Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-08-24
MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATED
PRESs
SUNDAY. ,........AUGUsT "a, 1911
A NEW ERA FOR PALESTINE.

Palestines share in the world
changes now going on will attract at
tention to a degree wholly out of pro-
portion to its area and population
Palestine is now to be put safely and
forever into the hands of the people
who love it because Of the ideas for
which in their minds it stands.
Jews and Christians the world over
look TO Palestine as to an ancestral
home land; for the Hebrews are the
religious ancestors of Christendomi
and Palestine is the religion of more
than one-half of the population of the
word, including the Mohammedans.
Palestine in its physical self aside
from the sentiment which attaches to
it. is one of the most interesting spots
on the map. Though not larger thap
the little state of Vermont which is
only about two-thirds the size or
Socorro county, it has climate which
ranges from the land of the palm tree
to the region of perpetual snow. IL
contains the largest variety of flora
and fauna of any section Of like size
In the world. 1t has most wonder
fu, suh-sea-l level valley, and through
il runs the oldest road in the world.
1t contains the oldest battlefield in
history and one of the great inn
pregnable natural fortresses in the
east
But greater than all these things,
almost every hill. stream, valley,
canyon in this little land has placed
its imprint in some way upon the
oldest literature of the world.
1t can hardly be conceived of a
literature that would cause the local
places Of New York or New Mexico
or any state of this country to take
on sacred character, so that the
mention of their names would inspire
reverence. Yet, Hebrew literature did
dignity. almost defy. little towns,
streams, valleys and hills. For modern
readers of the Bible all these localities
have been idealized so that the
grandeur of a prophets vision loses
nothing by reference to some wretch
ed town or commonplace farming dis
trict or diminutive brook.
Take for example Isaiah's vision OF
the coming of the MAN of Veng-
ance."
who is this that cometh from
Edcm, with dyed garments from
Rosrah; this that is glorious in his ap
parel, travelling in the greatness of hi:
strength? l that speak in righteous
ness. Mighty TO Save
Now when Palestine shall be opened
to travel, when automobile roads shall
take the place of donkey trails wheI
one can whirl through somber Edon
and pass the poor pile of sun-drie'
brick that was Bosrah, it may be tina
the majesty of Isaiah's vision will b'
dimmed. When one can make tn
round of the Lake Galilee boulevard
for such boulevard win be constructe'
before breakfast, and motor from
Dan to Beersheba between dawn ant
dusk, the Bible and its land may seen
less legendary than they now appear
and less sacred than they are now I
these of us who have read the Bibl
and of Palestine from youth, regard
ing them as Holy Book and Hol
Land.
Palestine where the peasant no
plows with crooked stick as Elish
did, and churns his mix for butter
goatskin as Abranam's dairymai
did will presently be the land of ii
chilled steel pillow and the creal
separator
The customs of Bible times wi
pass. but the Bible land will still
the Hoy Land of more than half
the world, unless we become
materialistic, so agnostic, so steep'
in efficiency that nothing coun
that cannot be measured in dolla
and cents.