Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-12-13

LaFoliette is busy explaining how the
declaration Of war against Austria slip
ped through the Senate without his vote,
while he was on his way from the Senate
once building to the Senate chamber 1t
IL strange that LaFollette should have
been the only senator forced to prove an
alibi in this war connection.
JERUSALEM IN CHRISTIAN HANDS.
The announcement in the telegraphlc |
news elsewhere that Jerusalem had
been captured by the British, French and
italian forces under command OF Gen.
eral Allenby, involved one Of the most
dramatic episodes Of the war. The tax
ing Of the Holy City, Christianity's most
hallowed spot. from infidel hands, must
appeal to every Christian. This is the
most cherished Christmas gift that could
have been prepared for the world of
democracy. The regaining Of Jerusalem |
by the hosts fighting for Christian Justice |
and peace and freedom is the most fit
ting victory for Yuletide that could pos
sibly have been devised. The event will
be interpreted by anti-Teuton-Turkish
Crusaders everywhere as the harbinger
Of hope for the new year Of the great
conflict for humanity.
For the Jews also the delivery of Jer-
usalem from infidel hands has far-reach-
ing significance This is not only the
capital city Of Palestine. the Holy Land.
the Zionist hope of to-day Jerusalem was
the Mecca for the Jews who went to the
Holy City for the celebration Of the Pass
over. II we were to consider Jeru-
salem alone as the City Of David in which
the Jews gathered for their great annual
feast. we would md therin material for
many inspiring thoughts.
When we consider that in addition to
all this the Holy City was the goal of
the great Crusades. in which the Knights
of old sought the Holy Grail. we COM
bine the romantic and chivalry with the
spiritual. Teachers like Augustine might
remind their hearers that they were to
seek Righteousness. not in the east. nor
mercy In the west. and that a voyage to
the Holy Land was a useless task for
men whose faith placed them at once in
the presence Of the Lord but all Palestine
became sacred soil. The pilgrimage be
gun in the grotto Of Bethlehem ended on
the Mount of Ascension
With Chrictapdo,,, aptar;p1 into
spirit Of this local generation. it was
inevitable that Christian peoples every
where should rebel against the holding
of the birthplace of the faith by infldel
hands. We read that the tide Of Chris
tian pilgrimage in the early centuries of
the new era flowed steadily coward un-
til the year Gil A. D., when Jerusalem
was taken by the Persian King Khosru
Christians were slain. and the disaster
was crowned by the transportation of the
true cross to Persia
In 637 the disciples of Mahomet laid
siege to Jerusalem and after a block.
ade OF four months a treaty was made
with the caliph Omar in person whereby
Christians were secured not only the
safety of their persons and goods but
also the free exercise Of their religion.
Pilgrims and merchants came and went
despite the harships imposed. and when
caliph Hakim attacked the city four CEN
turtles later in 1910 it is said things chang
fNp
such persecution as there was fell on the
Jews only.
The well-nigh universal belief that the
close of the tenth century would see the
end OF the world. had facilitated the d.
rection Of the eyes of all Christians to
the Holy City and paved the way for the
Crusades. Before the close of the elev-
enth century extortion and massacre had
become the fate of many pilgrims.
The idea Of an armed host to innict
summary vengeance on the infidel op-
pressors of the Christian pilgrims is said
to have dawned on the mind Of the great
Hildebrand. Gregory VII It remained
however for the preaching of Peter the
Hermit and Pope Urban H. to arouse
Christians to induce 1.-THE nations of the
west to take up arms in the cause"
OF all nine crusades covering practically
two centuries only the first real crusade
4 succeeded In reaching the Holy City and
the setting up Of the Kingdom Of Jeru-
salem. which had precarious existence
Of ninety years. The ninth crusade, l274-99
hnds striking parallels In the present war.
An earnest attempt was made in the Coun-
Gil Of Lyons by Pope Gregory X. who was
a firm friend Of King Edward Of England,
to renew this last expedition after 1t had
once failed. Rodolf of Hapsburg pledged
himself to join the expedition decreed.
The Teutonic knights templar made their
way to Lithauia and Poland and the
Hospitalers to Cyprus and the Rhodes.
When their services had ceased to be USE
full in Palestine. however. the King of
France found that he might benefit from
the conhscation of the estates Of the
knights, and It is $50 a striking fact that
tho German Emperor, Frederick Bar