ands of his tyrannical emirs, and that their only fault was that
they resolved to adhere to their own faith. Under other circumstances
the Mahdi would never have forgiven this bitter reproach, but when he
saw this poor sister wounded and bleeding, he pretended that he knew
nothing of the matter, and at once ordered all the sisters to be brought
to his enclosure, where they were, to some extent, safe from
ill-treatment; yet they were in constant terror of being dishonoured,
and therefore decided to seek the protection of some of the Greeks who
were in favour with the Mahdi, and who, at the sisters' request, sought
his permission to take charge of them and care for them. The Mahdi, who
really pitied them from his heart, sanctioned the proposal of the
Greeks, to whom the sisters were duly handed over; but it was not, of
course, admitted that pity for them had induced this decision.

It is a well-known fact that in the Kuran the Prophet Mohammed enjoins
respect and toleration of the ministers of Christianity, whom he calls
"Rahban," or pious persons consecrated to God's service; and, moreover,
he tells his followers that it is their duty to do so. In support of
this I may here quote a translation of the celebrated passage which
occurs in the manuscripts kept in the Greek convent on Mount Sinai. It
is as follows:--

"In the name of the merciful God, Mohammed Ibn Abdullah issues this
proclamation to all. He announces that he is the trusted one of God, by
whom he has been placed over his creatures. No one, therefore, can
shelter himself under the plea of ignorance.

"I have written this proclamation in the form of an order to my nation,
and to all Christians in the East and West, far and near, young and old,
known and unknown. He who fails to follow the instructions laid down in
this order is conducting himself contrary to God's will, and renders
himself liable to a curse, whoever he may be, whether Sultan or any
other Moslem.

"If a priest or a monk retire to a mountain, grotto, cave, plain,
desert, city, village, or church, I myself am prepared to follow them
with my army and my subjects, to protect them against any enemies they
may meet, for these priests are my rayas (subjects), and I myself will
prevent any harm coming to them. Taxes shall not be taken from them,
except those which they may give of their own free will and accord, not
being compelled to do so by any one. It is not permissible to remove a
bishop from hi