The Shining Lamp — Page 94
94 mischievous acts, not even one was devoid of uproar and tumult throughout the nation, and each was filled to the brim with extraordinary frenzy and disturbance. Thus, the mischief from the Christians came into being when Atham was found to be alive after the prescribed period of the prophecy had passed. The Christian priests knew very well that there was a clear condition in the revealed prophecy, that death during the prescribed period would be postponed in the event that Atham turned towards the truth, and this had to do with the condition of his heart. They were also well aware that Atham remained overawed by the prophecy and that he was unable to persist in the prejudice of the Christians during the prescribed period. He abandoned their gatherings and ran away to Ferozpur, where he became a recluse in his private residence. Moreover, they were also aware that once during his illness, he had proclaimed, ‘I have been seized’ and they knew all too well that his spirit was innately fearful. They absolutely knew that through his actions he had exhibited fear— not perseverance [in his prior ways]—and that his previous prej- udiced disposition had changed so dramatically that during the period of the prophecy, he did not publish even two lines against Islam in any newspaper nor did he issue any magazine which had been his habit since his earliest days [of being a Christian], nor did he debate any Muslim. On the contrary, he spent those days in utter silence as though he was observing a fast of silence. And then the amazing thing is that despite being offered 4,000 rupees, he did not make a decla- ration under oath! Martyn Clarke tried his utmost, but he did not file a lawsuit and was not able to prove his accusations regarding a trained snake, etc. Due to all these reasons, the Christian priests