AN American magazine relates the following story of a visit paid by a missionary, Dr. Pennell, to a village on the frontier of Afghanistan. He had gone for the night to the public guest-house, whither also the Mahometan teacher, or mullah, had betaken himself, with many of the villagers, to have an argument with the visitor.
Do you know anything about theology?" asked the mullah.
"I am not altogether unacquainted with the subject," was the doctor's reply.
“Then can you tell me the color of faith?”
“What do you mean? I do not understand your question.”
“Is faith white, or green, or red, or what color is it?”
The doctor replied that faith is an abstract quality, and could not be described as being of any particular color.
The mullah, already showing signs of triumph, asked: “Then can you tell me of what shape faith is?”
When Dr. P. replied that faith had no shape, the mullah turned to his followers, and said scornfully: “It is evident that he does not know much about theology if he cannot answer such simple questions as to the color and shape of faith!”
Then, addressing the missionary, he said:
“Do you know anything about astronomy?”
Had the good doctor been more experienced in Eastern ways he would probably have answered more cautiously, but so certain did he feel that his knowledge of astronomy was greater than that of the Afghans, that he declared himself quite well acquainted with the subject.
“Then please tell me," said the mullah, "what becomes of the sun after it sinks below the horizon?”
The doctor answered this question with a lucid explanation of the roundness of the earth, its turning on its own axis, and other details concerning the solar system with which the average English schoolboy is perfectly familiar. But from the way that the villagers began nodding and gesticulating to each other it was evident that they considered him to be little short of crazy. When he had finished, the mullah said:
“And is that all you know about it?”
Somewhat nettled, Dr. Pennell replied:
“Well, what is your explanation of the matter?”
The Mahometan teacher was quite ready with his answer. He affirmed that everyone, acquainted with the barest elements of astronomy, knows that there is a blazing fire under the earth, into which the sun descends every evening, rising again with renewed heat every morning.
This explanation was received with every token of approval by the crowd. The missionary ventured to ask how the varying seasons could be explained on the lines of such strange astronomy. Whereupon the mullah, turning to the people with dignity, said: “You see, I shall have to teach him everything from the beginning. In the spring the evil one makes up his fires, and piles on the wood. Therefore the fires get very hot in the summer and cool down later on. That is why the summer sun is so hot.”
Everyone present considered the argument as conclusive. The missionary appeared to have been completely routed, and the people returned to their homes more convinced than ever of the superiority of their own religion.
Yet, after all, he was right, and they were wrong. He, a minority of one, had declared the truth; they, with unbroken unanimity, were in error.
Ideas, then, are not necessarily true because they may be widely, almost universally, prevalent. Nor must it be assumed that they are false because they may have few to back them. And these remarks apply just as truly to the inhabitants of English-speaking lands as to those who live under the shadow of Mahometanism, or some other form of false religion.
Let me give you one or two examples of what I mean.
"Do the best you can, and you will come out all right in the end." Here is a saying that would pass unchallenged in any average English-speaking crowd. If one stood up to gainsay it, one would be met by cries of derision and gesticulations significant of general dissent from all opposition to such an axiom.
None the less, the majority would be wrong, and the one who controverted the statement would be right. For the latter would have the Word of God for his authority in saying that "to do the best one can" is not the way to "come out all right in the end." To be right, finally and eternally right, means that one is saved.
And the Word of God tells us that, so far from "doing our best" being the way of salvation, we cannot do what God calls good," and that "doing" of a far superior sort is needed. It also tells us that Christ has done, on our behalf, all that was necessary, and that we have but to put our trust in Him. This is the truth, but how many in an ordinary crowd would credit it? Afghans or English, Mahometans or bearers of the Christian name, Catholics or Protestants, the majority would raise their voices against such a simple way. Yet it is the truth of God Take another instance. "God is good, and won't send His children to hell." Here is a fallacy, as far from the truth as any propounded by the self-confident mullah: the fallacy that men are naturally God's children, and that therefore He will not condemn them.
The fact is that none are children of God, unless they have become so through faith in Christ. The Word of God teaches this (see Gal. 3:2626For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26)). God certainly will not send His children to hell, for their punishment has been borne by their Savior, and they are now justified from all things (see Acts 13:3939And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:39)). But this does not apply to unbelieving, unregenerate sinners. God is good to all, but His goodness is not inconsistent with severity. We read: "Behold... the goodness and severity of God." (Rom. 11:22.)
Now this is quite contrary to the ideas of men in general, just as truly as the missionary doctor's words were contrary to the thoughts and persuasions of his Mahometan hearers. Yet what I say is the truth, because it is based on the Word of God. Be sure that whatever else may fail, that never will. No matter who may-contradict it, or seek to undermine it, it will stand forever. Happy and wise are they who test their beliefs, and shape their course, by its teachings. H. P. B.