History of the British-Israel-World Federation

by the BIWF

In 1914, the thirty-fourth year of its publication, The Anglo-Israel Almanac listed details of a large number of Identity Groups operating independently throughout the Britannic Isles and overseas in New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Canada and America. Out of these in 1919, was founded the British-Israel-World Federation.

Supported by many prominent people over the past seventy years this Movement has been giving sound instruction on prophecy and related matters to the promotion of Christianity among the Covenant Peoples, so protecting it from individuals and subversive organisations trying to put an end to Christian activity.

“The Banner of Israel” first published in 1877 by Robert Banks of Fleet Street continued until its incorporation in “The National Message” in 1926. “The National Message” was first published in 1922 and continued until 1981. These publications were available to members of the public. The Federation now produces “BIWF Quarterly” magazine for its members, as well as other literature.

The Federation has had many ups and downs during its existence, but most important, it has survived and is expanding again. The world wide decline in Christianity over the past thirty years is grievous, so the present is a vital time in our history, and with renewed support we can be influential in its revival.

During World Wars I and II the Federation had a large membership, with many distinguished Patrons and supporters. Chief among the Patrons, until her death in 1981 was HRH Princess Alice of Athlone. She was at the first meeting of the British-Israel-World Federation and we were honoured that her daughter Lady May Abel Smith, continued the family link as a Patron of our Federation until her own death. Among other notable Patrons of that period were The Duke of Buccleuch Kt, The Rt. Hon. The Earl of Dysart, The Rt. Hon. The Countess-Dowager of Radnor, The Rt. Hon. Lord Gisborough and The Rt. Hon. W F Massey, Prime Minister of New Zealand.

The Forces of the Crown were well represented in the membership of the United Services Organisation of the B.I.W.F, formed in 1931. Included in this distinguished group were Major-General C.A. Hadfield, Col. J. Garnier RE, Col. C.E.R. Mackesy CMG, CBE, DSO, Major J.Knowles OBE, Admiral G Cuthbert Cayley C.B. and Admiral Sir Richard H Peirse KCB, KBE, MVO.

Among Church representatives in the Federation were well-known clerics such as The Rt. Rev. Bishop Vaughan DD, The Rev. Dr. Wm. Pascoe Goard LLD, FRGS, FRES, The Rev.A B Grimaldi MA, The Rev. Arthur Pritchard MA, The Rev. E J Wemyss Whittaker MA and The Rev. Dinsdale T. Young DD.

The Federation trained many of its lecturers at its College at Harrow Weald. Founded in 1932 it provided accommodation for residential students and faculty. The College Lecturers included The Rev. Dr. Wm. Pascoe Goard, Dr. Courtney James, Dr. Norman James, Clifford F Parker, Rupert Thomas and the Rev Alban Heath. Of today’s body of Lecturers, Mr H E Stough remains the only one of the many students trained at the College.

Without doubt British peoples are descended from the House of Israel and bear the marks of God’s Chosen People as defined in the Bible, and the Federation contends that the contrary view cannot be sustained. Those who maintain that the Old Testament Law and Prophets relate only to the Jews contradict the words of our Lord: “Think not that I have come to destroy the Law…. One jot or tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law, till all be fulfilled.”( Matt.5:17). The Law and the Prophets are to be found in the Old Testament. The Federation upholds the Laws of God: The Commandments and Statutes and Judgements.

The Laws of this land were originally based on the Commandments: “Thou Shalt not Kill; Keep the Sabbath; Take not the Lord’s Name in Vain,” naming but three. We see these Commandments continually broken. Blasphemy on the radio and television is an every day occurance, and our readers are trying to reverse these.

Beliefs

The Federation believes that the Lost Ten Tribes of the Northern House of Israel’s descendents are to be found in the Anglo-Saxon-Celtic and kindred peoples of today. As the Federation believes in the whole Bible it therefore believes the Covenants made between God and Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Israel) are everlasting and the British nation plays an important part of God’s plan.

Here are a few of the 72 marks of Israel to be found in the Holy Bible:

Their name shall be great – “Great Britain” – and they shall be missionaries throughout the world. “And I will make thee a great nation, I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee; and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.”(Gen. 12:2-3)

Israel was to spread abroad to the West, East, North and South. “And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” (Gen. 28:14)

Israel was to have a Davidic King. “For thus saith the Lord; David shall never want a man to sit upon the Throne of the House of Israel.” (Jer. 33:17) The people of the Jews do not have a king, and the Church is the Body of Christ, its Lord and Head. It can be shwn that the Royal House of Britain is descended from King David. Further, the British Monarchs are anointed in the same way as Zadok the Priest anointed the Kings of Israel (Details of the Coronation Service still used for the crowning of British Monarchs may be had by writing to our Secretary.)

Israel to be defended by God, could not be defeated. (Num. 24:8,9) This was clearly seen in World Wars I and II and looking through our history, in many other great battles such as the Spanish Armada, Trafalgar and Waterloo.

