PALESTINE.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume 27, Issue 6, 1 June 1937, Page 3

PALESTINE.

The Mandate Problem. Two New Points off View. "Nowhere m. the world are the Arab people persecuted," says Lord Melchett m a recent letter to the "Times," "and as a result of the war they enjoy national independence m several Arab states." This is a point of view which friends of the Arab 'are only too prone to forget m discussing the Palestine troubles. In the same letter Lord Melchett pointed out /that relief might be given to the Palestine difficulty by opening up Transjordania "to-day destitute and bankrupt" to Jewish settlement. It is well to remember that this area is included m the land promised to Abraham 'and his seed through Isaac — "From the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates." The Palestine Government and the mandatory power have to deal not only with the actual Jews and Arabs m Palestine, but with world Jewry looking longingly, at Palestine and the world Islam, less consciously yet to a definite extent concerned lest a country which contains one of the holy places of Islam should become m effect Jewish. The country, that is to say, is m a sense a cockpit m which two world forces are m conflict.

The Missionary Problem. Of the Jews now entering Palestine many have little religious faith, some are atheists. A. number are highly educated and cultured men and women. The presentation of Christianity to these newcomers needs great wisdom and the most careful preparation on the part of the missionaries. A new centre has been opened m Haifa. While most pupils of national schools have been out m the streets stoning other children who wished to go to school, the Christian schools have mostly continued steadily at work, holding Christian, Muslim arid Jewish children m fellowship with a remarkable absence of friction. There is no part of the Near East m which Christian education is so genuinely free as m Palestine, and it is good to be able to record the great value of, the Christian schools m the present emergency.