The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-05-22 00:00:00

COLONIZATION OF PALESTINE.

In London, on Fthday in last week, the Rev.
George Nugde gave a lecture at St. George's-hall,
Langham-place, on a proposal for colonizing Palestine
by Jews, and referred -incidentally to the existing
establishment of a Jewish agricultural colony of 55
inhabitants near Jaffa.
After some statistics relating to the modern Jews,
who, the lecturer said, had shown themselves so alive
to the advantages of education that they numbered
half the University students, half the barristers, and
more than half the merchants of Vienna, the lecturer
proceeded to develop a plan which he said had met
with the approval of many Jews, and had been
communicated by Mr. Lawrence Oliphant to the
Sultan, who received it favourably, for establishing a
Jewish colony on the east bank of the Jordan. 'The
plan was to purchase 1,500,000 acres, to introduce a
European element into its qovernraent, and to settle
colonies there either of Jewish peasant farmers or of
Jewish farmers employing the labour of the indige-
nous fellahin. The incursions of the Arabs were a
danger, but might be bought off. He had sent a
circular to Mr. Goschen, the new Special Envoy ta
Constantinople, who had thanked him most sincerely,
and expressed a deep interest in the scheme.
The lecturer described the country which was to be
settled as exceedingly fertile, and identified it with
the land allotted to Reuben, Dan, and the half tribe
of Mannasseh. A large part of the lecture consisted
of references to prophecy and accounts of projected
railways and a projected waterway to be formed by
blasting the rock which divides the Gulf of Akaba, at
the extremity of the Red Sea, from the level of the
Jordan valley and the Lake of Sodom.

THE APPOINTMENTS OF LORD RIPON
AND LORD KENMARE.
The British Reformation Society, through Lord
Oranmore, lately presented to Mr. Gladstone an
address containing the following resolution, passed at
the annual meeting of the society, on the subject of
the appointment of two Roman Catholic peers to the
offices of Viceroy of India and Lord Chamberlain :
"That this ineetipg views the appointment of the Mar-
quis of Ripon to th 7 important post of Governor-General of
India with sincere regret and apprehension.

"First, because, though not contrary to the letter, it is
contrary to the spirit of the laws which preclude a Roman
Catholic from occupying the throne of these realms, and
from filling the position of her Majesty's representative in
Ireland.

"Secondly, because the Queen, having been created
Empress of India, it is evident by implication the same re-
strictions exist to the appointment of Her Imperial Majesty's
representative to rule over 200,000,000 of her Eastern sub-
jects.
"Thirdly, because this appointment is a precedent for
changing those laws which preclude a Roman Cat holic from
the throne of this country, which laws were found necessary
to preserve the independence of the Throne as well as our
civil and religious liberties.
"Fourthly, because it has been so ably shown by the Right
Hon. W. E. Gladstone, in certain pamphlets, that, more than
ever since the decrees of the Vatican Council of 1870, 'No
one can •now become a convert to Romanism without re-
"flouncing his moral and mental: freedom and placing his
loyalty, civil and mental, at the mercy of another. . • . .
and the spirit of a neophyte is expressed by the words,
. "a Catholic first and an Englishman after" . . .
which we take to mean that the convert intends, in case of
any conflict between the Queen and the Pope, to follow the
Pope and not the Queen.' That the Marquis of Ripon being
in this position, it is, according to this showing, unbe-
coming the dignity of the Empress of India and the well-
being of her subjects that he should fill this very important
position.
"Fifthly, because it is evidenced by the fact that not a
single Roman Catholic representative has been returned to
Parliament by the constituencies of Great Britain that this
appointment is in direct opposition to their views."
In reply, the following letter has been received from
the Prime Minister :
"10, Downing-street, Whitehall.
"My Lord, —ln reply to your letter of the 12th inst., en-
closing a memorial from the British Reformation Bociety
relating to the appointments held by Lord Ripon and Lord
Kenmare, I am directed by Mr. Gladstone to inform you
that the qualifications of Lord Ripon for the high office of
Viceroy of India have been carefully considered by Her
Majesty's Government; that Her Majesty's Government
repose a particular confidence in the honour, integrity, and
impartiality of Lord Ripon, and that they are convinced
from long experience of his personal qualities, that he
would never allow his own religious leanings or professions
to interfere with the perfect equity of his conduct in any
case where religions interests might be concerned.

unbe- 1

"I am desired to add that the office of Viceroy is one
detached in a remarkable degree from all direct contact
with religious and ecclesiastical interests, and that in the
ease of the Lord Chamberlain's office, Lord Kenmare, as has
been publicly stated, has by a voluntary arrangement
divested himself of all functions bearing upon ecelesiastical
matter. I am to add, further, that the citation in
your memorial from the work entitled 'Rome and the
Newest Fashions in Religion' is verbally accurate, but pre-
sents when taken alone an incomplete and misleading view
of Mr. Gladstone's opinions, which are developed in the
same book. For instance, at pages xix., xxxiv-v., and 14.
"I am, my Lord, your obedient servant,
"The Lord Oranmore, &c"

"J. A. GODLEY.