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growth of population ;
(d) The wealth of the United States in
creased in 20 years 156 per cent.
The contributions of Southern Presbyterians
increased in 25 years 450 per cent.
Nevertheless, there are some who charge us
with being ultra conservative and altogether
w n progressive. Those who indulge in these
"pleasantries" are happily fewer in number
than in years past. But the species is not yet.
extinct.
The facts given above are gleaned from the
official records. They indicate that while hold
ing without compromise or apology to "the
faith once-for-all delivered to the saints," the
Southern Presbyterian Church is the livest and
most progressive Church on this continent.
Let us "thank God and take courage" as
we continue to go forward "in His Name."
Florence, S. C.
SELECTED
THE FACT OF CHRIST AND EVOLUTION.
By Rev. James McLeod, 1). D.
"The evolution of man from the brute," says
Dr. Osborn, "is the most firmly established
truth in the Natural Universe." He made this
bold assertion in his reply to Mr. Bryan (sse
1 ht* New York Times of March 5th). Dr. Os
Itorn has the courage of his convictions. He
seems to be obsessed with the idea of his own
infallibility that, with him, the question of
man's origin is no longer debatable. If this
were not so, lie would not be so dogmatic.
The rule he lays down admits of no excep
tion. It includes the Lord Jesus Christ, Who
was, and still is, a man, with a real human
body, and a reasonable human soul. Hence
the fact of Christ has something to do with
? volution. Dr. Osborn does not hesitate, for
a moment, to say that the man Christ Jesus is
the offspring of a brute. He does not say this
in so many words, but this is precisely what
he means. His declaration admits of no other
?*onst ruction. lie is so sure of man's descent
from the brute as to affirm it to be "the most
firmly established truth in the Natural Uni
verse."
Dr. Osborn. claims the support of the great
Christian philosopher, James McCosh. Dr.
McCosh did say, "I believe in the existence of
evolution," but he utterly repudiated the con
clusion reached by Darwin and his disciples.
He says, "I confess I shrink from it." He
held that the facts do not support the theory.
His words are worth repeating, "I oppose the
theory that would account for every produc
tion by evolution, and, in the absence of facts,
I cannot allow him (Darwin) to appeal to a
principle, which, in its exclusiveness, cannot
he established without the facts." He adds
this significant sentence which cock-sure evo
lutionists of today might study with profit.
"Surely it would be becoming to be less sure
and dogmatic until we can find a monkey on the
earth capable by domestication, or otherwise
producing a man."
The missing link, which was so confidently
predicted fifty years ago, has not yet been dis
eovered. The great gulf between man and the
highest breed of apes, is as broad and as deep
as ever. "This means," says Dr. McCosh,
"that the animal which could have given birth
to man, has not been found in the geological
aKes; has not been seen in historical times, and
?a not now, so far as known, on the face of the
earth." (Christianity and Positivism.")
PEREGRINE PAPERS
By Rev. W. H. T. Squires, D. D.
XXVI.
THE WANING CRESCENT.
Where are the Turks? For eight centuries
they ruled and ruined these lands, onee the
richest on earth. I expected to see Turks in
Beyrout, Damascus, Jerusalem and Egypt.
There were Syrians, Arabians, Armenians,
Jews, French, English, Italians, Greeks Pales
tinians, Egyptians, Negroes and Americans;
hut never a Turk.
An American, who resides in Jerusalem, said,
"The Americans have a total misapprehension
about the Turks. There were never any Turks
here except the governing class. They came
and went, as the English in India. They did
not mingle, nor intermarry with the natives.
Before the evacuation the Germans left.
We had many Germans for a while. After the
Germans the Turks left. They are gone as
completely from Palestine as the Saracens from
Spain."
Their roads, buildings, some of their cus
The approach to the University of Cairo is by a nar
row, filthy lane. The grand entrance is alniut
as large as an ordinary church door.
toms, laws, some of their words remain ; but
the Turks are gone completely, and forever.
