LORD ALLENBY.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18603, 30 January 1926, Page 17

LORD ALLENBY.

TO THE EDITOR OF "THE PRESS. 4 " Sir, —The coming into our midst of this notable British soldier and gentleman accompanied by his wife, brings to mind on© or two facts of remarkable interest connected with Lord Allen by and his conquest of Palestine. In the first place it is on record that before his Lord-ship entered Jerusalem, the populace and the natives generally were ready to welcome him as their deliverer because of his name. The people at once noticed that his name "Allenby" is the Anglicised form of "Allah Nebi," which is the Arabic equivalent for '"God's Prophet'' or the Deliverer from God. This coincidence, if coincidence it is. for it may be one of God's purposes. had a great influence upon the natives, and its results were far-reach-ins; in elevating British prestige in the minds of the Moslems of Syria ana Palestine.

In tho second place, as is well known. Lord Allenby was for many years known as "The Bull" to his hrothcr officers. The name has clung to him, and he was known by that name in Palestine and Jerusalem. The remarkable interest lies in the fact that the "bull." "bullock," "ox." "heifer" have always been closely connected with Ephraim and Israel, while the tribal standard of Ephraim was the Bull, as the Lion was of Judah. Now it is once again more than a coincidence that Great Britain is always known as "John Bull." and that- tbe one commander out of the many generals in the British Armies, chosen to go and conquer Palestine, should be the very one who for years was known as "the Bull." There was a saying runent some years ago, the origiu of which I have not been able to trace, that when the Bull enters Jerusalem, the Nile will alter its course.

It is passing strange thai at about the time when Lord Allenby and his staff entered Jerusalem without a shot or shell being fired, tho irrigation of Lower Egypt and the desert east of the Canal was being effectively completed. in order to facilitate our communications and supplies, so that much desert land has been watered and cultivated. and in a sense it may be said that "tbe Xile lias altered its course." In the third place, it, may be mentioned that Lord Allenby's birthday is on April 23rd. and this beinc St. George's Day, it is at once a most rewarkable coincidence that the modern Deliverer of Jerusalem and Palestine should be born on the very day which lias always commemorated' Patron Saint of England. Lydda, the town which contains the ruins of the Church that was erected in the 12th century, was the traditional tomb of St. George, was captured, it will be remembered, bv Lord Allenby at about the same time as Joppa.—Yours, etc. J. RUSSELL BRT'NT. ■ Vice-president. Christchurch. British-Israel Assn. 2S-1-26.