The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1910-10-21

New York, october 9.-Pastor Russell
of the Brooklyn Tabernacle today ad-
dressed Jewish Mass Meeting. in re-
Spouse to request sent to him by
Jewish Mass Meeting Invitation Com
mittee. The invitation was signed by
many prominent Hebrews of New
York City. The invitation and Pastor
Russel's response to the same follow
New York, September 20, 1910
Pastor c. T. Russell, Brooklyn, n Y.
Dear Sr-Your sympathetic interest in
the Jewish people for years past has
not escaped our notice. Your denuncia-
lions of the atrocities perpetrated against
our race in the name of Christianity has
added to our conviction that you are "A
sincere friend. Your discourse on "Jeru-
salem and Jewish Hopes" has struck a re-
sponsive cord in the hearts of many of our
people. Still we doubted for a time If any
Christian minister could really be interest
ed in a Jew as "A Jew and not merely from
a hope of PROSECUTING him. 1t is because of
this feeling that some of us request you
to make u public statement respecting the
nature OF your interest in our people and
we desire you 10 know that the statement
you did make was very satisfactory. In
II you assured us that you are not urging
Jews to become Christians and join any
of the sects or parties of Protestants or
Catholics That statement Pastor Rus
sell, has been widely published in the
Jewish journals. We feel. therefore that
we have nothing to fear from you as a
race. On the contrary, in that statement
you mentioned that the foundation of
your interest in our people is built upon
your faith In the testimonies Of our Law
and the messages of our Prophets. You
may well understand how surprised we
are to find q Christian minister acknowl-
edging that there are prophecies Of the
Bible still unfulfiled, which belong to the
Jew and not to the Christian. and that
these prophecies, according to your
studies, are nearing a fultillment OF mo-
mentous interest to our Jewish race and,
through us as people. to the nations Of
the world
These things, Pastor Russell have led
to the formation of Jewish Mass Meet
ing Committee, which. by this letter, re-
quests you to give a public discourse, es-
pecially to our people. II you will kindly
accept this invitation, will you permit us
to suggest topic for your address. which.
we believe, will be very interesting to the
public and especially to the Jews, namely,
"Zionsm In Prophecy"
AS for the meeting: We suggest Sunday
afternoon at three o'clock, October 9Th
We have occurred an option on the Hip
podrome. New York's largest and finest
Auditorium. for that date, and we hope
that this date and the place will be agree
able TO your convenience. We assure you
also of a large audience of deeply inter-
ested Hebrews besides whoever may come
OF the general public.
Trusting TO hear from you soon, we sub
scribe ourselves,
Yours respectfully,
JEWISH MASS MEETING COMMITTEE.
Brooklyn. N. Y, Sept. p. 1910.
Jewish Mass Meeting Committee. New
York City.
Gentlemen-Your kind invitation to ad-
dress the Jewish Mass Meeting in the
New York H!ppodrome Sunday, October
9Th at p. NJ, came duly.
| thank you for the confidence which
this invitation implies The date you
have selected Is not only appropriate in
its relationship to the Jewish New Year,
but II is very suitable to my own ar
rangements, as | leave on October 18th for
appointments in London and elsewhere in
Great Britain.
Amongst the several prominent men,
bers of your race suggested for Chairman
OF the Mass Meeting, | select Mr.. John
Barrondess. because l have had the pleas
ure personally of conference with him
| and because / know him to be very loyal
10 the interests of your people and be-
cause | believe him to be very highly es-
teemed as such in the counses of your
race.
Faithfully and respectfully yours.
C. 7. RUSSELL.
The H:ppodrome is really an i'm
mense and elegant Opera House with
capacity Of about five thousand. 1t
was crowded today and many failed
to gain access The Jewish people of
this City, who number more than
million. have become deeply impressed
by various discourses which Pastor
Russell has recently delivered and were
alert for today's meeting-to hear his
presentation of Zionism as foretold by
the prophets. The speaker held his
immense audience spellbound for near
ly two hours. all apparently as uncon-
scious Of the fight of time as was the
speaker himself. After the service the
Hebrews could be seen in little knots
and groups here and there in the corri-
| doris and in the streets discussing the
subject The speakers views were evil
IDENTITY shared by the majority. Alto
gether the meeting was something
unique. Never before did Jews give
such attention to the message Of
Christian minister. And never before
did "a Christian minister give such
message TO the Jews.
What Pastor Russell Said.
The speaker read to his audience
, many quotations from the prophecies
Of the Bible relating to Zionism, the
first one OF which was Psalm eli, 1918
Thou shalt arise and have mercy
upon Zion for the time to favor her
yea. the set time is come. For thy
servants take pleasure in her stones,
and favor the dust thereof. Then shall
/ the Gentiles fear the name Of jehovah
and all the kings of the earth thy
glory. When the Lord shall build up
Zion, he shall appear in his glory"
Pastor Russell declared that while
once he had been inclined to discard
| the Bible as unreliable along the lines
of Higher Criticism, he had subse
quently given 1t very earnest study,
entirely apart from all creeds and theO-
ries of men, This study had greatly
| anliUht nnnd his mind md hoI oivnn