VII.
In our party was a clergyman who had vis
ited Palestine in the summer of 1914.
"I have never been so surprised as in the
change everywhere visible among the Moham
medans," he said. "In 1914, they were in
solent, now they are polite. Tn 1914, their
mosques were crowded; now they are empty.
In 1914, if you met a Moslem on a narrow
street, he would not budge, the Christian dog
must step aside; now they act like whipped
curs. In 1914, they would not. permit Chris
tians to enter their holy places; we were shut
out of many mosques: now they are willing
for Christians to come, and anxious, if they
can get a few piastres as a fee. In 1914, the
city rang with their wild calls to prayer, five
times daily; now the calls are faint and un
obtrusive."
I had never visited a Moslem land before,
but I found them uniformly spiritless, docile,
polite, never aggressive. The Mosque of Omar
in Jerusalem is the most sacred place in the
world to a Mohammedan, except only Mecca.
The Moslems retain it as before the British
came. The English flag flies over all the land.
English soldiers keep order in the streets,
English money circulates in trade and the Eng
lish language is heard increasingly in the
bazaars, but England never disturbs the pre
judices of her subjects. England is wise ami
tactful. Of all tilings, she wants peace.
Twice we visited the Mosque of Omar. I
expected to see it crowded with fanatical Mos
lems. I expected to see pilgrims there from
the four quarters of Islam. To be sure, we did
not go on Friday, but 011 both occasion the
Mosque was deserted. There was not one soli
tary worshipper at prayer, not one! We had
the Mosque to ourselves 011 both visits.
Nor was there 0110 in the magnificent El
Aksa built over Solomon's quarries. We saw
a few praying in the Mosque in Damascus and
Cairo. Ten years ago these famous Mosques
were crowded.
YTIT.
The intellectual life of Islam has always cen
tered in the University of Cairo. All havt
heard of that institution of learning. Our
American newspapers carry squibs from time
to time to the effect that the University of
Cairo is the largest educational institution in
the world. It is exceedingly impressive to say
that the Mohammedans maintain so great a
university, .12,000 students. One thinks of Ox
ford, Cambridge, Edinburg, Harvard, Hop
kins, Princeton. One is apt to conclude that the
Moslems are not so ignorant after all, if they
foster such an institution. This Univer
sity, such as it is, is the center of Moslem ag
gressive propaganda. From it missionaries go
forth by hundreds to Central Africa, Persia,
India and China. As Constantinople was the
head, Cairo is the heart of Islam.
Of course, I visited the University. I am
deeply interested in all institutions of learn
ing.
The school was in vacation for the waters
of the Nile had just begun to rise and holidays
are proclaimed throughout the land. Still, one
might fairly appraise the great University.
The approach is by a rtarrow and filthy lane.
We picked our way through heaps of vile
smelling garbage, goats, dogs and naked chil
dren. The great entrance is about as large as
an ordinary church door. We paid two piastres
(8 cents) as an entrance fee. As the place is
holy an attendant tied holy rags, or slippers,
over our shoes. Within we crossed an arcaded
court paved with cobblestones. Some classes
were in session. The teacher sat on the ground.
He held a switch in one hand and a book in
the other, whether spelling book or Koran 1
do not know. The University students were
little boys and girls from six to eight years
of age! They squatted 011 the ground for all
the world like ducks in a row. Each would
Yecite his verse, as one says a sentence from
the Catechism. If the child did not recite cor
rectly the teacher slapped him on the face
with his palm or the switch. Wh^n a racrgcd,
brown-eyed boy of six made a mistake the
brutal teacher slapped him with unnecessary
force. My blood boiled, for I have a brown
eyed boy of six in my own home. I longed
for the strength and opportunity to punish
that cruel "professor" as he deserved, and he
deserved the severest a man could give him.
The cruel stroke left a red mark that did not
fade so long as we watched them. Another