Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-03-26


isteadily until at the February meet
ing, when Professor Hopkins of the
University of Illinois spoke on the
scientific preserva- ion of the soil,
there were about $50 present. This
Twas the largest gathering of the kind
ever held in any church in the city.
The work accomplished during the
year in the way of promoting good
Fellowship and breaking down the bar
Iriers that formerly prevented the in
ltermingling of persons of different be-
lliefs, in addition to the pleasure and
profit derived, has been invaluable.
1t was thought by the majority of
the members that DIR. Smith would be
reelected president without question,
but he declined positively to be a
candidate, insisting that the honors
IshOuld be passed around.
| OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES w. S. Parks
made report for the year, which
Ishowed how the money of the club
had been expended in that time.
! Good Program Given.
The program, which Immediately
followed the banquet, was one of the
most interesting that the club has ever
given. Mrs. Halle McCrory Hogan
: rendered several vocal selections which
were very pleasing, and then the BAN
queters Were entertained by A. ID.
Sperry with a comical reading. Mr..
Sperry's versatility in depicting nalf a
.dozen different characters who were
the speakers at a banquet caused
laughter and applause from the time
! he started until he finished. Then
followed the main talk of the evening,
la lecture on "Zionism" by Rabbi w.
H. Fineshriber of Davenport. The
rabbits ability as a talker is SO well
known that it is needless to state
that he held the attention of the au
!, dience throughout his talk and that
it was thoroughly enjoyed
Lecture on Zionism.
"Zionism," as explained by the
, speaker. is the movement among the
, Jews of the world aiming at the res
toration of Jewish kingdom or coun-
, try back in Palestine. the home of the
, jew. The rabbi commented at length
on what he called the most wonderful
part of the Jews character, which is
the feeling of brotherhood which
, prompts them to hope and plan day in
, and day out for the gathering togeth-
err of the race once more. He said
that the Zionism of the Jews means
the same to the race as patriotism
does to other races, and that this feel
ing was born while the Jews were in
captivity in Babylon. Although the
character and ideals of the race were
considerably changed while under the
rule of Alexander the Great and his
: successors, and although the Jewish
!. race was Slapped of much of its
: lstrength by the Romans, their next
? masters, and although they have been
: scattered to the four corners of the
= iearth after the downfall of Rome, Still
there remains in the Jews character
a feeling which will some day draw
:, that once illustrious people together
and restore them as people in thei
: old home in Palestine.
NH Efforts to Realize Dream.
III The dream of the reunion of tn,
iii SoEs of Israel has seemed about t,
come true on several occasions. Neal
HI ly 800 years ago there arose a leade
II who started the movement to retur
Ill 20 Palestine. This leader gathers
Hi thousands of his people around hir
II and they started for their old home
iii but the expedition never reache
iii there. In Turkey, the leader fell
victim to the charms of the sultan
III harem, and he desrted his cause fo
his own pleasures, and those who ha
followed him were nearly all lost, a
II they had sold all they possessed
order to make the trip, and were LEI
II without homes or friends in strang
III country.
Ill Again in 1895 it seemed that tn
III dream of reunion was about to be r
III allied, as another great leader aros
HI and commenced organizing the Jey
III ish people for return to Palestine
Ill After various attempts to get the al
HI of different governments to turtle
III the plan, the leader discovered tn;
III the reunion was something that woul
III have to be worked out by the Jew
HI themselves, as they could never hor
Ill for the cooperation of the powers.
Hi is true that England offered a pro
Tx ince in Africa, to which the Jew
I'll would be allowed to go and organi,
Ill their government, but the Jews refu
iii ed to accept this, as they want Pale
Ill tine alone for their home, and the
Ill felt that by waiting and abiding the
III time, their hopes will finally be I
iii allied.
Ill Horrors i'm Russia.
Ill A large majority of the Jewish pc
Ill pie today are slumbering on in ii
iii hope that the Christian world wi
Hi finally take pity on them and restol
HI them to their homes in Palestine. I'll
iii Zionist movement is being fostered
iii only small portion of the JEWS
iii race, but ip the opinion of Rabbi Fin
!.h ihnr fhA tir,,n A,;E