266 CHRISTIANITY IN CHINA, ETC. the sepulchres shall be overthrown, the soul will see the future of its whole life.* "Is it not a strange thing to threaten lions with bruises, tigers with hyenas, and brave soldiers with the attacks of poor ragamuffins ? "Our steeds are from Barca — our swords from Yemen, — our arms are renowned for strength from the east to the west. Our warriors spring on their prey like lions, our horses overtake all whom they pursue, our swords cut in pieces all whom they attack, and our blows are thunderbolts ! Abusive words do not break our hearts, nor menaces cause us any fear. Resistance to you is obedience to God. If we kill you, our prayers will have been heard, if you kill us, Paradise awaits us. " You say, ' Our breasts are like rocks : we are as nu- merous as the grains of sand.' But is the butcher terri- fied at the number of the sheep ? and will not a small fire consume a vast pile ? We will not fly from death in order to live in disgrace. If we live we will be happy, if we die, we will be martyrs. Shall not the soldiers of God triumph ?f And you demand from us the obedience we pay to the head of the faithful, to the vicar of the Prophet ! We will not obey you ; certainly we shall prefer going to join him : you ask whether we will submit, before the veil shall open, and you shall reach us. " The beads of your words are badly threaded. If the veil is rent, if fate shall be accomplished, it will then be seen who is in fault, who has been an apostate, return- ing to the worship of idols, and acknowledging more than one God.
- Coran, chap. xix. ver. 1.
f Coran, cbap. v. ver. 68.
