ss visible.

The Mullah was evidently bent on making a display of his own dialectic
skill at my expense, and began in a rather condescending tone to
ask if I knew anything about theology; and on my replying that I
had come to the country in order to teach the Christian religion,
he turned to the audience, and said somewhat contemptuously:

"I do not suppose these Padres know much, but we will see." He then
turned to me and said: "Can you tell me the colour of faith?"

Rather puzzled by the question, I asked what he meant. He said:

"Why, is it white, or green, or red, or what colour?"

I replied that, as an abstract idea, it did not possess the quality
of colour.

Mullah: "Then can you tell me what shape it is? Is it round, or square,
or what?"

I: "Neither has it any shape. It is only an abstract quality."

Mullah: "It is evident that he does not know much about theology,
seeing he cannot answer such simple questions as the colour and shape
of faith."

At this time I did not know that the Muhammadans ascribed such concrete
qualities to all their abstract religious ideas.

Mullah: "Do you know anything about astronomy?"

I thought that here at least my knowledge might not be far inferior
to that of this Mullah, and said:

"Yes, I think I can answer you any questions on that subject."

Mullah: "Tell me, then, what becomes of the sun when it sinks below
the horizon every evening?"

I then proceeded to as simple and lucid an explanation as I could
of the revolutions of the earth on its axis, but could see from the
looks and ejaculations of the audience that they thought the idea
rather a mad one.

The Mullah himself made no effort to conceal his contempt, and said:

"That, then, is all you know about it?"

A little nettled, I said:

"Well, what explanation do you give?"

"We all know that the fires of hell are under the earth. The sun
passes down there every night, and therefore comes up blazing hot in
the morning."

I rather had my breath taken away by this explanation, which met with
ejaculations of approbation from the men around me, and I incautiously
asked the Mullah if he could explain the seasons.

Mullah (turning to the people): "It is evident that I shall have to
teach him everything from the beginning."

To me: "It is in the spring that the devil makes up his fires, and
piles on the firewood. Therefore the fires get very hot in the summer,
and cool down later on. That is why the summe