28 



E. WALTER MAUNDER, F.R.A.S., ON 



enemy accepted Islam, lie forthwith became an equal and a 

 brother. 



" Only God is Great," and before Him the differences between 

 man and man became as naught. If one man or one nation 

 claims authority over others on the ground of self-asserted 

 superiority it is but natural, nay it may be a bounden duty, to 

 contest that claim and put it to the proof. But when we 

 realize that all power and authority come from God ; that He 

 alone is Sovereign ; then submission to sovereignty is com- 

 patible with dignity and self-respect, for man becomes God's 

 servant. And dignity and self-respect mark the devout 

 Mohammedan to-day. 



" God is Great," He alone is Sovereign ; what is it to Him 

 whether a nation counts its armies by the man or by the 

 million ? But that the material accidents and equipments of 

 a nation are not essential to nationhood, history teaches us; the 

 spiritual ideal can be sufficient in itself. 



There is a nation, without king or priest, without city or 

 country, without nobles or parliament, without army or navy, 

 without revenue or exchequer. Its ambassadors are not found 

 at the courts of the nations ; treaties are not made with it ; yet 

 it lives a nation still. And, seeing that it is thus disembodied 

 and yet lives, no Kaiser can send an ultimatum to it, or overrun 

 its land, or burn its cities ; he cannot lead its armies into 

 captivity or force the surrender of its fleet. 



Yet it is a nation, and of all the nations of the earth is there 

 another so invulnerable ? Once Sennacherib sent to it the 

 challenge : — 



" Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arpad, and the 

 king of the city of Sepharvaim, of Hena and Ivah 1 " 



But to-day we ask, " Where are Nineveh and the Assyrian 

 kings ? " and many another nation has gone down to the sides of 

 the pit since then. "There is Elam and all her multitude," 

 " there is Edom, her kings and all her princes," but Judah 

 remains, bereft of everything, but living still. 



And this it is which has made her immortal: the truth 

 which she learnt two thousand years before Mohammed spoke, 

 " The Lord is King over all the earth," and though disinherited 

 and dispersed these many centuries, Judah still acknowledges 

 the Holy One of Israel as her King. 



