PRIME MINISTER ON PROPHECY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 294, 6 September 1920, Page 4

PRIME MINISTER ON PROPHECY

THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AND THE HOUSE Op? JUDAH FULFILMENT OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES The political views of tho Prime Minister of New Zealand nro well known, but the occasions are rare on which the public lias an opportunity of hearing M_r. Massey aiiirm his religious convict.ons. Such an occasion, however, was created by the Zionist meeting held in ihe Town Hall last night. Before Mr. Israel Cohen spoke on the return, of the Jews to Palestine, the Prime Minister 6aid a few words on Scriptural prophecy and his belief in its fulfilment. Mr. Massey .'aid that though he did not profess to be a student of Scripture, he believed that throughout: the acred writers there was a clear and distinct line of demarcation drawn between tho House of Judab and the House of Israel. "I believe," ho said, "that the Houso of Israel exists to-day, and that along wliA the ITonso of Judah it lias taken a very important part in the events of the present century. And the present century is not very old I beiievo that the prophecies contained in tho sacred writings will be fulfilled to the very letter. Prophecy is being fulfilled to-day, and I.think you wiJl agree with mo that a very long step forward was taken when the troops of the Allies —mostly British—under General Alienby, captured Jerusalem and took possession of Palestine. A further step was taken when the Turkish armistico was signed and the mandate was agreed to that placed Palestine and the greater part of Mesopotamia under the control of Britain. . . .

"You, will find many references through tiie Old and the New Testaments to tiie House of Israel and the, House of Judah. I come back io that point, because I want Io quote a verse from the 37th chapter of Ezekicl. Speaking for Jehovah. Ezckiel says: 'I will (nnke them ona nation in the land upon tiie mountains of Tread, and one king shall be kills to them all: and they shall lie no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more.' The whole chapter and many others are parfcnlarly interesting ?o far as the tiknes in which we live nre coneerned—'the latter times/ as they nre sometimes culled. The Ruler of tho universe says. 'Heaven and earth shall pass away, but .my world shall not pass away.'"