THE FUTURE OF PALESTINE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 278, 3 May 1915, Page 7

THE FUTURE OF PALESTINE.

WHO WILL POSSESS THE HOLY PLACESV | TURKISH, RUSSIAN AND C! Ell MAN i KESU'iNS. (By J. Liddell Kelly, in the Auckland Star.) Are we on the eve of another erusadi-. for tlic possession of tlie " holy places " in Palestine? This is on;; of the provable consequence? of the disintegration of the Turkish Empire. A recent c".lire. message from Rome declared that his Holiness the Pop:; and his cardinals were perturbed because of a current rumor that Russia will not be content with having the control of C'onstaiitino|de, but will further insist u;:o;i becoming the ruler of Palestine. 11 this be the attitude of the Vatican, it means that the Mother Church will not be content simply to see the Holy Land freed from the pollution of the infidel Turk, but will seek to prevent the sacred sites passing under the control of the Eastern or Greek Church. This, in turn, portends that the 'possible coming crusade will find the Christian nations divided and fighting amongst them- ' selves, instead of uniting in a determined effort to expel the Moslems. Those who know anything of Russian aspirations will not be surprised though the report should prove to be correct that the. Muscovites have expressed a determination to possess Palestine. With millions of the Czar's subjects this is almost an article of religious faith. It is well known that Russian missions in and aiounil Jerusalem are active and influential; they have extensive buildings, and many pious Russians visit the Holy City. It is not so well known that, at a little distance from Moscow, a city representing Jerusalem in miniature has been built, to which hundreds of thousands of zealous Russian Christians make a pilgrimage annually. This Little Jerusalem, as they call it, is but an emblem, pointing their hopes and wishes towards the true Jerusalem, which they expect one day to possess. It is a pious aspiration, with which all earnest Christians might well sympathise, to free the hoiy [daces from Turkish misrule; but political considerations | complicate the problem, and make it practically certain that Russia will ne\er rule in Jerusalem.

Germany lias, o r, at least, had, designs in Palestine, her intention beijuj bv means of the Bagdad railway to dominate the whole of Asia Minor in the character of protector of. and sticces•sor to, the Sultan of Turkey. Germany a'so has large mission ami other interests in .Ternsalm; hut it may safely he assumed that the Teutonic' Power will not he in a -position to realise any of its ambitions in .Syria and 'Persia.

Great Britain ' and the United States .are prominently represented in religious missions, ns well as in business and other relations in Palestine, and will claim a voice in determining the future of that country. By the Treaty of Berlin, which gave her possession of tile Island of Cyprus, Great Britain undertook the duty of protecting the Sultan of Turkey's Asiatic possessions; and though that -role has been, of course, abandoned l>y her declaration of war against Turkey, it is clear that the British could not (for political reasons, .quite apart from religious sentiment) allow any rival Power to occupy a territory which could 'be used as a' base of •operations against Egypt and India, and even against Australia and New Zealand.

I Lastly, there is to ho considered the •elami of Turkey, "the man in possession "—a claim that is not to be*slightly set aside. If the iSick Man is *c lie driven out of Europe, where should he gc Imt to Syria, of which Palestine is an integral part? The Turks have a burning desire to retain possession of Jerusalem, which has for so many ccntnries been subject to their sway. They have a prophecy that one day the seat of their government shall be iii the Holy City of the Christians. In connection with their belief that such is their <■.;:«. tiny, a significant fact may be mentioned. One of the ancient gates of •Jerusalem has been called the Golden Gate, because of the tradition that it was by this route that Christ made His entry into the uty. This gate has been kept sealed and guarded by the Turks, who will not allow it to be opened or used. They believe that when Christ comes again as Conqueror and King He will enter His capital by that gate, hence they jealously guard it. It is humiliating to the whole of Christendom that such things should be ■—that a Moslem mosque should occupy the site of Solomon's Temple, and that insolent and rapacious Turks should control all the sacred places of our faith. -Most humiliating of all is the fact that, on the occasion of certain Christian festivals, the Russian, German and other missionaries and converts in Jerusalem light among themselves for positions, and the Turkish soldiers have to quell these disturbances. Surely such a state of things cannot last. But it will last until the time is ripe—until He comes who is the desire of all nations,

The "sure word of prophecy" leaves Us in no doubt as to the final destiny of Palestine and the Holy City. That country, with adjacent territory extending from the Euphrates to "the river of Egypt," was .promised to Abraham and his seed for ever. As a punishment for Israel's defection, the land was given over to heathen domination—the Holy City was delivered to be " trodden under foot of the Gentiles" for 12(i0 years. The "times of the Gentiles" have expired, and the new and better era is dawning—the time of the restitution of a'l things. Ten or fifteen years at most shiuld fee all Israel restored, to Palestine. But a " time of trouble " intervenes, and the terrible times in which wo live are but "the beginning of sorrows." «

I(. is, to my mind, clearly foretold that Turkey will set up her government in Jerusalem, that Russia will try to oust her (though professedly her ally), and that in a tremendous battle on the tableland of Megiddo or .Armageddon, "the merchants of Tarshish and all the Young Lions thereof-''—that is, Gieat Britain and her dominions, assisted by the L'nited States of America —•will defeat the King of the North and the Roast of Prophecy, and will establish All Israel in the' Land of Promise, under the Millennial Reign of Righteousness. That is the future of Palestine, Egypt and Mesopotamia, as foreseen by the rapt seers of Israel. And events are moving rapidly towards fulilment.