483
TH E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
August 1926
The Chosen People, the Land and the Book Jewish News Notes Compiled from Various Sources by David L. Cooper
of Zionism. Anyone may cause the name of such person or society to be inscribed in the Golden Book on pay ment of $100 (in the early years the charge was $50). The first entry in volume one is dedicated to Professor Herman Schaplra, founder of the Jew ish National Fund and also the first to propose the Hebrew National Univer sity at Jerusalem. He studied at Hei delberg, specializing in mathematics, his brilliant work in that field attract ing the attention of the greatest math ematical authorities of his day. His proposal of a Jewish university was first made in June, 1882. The second entry is Theodore Herzl, only the name, with no comment. These 6,000 entries in the first volume give a kale idoscopic view of the Jewish life and time. Here are many aristocratic and historic names, names of emperors and kings, statesmen and scholars, friends of the movement all over the world. The second volume differs from the first in its entries. In addition to a variegated picture of Jewish life and history, the great catastrophe of the World War is recorded in countless entries of fallen Jewish soldiers, and many "unknown soldiers" are in scribed here. As The New Palestine records: "The name of the fallen German soldier stands beside that of the Rus sian, the Englishman and the Bulgar ian— no discrimination here: one peo ple, bringing one sacrifice. The Gol den Book contains a record of the entire war, »to the conquest of Jeru salem by Allenby. T h e n suddenly comes a new episode: the Ghalutim, beginning with the climax of Trum- peldor and the catastrophe of Tel Chai. This is the scarlet thread running through the book. The last entry in the second volume is that of Baron Rothschild, the great friend of the Jewish Homeland. "The third volume of the Gulden Book opens with the names of ten gregt statesmen and Zionist leaders, to whose combined efforts we owe the Balfour Declaration. "An American edition of the Golden Book has been instituted. The entries will be confined to citizens of the United StateB, and the book will be deposited with other volumes of the Golden Book in the Jewish National Library at Jerusalem. All the presi dents of the United States, who have endorsed the movement to rebnild Pal estine as the Jewish homeland, were the first whose names were inscribed in. the American edition. These presidents are, John Adams, Benjamin Harrison, Theodore Roosevelt, Wood- row Wilson', Warren G. Harding and Calvin Coolidge, ‘all of whom have given vital assistance to the Jewish homeland movement through official statements endorsing the project"
the House of the Forest of Lebanon, Solomon’s Pool, and the high wall that surrounded all, making with the cliff of Mount Moriah, a formidable citadel. From the Outer Courtyard access will be had to the somewhat smaller inner enclosure that contains the Tem plé, through a vast portal flanked by grotesque lions. In the foreground will be the "altar of brass," and near by the Lavers and the Molten Sea where the priests might purify them selves. Three rows of crimson and gold columns will be ranged on the side of the.,Inner Courtyard. A further recapture of the spirit of Solomon’s day will be attempted by the employment of 2,300 attendants who, dressed in the vestments of Se mitic priests, will pass to and. fro on their ritual duties in the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. On the last day of the Sesqui-Cen tennial Exposition, the destruction of the Tapiple will be simulated by the emission of great volumes of vapor from pipes built in the structure.— The New Palestine. M. M THE GOLDEN BOOK Below is given an article from Dr. Chalmers.’ Missionary Magazine con cerning the Golden Book which is of great interest to everyone Interested in the present homeward movement of the Jews, known as Zionism: The New Palestine, weekly organ of the Zionist Organization of America, made its issue for May 14, 1926, a special Jewish National Fund number, celebrating the twenty-fifth anniver sary of the Fund. This weekly does not give pictures, but in this especial number one finds a map of the valley of Jezreel and ninety-three illustra tions, which shoif most vividly the changes that have been wrought in Palestine by the work of the Jewish National Fund. These cuts reveal the marvelous industrial activity of the Jewish settlers and the wonderful transformation that is taking place in the land of the patriarchs. Special mention was made in this number of the Golden Book. This is a book existing now in three volumes, at present on exhibition in the ante room of the main office of the Jewish National Fund in Jerusalem. Volumes one and two, which have been filled with names, are in glass cases. ‘ ‘A calligraphist,” according to The New Palestine Jewish National Fund Sup plement, “ is making new entries in the third, which is already half full. Each volume contains 6,000 names, and altogether more than 12,000 entries have be*- made." The purpose of the Golden Book is twofold. The idea is to honor some person or society which has in some way made contribution to the advance
SOLOMON’S TEMPLE REPRODUCED In the June issue of the "Jewish Missionary Magazine” is given a most Interesting and detailed account of the building designed to be a reproduction of Solomon’s Temple -at the Sesqui- Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. This building is as nearly an exact re production of the Solomonic Temple as Mr. John Wesley Kelchner, the ar chitect, could design. The article cre ates a desire in everyone interested in things Biblical to visit the expo sition, and is as follows: An exact reproduction or the Tem ple of Solomon will be erected in Phil adelphia as one of the exhibits, prob ably the most outstanding in connec tion with the Sesqui-Centennial cele bration of American independence, which was inaugurated on June 1, 1926. In a news letter in the Jewish Daily Bulletin of November 6, Robert Reiss, the Bulletin’s Philadelphia cor respondent, describes the Temple to be erected under the supervision of John Wesley Kelchner, the architect. Every detail will follow closely the measurements quoted in the Bible. Mr. Kelchner has spent $360,000 in research for Information concerning Solomon’s Temple. Many years, ago he conducted an archeological expedition of his own into Palestine, and made extensive, although fruitless, excava tions on Mount Moriah, where the original Temple was situated. He searched the Talmud and all other possible sources for information, but eventually came to rely almost wholly on the descriptive passages in the O. T. Like a fantastic skyscraper, the eleven-tiered zlggurat, the main build ing of the Temple enclosure, housing the Temple Itself, will rise into the Philadelphia s k y . A magnificent porch, the entrance flanked by the pil lars Jachln and Boaz, each seventeen feet in diameter and seventy feet high, surmounted by vessels of fire, will greet the visitors. From the Great Porch and its enor mous gilded and carved entrance, the visitors will pass into the Holy Place, a room eighty feet long, forty feet wide and twenty high. At the further end, behind elaborately carved doors, will lie the Holy of Holies, with the Ark of the Covenant guarded by huge g o l d e n cherubim. In accordance with the Biblical description, there will issue from behind the Ark a light so blinding that no eye can endure it. Visitors to the Temple proper will be compelled to remove their shoes before entering, and will be given soft sandals whose tread will not Interfere with the chants that will be sung by the priests. All the buildings of King Solomon’s Temple will be included in the restora tion. These include hie house, the Queen’s Palace, the Porch of Pillars,
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