Mohammedan Peer

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 526, 1 December 1928, Page 14

Mohammedan Peer

Lord Headley Talks of Islamic Faith

’ART from certain nursery experiences connected with crawling under beds and bumping my head on the floor, my „ ul „oor recollection belongs to my second year. I was sitting near a large tree on a bright summer’s day. My father was showing me how to burn holes in a dried leaf with a magnifying glass. My astonishment was unbounded, and the sight of the beautiful blue spiral of smoke never could be forgotten if I lived for ever. Here was the “last thing’’ in wonders, and this was only 70 years ago. I was brought up in evangelical surroundings—salvation by faith, not works—and at the same time a great deal of my early life was spent in a Roman Catholic country, where I had many opportunities of comparing the ethical divergencies of the two great iivisions of Christians. Many of my early memories are connected with icrimonious discussions on religions, loth of which seemed to adopt the slogan “Believe or be damned.” 1 rery early came to the conclusion (says Lord Headley, the famous engineer) hat the ordinarily accepted God of nany Christians could not be the God if mercy I said prayers to, and never ailed to thank every night and mornng. I went to Westminster School for i short time. I was prepared for Cambridge by one of my uncles, who lad taken a very high degree at that [uiversity in classical and mathematical honours. In those days I was better known is an amateur pugilist, and I have iften felt the deepest regret that I ;ave up so much valuable time to the noble art,” which should properly lave been devoted to study—though icxing, of course, is a study in itself. I took up civil engineering as a irofession, and became a member of he Society of Engineers of London. ,nd later a Fellow of that society. .1

was president in 1921. Soon after this I joined the Institute of Civil Engineers in Ireland, and was engaged for many years in foreshore protection work, iu which I specialised, gaining much of my knowledge in the practice of using low groynes from my late friend, Mr. Edward Case, who

was the pioneer of the low groyne system. I afterwards extended these groynes into deep water by means of chain cables and concrete blocks, but people did not take to them because of the expense. 1 have written many papers and lectured on the Question of foreshore protection, and have carried out several works with varying degiees of success. There is probably no branch of civil engineering which can be so disappointing, for the sea is very uncertain, and,“ as my friend Sir John Purser Griffith once said, “whimsical” in its action From my early years I have beeii an earnest searcher after the truth as regards religious matters, and the simplicity of the Islamic Faith, as opposed to the rigid dogmas and theological complexities built into the faith of the simple and altogether good Prophet of Nazareth. I studied the Koran, and found tljere the one God whom I could serve—a God who recognised the frailty of his creatures was always with them, did not require vicarious sacrifices—at Moloch, for instance but “who would not despise the sighing of a contrite heart.” So, whereas I did not actually announce

my adhesion to the creed of Islam until 1913, I had long before that been a true follower of Mahomet, revering with him the Christ of Nazareth, but rejecting with him the complicated edifice erected by centuries of priestcraft. My delay in announcing my faith publicly was partly caused by a desire to spare pain to certain of my relatives and friends. By 1913 most of the older ones had departed this life, and I felt free to take my own line. But I shall not readily forget an interview with some very dear relatives immediately after my announcement. They came to me to express their grief and horror that I had deserted the religion of my fathers, and told me quite frankly that I could not be saved. I replied: “I don’ think you ought to go as far as tnat. lam quite prepared tb admit that I may deserve to be damned for any sins that I have actually committed. There is sense in punishment following crime, but I will never believe that the God I worship so earnestly, Whom I have thanked so often and fervently for so many years, and Who has never deserted me, will be so cruel and so unjust as to sentence me to such a terrible punishment for merely trying to be an honest man, and tell the truth to Him, ‘to Whom all hearts be open, all desires known, and from Whom no secrets are hijl!’” I have frequently been asked what are the chief differences between those far-off days and tnose of the present. Many people speak of the tremendous change in the price of things, the greatly increased cost of living. I am certain that that depends upon what one wants. I remember 50 years ago frequently lunching with my father at the restaurant at Victoria station, and for years subsequent to that we would have a cut from a joint of beef, vegetables, pudding, cheese, and a glass of beer, all for half a crown, and what does a man want more Nowadays there are in my neighbourhood two excellent restaurants. Igo there for my lunch, and a get a cut from the joint, a sweet, and cheese—still half a crown. Ido not want more. 1 often think, when I see pe< Ve spending money on caviare, champagne, out-of-season delicacies, and what-not, that I personally would infinitely prefer to save the money and spend it on a day’s fishing!