doctrine on hereditary sin. It lies in the nature of man to sin, and sin consists in making a wrong use of his free-will. Though the Korân does not state what sin is, the above explanation of sin is therein clearly indicated. Mahomed did not believe in the doctrine of righteousness by faith, or in any doctrines which Paul had introduced into Christianity. Also he appears to have regarded the Law of Moses in so far only as binding on his conscience, as it had been explained by prophets. Mahomed demanded from his followers that they should believe in him as the last of the prophets or apostles, this being the right way of receiving God's direction. Mahomed attached great importance to prayer, for which he fixed regular times. "Be ye steadfast in prayer and give alms, and whatsoever good ye send before your own souls, ye shall find it with God, for God in all ye do doth see. Also "God and his angels pray for men, to bring them forth out of darkness into light." The spiritual union in the universe is thus testified in the Korân. Islam, or "resignation," according to Mahomed's doctrine, means the patient but not passive waiting of man for the guidance from above, for "God's guidance," that is, "the [good] guidance," which will enable him to know and to do God's will. The word "salm" implies not in the first place or exclusively submission to God's will, but, on the 1 Sur. ii. 104, 278; comp. xxii. 78, lxxiii. 22, xxxiii. 42. contrary, means one who strives after righteousness with all his strength. The true followers of Islam will believe and confirm what has been taught by the messengers of God, and they will try rightly to explain the doctrinal development in the Scriptures. The Koran acknowledges the free-will of God and the free-will of man, who is regarded as a cooperator in his salvation. Yet the apparent discordances in the Korân on the subject of free-will very naturally called forth feuds between Muslims and Christians on this question. It seems to be a contradiction that whilst sin is said to be disobeying of God's will, the latter is only from time to time made known to succeeding prophets, and through them to all men with increasing fulness. But this is not a denial of man's free-will, since man has only to be willing to weigh and to follow the precepts of the apostles in order to be sure of the divine guidance. "God sends down of his grace on whomsoever of his servants he wills." Wherefore did ye kill God's prophets of yore, if ye were true believers ? " 2 Timely repentance is recommended, as also the offering of "sacrifices" to God; but these are designated as only then "valuable" when they "go forth from the piety of human hearts." Hereby it is clearly indicated that the sacrifice of self-will," the "resignation" in the divine will, to which the Korân so often refers, is the only sacrifice well 1 Syed Ameer Ali, "The Life and Teachings of Mahomed," 159. 2 Sur. ii. 84, 85. pleasing to God. Faith in divine guidance, good works, and humility lead to a blessing. A Muslim, or "righteous one," must be willing to follow the will of God, to strive for the better knowledge of it, and to do the same. If Mahomed had not recognized free-will, he could not have announced the doctrine of rewards and punishments. "Verily, when one of you commits a good deed, God will reward it in his eyes with great reward; who does evil and is surrounded by misdeeds, they will become associates of hell fire." "Righteousness is not that ye turn your faces [in prayer] towards the east or the west; righteousness is of him who believes in God and the last day and the angels and the Book and prophets, who gives wealth for the sake of God to his kindred and orphans and poor, and the son of the road [the wayfarer] and those in captivity; and who is steadfast in prayer and gives alms, and those who are sure of their covenant when they make a covenant, and the patient in poverty and in distress and in time of violence; these are those who are true, and these are those who fear [God]." The Muslim must believe and do good works and humble himself before the Lord, knowing that " God steps in between a man and his heart." He knows" the abode of future life is better for those who fear." "If I knew the unseen, I should surely have much that is good, nor would evil touch me.”1 No good works in themselves, no self-righteousness suffices 1 Sur. ii. 75, 172, viii. 24, vii. 169, 188. for winning Paradise. Even in the last moments of his conscious life Mahomed prayed for "forgiveness," and he thought of "the glorious associates on high." It is not Mahomed's fault if his followers entertain fatalistic and materialistic views on the future. We can now answer the question, in what sense, according to the Korân, a Redeemer is necessary. God himself will atone and forgive sin. There is no need for a vicariate sacrifice to bring about a reconciliation between God and humanity. "The camels [for sacrifice] we have made for you the symbols of God; so mention the name of God over them, as they stand in a row [to be sacrificed]. Their meat will never reach God, nor yet their blood, but the piety from you will reach to him.” "Lord, make us not to carry what we have no strength for, but forgive us and pardon us and have mercy on us." "God will cover for you your offences, and will forgive you, for God is Lord of mighty grace," God has been "gracious" to his "servant " Jesus. "C 'The Spirit comes of the bidding of the Lord.”1 It is "with the permission of God" that the first among angels, Gabriel, the revealer of the Word of God, from time to time became the mediator of spiritual communications. Angels are messengers of God who do his pleasure, but they have never walked on earth. Mahomed has in no wise brought the birth of Jesus into connection with the Paulinic-Essenic 1 Sur. xxii. 37, ii. 285 ƒ., viii. 29, xliii. 47-51, xvii. 87. doctrine of an Angel-Messiah, which points back to Buddhism. Jesus and Mahomed have opposed this doctrine. It does not appear that Mahomed has called Jesus "the Son of man," which Messianically interpreted title, referred to in the 80th Psalm and the Danielic vision, Jesus applied to himself, as pointing, like the 118th Psalm, to the Messianic kingdom in Israel which began with his preaching. Mahomed's conception of Jesus as the Messiah agreed with that recorded in the 80th Psalm and in Daniel's vision, where the Son of man is described as raised from earth to heaven, not as come down from heaven to earth. It is the crown of Islam that its author associated himself with original, not with Paulinic, Christianity. THE FUTURE OF ISLAM. We have thus tried to indicate in general outlines the relations between Islam and aboriginal Christianity. We have done so without prejudice, according to the principles of criticism which science has now established, and with an eye to peace and good-will among the religions of mankind. In conclusion, we ask whether the place which Mahomedan States take in the civilized world is that which seems to be due to their high conception on the unity of God. In general terms the answer must be that the place ought to be a very much higher one than that which any of these States have occupied or now occupy. We have to point out the chief hindrances which stand in the way of that |