[atlas]

Guys,

We never need to forget our IFB stand with the nation of Israel. Dr. J. Frank Norris the 1st IFB helped President Harry S. Truman also a Baptist with his ideas on the nation of Israel. We must always recall our founding and take stands, no matter what happens.


Atlas

Dr. J. Frank Norris' Letter on Israel
to President Harry S. Truman
dated October 2, 1947
Zionism is simply the position that believes in Israel's right to the land of Canaan, that is all the land west of the Jordan River (Psalm 105:6-12) -- John Henry

In 1947 President Harry Truman asked for the opinion of Dr. J. Frank Norris on the Palestine situation. Below is Dr. Norris' answer and President Truman's personal reply.

---------------------------------------------

First Baptist Church
4th and Throckmorton Streets
Fort Worth, Texas


Fort Worth, Texas
Oct. 2, 1947


Hon. Harry S. Truman
President United States
Washington, D. C.


Dear Mr. President:


Mr. Matthew J. Connelly wired me New York October 1st and suggested that I write you certain matters of my trip to Palestine.


First, I want to thank you for your very kind personal letter of August 5th, which was of invaluable assistance in all my travels.


I have given extensive study to the Jewish Palestinian question. The issue is whether we will take the authority of the Bible of our mothers or the Koran with the sword and flame.


In that whole controversy the big issue is who owns the land, who has the title to that land? If that question is settled there is no other question.


The Lord God Almighty in Genesis the 17th chapter, specifically states that the title to Palestine is given not to Ishmael, the ancestor of the Arabs, but to Isaac and his seed for ever.


“And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.” (Gen. 17:19)


This covenant was confirmed to Isaac, Genesis 26:3:


“Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;”


This covenant was also confirmed to Jacob, Genesis 28:13:


“And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;”


The covenant was likewise confirmed to Moses in Deuteronomy 30:3-5:


“That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee. If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the LORD thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee: And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers.”


David specifically states the title to that land is to the Jews and the descendants of Jacob: Psalm 105:9-12:


“Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac; And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant: Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance: When they were but a few men in number; yea, very few, and strangers in it.”


Thirteen hundred years ago the Arabs were usurpers, Mohammet with fire and sword, and they were robbers of property that belongs to the Jews.


A second and very important authority in addition to Scriptural authority, Great Britain was given mandate over Palestine for the purpose of Jewish immigration into that land and for making it a national home.


This mandate was confirmed by the United States Government and by the 57 Nations of the League of Nations.


The tragedy and the cause of all the present trouble is that Neville Chamberlain, Prime Minister, put on a two-fold appeasement in 1939:


First, with Hitler, and that brought on World War II.


Second, with the Arabs, who were the allies of Hitler.


Chamberlain violated the international law giving that land as a national home for Jews in 1939, and said only 70,000 Jews would be permitted to go for the next five years, and after that none except by the consent of the Arabs. But the mandate made no such restrictions.


Therefore the present Jewish immigration into Palestine is not “illegal”; it’s legal.


Based on the mandate given to Great Britain over Palestine, and confirmed by the United States Government and confirmed by the League of Nations, the Jews invested six hundred and fifty million dollars in Palestine, built cities, public works, and the curse of God Almighty is on every hand that violates this most solemn agreement*the mandate three times over confirmed.


Now, Mr. President, it certainly is a matter that should cause us to stop and think that the Arab leaders from the Grand Mufti on down were allies of Hitler, and it ill becomes them to come now into court with their hands dripping with the blood of the Jews, six million of them murdered by Hitler.


I interviewed many Arab leaders, and without question I found that the whole crowd are for Stalin, just like they formerly were for Hitler.


While this country was fighting Hitler, thirty thousand young Jews from Palestine volunteered and went to the battle front and not a single Arab regiment.


If the Arabs and Jews in Palestine were left alone they would get along and settle their troubles.


Russia is doing everything at her command to foment the trouble.


