MOHAMMEDANISM AND CHRISTIANITY AS SAVIORS
By E. E. A.
Noted "Divines" Who Think the Bible Plan Not the Only One—They Say Mohammed's Teaching Will Save Too—Bible Warnings Against Such Apostasies
In an article on "The Great Religions of Asia," by the Rev. J. T. Sunderland, which appeared in a recent number of the Indian Review, published in Madras, India, is found the following: IS IT BETTER THAN CHRISTIANITY?
"There are elements in Mohammedanism which seem peculiarly to fit it to reach, to interest, to impress, and to elevate peoples in low conditions of civilizations. It is even a question whether it is not better adapted to the needs of such peoples, and whether it can not do more for them, than Christianity—at least than Christianity in either its Roman Catholic or its orthodox Protestant form. Certain it is that Mohammedanism is one of the most intensely living, earnest, and aggressive religions of the world." HOW SAD THAT A MINISTER SHOULD TEACH IT!
How sad it is that one who professes to be a representative of the "glorious gospel of the blessed God," a minister of His abounding grace, one who professes to believe—as is most clearly taught in the Scripture—that Jesus of Nazareth is man's only Saviour, should ever confess that "it is even a question" whether Mohammedanism "is not better adapted to the needs of such peoples, and whether it can not do more for them, than Christianity"! Certain it is that he who makes such a statement, be he minister of the gospel or what not, knows nothing of the saving power of our Lord Jesus Christ. He has never tasted of the waters of life, has never been "delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God." UNIVERSAL DISEASE AND BUT ONE REMEDY
Sin is a universal disease, for which there is but one remedy. The great Physician is the only one who can administer that remedy. "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4: 12. The people of India, like those in all other parts of this sin-cursed world, need the help of Jesus—man's only Saviour. If Mohammedanism could save the lost, then Jesus died in vain. One of the prominent signs of the second coming of our blessed Lord is the wide-spread and rapidly growing belief that man is his own Saviour; that the account of the fall of man as recorded in the book of Genesis is simply a "beautiful story with a heavenly meaning"; that the Bible is an Oriental book, and therefore we can not depend on it. THE PREACHER'S INFIDEL UTTERANCES
The paragraph following the one previously quoted from the Indian Review reads thus: "We in this country commonly think of Mohammedanism as being intellectually paralyzed, as having no sympathy with free inquiry or science, or the progressive spirit of the Western world. There is some truth in our thought. Mohammedans, like Christians, are fettered, burdened, spiritually bound, by belief in the infallibility of a sacred book. They believe that their Koran contains all wisdom, much as the majority of Christians believe that the Bible contains all wisdom. This tends to keep their eyes turned constantly to the past, and to make them distrustful of new truth. But Christian peoples are gradually shaking off the fetters which belief in an infallible book has placed upon their minds." Undoubtedly belief in the infallibility of a sacred book would fetter the mind of the author of the article quoted, even as Eve felt fettered by the infallible command, "Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." It must be confessed that there are a large number who are thus fettered. THEY REJECT HIS WORD AND RIGHTEOUSNESS
The prophet Isaiah, in speaking of conditions that would prevail "in the last days," tells of some who say, "We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach." Isa. 2: 2; 4: 1. The word of God is the bread of the Christian, the righteousness of Christ his apparel, and he is baptized into the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Luke 4: 4; Isa. 61: 10; Matt 28: 19. But these of whom the prophet speaks reject the word of God and the righteousness of Christ; and thus while they bear the name of Christ, their course belies their profession. Again this same India writer says: "From the study of these religions, with their sacred books, their great teachers, and their devout saints, we shall learn—we are already beginning to learn—how small and narrow is the thought that there is only one true religion, and that the rest are false; that only those who follow in the path of that one religion are acceptable to God or can be saved, while all the others are enemies of God and must be lost." This is not altogether unlike the declaration of the archdeacon of Westminster and chaplain of the House of Commons, the venerable Basil Wilberforce, D. D., of London, England, as follows: "The people of God, remember, are not a select and privileged few, but the totality of the members of the human race, in all ages, everywhere, and always, for 'there is one body and one spirit.'" The foregoing were the closing words in an article entitled "The Story of the Sabbath," which appeared in the Sunday Circle, of London, England, February 1, 1908. Unfortunately, these sentiments are not confined to a few to-day, but are entertained by large numbers of those who bear the name of Christ. THE PLAIN WORDS OF THE ETERNAL
The words of Scripture, apparently forgotten by so many, are clear and plain, and are not susceptible of any other than the most literal interpretation. They teach that "the wages of sin is death." Rom. 6: 23. "Be not deceived: God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." Gal. 6: 7, 8. "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thence: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." Matt. 7: 13, 14. To believe that in the religion of Christ is revealed the only way of salvation, that Jesus is the only Saviour, and that all other religions are false, and all who trust in them for salvation will698be sadly disappointed in the great day of Judgment, may seem to the worldly wise as "small and narrow"; but it is most emphatically the teaching of the Saviour of the world, who said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." John 14: 6. "There is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave Himself a ransom for all." 1 Tim. 2: 5, 6. It would not be so serious if the individuals who utter such sentiments were the only ones affected by them; but, unfortunately, they too often come from those who, as in the above instances, are set as watchmen upon the walls of Zion, shepherds of the flock of God. The words of the Saviour are surely applicable in such cases: "They be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch." Matt. 15: 14. WILL NOT ENDURE SOUND DOCTRINE
The apostle Paul by inspiration said: "The time will come when they will not endure the sound doctrine; but, having itching ears, will heap to themselves teachers after their own lusts; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn aside unto fables." 2 Tim. 4: 3, 4, R. V. Undoubtedly the apostle was writing of conditions that would obtain in the last days. In the chapter preceding this last quotation, he says: "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come." Then follows a long list of sins, the last of which is, "having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such," he says, "turn away." 2 Tim. 3: 1-5. Then comes the solemn injunction: "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom; Preach the Word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine." 2 Tim. 4: 1, 2. Surely the last days have come, and perilous times are upon us.