BRITISH ISRAEL THEORY

Evening Star, Issue 23692, 27 September 1940, Page 10

BRITISH ISRAEL THEORY

PUBLICLY DEBATED Nearly 1,000 people were sufficiently interested in the question, “ Is Britain Israel, F ” to attend the debate on the subject bold in the Town Hall last night. The affirmative was upheld by Mr G. Steel Paxton. Protagonist for the negative was the Rev. H. Raymond Turner, of the South Dunedin Baptist Church, while the chair was taken by the Rev. R. L. Fursdon (Caversham). “ I. will deliver broadside after broadside,” said Mr Paxton, in the preamble to his argument, and he was as good' as his word, giving chapter and verse for each quotation in a speech that consisted of little else. The house of Judah and the house of Israel, he maintained, were two separate and distinct houses. Britain, which, under its earliest name, had been mentioned in the Bible, had become the home of the members of the house of Israel. At the time of its earliest mention in Roman history it had been the home not of painted savages, but of the most civilised people in the whole world. Mr Turner referred to a previous public statement of his in which lie referred to British Israelism as “ the biggest hoax that had ever been inflicted on a long-suffering public,” and' be indicated his intention of proving tho truth of that statement. Prophecies made by tho Federation had not boon fulfilled, and their appearance' from time to time had caused anxiety all over tho world'. The speaker quoted a text from Galateans, chapter three: Alf ye are Christ’s yo are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to tho prophets.” This meant that people of all races could become of God’s chosen people. There was no adjudication. The chairman, in Ids opening remarks, said that although the debate was billed as a public argument, it was really a private one between the two speakers, not being sponsored' by any authority. The decision would be left to each member of the audience individually. Mr Axel Newton was organist, playing several selections during the evening- _______