They Then Asked If I Meant To Say That Mangu-Khan Did Not
Keep The Commandments Of God?
To this I answered, "When I shall have a
proper interpreter and am permitted, I shall then recite the
Commandments
of God before Mangu, and he shall be his own judge, whether he hath kept or
disobeyed them." Upon this, they went and told Mangu, that I said he was an
idolater and Tuinian, and kept not the commandments of God. Next day Mangu
sent one of his secretaries, saying, "Ye are here Christians, Mahometans,
and Tuinians, wherefore the khan desires that ye will all come together and
make comparison of your opinions, that he may know the truth." To this I
answered, "Blessed be God that hath put this in the heart of the khan; but
our Scriptures command the servants of God not to be contentious, but meek
unto all. Wherefore I am ready, without strife or contention, to render a
true account of the faith and hope of the Christians to every one who may
require to be informed." They wrote down my words and brought them to the
khan.
Next day, another message came from the khan, desiring again to know on
what account I had come to his court; to which I answered, that this might
be known from the letters of Bantu. But they said that these letters were
lost, and the khan had forgotten their contents, and would know of me.
Somewhat emboldened by this, I said, "The duty and office of our religion
is to preach the gospel unto all.
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