224 MISCELLANEOUS OBJECTIONS

the independent testimony of several different witnesses. The circumstance that they agree in the main though sometimes differing in details is a proof that there was no collusion between them (vide § 47).

249. M. How can Jesus be "the Prince of Peace" (Isa. ix. 6) when He acted as mentioned in Matt. xxi. 12 (Mark xi. 15: John ii. 15), and spoke as in Luke xii. 51 (Matt. x. 34) and Luke xxii. 36?

C. He is the Prince of Peace because He reconciles men to God and gives spiritual peace to His people (John xiv. 27: Phil. iv. 7: Col. iii. 15). He was supporting God's law in putting an end to the desecration of the Temple (Matt. xxi. 13: cf. Isa. lvi. 7). He warned His disciples that they would be persecuted by their enemies, but even then assured them of the spiritual peace which He would give them (John xvi. 33). That He did not wish them to take up the sword in their own defence is clear from Matt. xxvi. 52 (cf. Luke ix. 54-6).

250. M. If Jesus had been divine, He would have known that but few would believe in Him, and then He would not have died for so few.

C. He did know, for He said, "Many are called, but few chosen" (Matt. xx. 16; xxii. 14: cf. vii. 14). Moreover, your argument answers itself, if we apply it in another way. God must have known when He created the world that many would be idolaters. Do you therefore deny creation, or God's omniscience?
MISCELLANEOUS OBJECTIONS 225

251. M. Idolatry is practised in the Greek, Roman, Armenian, Syrian, and other Churches, and even in some parts of the Church of England. How can we Muslims be expected to become Christians when Christians are idolaters? We deem the association (شِرك) of partners with God to be the unpardonable sin (Surah IV., An Nisa', 51, 116).

[The subjoined answer is suggested in addition to any further answer which might be given by individual Missionaries by way of a challenge to the facts alleged by the Muhammadans1.]

C. Even if what you say is quite true, yet this sin is condemned in both the Old and the New Testament (e.g. Rev. xxi. 8; xxii. 15) in very terrible language. Many Muslims in Bengal and elsewhere worship2 certain Hindu deities, and in other places the honour paid to saints is just what the Qur'an condemned in Muhammad's day among the heathen Arabs, who, along with God Most High, worshipped certain inferior deities. But neither Islam nor Christianity is responsible for this heathenism, which is equally opposed to them

1 This sentence is inserted by desire of the C.M.S. Secretaries at the request of the S.P.C.K. Committee. The introductory words of the following answer have also been modified for the same reason.
2 "In the Hazara district I have seen a grave called Khati Qabr, and have been told that it is, as its name suggests, the grave of an ass, and that it is held in very great reverence by Musalmans." (Rev. T. Grahame Bailey.)