Again came loud shouts of protest—not unusual in a mosque—with voices calling on Ishmael to remain and lead the people.
"My work here is done," he answered. "The little that God gave me to do is finished. And now He calls me away."
"No, no!" cried the people.
"Yes, yes," replied Ishmael; and then in simple, touching words he told them the story of the Prophet Moses—how, by reason of his sin, he was forbidden to enter the Promised Land.
"Many of us have our promised land which we may never enter," he said. "This is mine, and here I may not stay."
The protests of the people ceased; they listened without breathing.
"Yet Moses was taken up into a high mountain, and from there he saw what lay before his people; and from a high mountain of my soul I see the Promised Land which lies before you. But to me a voice has come which says, 'Enter thou not!'"
The people were now deeply moved.
"We are all sinners," Ishmael continued.
"Not thou, O Master," cried several voices at once.