The time has come, and long past, when the United States should keep its promise and take a firm stand for law and order in that land that has given the world its Bible and Saviour.


Yours very sincerely,
(Signed by J. Frank Norris)

J. Frank Norris
First Baptist Church
4th and Throckmorton Streets
Fort Worth, Texas


JFN:r

----------------------------------


THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON


October 7, 1947



Dear Dr. Norris:


I am most grateful for your thoughtful letter of October second. I deeply appreciate having the benefit of this expression of your views because I know that you have given long and extensive study to the Jewish Palestinian question.


Very sincerely yours,


(Signed by President Harry Truman)


Harry Truman
President


Reverend J. Frank Norris,
First Baptist Church,
4th and Throckmorton Streets,
Fort Worth, Texas.

================
SOURCE OF THE ABOVE:


October 22,2004


Dear Brethren:


Dr. DeWayne Nichols, pastor of Liberty Baptist Church in San Antonio, Texas, thought this would be something you ought to read.


Sincerely,
Dr. James A. Vineyard
Pastor

================

One reason that God has blessed America above all nations is because we has stood by Israel. Seven months after the date of the above letter President Truman, acting on the behalf of the United States, was the first head of state in the world to recognize the new State of Israel. Below is President Truman's telegram announcing that the U. S. officially recognized the new State of Israel. -- John Henry

This Government has been informed that a Jewish
state has been proclaimed in Palestine, and recognition
has been requested by the provisional government thereof.


The United States recognizes the provisional gov-
ernment as the de facto authority of the new State of Israel.


(Signed by President Harry Truman)


Approved
May 14, 1948

[Billie]

Shalom Atlas,

Thank you for printing this. It made me cry...this is so needed at this time.
I have been fortunate to have gone to Israel several times, have walked the streets..was able to have gone places that now is off limits to the Jewish
people,tourists etc. Its so heartbreaking and maddening to watch and hear whats happening there..and to understand that our Government is pushing,
pushing Israel..helping her enemies.

Most christians and non-christians have NO CLUE what is going on..and doesn't understand GOD's covenant with the Jewish people..and I hear things like," Oh well, those people over there have always fought, there will never be peace...its OVER THERE,NOT HERE". WOW. 911 has shown them, its NOT
just over there, its everywhere.

Someone sent me a story several years ago, some of you might know it..I put it in my files...and feel its right to post it today....its a very eye opening
view.. I went to the site it was originally posted? Have never been on that site...scrolled down and some advertisments are distasteful, sorry for that.

Military Story -- Don't Close Your Blinds.

http://outspoken.typepad.com/outspok...tary_stor.html A


The other day, my nine year old son wanted to know why we were at war.
My husband looked at our son and then looked at me.

