History of Mohammedanism, and Its Sects - Derived Chiefly From Oriental Sources #262271

The history of Mohammedanism forms, if not an essential, at least a very useful and interesting portion of Christian knowledge, since it enables us to compare with revelation~ the most influential system ever devised by human reason. Its' claims to such competition are great and obvious: though its origin was obscure, its progress was rapid; with appar ently disproportioned means it obtained the most brilliant triumphs; its converts were made by tribes and nations; it sway has been extensive, and its dominion permanent. That these circumstances have furnished many a sarcasm to the sneering sceptic, ai'id, perhaps, sometimes shaded with doubt the mind of the true believer, is a matter of sorrow rather than surprise, but that too many advocates of our holy religion have aided the infidel, by accepting his sophistical statement of the question, may justly fill us with astonish ment. If the terms of the matter in dispute were fairly explained, there is not a human being possessed of ordi nary capacity that would not find the entire argument, which the sceptic founds on the success of Mohammed, a mass of disguised assumptions and wilful misrepresenta~ tions.