Israel was to carry the Gospel to all the World. “This people have I formed for myself; they shall show forth my praise.” (Isa. 43:21) This our great missionaries have done over the past centuries.

The Stone of Israel must be in the possession of Joseph. “(from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel :)” (Gen.49:24) That is : from that time he (Joseph) kept the stone of Israel. (Gesenius) Why are British Monarchs crowned over a stone?

When the sovereign is presented with the Holy Bible at the Coronation Service these words are addressed to the Monarch: “Our gracious Sovereign: to keep your Majesty ever mindful of the Law and the Gospel of God as the rule for the whole life and government of Christian Princes, we present you with this book, the most valuable thing that this world affords.”

During the anointing ceremony, the most sacred ceremony on earth, the choir sings “Zadok the Priest and Nathan the Prophet anointed Solomon King, and all the people rejoiced and said, God save the King. Long live the King. May the King live forever. Amen. Hallelujah!.” These are the opening words of our National Anthem.

Why did George I stand up when he first heard Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus, and why do we still stand on such occasions?

This hymn is taken from I Kings I: 39,40.

Lord Fisher once remarked “We are a wonderful nation. Astounding how we muddle through. There is only on explanation, we are the Lost Ten Tribes.”

The federation emphasizes God's plan for the restoration of this earth, which begins with the fall of man and ends with his ultimate restoration to God's blessing. This is the unifying theme which runs through the whole Bible and is the story of God's Will being translated into action through His Servant People, Israel, through His Son, Jesus Christ and, His Church.

The British - Israel - World Federation is not a denomination nor a sect. It has been in existence as a coordinated body since 1919. Prior to this time there were in existence numerous British-Israel associations and councils, and their branches, which had been formed during the previous century in the British Isles, Canada, U.S.A., Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

From 1830 - 1900 many books, pamphlets and periodicals were published and lectures given on the subject by such men as John Wilson, E. W. Bird, Edward Hine, Rev. F. R. A. Glover, Rev. W. M. H. Milner M. A., Rev. A. B. Grimaldi. M. A., Dr. George Moore and Professor Piazzi Smythe F. R. S.S. Astronomer Royal of Scotland, in the British Isles, and such as Rev. Dr. Joseph Wild, Dr. William Pascoe Goard and Professor Totten of Yale University, in Canada and the U.S.A.

In 1919 all British-Israel associations and councils were amalgamated with London as the Centre, to form a world-wide Federation, H.R.H. Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone and granddaughter of Queen Victoria, becoming the chief patron of the new Federation, until her death in 1981.

Earlier reference to this teaching may be found. A few references are included here.

In "Le Triomphe de la Providence et de la Religion" by the learned scholar, Dr. Abbadie, and published in Amsterdam in 1723, is expressed the view that the Northern European tribes, from which the English derive, are the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel

In 1671 a pamphlet issued in Nether Dutch stated that the English-speaking people were Israel.

In the time of Cromwell (c. 1647) a political reform movement, called the Levellers, sought reforms which threatened the dictator's power. Both Everard and Winstanley, prominent Levellers, are mentioned in connection with the belief in the Israelitish origin of the Saxon and kindred peoples. Everard stated that "all the liberties of the people were lost by the coming of William the Conqueror and that ever since, the people of God had lived under tyranny and oppression worse than that of our Forefathers under the Egyptians."

King James V1 of Scotland, and 1 of England, claimed that the Lord had made him King over ISRAEL, and upon the gold coin of his day, called the Jacobus, he had inscribed in Latin the prophecy of Ezekiel 37:22 "I will make of them one nation."

In 1590 Lelayer, a French Magistrate, issued a large volume entitled "The Lost Ten Tribes Found" stating that they formed the then English peoples. ("Petite Parisien" June 24^th, 1913)

Queen Elizabeth 1 was known as the "Light of Israel" and Sir Francis Drake in a letter to John Fox asked for prayers "that we might have continual peace in Israel."

Vincenzio Galilei, father of the famous astronomer, in writing about the origin of the harp in Ireland mentions the native Irish tradition that they had descended from the Royal Prophet David. 1581.

The 33^rd Law of King Alfred the Great reads, for "Vex thou not comers from afar and strangers, for remember, ye were once strangers in Egypt."(9^th Century)

Dr. Moses Margouliouth, a Jewish scholar of the 19^th Century, in his History of the Jews said, "It may not be out of place to state that the Isles afar off mentioned in the 31^st chapter of Jeremiah were supposed by the ancients to be Britannia, Scotia and Hibernia".

An interesting modern reference is to be found in the declaration of principles given in the United Israel Bulletin, a non-Christian, Jewish publication of April 1951 -- "We believe that the Ten Tribes of Israel exist within the Anglo-Saxon-Celtic-Scandinavian-American people and that they in fact constitute them and that they are Hebrews in the same sense that Judah, Benjamin and Levi with the Jewish people are Israelites."

The British - Israel Movement seeks to reinstate the whole Bible as the authoritative guide, the one true light, for the individual, the nation and the world. We protest against Modernism, which destroys confidence in the Bible as the Word of God, making it of no authority to those outside the Church.