My husband and I were in the Army during the Gulf War and we would Be honored to serve and defend our Country again today. I knew that my husband would give him a good explanation.
My husband thought for a few minutes and then told my son to go stand in our front living room window. He said "Son, stand there and tell me what you see?"
"I see trees and cars and our neighbor's houses." he replied.
"OK, now I want you to pretend that our house and our yard is the United States of America and you are President Bush."
Our son giggled and said "OK."
"Now son, I want you to look out the window and pretend that every house and yard on this block is a different country" my husband said.
"OK Dad, I'm pretending."
"Now I want you to stand there and look out the window and pretend You see Saddam come out of his house with his wife, he has her by the hair and is hitting her. You see her bleeding and crying. He hits her in the face, he throws her on the ground, then he starts to kick her to death. Their children run out and are afraid to stop him, they are screaming and crying, they are watching this but do nothing because they are kids and they are afraid of their father. You see all of this son.... what do you do?"
"Dad?"
"What do you do son?"
"I'd call the police, Dad."
"OK. Pretend that the police are the United Nations and they take Your call, listen to what you know and saw, but they refuse to help. What do you do then son?"
"Dad.......... but the police are supposed to help!" My son starts To whine.
"They don't want to son, because they say that it is not their place Or your place to get involved and that you should stay out of it," my husband says "But Dad...he killed her!!" my son exclaims.
"I know he did...but the police tell you to stay out of it. Now I Want you to look out that window and pretend you see our neighbor who you're pretending is Saddam turn around and do the same thing to his children."
"Daddy...he kills them?"
"Yes son, he does. What do you do?"
"Well, if the police don't want to help, I will go and ask my next door neighbor to help me stop him." our son says.
"Son, our next door neighbor sees what is happening and refuses to get involved as well. He refuses to open the door and help you stop him,"
my husband says.
"But Dad, I NEED help!!! I can't stop him by myself!!"
"WHAT DO YOU DO SON?" Our son starts to cry.
"OK, no one wants to help you, the man across the street saw you ask for help and saw that no one would help you stop him. He stands taller and puffs out his chest. Guess what he does next son?"
"What Daddy?"
"He walks across the street to the old ladies house and breaks down her door and drags her out, steals all her stuff and sets her house on fire and then...he kills her. He turns around and sees you standing in the window and laughs at you. " WHAT DO YOU DO?"
"Daddy..."
"WHAT DO YOU DO?"
Our son is crying and he looks down and he whispers, "I'd close the blinds, Daddy."
My husband looks at our son with tears in his eyes and asks him..."Why?"
"Because Daddy.....the police are supposed to help people who needs them...and they won't help.... You always say that neighbors are supposed to HELP neighbors, but they won't help either...they won't help me stop him...I'm afraid....I can't do it by myself Daddy.....I can't look out my window and just watch him do all these terrible things and...and.....do nothing...so....I'm just going to close the blinds....
so I can't see what he's doing........ and I'm going to pretend that it is not happening."
I start to cry.
My husband looks at our nine year old son standing in the window, looking pitiful and ashamed at his answers to my husbands questions and he says..."Son"
"Yes, Daddy."
"Open the blinds because that man.... he's at your front door..."WHAT DO YOU DO?"
My son looks at his father, anger and defiance in his eyes. He balls up his tiny fists and looks his father square in the eyes, without hesitation he
says: "I DEFEND MY FAMILY DAD!! I'M NOT GONNA LET HIM HURT MOMMY OR MY SISTER, DAD!!! I'M GONNA FIGHT HIM, DAD, I'M GONNA FIGHT HIM!!!!!"
I see a tear roll down my husband's cheek and he grabs our son to his chest and hugs him tight, and says... "It's too late to fight him, he's too strong and he's already at YOUR front door son.....you should have stopped him BEFORE he killed his wife, and his children and the old lady across the way.
You have to do what's right, even if you have to do it alone, before it's too late." my husband whispers.

THAT scenario I just gave you is WHY we are at war with Iraq. When good men stand by and let evil happen son, THAT is the greatest EVIL of all.

Our President is doing what is right. We, as a free nation, must understand that this war is a war of humanity. WE must remove evil men from power so that we can continue to live in a free world where we are not afraid to look out our window, so that my nine year old son won't grow up in a world where he feels that if he just "closes the blinds" the atrocities in the world won't affect him.

"YOU MUST NEVER BE AFRAID TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT! EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO DO IT ALONE!"


Posted by Shaun McGill on Thursday, September 30, 2004 at 09:41 PM | Permalink

Blessings and Peace,

Billie

[atlas]

Billie,


Thank you for your kind reply. We as a nation need to understand that the enemies of the nation of Israel are also our enemies, as stated by Dr. Norris in his letter. You can also see this today in the wars we are fighting and who we are fighting. We also need to understand that we as a nation need to help our friends, the Jews. Sadly many in our nation do not understand how the Jews helped finance our War of Independence. Without the Jewish money and the Jewish bankers we would not have had the weapons to defeat the English, and our nation would have never been independent with out the Jews and Jewish bankers. The history education ( if you can call it that ) never teaches real history in our public schools any more. This is part of the problem.

