“Come, wake up,” I almost shouted, “it is too terrible! Someone _must_ talk to me about Islam.” And when I realised my own selfishness in not leaving the poor man to sleep, I could only put forth the plea: “I am so interested in your religion.” “I am flattered indeed,” was the immediate response. “Religion in the East is truly a real and living force.” At his grave words I saw again that long line of weary soldiers among the mountains at their prayers. “I shall wound your feelings,” I went on, “if I persist in questioning you about the grievances of your people, though God knows my curiosity is not idle.” “It is far better to wound my feelings and publish the truth than to suffer the slightest risk of your misjudging us. You may help to see us righted, for Great Britain may have indeed ‘sinned in ignorance.’” But my allusion to Lord Robert Cecil had raised the problem of Christianity in the East. I had to admit that he was accused of working for “union” between the Anglican and the Greek Churches. “He _is_ a devout, loyal and energetic Anglican, but I refuse to believe that he would ever encourage such criminal folly.” “He is, indeed, too honourable,” replied the cheik. “That is only another example of bringing politics into religion, which must kill faith.” “But does not Islam teach us that politics and religion are one?” “No, indeed; that is a false, Western, interpretation of the Koran. It is our work to-day to set free religion from the canker of all statecraft.” I could not resist interposing at this point with my conviction that no _established_ Church can pursue wisdom; while the insecurity of our Free Churches to-day must always “put brakes” on their power against the Government, and “muzzle” the _real_ freedom of thought or truth. When we got back to Greece, the cheik gave me chapter and verse for his conviction that “if the Turks should allow the Greek Patriarch to remain in Constantinople, their tolerance would have degenerated to mere weakness. “It was a golden dream for the Greeks, nearly realised; but it is not for us to substantiate it. “They were to drive us back into the depths of Asia Minor, to rule over the peoples who had been their masters for five centuries, to recapture the great ‘Bible’ towns for the Cross; to settle on the shores of Marmora and Constantinople, that they might drive on to Rome! “Their vision, assuredly, did not lack grandeur. “It even seemed for a little that realisation might be achieved by zeal and ardour, until King Constantine’s return provoked M. Briand’s famous ‘Note’ of November, 1920, and put an end to the dream.” Here I uttered a word of regret that we had not then followed the policy of the French “surely a course that might have saved us from all the jealousy and suspicion we have so perversely incurred.”