Page:Islam, Turkey, and Armenia, and How They Happened.djvu/30

24 own family. One day the infidel king of his country, hearing about the heresy of young Abraham, summoned him into his presence and commanded him to give up the worship of God and worship the statue of his king, who was greater than God. Abraham not obeying his command was cast into a furnace of fire: which by the divine power was immediately changed to a shining glory. Seeing this miraculous heavenly light many unbelievers turned to God, but the haughty ruler was still more obstinate and insisted upon his supremacy over all gods. One day in a dispute Abraham said unto him, "Verily my God bringeth the sun from the east, now do thou bring it from the west if thou art equal to God." Upon this challenge the infidel was confounded and ordered Abraham out of his dominion. As soon as Abraham left the city a mighty wind was sent by God and destroyed it even to its foundations. When Abraham saw the city in this condition he deplored and thought in his heart, how shall God quicken this city. Then God caused him to die for a hundred years and afterwards raised him to life and said unto him, "How long hast thou tarried here?" He answered, "A day, or part of it." God said, "Nay, thou hast tarried here a hundred years; now look on thy food and drink, they are not yet corrupted; but look on thine animal, which is long dead and the bones scattered. See how I will raise them and clothe them with flesh." And He did according to His word. Then in order to make the doctrine of resurrection plainer to him he told Abraham to take four birds and divide them into