Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-02-24

Born as the Jews are. descendants frim a line
of ancestry, traceabe To the first perio3 OF the
worlds existence, all protesting the sane faith,
faith communicated5y God himself in the
midst ofthunder and lightning upon Mount 81
nai-educated in this hith from their earliest
infancy, and welded 70 it by the cementing
power of persecution, is il wonderful that they
should continue to prokss it? The wonder would
be, if they should burst through the mighty
mound Of circumstances in which they are en-
trenched, and come over 10 the camp OF chris
tianity. Sir, if they had been born as you were,
they would have been Christians-if you had
been born as they were, you had been Jews.
When, therefore, you censure the Hebrews
for not being Christians, you arragn that Nigh.
~ Being who holds in his hands the reins oil
destiny, and who for purposes inscrutable to US,
has cast their lot in the midst OF necessities,
which compel them 10 be Jews. 1t is their
fate, it may be their misfortune; if so, they are
objects for christian charity, not Tor christian
persecution. Are YOU still disposed TO con-
denim them, because they do not believe in the
religion of Jesus Christ? would ask how
many in this christian community ofthose who
are not Jews. are believers in that faith? how
many in this assembly, would emphaticaliy
claims of the children Of Israel? You will an
swer all. This may be true IN one sense-ail
OF you mayentertain historical hellet oil the eA-
istence Of Jesus Christ, and theoretical beliei
in the doctrines which he taught-but are you
all believers in the true sense OF the term! 90
you practice what you profess? II you do not,
then you are in q worse condition than the Jew,
who, TO the utmost of his humble powers, fuihls
the law Of Moses. He lives up to the light
and knowledge which he has received-you act
against that which you possess. You have
been born III the midst OF Christianity-you
have imbioed it, l had almost said with your
mothers milk; you have from the pulpit, week
after week. and in the closet, day by day, receiV-
ed line upon line, and precept upon precept;
yet you wander from the line, and disobey the
precept. The Jew has had none of your adj
vantages, and yet does. he no worse than you;
nay he does better! for the faithful Jew practl-
ces Christianity without protesting pro-
TESS it without practising 1t.
"Judge not therefore, lest We be Judged, for
with whatsoever measure you mete, 1t shall be
measured to YOU again" Whosoever here is
without this sin, let him cast the first stone. If
this advice be taken, am inclined 10 think
that very few stones vii! be thrown, no, not one
for am confident that those who are with
out this sin, possess too much Of the spirit Of
christianity, to raise the hand Of violence a.
eainst these unfortunate sons Of prosecuted
fathers.
But you may say, we don't condemn the Jew
because he believes in different religion, but
because, The principles of his religion are dan
gerous in a christian community.
ask how long have this race Of people ex-
listed in this country? and when have they
manifested that their principles were danger
Gus in Christian Community? Sir, they have
existed here ever since the first settlement Of
the American colonies, during all which time,
nothing of this dangerous character have they
manifested. They have been as harmless as
Doves-like Lambs before their shearers, they
have not opened their mouths, even in reproach
for the prosecutions they have received.
But the religion of that people it will be said,
though innocent in private life, is dangerous
in the administration Of government. This
supposes the establishment of The Jewish re-
ligion as the government religion. The OBJ
iect of this bill i. not to do that. lfyou mean
to say that within the limits Of possibility, the
Jewish religion may become the state religion,
fit be encouraged by the passage Of this bill,
and therefore you ought to oppose it-Ir reply,
you adopt an argument which goes to the exclu-
sion Of every religious sectin the community
Catholic, Protestant and Dissenter. But you
may say that these are Christians, and they
would not seek any ascendancy over their fell
low Christians If they were to gain it, they
would not abuse their authority as the Jew
would. Sir, this is reasoning against human
nature and in the face Of history.-Cloak re-
ligious power as you will, you will always dis
cover with it one inseparabie omoanion-lhe
disposition to abuse it
There is not religious sect in the world
which has not abused power, when it posses
sed it. Did not the pious Calvin, when he
held the two edged sword of civil and religious
power, stain it with the blood. Of prosecutions?
Did not the devout Presby,erians who fled
from the tyranny of British intolerance, to
build the church Of God upon the rock Of Ply
mouth, forget the day of their past calamity,
and stain even the paradise Of liberty, with the
blood of martyrs? But not TO 60 to past ages,
look at England, or rather look at Ireland
You there see six millions Of Catholics, with
human hearts in their bosoms, cheated of their
birth-right, enslaved and trampled upon by the
leaden foot of religious tyranny.
You cannot expect more than this from the
Jewish religion. And yet you have more to
fear from every Christian sect than from the
Jews, because every such sect is more numcr-
ous,> and therefore, more likely to usurD reli
gious power
Besides, Jewish hierarcb' Ian only be sup.