Truth About the Split — Page 383
383 was stopped at the instance of other members of our own party before it could produce any results. Other reports of a similar kind were spread from time to time with a view to prejudice the people against me. But God granted increased strength to the Movement; and although, to begin with, 99 per cent of the members of the Community, according to our opponents’ version, were with them, in a short time God brought them all over to my side so that now by His grace about 99 per cent of the members are with me. Consultation at Lahore Maulawi Muhammad Ali’s party raised the cry that the men who were assembled at Qadian at the election of the Khalifa could not represent the opinion or the advice of the Community at large. They, therefore, invited the Community at large through letters and through newspaper announcements to assemble on the 22nd of March at Lahore to discuss the whole question. As a result of this general invitation, there assembled at Lahore according to a report of the Paigham-e-Sulh itself, a gathering of 110 men inclusive of the local members. Only 42 came from outside Lahore and of these none, except 4 or 5 possessed any representative character. They came to