William E. Blackstone Research Paper Instructions Research Paper

William E. Blackstone
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William E. Blackstone
Born in 1841, William E. Blackstone was a Methodist who received Jesus as his savior at an early age. He was instrumental in mobilizing a group of Christian Zionists whose main focus was to push for the creation of a Jews State. He is famously known for writing the book “Jesus is Coming”, which became a bestseller in 1878 and for spearheading the Blackstone Memorial, an initiative that was meant to get the American government involved in protecting persecuted Jews. In addition, Blackstone was a successful businessman who ventured into real estate and amassed considerable wealth. Despite the wealth he had accumulated over the years, he abandoned it all to serve God and follow the advice that Jesus had once given about leaving all the material wealth and pursuing the kingdom of God. Eventually, he supported Jewish restoration by providing policy recommendations that affected not only the Diaspora Jewry but also the U.S foreign policy in the Middle East. His policy recommendations and beliefs are still relevant today, especially to the U.S. foreign policy.[Jonathan Moorhead, "The Father of Zionism: William E. Blackstone?" Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 53, no. 4 (2010): 790.]
Blackstone’s support for the restoration of the Jews was largely informed by his personal, religious beliefs and events that were happening to the Jews during his time. First, he believed that the return of the Messiah was looming. As such, there was a great need to prepare for the second coming of the Messiah. However, he further believed that the restoration of the Jews to the Holy Land (Israel) was a precondition for the return of the Messiah. His religious belief on the coming of the Messiah was largely informed by his interpretation of the Bible. He believed that God still had a relationship with the Jews and that before the Messiah came back, they needed to return to their homeland and build the Temple, given that they had gone through seasons of cleansing. Second, Blackstone was very concerned about the persecution of Jews in Russia and their subsequent displacement. He believed that relocating Jews to their homeland would resolve the situation and give Jews a chance at a normal life. As part of his efforts to drive change, he organized a “Conference on the Past, Present, and Future of Israel,” which was attended by Jewish rabbis and Christian leaders. Other than that, he also made some policy recommendations through a petition that was signed by prominent politicians and religious leaders in America. The petition was a request to President Benjamin Harrison to collaborate with other rulers in Europe so that they could announce a home for persecuted Jews. Thus, Blackstone inspired so many Christians to join the movement and fight for the rights of the Jews.[Moorhead, "The Father of Zionism: William E. Blackstone?" 788.] [Ibid., 788] [Paul Rood, "William E. Blackstone (1841-1935): "Zionism's Greatest Ally Outside of Its Own Ranks"." Western States Jewish History 48, no. 2 (2015):54 .] [Paul Rood,The Forgotten Founder. 2013. http://magazine.biola.edu/article/13-fall/the-forgotten-founder/ (accessed May 25, 2019).]