JERUSALEM VISITED.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 251, 23 October 1928, Page 9

JERUSALEM VISITED.

RETURN OF REV. D. C. HERRON.

MISSIONARY CONFERENCE.

FIFTY NATIONS REPRESENTED.

Firmly convinced that the Christian forces of the world have been drawn much closer together by the recent international missionary conference in Jerusalem, the Rev. D. C. Herron returned by the Niagara last evening to resume his work as minister of St. David's Presbyterian Church, Khyber Pass. At the conference no less than 51 nations were represented by 250 delegates. It was probably the greatest gathering of enthusiasts in missionary work which the world has seen, and the harmonious spirit in which problems of mutual interest were considered, augurs well for the benefits which will be felt from the conference in many fields of Christian effort.

Among the places of interest which Mr. Herron visited in the course of, his tout, with Mrs. Herron and their son and daughter, were Egypt, Turkey, Italy, Switzerland and Canada* Apart from attending the great conferehcfe in Jerusalem, which was the main purpose of the visit, the travellers also saw much of interest in Palestine. One of Sir. Herron's pleasures, though' in one sense a sadness, was to retrace some of his steps in France, where in the war he served with distinction as a chaplain to the N.Z.E.K. In various parts of the British Isles, and particularly in Scotland, many old friendships were renewed.

At the Jerusalem gathering the delegates were billeted in tents and cubicles. Mr. Herron had as neighbours on his right two Germans and on his -left a negro, the Bishop of Nigeria, and a chief from Uganda. The Germans expressed the opinion that through her defeat in the war Germany had experienced a strengthening of the religious life of her people. In speaking of .the war the Ger T mans displayed ho bitterness, and; they seemed less concerned with the past than they were hopeful for the future.

A favourable impression was formed by Mr. Herron of the effect of British administration in Palestine. Many of the highways had been rebuilt, and some of the roads were better than some of ours in New Zealand. On every hand there

were signs of the effects produced by the Zionist movement. Especially noticeable

were the large plantations of trees, which included many fruit trees.

As for the "back to Palestine" movement, Mr. Herron says that, although there are a great many Jews in the country, it is evident that such rocky and poor country can never carry a very largte population. Some people thought that the prominence given -by the' Balfour Declaration to the aspirations of the Jews had produced harmful effects. Certainly strong feeling existed between the Jews and the Moslems. The missionary conference had caused some slight misapprehension among the Moslems, with the result that mild rioting occurred. A glass window in a church which had been recently opened was broken, but the agitation was not really serious.

| Mr. Herron states that the modern city Tel-Aviv, which has been built by] the Zionist movement near Jaffa, has experienced a decline in population. Whereas last year the total number of inhabitants was 45,000, the number had since dwindled to 40,000. The population of Palestine is a moving one.

The minister of St. David's is happy to be in Auckland once more, and is hopeful of being able to convey to those who are interested some helpful impressions of the Jerusalem conference and of the. plans whii-h wer<e formulated for the advancement of missionary enterprises.