PALESTINE

Evening Star, Issue 19798, 23 February 1928, Page 6

PALESTINE

URGE OF THE HOLY LAND The scries of lectures at present in progress in Knox Church Sunday School Hall was resumed last night, when the, Era’. Sale-llarn'son, of Sydney, addressed a largo and attentive audience on ‘ The Urge of the Holy Land.’ He gave interesting lads of recent history, showing how the Jewish people were moving back to their own land. In Ezra’s day hardy 50,000 returned from the captivity, while 10-day nhotit 120,000 had returned, in addition to tlie 50,000 already there, in accordance with the Old Testament prophecy that they would return “a second time ” to the laud, after being a people “ scattered and peeled.” The lirst indication of the great modern Jewish movement was Cromwell’s ..removal of some of the disabilities under which they lived in England. Their position then steadily improved, and another landmark was reached when Lord Reaconslield, the Jewish Prime Minister, secured England’s control of the Suez Canal. Thirty-one years ago the initiation of the Zionist movement marked a further stage, and the most .striking of all was when, only three weeks after the famous Ralfmir declaration, British troops liberated Jerusalem without firing a shot. Accompanying the national return had been a remarkable religious movement. Fifteen years ago it was not possible to give away a Hebrew New Testament. To-day, he said, the demand exceeds the. supply. Unification of the language of those returning is also a striking fact. The now arrivals in the country are Irom many of the sixty nations among which the Jews are known to bo scattered to-day, yet 90 per cent, of those wlio return use Hebrew as their native tongue, Physical changes are also occurring. The three “ Pools of Solomon,” Jerusalem’s water supply, overllowed last .March for the first time on record since the city was taken by Titus in 70 A.in The prophecy that “ the early and the latter rains” would be restored was being literally fulfilled. The lecture to-night on ‘ Modern Palestine ’ will give further details of even greater interest regarding present developments.