THE QUIET HOUR

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 17 June 1933, Page 2

THE QUIET HOUR

(Contributed for the Hawera Ministers’ Association.) By Rev. H. Curran (“GAMMA.”) PALESTINE AND THE! JEWS. “Behold, I am for you, and I will turn unto you. and ye shall bo tilled a.ncl sown.” (Ezek. 36:9). Daniel O’Connell, sneered at Disraeli for being a Jew. But he replied: “The gentleman’s scorn does not trouble me, when I remember that half the Christian world worships a Jew, and the other half a Jewess.” To study the wonderful Jew one must go back to Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob, and read their history and the promises made to them, many which have long ago been fulfilled, while the rest are going to be. Many of these promises are now being fulfilled before our eyes.

All of the twelve tribes were at first called Israel. Later on Israel and Judah. God distinctly promised that He would scatter them among all the nations of the earth if they departed from Him. First, the ten tribes—lsrael —were taken into captivity ill Babylon for seventy years. However, they were restored to their own country again. But, because of their many sins, were under the Romans.

Finally, God’s Son came to them and spent .33 years among them in Palestine. We read: “He came unto His own, and

HIS OWN RECEIVED HIM NOT.”

But, thank God, it continues: “But as many as received Him (by faith), to them gave He power to become the Sons of God, even to them that believe on His name” (John 1:11,12). (They isaid, “Wo will not have this man to reign over us.” When Jesus went up to Jerusalem, at the close of the 33 years, He said: “0 Jerusalem,. Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which arc sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy .children together, even as a hen gathereth her eh lichens under iher wings, and ye woidd not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you,' Ye shall not see Me henceforth, till ve shall say, Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.” (Matt. 23:37-39). Thirty-seven years afterwards, when Titus took Jerusalem, about two millions perished or were carried into slavery. But no pen coud describe the awful suffering at the sacking of their beloved city. Titus waded in Jewish blood. Since then, the Jews have suffered almost beyond belief in almost every nation under Heaven. Perhaps they have suffered the most in so-called Christian countries. Years ago, the Jewish writer, Israel Zangwill said: “If the Christians of Europe had been Christlike, there would not have remained a single Jew in all Europe.” EXCEEDINGLY RICH.

The: Jew is no longer looked down upon as before, although in Germany the persecution is terrible, so great that multitudes are fleeing for tlieir lives to England and other countries and many are going to Palestine. Most of the world’s richest men are Jews—millionaires, who, combined, could by their wealth, stagger the world. Much of this wealth lias gone, and is still going, into Palestine, and is being used to restore the land and rebuild their cities. The present persecutions are are being overruled by God, to hasten their return to their own land, and to prepare others to follow later on. In almost every line of business the Jews are either the leaders or amona; the leaders. During last year, over 250 Jews entered Palestine with a minimum capital of £IOOO each. This coming season it is estimated that Palestine will export 4,000,000 eases of oranges, and they* are stated to far excel both Florida and Californian oranges. Leading Jews consider the possibililes of Palestine far beyond their fondest hopes. Orange groves, grape vines, olives and bananas are thriving, beyond their expectations. The Dead Sea has turned out to he a perfectly wonderful mine of untold -wealth. Its minerals and fertilisers will not only enrich Palestine, but will be exported to many other parts of tlio world, thereby bringing in vast wealth. While the rest of the world is struggling with the unemployment question, Palestine has no unemployment, and is capable of absorbing many more genuine labourers. JEW’S .SPIRITUAL AWAKENING. In some synagogues the New; Testament is read. Recently, a missionary to the Jew's in a Jewish city of America, says that the whole city turned out to hear him preach the Gospel, and tell the story of Jesus of Nazareth. Mr. Solomon Shevayder says that “Christ is the greatest Jew that ever lived, and the Jew has lost considerably by refusing the teaching of 'vsus.” ‘lt was this same Jew who proposed, that, seeing the Jew's are going back to Palestine 1 , they should convene the Sanhedrin at Jerusalem, to consider, first of all, the attitude of the Jew tow r ard Jesus of Nazareth. There are to-day many thousands of Christian Jews, and thousands more are l looking for, and expecting the Messiah, and very many are getting their eyes onened to the Truth. Last Easter, Lord Allenby opened at Jerusalem, a _ magnificent Y.M.C.A. bnildinpr of striking appearance.

JERUSALEM’S NEW UNIVERSITY

Ono of the foundation stones was laid by Lord Allenby' in 19,18, of the beautiful University on a commanding site on Mount Scopus. It is nonpolitical, and in it they are teaching the pure Hebrew language again. From its beautiful grounds, they look down on tho Temple area, the sit© of Solomon’s Temple, and in the. opposite direction over the valley of the Jordan and to the mountains of Moab in the distance. Their library has a total of 250,000 volumes, and is being added to at tlie rate of 25,000 volumes annually. It is the greatest collection of works dealing with Jewish .literature and history ever gathered into ope place. But, why do we tell you all this? Simply to show that the Jewish figtree is putting forth leaves, showing us clearly that “ the times of the Gen tiles’’ have 'almost run out, and that “He is near, even at the doors.”