diseases. Would it, therefore, be consistent with the goodness and wisdom of God to enjoin a fast which in many cases destroys health, that best of man's earthly blessings, whilst its moral object of self-restraint might be obtained in other ways not endangering health?

Nor is this all; for we have to consider the question from yet another point of view. It is certain that Christianity claims to be a universal religion, divinely intended for all men, and equally suited to all the nations of the earth. As, therefore, Islam assumes to be a religion superior to Christianity, it ought to be better adapted to the varying circumstances of mankind than the system it seeks to displace. But what is actually the case with regard to the institution in question? Every one at all acquainted with geography knows that within the tropics days and nights are equal all the year round, but that in the temperate and arctic zones their respective lengths vary so much that, e. g. in some localities the day may last four or six times as long as the night, and vice versa. Now as the Muslims have to fast during the Ramadan from sunrise to sunset, it must follow that, whilst they within the tropics had only to fast about twelve hours, those living in higher latitudes (e.g. in Stambul and further north) would have to do the same for sixteen or twenty hours: but how could this be consistent with the perfect equity of God? We know,

moreover, that about the 67th degree north latitude the day lasts about one month, about the 69th two, and about the 73rd three months, i.e. one, two, or three months intervene between a sunrise and the next sunset. Now if the inhabitants of these northern latitudes were to carry out the Muhammadan rule respecting the Ramadan fast, by abstaining from all eating and drinking for only a single such day, the simple consequence would be, death from starvation, long before the time had arrived to say the midday prayer. From this it is clear as noon day that the existing rules of the Ramadan fast are completely inapplicable to a whole portion of the human family , whilst it is a matter of fact, that in those very regions there are already thousands who confess the Christian religion, without finding in it any precept the observance of which would be certain death to them. It is therefore demonstrated, that so far from being in this particular superior to Christianity, Islam could not exist at all in its present form in vast northern countries, from the simple reason that the first Ramadan would cause the death of all its faithful observers. But would it be consistent with the wisdom of God to enforce a law on man so obviously inapplicable to the whole race? Shall we believe that the all-wise God made a mistake by giving a law which in many countries could not be observed; or shall we believe that Muhammad made a mistake