Page:The young Moslem looks at life (1937).djvu/173

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Moslem lands, they should definitely go to share their experience, and learn as much as they can. They should not he primarily interested in winning converts to Christianity, hut in interpreting the values in Christianity within the framework of the Islamic system, and in trying to make Moslems better Moslems. To this end they would maintain schools and hospitals, organize athletic teams to play football, hockey, and basehall, engage in all sorts of humanitarian and character building activities, but leave religion out of the picture entirely. There must be no Bible classes in schools or hospitals, no personal work, and no public preaching. Because of the persecution of converts no attempt must be made to create a church, and all that can be done is to work on the principle that ultimately the leaven will leaven the whole. Of course, in some countries like Turkey, this is the only policy that can now be followed, for there is no freedom to preach and teach.

But there is something deeply tragic about the Moslem world that lays hold of the person who takes his Christianity seriously. He cannot shake off that sense of tragedy; it persistently haunts him. He sees much in Islam to be approved and even admired, but he is conscious of a great emptiness at the heart of it. The Moslem knows God as King, whose will is law; he does not know God as Father, and the transforming power of his love. The Moslem declares the holy Koran is God's supreme revelation of his will to men, but rejects the revelation of God in Jesus Christ