BRITISH-ISRAEL

Southland Times, Issue 25341, 20 July 1935, Page 11

BRITISH-ISRAEL

(By

“Briton.”)

I am continuing the topic of the concluding remarks in last week's issue, namely, the present drift of public opinion in a direction favourable to the future union of the British and American peoples, as the best means of ensuring and maintaining the peace of the world. I have already drawn attention to the appeal of Mr J. M. Patterson, president of the New York News, to the five hundred million people of the British Empire to join the one hundred and twenty million people of the U.S.A, “in a splendid companionship of .keeping war from their midst.”

To show that he does not stand alone, let me’ cite the remarks of Mr J. W. Byrns, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. He says:—“Great Britain and the United States, as the two most powerful nations in the world, would be derelict in their duty to civilization if they did not co-operate and exert every moral force in favour of peace. Until there is a definite and positive guarantee against the world being plunged into war, the United States will be prepared to protect its citizens. It should be understood that the United States will never in future be drawn into any war resulting from the rivalry of Continental European nations, large or small. On this basis Great Britain and the United States, by exercising moral leadership, can aid in preventing a conflict for which there can be no justification.” Mr Byrns is the leader in the House of the great Democratic Party. He voices what Americans all over the country are thinking.—Evening Standard.

Speaking at Toronto some years ago, Admiral Sims, in characteristic fashion, said: “It is my idea now, and has been for twenty-five years, that after they get done fussing with the League of Nations and a few other things, we will have to come to the conclusion that the people who speak the English language throughout this world have got to come together and run it.” He added that he liked the British because they were good sports and could “stand gaff without whimpering.”—Times Correspondent. Let us now consider if there is anything in the character and circumstance of these peoples who are to be thus brought together in a common bond of friendship and purpose that would support the reasonable expectation that such a combination of powers would be devoted to the persuance of the peace ideal. Firstly, there is blood relationship which forms a natural bond, a bond that already exists and one of nature’s own creation lying ready to hand. It is a family bond which pays due respect to family tradition, ideals and ambitions. Secondly, these peoples speak a common language and possess a common literature which are in themselves most patent in their influence as binding factors, being the means by which intercourse is readily effected with the least possibility of misunderstanding, while the treasures of their literary heritage give colour and expression to thoughts and ideals which are common to them all. Who can give a proper estimate of their combined value as a racial flux? Thirdly, but of the dim mists of the remote past and up to comparitively recent times a common history speaks of national development and achievement and of difficulties overcome, continuing until the Homeland became too small to contain and support her children, forcing them to set up nationbuilding for themselves in the desolate heritages awaiting their advent. Then the threat of their common history may be said to separate into strands which, while still retaining connection, enlarge into histories of the various Empire units. Who can properly estimate the value of these bonds tenuous as they may seem to be? Even the people of the U.S.A, respond to these powerful sentiments. Those of that country who can trace descent from the Pilgrim Fathers constitute the elite of the land, while the numbers of American tourists to Britain who visit Somerset House in order to trace their line of descent is a fair indication of the value they place on their connection with the home land of their early fathers. Fourthly, Britain has the ready sympathy of America in her efforts to banish war. The British government lias gone almost further than desirable in this direction by reducing her potentialities for defence almost to the verge of impotency, thus courting national dangers from which wise statesmanship should shrink, and all for the purpose of inducing a like reciprocity among the Continental Powers, Evidences are presented every day that Continental ideas concerning the sanctity of any compact entered into, is not the same as ours. Signs are not wanting that the present League is used as a cover for the development of ulterior purposes. There is no fixed cohesion of ideal or purpose to be found among the European Powers, scripture aptly describes them as a mixture of “iron and clay. The time will come when the temper of the British and American peoples will no longer await the determination of the many Continental differences and ambitions ere they create a sphere of their own, independent of, and apart from, those disturbing elements—a sphere in which the genius of the race may find congenial development. Common sense, supported by more valid reasons than I have space for, dictates the erection of such a League as the nucleus around which the forces of Powers in sympathy with it could be gathered. British-Israel believes this to be the Divinely appointed nucleus. For years paSt the attention of the public has been directed to the evidences which support such a belief. It is more than singular that public opinion and sentiment is now drifting in the direction in which this belief will find ultimate expression as the substance of the foregoing remarks indicate. British-Israel, while in sympathy with the many social activities of the present League, recognizes that it is but man-conceived and created. It is attempting a work long ago assigned to God’s Kingdom, Israel. Consequently as an instrument for the establishment of world peace on a permanent basis, it is doomed to failure. To God alone shall belong the honour of establishing peace, and He will do it in such a way, that the nations will recognize His handiwork. Let us refer to certain Scripture statements which have a direct bearing upon the present world situation, and afford reasonableness to the assumption that the near future will witness the conjunction of the two Powers, Britain and America. When the great Abrahamic birthright descended upon the head of Joseph, it was recorded that his heritage should subsequently be apportioned in such a manner that Ephraim, the younger son of Joseph, should in his posterity develop into a company of nations, and Mannaseh, the elder son, should in like manner become a great People. (Gen. 48. v 8 to 20.) It must be remembered that it was Joseph’s blessing that was divided and that it was still his, although sq divided. The position will be made clearer when we liken it to an estate that was subdivided for a special purpose and each subdivision placed under a separate management, the owner of the estate still retaining his equity therein. Ephraim may be regarded as the manager of the larger subdivision, while Mannaseh controlled the lesser one. All that we have in this division is the definition of Joseph’s “portion,” “and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the Thousands of Mannaseh.” (Duet. 33, part v 17.) Assuming Britisl history to be the continuation of the Bible story after

the gathering of the Israel people in the appointed place (i.e., Britain) what do we find but a hiving off of those who now style themselves a Great People (America) leaving the residue to develop into the great commonwealth of nations styled the British Dominions? Could evidence supporting the contention that the British race is modern Ephraim and the American modern Mannaseh, be more convincing?

As we have seen the Americans concede that the British is the greater of the two national entities. So far, so good. But British Israel does not leave us here. Inspired by consciousness of the fulfilment of so much prophecy in our national development, it looks forward with confidence to the completion of the remainder. The pertinences of these remarks will be manifest as we proceed. Space forbidding present extension and elucidation of this particular subject and haunted by a fear that I have on other occasions over-stepped the limits assigned by a generous Editor, this will be continued in our next.