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TRO¥. D. S. MARGOLIOUTH, D.LITT., ON 



serious attempt at conversion. Nor were the others more 

 successful. A missionary in Syria, who recently published a 

 narrative of adventures, left the impression that he had been no- 

 more fortunate.* On the other hand, it would appear that 

 occasional conversions are known in Persia, even on a large 

 scale ; and of persons who were virtually Christians though 

 professedly Moslems I heard a good deal ; in some cases these 

 would appear to be quite desirable accessions, though not in all 

 cases. Dr. Adamsf speaks of Baliism having in some cases 

 served as an intermediate stage between Islam and Christianity, 

 and there is no improbability in this. In India conversions 

 appear to be fairly common, tiiough perhaps not more than 

 sufficient bo counterbalance transference in the opposite direction. 

 Of the effect of missions in North-West Africa we read rather 

 contradictory accuunts. AtterburyJ quotes the report of a. 

 missionary in Morocco to the effect that accessions had been 

 constant, and that every one baptized had renounced Moham- 

 medanism ; making it appear that the rule which makes apostasy 

 a capital offence had been relaxed in that unprogressive country. § 

 The inference was drawn tliat Christianity Jiad a better chance 

 against Islam in a country which had no brilliant period of 

 Mohammedan civilization to look back to than in countries like 

 Syria and Egypt, or India, where the religion was associated 

 with a rather glorious history. The evidence of other travellers 

 makes it appear that this statement about conversions in 

 Morocco on a large scale must have proceeded from momentary 

 enthusiasm rather than irom a calm survey of the iacts. The 

 talented lady who writes under the name of Frances Macnab, 

 and who perhaps is rather wanting in sympathy with missions, 

 declares in her charming book on Morocco|| that not a single 

 convert is ever made. Mr. Cunninghame Graham, in his 

 interesting work on the same country, which bears date 1898, 

 speaks in the style of Frances Macnab.t "Christ and Mohammed,'^ 

 he says, " never will be friends ; their teaching, lives, and the 

 conditions of the different people among whom they preached 

 make it impossible ; and even the truce they keep is from the 

 teeth outwards, and their respective followers misunderstand 



* Spectator, Aug. 16, 1902. p. 231. 

 f Persia hy a Persian, 1900, p. 467. 

 X Islam in Africa, p. 172. 

 § This is also attested by Meakin. 

 II ^1 ride through Morocco, 1902. 

 IT Mogreb el-acksa, p. 25. 



