20 . THE FALL OF CONSTANTINOPLE. churches or sects which have most directly aimed at living in accordance with the teachino^ of Christ have been those which have been foremost in aiding every kind of work which has had for its object the beneiit of humanity. Self-sacrifice for the benefit of others is of the essence of Christianity, and may yet, deriving its arguments from earl}^ Christian teaching, be capable of advocating opinions and bringing about results the mere mention of which would shock the existing ortho- doxy of the churches. But the teaching of self-sacrifice, meekness, and humility is repugnant to a barbarous and a warlike people. A religious system which requires merely the acceptance of a simple creed, the first part of which is ennobling and the second a direct incentive to fighting, and which is coupled in the believer's mind with the conferring of the hio'hest rewards in case he dies fio^htino^ ao^ainst the un- believer, is much more likely to be popular with a naturally warlike horde than a religion of lowliness and self-denial. The Moslem ideal during life and its heaven after death were in every way as welcome to the barbaric mind as those of Christianity were repugnant. Mahometanism and Christianity are alike missionary religions, and, judged by their fruits, the former has furnished equally as strong incentives towards the propagation of its faith as the latter. But the missionary spirit is widely different. Every Mahometan army was for centuries, and to a considerable extent even now is, an army engaged in holy war. There have been Christian soldiers in plenty, but it has been only at rare intervals that there has been a Christian army which has believed itself engaged in a holy war. There is and has always been a lurking belief among the followers of Jesus that fighting is an unchristian occupation, and that the Cliristian soldier is Christian in spite of his profession. Fighting the unbeliever is, to the Moslem, the highest of duties, because a missionary duty, and death in such a fight merits and obtains the highest reward. The Moslem soldier is the minister of God's will and of his ven- geance. Ilis life may be impure, but he can atone for every crime as a fighter against the unfaithful, and, dying, can ob- tain the crown of the highest sensual felicity conceivable to
