THE K I NG ’ S BUSINESS
104
A GENTILE WHO LOVES GOD'S ANCIENT PEOPLE ATTEMPTS TO ANSWER THE QUESTION—
REV. COULSON SHEPHERD
A NTI-SEMITISM is based upon cruel, willful, ignorant preju dice. At its root and in its organized form it is satanic; it is more than an opinion or theory or plan; it is a spirit As a noted scholar re cently stated, “Anti-Semitism is a disease.” The masses of people do not truly know or understand the Jewish heart and home and life. They know only what they have heard from others, or form their opinions from one or two isolated experiences with Jewish people. Were they to enter into Jewish life, they would find, perhaps to their great astonishment, a people much the same in ideals and principles as themselves. Personally, I have found the Jewish people to be friendly and liberal. Of course, if Gentiles and Christians are going to allow this satanic spirit of anti-Semitism to pos sess them, their a t t i t u d e and be havior toward the Jewish people are going to be such as to put the Jewish people on their guard. Thus the Jews will reciprocate in ways not to their liking. These defensive characteristics were developed under persecution and because of being discriminated against through the years. Try showing a
kindly interest in them, and you will discover them to be the kind and warmhearted people I know the ma jority of them to be. The same anti-Semitic spirit, that was responsible for the dastardly deeds performed in Europe between 1933 and 1945, has raised its ugly head in our own fair land. Yes, it is lying dormant, but, if and when the crucial moment comes, as it did in Europe, that spirit will manifest it self in frightful ways. Some of us are preparing ourselves for this, and we know that, because of kindness to and defense of the Jews, we will share in any persecution they may suffer here. Sometime ago 1 read a letter writ ten by a Jewish mother, in which she deplored these terrible conditions. Her grief of heart on behalf of her own boys and girls found expression in print. One sentence is unforget table: “I wish I had never given birth to my children.” Just about that very time, I read an article from a noted Jewish columnist. His subject, was “Being Bom in Days Like These.” ' Here is a statement from his pen, “Particularly because I am Jewish, I wish I had never been bom !"
A Remarkable Prophecy These two statements recall the words of Scripture: “And Pilate . . . delivered Jesus to their will . . . And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus, turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for your selves, and for your children. For, be hold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck” (Luke 23:24-29). “These days,” here referred to are even now at our doors. The inhuman savageries perpet r at ed by demon- possessed Nazis during the late war actually made Jewish people here in America feel that it would have been better for them if they had not been born. Surely, they are sitting in the shadow of a great sorrow the world over. They are daily walking “in the valley of the shadow of death.” As a Gentile believer, I desire to offer a word of comfort to the Jews. I want to tell you that life is worth living, even in times like these. I call upon my Christian brethren to
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker