Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-05-31
TUESDAY m0aNaMa9 MAY $50 1885,

mltted to our care, and certainly most
faithfully guarded and protected. On
this occasion, however, l determined to
attend and learn what progress had
been made in amelioration during FIVE
years.
Washington Hall, fitted up as an
ampitheatre by Mr.. Goodacre for his
astronomical lectures, was filled with
all the splendor, beauty and fashion in
the city, there being full 1900 persons
present, 1000 of whom were ladies,
whose zeal and sympathies are always
amiable. The poor Jews could have
exclaimed with the poet
"Alas there is more peril in thine eyes,
Than all their words"
The presidents, managers and men,
bers were all accommodated with
chairs, tables, SC. The meeting was
opened with prayer, and the report was
read. This report was fla,tering; con-
vsrts had been ade,principally abroad,
and farm of 400 acres in Westches-
ter had been purchased, to set them 10
work. Several clergymen addressed
the meeting piously and benevolently;
bu, wanted to see and hear the con-
verts; desired to know the natives,
who had renounced the faith Of their
fathers. At length two made their APP
pearance, both from Poland, sent on
their travels by the London Society,"
One of them said he had been convert
ed at eight years of age; DR.. Johnson
would have said he had been caught
young. He told an unfortunate secret,
which was, that the London Society,
with immense funds, had accomplish
ed nothing, and all their hopes rested
on America. Without those immense
funds, the encouragement here, to say
the least, is not flattering.
Are we treating this subject lightly?
Well then we shall be serious.
Let the Jews alone. 1t has pleased
the Almighty to continue them dis
tinct people; and in the midst Of cap
tivity and oppression, persecution and
cruelty, for four thousand years his
providential care has been extended in
bountiful kindness to his chosen PEG.
ple-there is no credit in making such
people apostates. Every human law.
derives its origin from the Jews--to
themi is the moral world indebted for
the foundation of morality-the know
ledge of God, of virtue, justice, and
the hope of everlasting life. How can
the creed Of this nation be safely i'm
proved? But suppose the Jews should
become converts to Christianity, what
sect shall they join? If they become
converts it is likely they would be Ca
,holics, for that is the primitive Chris
tian faith, and withal is an imposing
religion. Should they turn Catholics
they will be branded as followers of the
"Pope and the DEVIL" and should they
adopt the Presbyterian or Episcopalean
doctrines, the Catholics will call them
heretics-so that in this age of CONVEX
sion the Jews will be as unfortunate as
they were in the early ages, when the
Romans prosecuted them as Christians
and the Christians oppressed them as
Jews.-When "peace on earth and good
will" shall prevail among Christians,
and they can agree on cardinal points,
then an invitation to the Jews would be
in order.
Much money is wasted upon this
project which could be appropriated
to better purposes. "Feed the hungry,
clothe the naked, and enlighten the ig-
norant," these are Jewish and Christian
principles, which should be first en-
forced. Those who enter zealously
and with the purest motives into this
project of converting Jews and encour-
aging foreigners at great expense, be-
cause they profess to have changed
their faith, are not as well advised as
we are of the extent of the impositions
practised upon them. We are graft
fed to see the Christians express this
interest and good feeling for the Jews;
as nation they owe them much-and
they can do much good to the Jews
and to humanity generally, by aiding
those abroad in obtaining good edu.
cation and using their influence to have
the avenues to science and the useful
arts opened to them-to see that they
are treated like men, and to end those
anathemas and that spirit of prejudice
which is too often excited against
them by pulpit defamation. In aiding
to produce this civil reform abroad
and leaving their faith unmoIes,ed
much can and will be done to melioEatt
their condition. The times are preg
nant with great events and the fulfill
ment of the pledges made to the race
of Jacob, will probably soon take place
Our eyes may see it, therefore, with al
the interest felt for them as nation
leave their religion alone, and endeavo
to give them rights and privileges, ane