We also need to understand that God gave the Jews the nation of Israel, and that the gifts and callings of God are without repentance. God never backs out on his gifts or callings. We have been blessed by the Lord for standing with the nation of Israel. If the Baptist and other Christians in our nation would stand up for the nation of Israel, we could solve some of our own problems. The problem there is many Christians " that just want to get along " and will not take any stand whatsoever on the Israel issue. It's a lack of historical and Bible knowledge. This is the real problem. Even a non-Christian man could from historical knowledge alone see why we as a nation need to stand with the Jews. Look at world war 2 for an example. How many American lives were lost fighting the enemies of the Jews? I do not know the number, but it was a very costly war in the number of lives lost. We have the same issues in the world today. Hate for the Jews has once again started even more wars. We are fighting the enemies of the Jews with one hand and helping them with the other. Granting money to Hamas and other evil anti Jew hate groups. We put down the KKK, Nazi's and other groups in our own nation that hate blacks and Jews, yet if you live in the Mid East and hate Jews we will support you financially and back you in a land grab so you can have your own nation. This is unbelievable. We are helping our own enemies as well as the enemies of the Jews and the nation of Israel. This is utter madness to send them money and feed and cloth our own enemies while asking the Jews to give up land to those mutual enemies. Such is the Biblical and historical madness of the last days.


Atlas

[atlas]

Billie,

Just a little more about J. Frank Norris and Israel.

Atlas

May 2, 2008



Dear Pastors:


60 years ago this month Mr. David Ben Gurion announced the birth of the nation of Israel.


Eleven minutes after David Ben Gurion, speaking in a “heavily guarded art museum in Tel Aviv,” announced the birth of the modern State of Israel, President Harry S. Truman signed a document officially recognizing the new nation.


The single typewritten page on display these days at the Truman Presidential Library in Independence, Missouri, shows the President’s cursive corrections — including a wording change, from “new Jewish state” to “State of Israel” — and the directive “Approved, May 14, 1948.”


This was a bold step for the American President, one opposed by powerful members of his own administration.


But, what a lot of Independent Baptist Pastors don’t realize, is the part that Dr. J. Frank Norris, the fundamentalist pastor from Fort Worth, Texas, had spent many years promoting the Jewish cause and he applauded the President’s courage. Our OBC Alumni keep me posted on information along these same lines, and Dr. Louis Horton’s son Brad, sent me further info, which I believe [maybe wrongfully] was recently put out, on Dr. Norris part in the establishment of the state of Israel. I have had all this already, but it only adds to my contention regarding “True Christians” always holding to the “Right of the Hated Jew to their Everlasting Covenant Land.”


Now, Preacher Friend, this letter, not only may very well be a ‘new history lesson to some of you,’ but will also reveal to my Hebrew friends, a great number I’m told read every letter I write, how we ‘true Christians’ have stood in their corner, although many who’ve operated under the ‘guise of Christianity’ - Roman Catholicism, Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, etc., have not been in their corner, but only on rare exceptions, such as the present Pope was back in his younger days, or as I’ve been told he was by Roman Catholics, who don’t like some of the things I write.


What we 2008 preachers don’t realize is that, in 1947, many prominent fundamentalists shied away from eschatological interpretations of global events, especially in the early years of the movement.


But not Dr. J. Frank Norris; he was an ardent and outspoken premillennialist. And he was an unabashed proponent of a national homeland for the Jews in Palestine.


Now, let me state right here, that the Hebrews give credit for Truman’s “Approved, May 14, 1948,” to his former business partner, who was a barber, but also a Jew! The Judgment Seat of Christ will show us the true story, but let me give you what I know about Dr. J. Frank Norris, who is my favorite Fundamental Independent Baptist Pastor to read about the nation of Israel. William E. Blackstone and that former Scotland yard detective, Sir Robert Anderson, [for whom Sherlock Holmes was created by its creator] — both of them, are my very favorites to read, about re-establishing the ‘hated Jews’ in their God-given land, but they go back to the 1800's.


Ever fascinated by international affairs, Dr. Norris considered himself to be somewhat of an expert in the field. I would say that he was!


His sermons and writings regularly featured commentary on the world situation. In the aftermath of World War I, he came to believe that the “primary significance” of that conflict was the potential for “the ultimate return of Palestine to the Jews.”


The Balfour Declaration of 1917, positioning the British government as favorable to a homeland for the Jews in Palestine, seemed to pave the way for what Dr. Norris saw as the fulfillment of Biblical prophecy. AND, YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER, THAT WAS WAY BACK IN 1917, 81 YEARS AGO FROM YOUR AND MY DAY!


Remember too, that Balfour was a protégée of his mentor William Blackstone, whose little book, “Jesus is Coming”, sold 5 million copies in America when the population was only 50 million.


And, also remember, that Supreme Court Chief Justice Louis Brandeis had been quoted to Blackstone in 1916 by Nathan Strauss [Levi & Straus company] as being the “Father of Zionism,” for, as Straus quoted, Blackstone’s well known positions pre-dated Theordore Herzl’s communications about Zionism. The Jews have always called Herzl ‘The father of Zionism.’


Even as Jewish hope gave way to cycles of delay and frustration during the time of the British Mandate over Palestine (which began in 1918), Dr. Norris didn’t waver from his views.


Not all fundamentalists of the day were sympathetic to the plight of the Jews, some even flirted with what would surely be called anti-Semitism by today’s standards.


For example, William Bell Riley, pastor of First Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and founder of the first viable fundamentalist organization — the World’s Christian Fundamentals Association (1919) — along with A. C. Gaeblein, and other prominent preachers and teachers of the day, periodically promoted the infamous Protocols of the Wise men of Zion [not originally published under that name, but, later was under that name - by supposed Bible believing Pastors] — a spurious document purporting to prove a Jewish conspiracy for world domination.


This forgery has long been favorite of those seeking alternative views of history and reality, and has been used as a pernicious proof text for a wide range of malignant writings from Hitler’s Mein Kampf, [which believe it or not, some of our Independent Baptist brethren are now reading] to Henry Ford’s Dearborn Independent, to those peddled by modern-day skinheads and race-baiters.


J. Frank Norris may have had his faults, just as the undersigned has his, but when it came to the cause of the Jews he managed to resist the temptation to buy into a Jewish-Bolshevik conspiracy theory idea that some fundamentalists seemed to find compelling, even, bless the LORD, as they do today.


In fact, he had no problem attacking his brethren on this issue, writing in his paper, The Fundàmentalist, in 1937: “I confess my amazement that certain intelligent outstanding fundamentalist pastors have joined this age-long and divinely cursed persecution.”


In the aftermath of the second World War, and in the wake of horrific revelations of the Holocaust, Norris directed his passion for global politics toward applying pressure for the advancement of the cause of the Jews and a national homeland for them in Palestine. He traveled widely across the country promoting this cause and was skilled at using the media of the day; a master of the sound byte.


An article in the New York Post carried the headline, ‘Baptist Official Says Jews Have Just Palestine Claim” and the Washington Star similarly reported, “Palestine Belongs to Jews by Divine Right: Dr. Norris.”


But Dr. Norris undoubtedly considered his most important contribution to the issue, beyond raising general public awareness, to be a letter he wrote to President Truman in October of 1947.


President Truman was a shrewd and savvy politician, with an autodidactic appreciation for history. As a boy, when his chronic near-sightedness kept him from some strenuous activities, he would lose himself in books. Among his favorites was a “gold-trimmed, four-volume history called Great Men and Famous Women.”


One of the great men chronicled was Cyrus the Great, King of Persia, who “enabled the Jewish people to leave their exile and go back to Palestine.”


Isaiah 44:28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.


Isaiah 44:28

That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid. And, what you have to remember too, my Pastor Friend, is the two quotes I’ve just given you, were both about 200 years before Cyrus was born, showing even way back then 700 to 500 years Before Christ, God’s concern for the Hebrew people, as [cussing] Baptist Harry Truman had enough smarts to read about, and like. All that, then adds on to the part President Truman played in the establishment of Israel some 60 years ago this very month. History is fascinating to me, and especially history about the Hebrews, the center-people of all events throughout the history of all mankind.


There is evidence that this ancient story was on President Truman’s mind as he dealt with the current events of his administration. We have no way of knowing how much influence any one piece of correspondence or singular meeting had on Mr. Truman’s thinking - that of his former Hebrew partner, Dr. Norris’ influence, or his read earlier of King Cyrus.


But, Dr. Norris’s letter to the President made his case from a Biblical vantage point at a crucial time. And remember too, that J. Frank Norris had just returned from a trip to Europe and the Middle East, a journey he had made many times in his life.


By 1947, he had been pastor of First Baptist Church in Fort Worth for 38 years and Temple Baptist Church in Detroit for 13 years. The combined membership of the two congregations was more than 25,000.


With such a following, it was not difficult for Dr. Norris to obtain letters from United States Governmental leaders when he traveled. Such letters served to open doors for him.


Having received a wire from President Truman’s Appointments Secretary Matthew J. Connally soliciting a briefing about his recent trip, Dr. Norris responded with a written synopsis of the entire history of the Jews and analysis of the various issues related to the land of Palestine in the modern era.


He began by expressing his gratitude to the President for the ‘personal letter of August 5th, which was of invaluable assistance in all my travels.” Then, plunging into his theme, he defined the issue as simply: “whether we will take the authority of the Bible of our mothers or the Koran with the sword and flame.”


He summarized the Biblical position that the Jewish people have title” to the land, citing key scriptural passages dealing with God’s promises and covenants. Dr. Norris then shifted his argument from the ancient text to the modern context suggesting that “a second. and very important authority in addition to Scriptural authority, Great Britain was given mandate over Palestine for the purpose of Jewish immigration into that land and for making it a national home,” this mandate being “confirmed by the United States Government [President Wilson on the urging and by the 57 Nations of the League of Nations.”


He recalled the events of 1939 and the “two-fold appeasement” of then British Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain. Dr. Norris argued that Chamberlain had not only fumbled the ball with Hitler, thereby bringing on World War II, but also by limiting Jewish immigration to Palestine at a crucial time.. He had acted out of cowardice toward the Arabs, who “were allies of Hitler.”


This particular passage most likely resonated with the President because it was very much in lines with what Truman thought and said when the British government released a White Paper on the issue of Palestine in May of 1939.


In essence, that policy statement advocated severe limitations on Jewish immigration to Palestine; this at a time when European anti-Semitism was reaching critical mass.


Truman, then a senator from the state of Missouri, issued a forthright condemnation that was inserted into the Congressional Record:

“Mr. President, the British Government has used its diplomatic umbrella again,” (this being an unmistakable dig at Mr. Chamberlain) “...this time on Palestine. It has made a scrap of paper out of Lord Balfour’s promise to the Jews. It has just added another to the long list of surrenders to the Axis powers.”


Dr. Norris also referred to the Holocaust in his letter, accusing the Arabs of being complicit in the atrocities as allies of the Nazi regime “with their hands dripping with the blood of the ‘Jews — six million of them murdered.”


Having made his case from history, ancient and recent, Norris concluded his letter with a Cold War warning. He told the President,.”I interviewed many Arab leaders, and without question I found that the whole crowd are [sic) for Stalin, just-like they were formerly for Hitler. Russia is doing everything at her command to foment the trouble.”

He concluded his correspondence with an appeal: “The time has come, and long past, when the United States should keep its promise and take a firm stand for law and order in that land that has given the world its Bible and Savior.”


A few days later Norris received a reply on White House letterhead:


Dear Dr. Norris:

I am most grateful for your thoughtful letter of October second. I deeply appreciate having the benefit of this expression of your’ views because I know that you have given long and extensive study to the Jewish-Palestinian question.


