The third and last supposition above mentioned is this: "And suppose,
further (though the supposition is one which it is hardly possible to
make even in imagination), that a British officer, instead of doing
whatever might be necessary, or executing whatever orders he might
receive, for the maintenance of British authority, were to consider
whether he ought not to become a disciple of the Guru or Imam." Here
again, we may ask, what passage of Scripture supports this parallel of a
Mohammedan Guru before a British officer with Jesus Christ before
Pontius Pilate? Where is it anywhere stated, or by reasonable inference
implied, that Pilate considered whether he ought not to become a
disciple of Jesus? The celebrated English author has simply argued his
case from a radically defective record of fact.
On the other hand, let us draw what we conceive to be a true parallel.
Let us take an illustration nearer home. Suppose that the Governor
General of the Philippine Islands was clothed with authority of life and
death as a judge in criminal matters pertaining to the affairs of those
islands. Suppose that a Mohammedan preacher should appear somewhere in
the archipelago where Mohammedans are numerous, and begin to proclaim a
new religious faith which was opposed not only to the ordinary tenets of
Islamism, but also to the Christian religion which is the dominant faith
of the rulers of the Philippines. Suppose that the coreligionists of
this Mohammedan prophet should seize him, bring him before the Governor
General, and lodge against him a threefold charge: That he was stirring
up sedition in the islands; that he had advised the Filipinos not to pay
taxes due to the United States government; and that he had said and
done things that were treasonable against the United States. Suppose
that the Governor General, after personal examination, became satisfied
that the Mohamammedan preacher was an innocent enthusiast, that the
charges against him were false, and were due to the envy and hatred of
his fellow-Mohammedans; that to quiet the passions, and satisfy the
demands of the mob, he proposed to scourge him first and then release
him; that, in the face of the vehement accusations of the rabble, he
hesitated and vacillated for several hours; and that finally, when the
Mohammedans threatened to send a complaint to President Roosevelt which
might endanger his position, he ordered his innocent prisoner to death.
Suppose this should happen beneath the American flag, what would be the
judgment of the American people as to the merits of the proceedings?
Would the Governor General retain his office by such a course of
conduct?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account