten good deeds! Inward corruption and impurity are therefore ideas foreign to the Mohammedan creed. The Gospel is now introduced. Faith in Jesus is shewn to be the requisite and only acceptable accompaniment of repentance; and the wonderful splendour thrown upon the Divine attributes by the love of God, in the gift of His Son, is fully dwelt upon. The concluding portion displays by copious extracts from Scripture, and with great power of language, the blessings conferred by participation in this salvation. The springs of the Christian's character and happiness, his restoration to God's favour, his delight in prayer, his love to all mankind, and his glorious prospects for eternity, are described with a fascinating eloquence which cannot fail to captivate the reader. There is no space for details, but attention may be drawn to the vivid parallel between the heaven of the Bible, and the paradise of Mohammed; a species of argument which Pfander frequently adopts with great effect. Thus, after dilating at length on the excellencies and the perfections of some Christian doctrine, he suddenly brings forward the corresponding tenets of the Mohammedan faith, the comparison adding to their native deformity. So again (p. 146), after dwelling upon God's mercy and desire that all should be saved, the teaching of the Coran, that millions were created for damnation, is held up in contrast. Such a course seems more effective, and more likely to, produce conviction, than successively to bring up each of the Mohammedan doctrines like culprits to the bar for separate condemnation.1

The Tarîq-ul-Hyât stands unrivalled as an exposition of Christian doctrine in the Persian language. It is difficult to say

1 Such a mode is adopted in the Dîn Haqq ki tahqîq, "An Inquiry into the True Religion," a prize essay published three years ago in "refutation of Hindooism and Mohammedanism and establishment of Christianity." The most important portion refers to the Hindoo religion,—the subject being elaborately treated, and the arguments in general conclusive. The part which applies to Mohammedanism, though it contains a deal of useful matter, is not so likely to be beneficial; the peremptory tone is likely to excite opposition, and some of the arguments are weak,—such as the impossibility of keeping the fast of Ramzân and observing the five daily prayers at the poles,— which, though to a certain extent true, is too strongly insisted upon. As this book has been published in English, no more lengthened notice of it is necessary here.