ISLAM

204 ISLAM VERSUS CHRISTIANITY
himself having been a member of the party.*
According
to Mr. H. Murray of a Portuguese armament, an
expedition was fitted out by the Portuguese who
*not only destroyed the temples, but set fire to the
cities, villages and all the habitations and in a few
hours reduced the whole island (Salsette) to ashes.
The affrighted inhabitants fled almost naked from
their houses and sought shelter to the shore of the
neighbouring continent, and this fair scene of culture
and crowded population was converted at once into
a smoking desert Father Berno followed the troops,
wielding a huge club, with which he beat down all
the idols and brayed them in pieces."
Draper writes "The moral condition of Europe was
signally illustrated when syphilis was introduced from
the West Indies by the compassions of Columbus. It
spread with wonderful rapidity ;
all ranks of persons,
from the Holy Father L,eo X to the beggar by the
wayside contracting this shameful disease. n f
Of the history of England between 1640 and 1745,
from the meeting of the Long Parliament to the last
Stuart Rebellion, Huxley writes : "Barefaced and
brutal immorality and intemperance pervaded the
land, from highest to the lowest classes in society.
The established Church was torpid, so far as it was
not a scandal." t These instances throw light on the
9 H. Murry Discoveries and Travels in Asta t page 78.
t ^Ihe Conflict Between Science and Religin" pp. 269-70.
} "Science and Culture and other E$say$."