Editors' Table: The Fall of Jerusalem

The Fall of Jerusalem

Perhaps no event during the great war has so greatly

stirred, and it would not be out of way to say pleased, the

Christian world, as the fall of Jerusalem. In early December

it passed into the hands of the British, with a few soldiers from

France, and perhaps some from Italy. Naturally, the first

question to be asked is, will the Allies be able to keep the hold

they have already gained on that sacred city? The hopeful

answer of every Christian believer in the prophecies of the

Holy Scriptures is, yes.

But the people who claim to know tell us that it will de-

pend upon three questions: 1. Will the Turkish army be able

to drive the English out? 2. Will the war so end as to compel

a compromise, by which the city, if the Germans have their

way, will be turned back again into the hands of the Turks?

This, of course, depends upon who will be the ultimate vic-

tors in the great struggle now going on. 3. Will the war be de-

cided by the mere acquisition of territory? There must be

a radical defeat, say other experts, of one or the other of the

parties to the war, in order to determine how the peace council

of the nations shall dispose of Palestine as well as of other coun-

tries in possession of both the Entente Allies and the Central

Powers. It should be remembered that territory is not the gov-

erning factor, that the ultimate question of peace must be a

question of final defeat.

One is naturally curious to know what the effect of the

fall of Jerusalem will be on the Christian world. There are

two classes of Christians intensely interested in the Holy Land.

First, the Greek Catholics, comprising the Russians and Greeks

of Greece and of Asia Minor; second, the Roman Catholics. The

Protestant world is much less interested in Palestine than either

of these great Catholic divisions who make yearly their pilgrim-

ages to the Holy Land. Undoubtedly considerable importance

will be given to the event in Russia. No doubt thousands, per-

haps hundreds of thousands of Russians feel a special debt of

gratitude to Great Britain, and who may pause to ask themselves

the question in their religious fervor, whether or not the Lord

has not been on the side of the Allies inasmuch as thev have

been permitted to secure this most sacred land. The incident

will have a great effect upon the Russian mind.

260 IMPROVEMENT ERA

There is another question related to it in the Catholic

Church. The Catholics have likewise been great lovers of the

holy places of Palestine. They, too, have made their sacred pil-

grimages thither. That the Catholics of France and Italy and

Belgium will rejoice goes without saying. There are many

Catholics in Germany who would perhaps prefer to see it, as

a matter of patriotism with them, in the hands of their allies,

the Turks. But the question presents another aspect with regard

to Austria. The Austrians are largely Catholics. All elements

except those who are of the Greek persuasion, are of the Ro-

man Catholics. How will they feel about this great religious

event? For it is one of religious importance whose solution

depends upon the final outcome of peace. And, no doubt,

there will be many Austrians who will be glad to be in the

hands of Great Britain, as perhaps a second choice; but there

will be very many of them who will hope that in the arrange-

ment for peace, the Holy Land may some how or other fall under

the control of the Central Powers. The Emperor of Germany has

paid special homage to the sacred land by his visit there, a visit

which is generally regarded as more political than religious.

With the Jews, it is the more vital question. There is a very

strong hope among them that they may sooner or later acquire

some governmental hold upon the country of their fathers.

Zionists for many years have advocated a republic through

colonization in that land. They have hoped that they

might retain their Jewish peculiarities and religion in a stricter

manner, were Palestine to become again the center for Jewish

life and activity. Thousands and thousands of them have no

higher ambition than to return to Jerusalem, that they may

be buried somewhere on the Mount of Olives within the shadow

of the walls of the Holy City.

This thrilling event has aroused great enthusiasm, not only

throughout Europe, but also in the United States, and es-

pecially in. the city of New York, where there are so many

Jews gathered on the so-called "East side." They are already

speculating in their minds as to the future events of that land.

It is to be hoped, and it is believed, that Palestine will continue

to be free from the hands of the Turks, and that Jerusalem will

be rebuilt and receive something of its ancient glory. The Jews

have the disposition and the money to make of it one of the most

attractive cities of the world. It would be the center of the new

Jewish life, if not of a Jewish republic under the protectorate of

some one of the great powers; but which one?

There is none of them that is perhaps so well qualified to

take over the control of that country as the United States; and it

may be almost certainly predicted, if the war ends in favor of

the Allies, which appears to be inevitable, that the United

EDITORS' TABLE 261

States will be asked to take over the administration of Palestine.

It is the one country that could have positively no selfish ends in

view.

As to the view of the Latter-day Saints concerning the

present fall of Jerusalem, they look upon it as one of the steps

in the foretold gathering of the Jews in the latter days, and as the

beginning of the fulfilment of ancient and modern prophecy.

The restored gospel of Jesus Christ is to be preached to the

gathered Jews, and the Saints are glad to behold the signs of

the coming day. Perhaps no plainer exposition of the subject

could be given than that contained in one of the revelations,

of which there are many on the subject, to the prophet Jo-

seph Smith, in 1831 (Doc. & Cov. 45), concerning Jerusalem

and the Jews:

And this I have told you concerning Jerusalem, and when that day shall

come, shall a remnant be scattered among all nations;

But they shall be gathered again, but they shall remain until the times

of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

And in that day shall be heard of wars and rumors of wars, and the

whole earth shall be in commotion, and men's hearts shall fail them, and

they shall say that Christ delayeth his coming until the end of the earth.

And the love of men shall wax cold, and iniquity shall abound;

And when the times of the Gentiles is come in, a light shall break forth

among them that sit in darkness, and it shall be the fulness of my gospel.

• • • And in that generation shall the times of the Gentiles be ful-

filled.