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Aveusr 15, 1918 necessity place restriction upon our work. These restrictions may seem severe to those who have never been accustomed to such limitations; but let us remember that they apply, not only to the I. B.S. A., but to everybody else and every other organization. Let us try to be examples of submission without murmuring. No doubt the Lord is permitting these experiences as tests to us all. We are sure vou cannot appreciate difficulties which confront the Executive Committee; and we remind you of our lack of experience, and hence the The Watch Tower Editorial Committee: This journal is published under the supervision of an Editorial Committee, at least three of whom have read and approved as truth, each and every article appearing in these Vou. XNXIX” Zionism is a theme of perennial interest to the Lerd’s people, who for many years have watched with deep sympathy the evidences of the return of divine favor to God’s chosen uation. The beloved Seventh Messenger has written much upon this subject in both the Scriprure Strupirs and the columns of this journal. In Vol. 2, Studies 4 and 7 the has demonstrated the fact that Israel’s “seven times” of divine disfavor fully ended in October, 1914; and that shortly after that date the Jews would return to Palestine. He also pointed out that the year 1878 marked the turning point in the history of Israel; for in that year an event occurred which indicated clearly the beginning of the return of divine favor to the Jews. In June of that year the “Berlin Congress of Nations” ‘was held, in which Lord Beaconsfield, then Prime Minister of Great Britain, took the leading part. We quote: “There England assumed a general protectorate over the Asiatic provinces of Turkey, among which was Palestine; and Turkey amended its laws relating to aliens, which greatly amelforated the condition of the Jews then residing in Palestine, as well as partially opened the door for others to locate there, with the privilege of holding real estate. But we must remember that the year A. D. 1878 was but the turning point of returning favor to Fleshly Israel. W have already learned from our study of ‘The Times of the Gentiles’ that Jerusalem and its people will continue to be trodden down— controlled and oppressed by the Gentiles “UNTIL the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled,’ and hence, though favor was due and began in A. 1). 1878, the Jew will not be received back into full favor unti] A. D. 1914. Thus their rise again to favor will be gradual, as was their fall from it.”—Vel. 2, pp. 220, 221. Shortiy before his death, October 31, 1916, Pastor Russell wrote concerning the Jewish hope: “We are free to say that the restoration of Israel has not been accomplished as rapidly as we had anticipated. Nevertheless the Jews in Palestine seem to be thus far wonderfully sheltered; and doubtless many of their co-religionists in the war districts, especially in Poland. would be glad if they had gone to Palestine when they had opportunity. It is difficult to say how the conclusion of the war may affect the interests of Israel. It looks as though the trying experiences of the Jews would arouse considerable numbers of them eventually to go to their homeland. We have never expected, however, that all the Jews would return thither. but rather a repre sentative company of them, just as in the case of the return from Babylonish captivity-—only about 52,000 returned. notwithstanding the great hosts that went to Babylon in the captivity. The returning ones represent those fullest of faith in the Lord and his promises, and doubtless will be dealt with as representative of the whole. We remind our readers that when this volume was written [1889] the Jews themselves had little thought of going to Palestine. Now Zionism has sprung up, and has taken a deep hold upon the hearts of the Israelites. Although it was a secular Zionism at first, it has gradually turned to religious sentiment and hope.”—Vol. 3, p. fi. Within less than a year after his death the joyful message was flashed around the world that Great Britain had promised the establishment in Palestine of a Jewish national eenter to which “Jews from all countries might unite in spreadiing the influence of Jewish thought and ideals from Palestine to other parts of the world, in complete harmony with other peoples.” In November of last year came the cheering news that General Allenby ‘had taken Jerusalem from the Turks. Still later, about the Passover season, 1918, a committee of representative Jews arrived in Jerusalem to form THE WATCH TOWER “BROOKLYN, N. Y., SEPTEMBER 1, 1918 _ VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER (252-259) greater need of care on our part and of your sympathy and prayers, We appreciate very much your loving messages and assurances of co-operation, and assure you in return that we are willing to comply with the law of the land, to the end that you may have the continued, regular visits of Taz Watcu Tower. With much Christian love, we remain, Your brethren and servants in the Lord, Execurive CoMMITrrr. columns. The names of the Editorial Committee now serving are: W. E. SPILL, W. EB PAGF, BR. H, BARBER, J. F. STEPHENSON, FP, T. HORTH.* *[First appearance of this paragraph in this form. | the nucleus of a new Jewish Republic, a homeland for Israel. In June of this year, just forty years from the time when through the inftuence of Lord Beatonsfield the door of Palestina was reopened to the Jews, the Zionists held their twentyfirst annual convention at Pittsburgh. This convention has attracted much attention, and is said to have accomplished more than had all the preceding twenty conventions. Below we quote from various newspapers relative to this subject: AIM OF THE AMERICAN ZIONISTS An excerpt from the Pittsburgh Gazette-Times reads: “The main object of the Zionist movement in the United States is to aid in the re-establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine after twenty centuries of striving, thereby fulfilling Old Testament prophecy. There is no thought of any large number of American and English Jews returning to this homeland, but rather the setting wp of an ethical center; the making of Jerusalem a City of Prayer for all peoples. rather than a rallying point for political activities. One of the cherished hopes of some of the leaders is a World University for the study of spiritual questions, as distinguished from the purely intellectual or materialistic. “The Great War has given a wonderful impetus to the restoration of Palestine to the Jews, which is altogether different from the restoration of Belgium, Serbia and Roumania to their respective peoples. the same world event is proving an emollient in racial and sectarian affairs, and at times are more propitious for tue Zionist m vement than ever before. For this reason the Pittsburgh convention will attract the attention and sympathy of a great mass of people who under different conditions would be less interested.” Our readers will perhaps recall that the thought above expressed is the same t.at Pastor Russel] set forth in his sermon on Zionism, delivered in the Hippodrome on Oct. 9. 1910. On that occasion he said: ‘tt ia not my thought that the eight millions of Jewa in the world will all go to Palestine, even though it has been estimated that the land could support more than twice that many. It is my thought that some of your most earnest and saintly people will go to Palestine quickly and that the rejuvenation there will be astonishing to the world. Further it is my thought that the Jews in every part of the world. in proportion as they come under the holy influences of God’s promises through the prophets, will go to Palestine sympathetically—by encouraging those who can better go than themselves and by financial assistance and the establishment there of great enterprises.”--Sermons, page 482. RESUME OF PROCEEDINGS From the Pittsburgh Dispatch we clip the following: “With all its constituent bodies cemented into one national organization operating under one ‘head and in one direction— that of rehabilitating Palestine, the ancient home of the Jews —the Federation of American Zionists last night concluded its twenty-first annual convention in Soldiers’ Memorial Hall. With the amalgamation of the many subsidiary organizations into one powerful body, the old name of the federation was dropped and hereafter the body will ‘be known as the Zionist Organization of America. “The final day of the convention, which was the most important and largest that the organization has ever held, was marked by the completion of the amalgamation of the new national body, which will devote its efforts for the restoration of Palestine, by the adoption of a constitution and the election of officers for the ensuing year. “Justice Louis D. Brandeis of the Supreme Court of the United States, who had served as honorary head of the old organization during the past year and who is one of the [6815]