Confirmation
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| There is no question but that diplomatic circles are reckoning with Zionism. Each of the great
56 powers is asking,—"How would the establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine effect my interests". It is to this, and not to any sentiment or regard for prophetic utterance, that the leaders of Zionism are appealing. They are bending their energies to convince the nations that their interests will be served by compliance with the demand made upon them. We have no warrant for believing that the means employed to deliver Israel from Egypt will be repeated; but there is good ground for believing that the motive which prompted Pharaoh to release them will incline the modern nations to "carry them on their shoulders" to Palestine, for self interest is still the dominant law of nations. The task of the Zionist is not hopeless, for a few diplomats already see that the restoration of the Jews to Palestine would bring about the settlement of some of the vexing problems of the Eastern question. Zionism has provoked much speculation among Bible students. At first it was lightly regarded by many, utter failure being boldly predicted for it. Five years of astounding progress has induced some to reconsider their judgment. They have been constrained to ask if the fact that it is an attempt to restore the nation without repentance is a certain proof that it must fail. Before giving an answer the student of prophecy may need to adjust his field glass, as he has been forced to do so often before. He may find that he has failed to measure the valleys that lie between the mountain peaks of the landscape of time, or even that he has confused 57 the mountain ranges themselves. Now it is quite certain that restored and reunited Israel will not enjoy her exalted place, according to ancient covenant, until her King appears in His glory. It would seem from Ezek. 37:15-25 that Judah and Israel can be reunited only in the hand and under the rule of their long-expected Messiah. The prophet Zechariah speaks of the restoration of both Judah and Israel,* but clearly distinguishes a time order in these events. He says that "Jehovah shall save the tents of Judah first."† It seems evident that Judah shall return in unbelief for the same prophet declares that two-thirds of them shall be destroyed and the remaining third saved out of the mouth of the Adversary by the descent of Messiah to the Mount of Olives, when they shall acknowledge with deep lamentation that the King of Glory was wounded in the house of his friends. Some have said that the proposal to buy Palestine must fail because God will give it to them as their rightful heritage "without money". Does not Jer. 32:43-44 refer to the final regathering as well as to the restoration from Babylon? The context would indicate that it has this double reference. Even if it relates only to the Captivity, the fact that fields were bought then would indicate that it may be according to divine purpose to buy them now. The final apportionment spoken of in the last chapter of Ezekiel will be made at the beginning of the Millennium, not at the beginning of the restoration. _____________________________________________________________________________________ *Zech. 8:13; 10:3-6. †Zech. 12:6. _____________________________________________________________________________________ 58 That we are witnessing the preparation for the restoration few will deny. That Zionism has a mission is amply proven by what it has accomplished within the race itself. He is a bold prophet indeed who will declare today that this is its only mission, or that its appeal to the nations to prepare the way for the return of the race to their beloved land will be in vain. The bearing of this movement upon the evangelization of the Jews is of paramount importance in this treatise. That it is enlarging the conception of many, and consequently making them more ready to consider the claims of Christianity is indisputable. At the same time it is quite true that a self-sufficiency is being encouraged that cannot but palliate the heart-longings for a satisfying portion in God. Nevertheless, when the heart turns homeward, the question must arise, "Why have I been an outcast?" The Jew who knows anything of history and of the New Testament must feel that there may be a connection between the rejection of Christ and the scattering of his nation. In these and many other ways there is a direct effect upon the relation of the Jew to the gospel. While we should not be too hopeful, nor over-estimate its effects for good from a missionary standpoint, some results most surely must follow. If it be admitted that He can use it to further His purposes, whether it is a God-inspired movement or not, we will be assured that it will turn to the salvation of some, through the abundant grace of the Lord Jesus. 