Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1919-04-17
TURKISH NO MORE
Whole World Reioices That "the
InfideI" Has Beer Driven
From Holy City.

4 many centuries, and all the
Christian world will celebrate
with greater fervor and deeper rever-
ence now that the hand of the ''infdel
Turk" is removed.
1t is exactly 674 years since the
Turk drove out the Christians and took
possession of Jerusalem, after 1t had
been taken by Frederick II, March II,
1929, who crowned himself king of the
Latin kingdom, in imitation of that
earlier king of Jerusalem, Godfrey of
Bouillon (1099).
Land Of Pilgrimage.
Palestine had been assigned to the
Emperor Of the East in 305 A. D., and
was n0minaliy Christian at that time,
when pilgrimage to the Holy Land be-
came almost cult and the finding of
relics became regular pursuit in all
the places identified with the life Of
Jesus.
This was the period that might al
most be termed the Christianizing of
Palestine, for Christianity had devel-
Oped far more vigorously at Rome and
in other parts of the Roman empire
than in the Holy Land itself, up to this
time. Constantine had made it the
state religion and Helena had found
the '"True Cross" so that there was a
great stirring of interest throughout
the land. Many fine churches were
built, and Justinian erected the Golden
Gate and part of great church, now
the El Aksa mosque (527-565).
Christians Prosecuted.
It was in 614 that Chosroes II, king
Of Persia, made his great inroad, per-
scouting the Christians wherever he
found them, especially in what is now
Armenia, and capturing Jerusalem.
The Emperor Heraclius managed to
regain control (629), but he had to
yield before the might of the Caliph
Omar (687), who erected many great
structures, especially thu mosque
called after him, upon the great rock
which had been the site Of the temple
of Solomon.
For more than 400 years the Mo-
hammedans held sway until as a re-
suit of the Crusades Godfrey of Bou-
illon took possession in 1909. The
Christian powers could not, however,
hold possession, for they were always
fighting among themselves, and SO
Saladin, the mighty leader of the Mos
lens, gained a permanent hold over
the land of Palestine and Jerusalem
in 11S7.
It was during the next century that
the Christians under the leadership OF
Frederick II gained possession of Pal
estine for the last time, until our OWE
day. But with dissension among the
Christians Of that time it was not diff
ficult for the Turks to regain contro
in 1874 and retain it ever since, in one
form or another.
Surrender Of Jerusalem.
The surrender of Jerusalem to the
British forces last December, and thu
subsequent conquest of much of th'
rest Of the land now establishes Chris
tian control, at least for the present
J and the doubt has been raised whethe
any Christian power, even Germany
will dare to suggest that the hol.
places again be turned over to TIN
, power of the Moslem, no matter wha
!. the terms Of peace may be.
A Precisely what local changes in priv
: ileges of worship will come out of TIN
= change may not be foretold. For |
: long time strange situation has pre-
t vailed In Jerusalem. The holy sepul
: cher, for example, with its relics o
e. Christian treasure, has been used b.
Greeks, Armenians and Western Chris
o tians In alienation, the control re
: naming with the Turkish authoritie:
g Naturally many disputes have arise
+ out Of so strange a situation.
This Easter Significant
: When the city was captured by tn
= British there was great local anxiet
: as to what might result. With the Ell
:, try Of General Allenby, with his sta
: aad certain French and Italian officer
! these anxieties We're quickly set {
: rest. The Jewish population 500
!. learned that all was to be well wit
them and other sects represented
] the citizenship Of the historic plat
i were equally treasured. A sense
!. peace, liberty and security had its in
y mediate effect and influenced pr
4 foundry the preparations for the ne'
) nnexampled easter as well as for +
!. ture worship of every sort 10 the tro
Z bled Holy Land. In Jerusalem
a elsewhere began to appear y conyictls
v that, no matter how long world pea
" might be delayed, new spirit VI
- abroad throughout the earth.
~ This Easter, then. has special 81
w nificance. ia view Of al the centuri
to 0f struggle for holding the places q
on secrated to Chfistisnity by the aetivi
S u its Savior.