Life of Ahmad — Page 755
as BISHOP OF LAHORE AND ISLAM 755 the case being undefended went by default and to claim the victory. Also the fact that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani is not the "promised one whose appearance has been foretold in the Holy Quran and the Bible", ought not to influence the learned Bishop towards a refusal to enter into argument with him. This question is not to be discussed in the proposed controversy, but the Bishop may possibly convince his opponent of error if the challenge is accepted. The fact that the Muslims desire to pit their "Messiah" against the Bishop is the highest compliment they could desire to pay to his learning; they wish to intimate that they recognise him the first authority in India. Again we do not see how the Bishop can plead that such an elaborate controversy would take up too much of his time. He should on no account lose an opportunity of refuting, silencing and convincing such opponents, especially where he is desired to prove, "which of the two religions, Christianity or Islam, can be called the living faith?" and "of the teachings inculcated in the Holy Quran and the Bible, which is the more excellent and natural?" We should like to see the challenge accepted because we think it would prove highly interesting. ' The Indian Spectator wrote on the Bishop’s refusal: 'The Bishop of Lahore seems to have retired with more haste than dignity from a challenge