he had taken, and spoke
in gentle reproof of his conduct, pointing out that if any boat had been
alongside where he leaped he would have met with a bad accident. To my
surprise he fell at my feet and scrabbled at my clean white shoes,
imploring me to spare his life. I put him down as somewhat mad, and
asked "Number One" to put a sentry over him to see that he did not
repeat his attempt to avoid our acquaintance. He clung to me like a
limpet and had to be removed by force, with despairing entreaties for
mercy, disregarding my still puzzled assurances as to his personal
safety. I learned afterwards his true reason for alarm; he thought that
after leaving my presence he would be quietly made away with in
traditional Eastern style.

Another very strong feature of pan-Islam is the consistency of the creed
from which it grows. I do not necessarily imply that Islam itself is
benefited thereby, for consistency sometimes means narrowness, and we
are not considering creeds; but there is no doubt about the dynamic
force of a movement based on a religion which is sure of itself. A
Moslem has one authorised version of the Koran, and only one; his simple
creed is contained in its first chapter and is as short as the Lord's
Prayer, which it somewhat resembles in style. Praising God as the Lord
of the worlds (not only of this world of ours), it attributes to Him
mercy and clemency with supreme power over the Day of Judgment and is an
avowal of worship and service. Its only petition is to be led in the way
of the righteous, avoiding errors that incur His wrath. Contrast this
with the many confusing aspects of Christianity. Perhaps diverse
opinions tend to purify and invigorate a creed, but they certainly do
not strengthen the cohesion of any secular movement based on it.

Then, again, the Moslem conception of God and the hereafter stiffens the
backbone of pan-Islam in adversity. They are taught to believe that He is
_really_ omnipotent and that His actions are beyond criticism--welfare
and affliction being alike acceptable as His will. We, on the other hand,
seem to be developing the theory of a finite God warring against, and
occasionally overcome by, evil, which includes (in this new thesis) human
suffering and sorrow as well as sin. There is a growing idea, pioneered
partly by Mr. H. G. Wells and apparently supported by many of the clergy,
that the acts of God must square with human ideals of mercy or justice,
and as many occurrence