Manchester Democrat., 1920-12-22
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Come with me on the wings of thought from
San Francisco to Jerusalem, and over few. Of
the high points on Holy Land history and Chris
tian achievements. May what we learn on the
voyage teach lesson that everyone should know.
But before we start let us consider how in
few days all Christendom will be celebrating
the 1920th birthday Of the Savior of Mankind,
and why Christians this year have greater reason
to rejoice than they have had on any previous
Christmas in more than thousand years. From
"A. d. 637 until two years ago, with the excep-
tion of brief period during which the Crusad-
ers held It, Jerusalem was a Mohammedan city.
The winning of the world war, made possible by
the intervention of this country made it impossi-
BILE for the ugly power of Islam to continue its
hold upon the birthplace Of Christianity. Last
year everyone knew that Turkey had been over
thrown, but conditions in the Near East were still
unsettled. Now, however, it is known for a GER
tainty that hereafter the cradle Of Christianity
will be guarded by Christian people. The dreams
of the crusaders have become realities
Now why do we start at San Francisco for
a return trip over the fields won by the followers
Of the Prince Of Peace? We do so for the reason
that it is the best known city near the center of
the line reached by Christianity in it's westward
march And here let us note an important fact
overlooked by very many. The trend Of Christian
ity has been ever westward, with the possible
exception of Australia and New Zealand.
Let us make our first stop on the return
trip at New York, the metropolis Of the New
World, distant 3191 miles nearly due east from
San Francisco Here let us remain long enough
4o4
ocean to ocean and from pole to pole may be
called Christian land.
Now for another flight eastward over a
broad expanse Of ocean between New York and
Gibraltar, distance of 3215 miles; thence east
ward again 2400 miles over the Mediterranean
to the western shore of Palestine; thence east
ward by rail 81 miles up into mountainous coun-
try and we are at the gates of the city of Jeru-
salem.
We are now about $3.50 miles distant from
our starting place. about one-third the way around
the world in an easterly directions and about TOO
miles south Of a straight line east from where
our voyage commenced.
We are now in the chief city of the Holy
Land, land so rich in sacred history. From
this vantage ground we can look away through
the haze of more than 1900 years and learn and
understand many things Of great Importance to
the human race. Here the Children of Israel
found their Promised Land Here law and re-
ligion met and mingled into one. Here Moses,
the greatest Of all lawyers, died and was buried
on Moab's Hill. Down from this wonderful coun-
try our Christian civilization has descended. In
the little town Of Bethlehem, located miles south
Of Jerusalem, King David was born about 3,OOC
years ago. and in the birthplace of David, 1920
years ago next Saturday, there was an event be-
lieved by many to be of greater Importance than
the creation of the world. There on the anni-
versary Of the day we are SO soon to celebrate,
the Savior of Mankind was born. From this
little town of Bethlehem, the teachings Of the
Prince of Peace have continued to exert a bene-
ficial and ever increasing influence upon the af-
fairs of mankind
Now let us take side trip into the realm
of statistics. We will need them when we come
to the lesson part of this travelogue.
According to the latest obtainable census re-
ports the population Of the world in millions, by
continents, is as follows
North and South America ------165, 100000
Europe -----------44U,UOU,OOO
Asia --------------------- 100000
Africa -------------------l lo5' 'ooO'OOo OOO'O IVY
Total population of world -----1 ,6ss 100000
The following is the latest reliable informa-
tion in millions in reference to the religions OF
the world
Christian n----L----------------51
COnfucanlSm ------------lIOUVU,UU
Hinduism -------------zlOOOO,UUO
Mohammedanism --------------225OOO OOOOOO
Buddhism 100000
Poytheism ----------12 120O0OO00
Tavism 5OO0OO0O
Shintoism l--------------25 100000
Judaism m-------------- 100000
Total l----------------- ,628 100000
We have now learned that the Christian reli-
pion is dominant on about one-third of the earth,
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