movement at the beginning of the present century was an attempt to return to primitive

The Wahhabis.

Muhammadanism, but it served to evince how many were discontented with the Faith in its present form. A great and growing sect in Persia,—that of the Babis,—though adopting into its creed much

The Babis.

that is absurd and objectionable, yet shows a great tendency in the direction of Christianity and a readiness in many cases to study the Gospels. Their zeal had often led them to die by martyrdom rather than return to the bosom of Islam. The followers of Sayyid Ahmad in India, though leaning too

Sayyid Ahmad.

much to a kind of Materialism, seem nevertheless determined to eliminate from their faith much that is superstitious, and to borrow from ¹ Christianity without confessing it much that serves to ennoble their creed. Atheism is to be found in many quarters, utter unbelief in Muhammad

Restlessness.

in others, orthodox Muhammadanism mainly among the careless, the unthinking and the ignorant. All this unsettlement and restlessness of mind, though painful enough in itself, is encouraging, inasmuch as it proves that men cannot for ever rest satisfied with Islam, but must and will seek for something better. Christ is seeking them, though they know it not, and He will use and overrule all

this unrest to His own glory and their salvation, if we Christians are but willing to do our duty and obey His parting command.

§ 11. Conversions from among Muslims are not few. In the Panjab they may be numbered by

Conversions from Islam.

hundreds, men taken from almost every position in life. In Turkey a congregation was gathered by Dr. Koelle, but man after man vanished—murdered for his faith no doubt—and was never heard of more.

Turkey.

I have myself been privileged to baptize Muslims of several different races,—one an Afghan, several Persians, one Turk and not a few natives of India. Among the fifteen native Christian clergy

Bombay.

now working in connexion with the Church Missionary Society in the Panjab, ten are converts from Islam. Dr. Bruce and other missionaries in Persia and Palestine can tell of men who were brave

Panjab.

enough, even with the sword hanging over their heads, to confess Christ in Muhammadan lands. Besides this, every Missionary in India knows of Muslim enquirers who have confessed their belief in Christ but are kept back from baptism by fear of persecution. These facts are true not with reference to

Enquirers.

one Society alone, but to every Christian Missionary Society that has, even to a very limited degree, striven to bring the light of the Gospel to the followers of Muhammad. GOD has not left Himself without a witness among them, and all we need is to go forward boldly, prayerfully and trustfully to this grand and glorious branch of missionary work.