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PEOF. D. S. MARGOLIODTH^ D.LITT., ON 



added over 2,000,000 to their adherents, though the number of 

 Hindus and Animistic religionists have actually fallen. Compared 

 with a total population amounting to 294,000,000, the increase of 

 the Christian body seems trifling. But the accelerated movement 

 towards Christianity is overtaking the natural increment of the 

 population. In forty years' time, even if the ratio of increase be 

 not improved, Christianity will have surpassed all other religions 

 l)ut Hinduism and Islam, and will have taken its place as the third 

 religion of India in point of number." 



Mr. Charles Odling, C.S.I. — I w^ould say, first, that a large 

 number of the Mohammedans in India with whom I have been 

 acquainted thoroughly believe in Mohammedanism, and are very 

 good business men, as anyone who deals with them soon finds, 

 out ! (Laughter.) 



The second point I would refer to is, that one element I find in 

 India is not so much the unity of the Gocl-heacl as the Ijrotherhood 

 of mankind. A man admitted to Mohammedanism is the brother 

 of all other Mohammedans. 



Kev. G. B. DuRRANT. — May I say with reference to the paucity 

 of converts from Western India, that may be due to the fact that 

 there is no really determined efl'ort ever made to bring over 

 Mohammedans ; but in Northern India there are some of the best 

 examples of conversion amongst the Mohammedans. It may not 

 be known that in India, in connection with the Church Missionary 

 Society, there are flourishing Christian Churches, ministered to hy 

 clergy, converts from Mohammedanism. 



The Chairman. — I was rather struck by the analogy given by 

 the author, where he quotes a missionary as prophesying "that 

 Mohammedanism would probably melt away like a frozen iceberg." 



The author says, " a Babi informed me that it [Babism] would 

 tolerate no religion besides itself ; and it would seem that the 

 Christians are taunted with blindness in failing to see that the 

 prophecies of their Bil)le are realized in the Bab, just as they were 

 taunted by Mohammed for their obstinacy in refusing to identify 

 him as the Comforter promised by St. John." 



Professor Margoliouth, in reply, said, I have learnt a good deal 

 from the speeches that have been delivered. I am rather glad to 

 find that, as far as I am aware, no statement of mine has been 

 actually controverted by speakers of experience. 



