The Republican journal., 1903-02-05

A Young Californian Beginning Awen'
tieth Century Crusade.

SAN Francisco, CAL, December y.
The hearts of those who believe III the
romantic side of existence Will SUIT with
strange thrill at the story OF a young
man Of quiet life and studious haplts
whose plan to purchase Palestine from
the Turks and transform it into ChrlS-
tian republic is becoming topic OF IN
terest here and abroad.
Arthur Smedley Greene is young
artistic designer, whose home Is IN
Greenwich, Conn. He has devoted an
his spare time to the study OF the ll1e
| of Jesus of Nazareth. Remembering
the fruitless previous efforts to Wrest
the land where the Divine one hved
and died from the Turk, MI Greene
boldly announces himself as the orlgl-
nator and head of movement TO ac
complish, with the aid of the united
people of ChrStendom, what armies
of mailed men and religious enthusiasts
have failed to bring to pass.
"While we carefully treasure, adorn
and venerate the birthplace and tomDs
of our great warriors, poets and rulers,
he says, Eve look with apathy upon the
home and tomb of the Man OF NaZar-
eth" Much disturbed in mind, and IN
a constant state of prayer that guld-
ance might be vouchsafed to him which
would direct him Alright, MI. Greene
sat in his solitary room in Greenwlch
one evening, after hard days WORK;
Suddenly his surroundings taded, ana
before his gaze were spread the tertlle
plains. winding rivers and sacred noun
tains of Palestine. In swift review
| fboro poccod hoforo him ccpDRS OF long
ago, and he saw the mighty deeds done
on that land of legend. He saw the
shepherds, heard the chanting angels,
and beheld the cleaning star which
guided the wise men to the manger. In
| his ears rang the immortal sermon on
the mount; the cross, the humiliation
of death and the triumph OF the resur-
| rection passed before him.
| "Then," he said, with great slmpllcl-
| ty of manner, ''the scene changed, ana
| saw Peter the Hermit arouslng Chris
tendon to a bloody and fruitless war
for the tomb of our Lord. | saw the
flash of scimetars and the flag OF the
| Crusaders. / saw the merited failure
of bloody combat to win the land OF
the Prince of Peace. | saw the wander
ing millions of the children OF Israel
and felt all their vain longing. Sudden
ly, a great white light obliterated the
panorama Like Paul, / cried, what
wilt thou have me to do? Swift came
the answer, clear and distinct: Redeem
the land of the Christ, who would that
all men should be freen Then," con-
tinued this modern seer, 81 saw, as
plainly as | see you, beautiful SANITY
looking flag floating before me. 1t was
of NaZarene blue, with cross and
crown, and the star of Bethlehem shin
ing. Below, while | looked, a second
star formed, brilliantly, and l knew
without words, that it was the star OF
the promise: II | go l will come
again. Since he began to work for
his idea. letters have poured in on him
| with offers of assistance, and to-day, a
few months from the time of his beau
tiful vision, Arther Greene finds him
self busy with the organization OF an
international society, which will speed
lily inaugurate the great work.
Wealthy people have promised aid
and incorporation papers are being pre-
pared, which will be a guarantee, by
reason of the names of the signerS, OF
| honest and practical management OF
funds. National banks will be used for
deposit and every protection which the
| law of Christian nations can furnish
will be thrown around the project. En-
tirely unsectarian in character, embrac-
ing as it does the dearest wishes of
| Catholic. Protestant and Hebrew, it is
expected that this bloodless ''Twentieth
Century Crusade for Palestine" will
accomplish what previous efforts have
failed to achieve.
Governments will not be asked to
act as governments, but all the people
! of all the Christian nations will be wei
/ coined into the ranks of the inter
national crusade. Special deputations
will wait upon all Christian sovereigns
and the President of the United States
and of France. Arrangements will be
made for an interview with Pope Leo
and the great leaders OF thought IN the
world.
Young Arthur Greene will himself ap-
pear in all the great cities of Europe
and America, bearing the flag of the
prominence are already behind this
work. and the officers of the chartered
association will be those whose names
are guarantees of probity. Mr.. Greene
has been requested to address the inter-
national peace union of Philadelphia,
but declined for the present.
| Richard Gottheil, president of the
American federation of Zionists, has
written to say that he thinks lit would
be we'll for the Christians to buy Pales-
tine and present it to the Jews as a
recompense for 1000 years of persecu-
ton" One of the most celebrated and
picturesque lecturers in the United
States has been engaged to speak to
the people.
The early months Of the new year
will witness the formal opening of the
''new, twentieth century crusade for
the possession of Palestine" The
scheme includes the restoration of its
seaports, the reclaiming of arid lands,
and all that modern engineering and
agriculture can do. Nothing SO pic
| turesque and romantic has engaged
public attention since the strong arm of
| Uncle Sam reached out to wrest Cuba
from Spain. There is this difference:
All nations and all people who worship
one God and believe that the divine
spirit dwelt in Jesus of Nazareth will
| be interested in the movement. There
will be no armies save those of peace;
no battles, save those eff persuasion:
no flag, save the blue flag of the NaZar-
enc with its white field and it's two sill
yer starS-the one of Bethlehem and
one of the second coming.
l to bo coon how the O6 orn