59 CHAPTER VI. JEWISH POPULATION. It is quite impossible to ascertain the exact number of the Jewish people. In many lands where they reside no religious census is taken. In such cases we are dependent upon the estimates made by the Jews, by missionaries, or by others who are interested in the subject. Even where a census is taken the condition of the Jews is often such as to cause them to regard it as another instrument of persecution, on which account they try to escape enumeration. Without doubt there are more Jews in Roumania and some other lands than appears from the official statistics. The recent awakening of the national spirit has resulted in attempts from within the nation to ascertain the exact number and condition of Jews in all lands. The increased interest of Christians in this people has had a similar result. By a comparison of the many tables that have been prepared it is possible to arrive at a fairly accurate conclusion. Some of the most reliable of these are here given. The Encyclopedia of Missions, published in 1891, gives 6,549,000 as the total Jewish population of the world at that time. Dr. Gustav H. Dalman, in his "Kurzgefastes Handbuch der Mission Unter 60 Israel," which appeared in 1893, gives tables based on Professor Juraschek's statistics and sets the total down as 7,404,250. In "Israel My Glory," published in 1892, Rev. John Wilkinson makes an independent estimate, which later evidence has justified, the total of which is 9,706,500. Since that time statisticians have been able to get nearer to the sources of information. The results have been brought together in the American Jewish Year Book, for 1901-02, which is edited by Dr. Cyrus Adler of the Smithsonian Institute, Washington. The number is here shown to be 10,766,749. The following table is based on Dr. Adler's, with a few additions and corrections where later statistics are available. The figures in brackets indicate the year of census, if that is the source of information.
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In the United States they are distributed as follows:
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The various parts of the British Empire contain the following numbers:
In round numbers the population of the continents must be about as follows:
_____________________________________________________________________________________ *The Census of 1901 gives 16,432. _____________________________________________________________________________________ 64
The estimate of 11,000,000 as the present Jewish population of the world is a conservative one. It is probably quite too low. Dr. Nordau, speaking at the Zionist Congress in London in August, 1900, said that "According to the latest statistics we muster about 12,000,000." Rev. David Baron, in his recent book, "The Ancient Scripture and the Modern Jew," says: "Personally I believe the actual number cannot be much under twelve millions." Other eminent writers are of the same opinion. They believe the estimates given in the foregoing pages are much too small, and that the census returns in several countries do not show the full Jewish population, for the reason given in the opening paragraph of this chapter. A million could easily be accounted for in that way. The growth of the Jewish community in the United States is quite phenomenal. It is due chiefly to immigration from Europe. The "American Jewish Year Book," 1901-02, gives the following estimates: In 1818 by Mordecai M. Noah at 3,000 In 1826 by Isaac C. Harby at 6,000 In 1840 by the American Almanac at 15,000 In 1848 by M. A. Birk at 50,000 In 1880 by Wm. A. Hackenburg at 230,000
In 1897 by David Sulzberger at 937,000 In 1900 by Amer. Jewish Year Book 1,058,135
_____________________________________________________________________________________ *Isa 27:6. †Psa. 102:13. _____________________________________________________________________________________ 67 CHAPTER VII. JEWISH PROGRESS. The rapid advancement of the Jews in modern times is not merely a matter of numbers. The four-fold increase of population during the last century is one of the least important factors in the product known as modern Judaism. Twelve millions of people in the world's population are as so many buckets of water in a great sea. A like number of Chinese, Hindoos or Africans, more or less, would make no appreciable difference to the world at large, nor scarcely any to their own race. The Czar surrenders a larger number of his subjects to the King of Terrors every two years. But when we consider that the Jews had to be reckoned with a century ago, even the great Napoleon deeming it expedient to secure their favor, and that their numerical increase has been more than matched by their intellectual, social, political and mercantile progress, we cease to wonder that the Jewish question holds the attention of the world. Directory: gsdl -> collect collect -> Greenstone: a comprehensive Open-Source Digital Library Software System Ian H. Witten collect -> Open Source’ Integrated Library System Software Download 0.88 Mb. Share with your friends:
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