p. 725 | THE BRITISH-ISRAELITE CRAZE

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Tuesday, November 18, 1884

FromAdvent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 61, No. 46

THE BRITISH-ISRAELITE CRAZE.

Although there is a “Corporation” for the circulation of books and papers, to show that the British people are identified with the alleged Ten Lost Tribes of Israel, we have not heard much about the matter of late; but Mr. Spurgeon, by some recent remarks has, it seems, stirred up a storm. In the Sword and Trowel for September, Mr. Spurgeon says:—

“When reading James 1 : 1, ‘to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting,’ we dared to observe that the Jews were not two tribes but twelve, and that there are no ten lost tribes. This has brought upon our devoted head vials of wrath from some of the Anglo-Israelites and a great deal of profound instruction from others of them. The whole theory of Anglo-Israelism is so whimsical and unreasonable that we can hardly mention it without a smile; but as it has evidently become a belief with certain Christian people, we will try to treat it as a rational opinion. No identification between our nation and Israel which has ever yet been set forth is worth a thought—with such arguments we could prove cats to be angels. We are, however, told by several correspondents to be more accurate, and to remember that Israelites are not Jews, though Jews are Israelites. We do remember it, and pray our instructors to observe that the Israelites were the people to whom our Lord preached, ‘I am not sent, but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel,’ (Matt. 15 : 24); and these were the people who persecuted Paul and of whom he said, ‘My prayer for Israel is that they might be saved.’ Rom. 10 : 1. To these the apostle belonged; for he said, ‘Are they Israelites? So am I.’ The Jews of that day were Israelites, and the Israelites of that day were Jews: the Jews of this day are the same. Inquire of any Jew, and he will tell you he is an Israelite. Ask him to which tribe he belongs, and he may mention Naphtali or Asher quite as likely as Judah.

“This foolish dream has engendered a number of other silly doings, and has supplied fuel for the Jingo flame, or else we should have made no mention of it, but left it for the innocent amusement of the credulous. In any case, fleshly descent is not a thing to be gloried in, or depended upon. The blessings of the covenant were not to the seed according to the flesh, but to the children by promise, born of the Spirit by faith. We deprecate with deep earnestness all reliance upon blood and birth, for that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and nothing more. Even if we were really the natural seed of Abraham, it would avail us nothing: we must be born again from above. Now, in Christ Jesus there is neither Jew nor Gentile; and the attempt to restore the distinction is either ridiculous or pernicious, or a good deal of both. We know that these remarks will bring a hornet’s nest about our ears; but as we are already overdone with wasps, it will be a change. We shall at least enable many journals to prepare fresh articles for the defense of their crochet, and we trust they will be duly grateful to us for our help, and be as good-tempered over it as the Lion and Unicorn, will let them be.”

On account of these pungent paragraphs, as it would seem, a meeting has been called for in Exeter hall, when Mr. Edward Hine will give a “farewell lecture,” for the purpose of answering Mr. Spurgeon, besides showing that “the House of Lords cannot be abolished,” and that “Britain can never be a republic.” Mr. Hine, it appears, is going to America to show the people there that they are descended from the tribe of Manasseh!—London Christian World.