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T H E K ING ’S BUS INESS “How this neutrality can best be assured is discussed by the English papers, and the general opinion seems to be that the problem can be most satisfactorily solved by recreating in Palestine a Jewish State under the pro tection of one or other of the great Powers. The London Globe considers that such a step would be acceptable to all concerned, and goes on to say: ‘The Jews, after two thousand years of a life of a wandering nation, still cling most fervently to the hope of some day being restored to their ancient , patrimony. The most satisfactory solution to the problem, therefore, would be the installation of the Jews as the rulers of Palestine, which will then become an independent State and cease to menace English interests in Egypt. ‘Russia will also agree to such an outcome of the present difficulties. In its promise to the Poles to make Poland an autonomous government, Rus sia will have to face many difficult and perplexing problems. The most diffi cult of these is the presence of a large Jewish population in Poland, to whom the Poles are not sympathetic. This element may cause much trouble and disturbance, in the formation of a new- State, and it will be to the interests of Russia to remove this disturbance as early as possible. The Polish Jews are especially anxious for a return to Palestine. They constitute the more orthodox element of the Jewish, community, who pray and hope most fer vently for such a result. By facilitating their transference to Palestine, which shall be a land of their own, Russia will be able to secure peace and harmony in its own territory and carry out its sacred promise to the Poles in a most natural manner and without much friction.’” The novel suggestion that this new and restored State be placed under the protection of the United States is made by the London Daily Chronicle, which thinks tha t: “Even.were the new Zion to become an accomplished fact, and the Jews once more had a national hearth, and home, provision would still have to be made for Christian guardianship of the Holy Sepulcher and other sacred places to which every year scores of thousands of Christians, chiefly from Russia, make a pilgrimage. We assume that a new Palestine, whether it be predominantly Hebrew or non-Hebrew, will at the outset be a State with limited self-government rights under the protecting wing of some great Power. Who is that Power to be? France has traditional claims to the protectorate of Christian races in Asia Minor and has historic links with Syria. ■ England is the protector of Egypt, and Palestine for ages has ac knowledged the suzerainty of the Pharoahs. ‘America has for many years displayed a wonderful enthusiasm for mis sionary and educational work in Asia Minor. That Palestine should be placed under the guardianship of one or the other of these Powers seems fairly obvious.” In Jewish circles the proposal has naturally received the approval of the Orthodox schools of thought and of the Zionists, while some of the leaders of Jewish reform movements in England are disposed to be favorable This is all exceedingly interesting to students of prophecy, and especially to those who have been looking for the speedy return of the Jews to the Holy Land, as a preparation for the events that the Bible clearly tells us shall occur in connection with the return of our Lord to this earth. Of course, it is not necessary according to prophetic teaching that any of these things shall occur before the return of our Lord in the air to receive His own to Himself.
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