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August 20th, 1915
Received by:James Padgett
Washington D.C.
I am here, Selim:
I was the first Mohammedan Sultan of that name,
and I want to write you for a while, if you don't object.
I have listened to what Paul
wrote and some things that he said I do not understand. I mean
the difference between the spirit who receives what he calls the
New Birth, and the spirit who has only his natural love.
I know that I have a love for God and a love for
my fellow man, and that I am very happy and do not desire greater
happiness, and have surroundings that I cannot conceive can be excelled
in their beauty and desirability.
I know nothing of the other love, and fail to
comprehend how there can be any other love than the one which God
has given us. This love, in varying degrees we all have, and according
as we possess it and have become freed from the sins and errors
of life, I mean the earth life, are we happy.
Our Prophet, may Allah bless him, never taught
us of any other love than the one I speak of, and I don't believe
he knows of any other love.
But, I confess that my curiosity is excited to
learn just what Paul means by his doctrine of the New Birth, and
I shall make the effort to find out. Of course, I will have to have
something more than his mere statement, or even the statement of
all the Christians, to cause me to believe in the reality of this
doctrine; but I feel that there may be some truth in it, and, if
so, I want to learn it.
I will not write more tonight but will, with your
permission, do so later.
I will say good night and God bless you.
Selim
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