Life of Ahmad — Page 167
as CHRISTIANS TAKE UP ARMS 167 published in the N u r Afsh a Ĕ with a definite undertaking on his part to embrace Islam on its fulfilment. The Rev. Mr. Stanton did not, however, think fit to come forward but went away to Simla. M. Abdullah Sanauri ra saw him as a seeker after truth and tried to persuade him to come forward, but without success. Fate h Mas ih proposed another method of test in the N u r Afsh a Ĕ , dated June 7th, 1888. Four questions should, he said, be written on a paper at a public meeting held for this purpose, and they should be sealed and handed over to a person present there. Ahmad as should then be required to tell the people the contents of the paper. Ahmad as issued a leaflet on June 9th, 1888 (printed at the Riy ad -e-Hind Press, Amritsar) in which he announced his acceptance of the proposal, but added that it was of no use to address Fate h Mas ih , who had already proved his un- trustworthiness in this connection. Ahmad as wanted the Rev. Mr. Stanton to come forward, in which case he undertook to disclose the contents within ten weeks, provided, of course, the Christian missionary gave a public undertaking to the effect that he would become a Muslim if Ahmad as succeeded in disclosing the contents, or, failing that, would pay Rs. 1,000 as damages to the Anjuman H im a yat-e-Islam of Lahore. But no one came forward. The vigorous defence of Islam by Ahmad as produced a profound impression upon the Muslim intelligentsia, and he was publicly recognised as a