History tells us how they revolted again and again under the Roman rule, and how at last, in the year 135 a.d., Jerusalem was taken by the Roman Emperor, and the Jews, driven from their country, ceased to be a nation, and were scattered over the face of the earth.
From the year 135 Palestine remained in the hands of the Romans, and when they became converted to Christianity this land was regarded by them with great veneration. Bethlehem of Judea, where Jesus Christ was born, is in Palestine, and Jerusalem, where He suffered death on the cross, was the capital of Judea.
In the sixth century Palestine fell into the hands of the Mohammedans, and it was to rescue the Holy City from the hands of unbelievers that the Christians of Europe first undertook those long and terrible wars which are known in history as the Crusades.
The Christians finally conquered Jerusalem, and established a Christian kingdom there which lasted for eighty years, when the celebrated Saladin, Sultan of Egypt and Syria, reconquered the Holy City.
Since that time Palestine has been in the hands of the Mohammedans, and in the year 1517 it was finally added to the Turkish Empire.
The present idea of the Jewish people is to purchase Palestine from the Sultan of Turkey and re-settle the Hebrews there.
A Hebrew Congress has just been held in Basle, Switzerland, for the purpose of discussing this matter.
On the second day of the Congress a resolution was offered that a home be created in Palestine for the Jewish people, and that the consent and assistance of the Powers be asked to the plan.
The resolution was instantly adopted, amid the greatest excitement and enthusiasm.
Little more business was done that day. The people present were so excited with the hope of becoming a nation once more that they could not bring their minds to consider any less important subject.