Very Sincerely Yours,

Harry Truman.”


Seven months later, 60 years ago this month, President Harry Truman, in a singular act of political courage, and against the advice of men he admired, recognized the new State of Israel. Whatever the reasons for his decision that day, there is no doubt he was a man with a sense of the past.


The internal world of thought, nurtured as a child through the reading of history, was very present in the man.


Shortly after leaving office, in 1953, and while visiting a Jewish school in New York City, he was introduced as “the man who helped to create the State of Israel” — Truman interrupted and said; “What do you mean ‘helped create?’ I am Cyrus! I am Cyrus!”


Dr. J. Frank Norris was dead by this time (he died in August of 1952). His life and ministry were filled with controversy and his legacy is a mixed bag.


But when it came to.. understanding “current events and international affairs interpreted: through the prism of scripture,: he demonstrated a capacity to discern. “Important signals and trends,’ even while other notably great men seemed to miss the point. His early grasp of issues related to the potential for a modern homeland for the Jews in Palestine is a prime example of this skill.


As had been his pattern with most political leaders, there had been tirnes when he supported Harry S. Truman, and there had been other times when he did not.


But in 1948, he clearly admired the “cussin Baptist from Missouri”, the President was often called, telling one associate a few month, after the State of Israel had been proclaimed:

“I heard old Harry Truman — at two o’clock in the morning... giving his acceptance speech...He said: We’ll whip the Republicans. and make ‘m like it...‘wish I had old Harry to work for me in my church! We’d wave at — and call by name — every taxi driver in Fort Worth and get ‘m saved and baptized into First Baptist church! Old Harry said: ‘the buck’ stops here’ suits me. Let ‘r stop with J. Frank’ Norris! ‘If you can’t stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen.’ Harry said that, too.”


Harry S. Truman and Dr. J. Frank Norris — the President and the preacher — were in many ways, birds of a feather.


Back in June of 2005 I was with Dr. Danny Dodson, Dr. Cecil Ballard, Dr. Bryan Sharp, Dr. Tom Vineyard, Dr. Max Price, some other Preachers and Missionaries, and 135 or so Hebrews with NY State Assemblyman Dov Hikind in Sderot, the present city being shelled by Hamas Qassams, when a Qassam had come through an 8 inch reinforced concrete roof. We were at the scene of that hole in the roof about an hour after it had hit.


None of the Hebrew family living there were hit. But, there was tremendous damage as a result. If you can just imagine the power of the explosion to bust through 8 inches of re-barb re-enforced concrete, and the resultant damage inside. We all walked in and looked at the mess. The smell of cordite, or some explosive, hung heavy in the air.


Ole Jim Vineyard lost it. My temper rose to the top. ABC News interviewed me that day. They asked, “What would you do, if you were a Jew.” I said, “I became a Christian back in 1964 in a Motel Room in Moline, Illinois. I quit cussin at that time. But, if I were a Jew, I’d tell Mr. Bush to take his supposed road-map peace plan, and go straight to H...”


Well, that was seen all over America, and my Dawga Jo Ann, the bride of my youth, gave me fits about it that night. And, some pansy-waist preachers also wrote me about it. That very day another Qassam hit a Hebrew hot-house close by, and killed 3 hot-house workers. I let those pansy-waist know about the dead hot-house workers.


Therefore, you’ve had your history lesson for today. The “TEST” however, of whether or not you pass, is where you line up at this time, 2008, with “the hated Jew.” I’m lining up behind ‘cussin Harry’ and Dr. J. Frank Norris. How bout you?


JIM VINEYARD

[Debau]

I read of Truman also being influenced by Dr. Harry Rimmer on his decsion for Isreal.

http://ldolphin.org/rimmer/index.html

.

That's fascinating, Atlas. I didn't know that Norris had corresponded with Truman. Thank God for him - - - well, in this context, thank God for both of them!