Chapter I: LIKE to think of Jewish History as standing ever at the centre point

of its path――having as much to look forward to as to look back upon; and the events of to-day, with their special message to Israel, must surely fortify us in this view, and speed us to make good our efforts for our people and for the nations.

A. EICHHOLZ, 1917.

III

THE TESTIMONY OF THE NATIONS

_ENGLAND, awake! awake! awake!
Jerusalem thy sister calls.
Why wilt thou sleep the sleep of death
And close her from thy ancient walls?_

_Thy hills and valleys felt her feet
Gently upon their bosoms move;
Thy gates beheld sweet Zion’s ways:
Then was a time of joy and love._

WILLIAM BLAKE.

WORLD’S DEBT TO ISRAEL

WE Gentiles owe our life to Israel. It is Israel who has brought us the message that God is one, and that God is a just and righteous God, and demands righteousness of his children, and demands nothing else. It is Israel that has brought us the message that God is our Father. It is Israel who, in bringing us the divine law, has laid the foundation of liberty. It is Israel who had the first free institutions the world ever saw. It is Israel who has brought us our Bible, our prophets, our apostles. When sometimes our own unchristian prejudices flame out against the Jewish people, let us remember that all that we have and all that we are we owe, under God, to what Judaism has given us.

LYMAN ABBOTT.

* * * * *

AT a time when the deepest night of inhumanity covered the rest of mankind, the religion of Israel breathed forth a spirit of love and brotherhood which must fill even the stranger, if he be only willing to see, with reverence and admiration. Israel has given the world true humanitarianism, just as it has given the world the true God.