4. LIBERTY, EQUALITY, FRATERNITY

4. Liberty, Equality, Fraternity ~ 169 ~ Preaching of Islam. First, there is an excerpt from a full statement made by one of the Spanish Muslims who had been driven out of his native country. Protesting against the persecution of the Inquisition, he stresses, in contrast, the toleration of his coreligionists: “Our arms, it is true, are ever open to receive all who are disposed to embrace our religion, but we are not allowed by our sacred Qur’an to tyrannise over consciences...” 83 Then, on the subject of the religious tolerance of the Turks, Professor Arnold has this to say: “ ... at least for two centuries after their conquest of Greece (the Ottomon emperors) exhibit a toleration such as was at that time quite unknown in the rest of Europe. “84 Macarius, Patriarch of Antioch in the seventeenth century, prayed for the Turks when he saw the fearful atrocities that the Catholic Poles inflicted on the Russians of the Orthodox Eastern Church. These are his words: “God perpetuate the empire of the Turks for ever and ever! For they take their impost, and enter into no account of religion, be their subjects Christians or Nazarenes, Jews or Samarians.” 85