The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-11-11
10 their deadly and ruinous struggle with the
masters Of the world-Ib.

~ men ueduiy ana Tulnous struggle WIN the
masters OF the world.-Ib.
THE RUIN OF THE Jews THE CONSEQUENCES
OF THEIR CHARACTER alone could
have subdued or mtigaled that stubborn fanati-
| cism, which drove them at length 10 their despe-
rate collision with the arms Of Rome. As Chris
tians the Jewish people might have subsidized IN
TO peaceful subjects of the universal empire
| They might have lived as the Christians did,
with the high and inalienable consultations OF
faith and hope under the heaviest expressions
and calmly awaited the time when their holier
and more benefcen ambition might be grati6ed
| by the submission Of their rules to the religious
| dominion founded by Christ and his apostles
They would slowly have won that victory by
the patient heroism Of martyrdom, and the
steady perseverance in the dissemination Of their
lalth, which II was madness to hope that they
could ever obtain by the force OF arms. AS
Jews, they were almost sure, sooner or later, To
provoke the implacable vengeance of their for
eign rulers. The same vision Of worldly do
mlnlon, the same obstinate expectation OF tenn
poral Deliverer, which made them unable TO
| comprehend the nature of the redemption TO be
wrought by the presence, and the kingdom to be
established by the power Of Christ, continued 10
the end TO mingle with their wild and frantic re-
sistance.-Ib.
IMMEDIATE CAUSES OF THE RpJrcrioN OF Jr
sUs BY THE JEws.-In the rejection and murder
of Jesus, the rulers, as their interests and autho-
rity were more Immediately endangered, were
more deeply implicated than the people; but,
unless the mass of the people had been blinded
by these false notions of the Messiah, they
would have not demanded, or, al least, with the
general voice, assented to the sacrifice Of Jesus.
The progress Of Jesus at the present period in
the public estimation, his transient popularity,
arose from the enforced admiration Of his COM
handing demeanor, the notoriety OF his wonder
full works, perhaps-for such language is always
acceptable to the common ear-from his bold
animadversion on the existing authorities; but
it was no doubt supported in the mass of the po-
pulace by hope that even yet he would con-
form to the popular views of the Messiah's cha
racter. Their present brief access of faith would
not have stood long against the continued disap-
pointment of that hope; and it was no doubt by
working on the reaction of this powerful feeling
that the Sanhedrin were able so suddenly, and,
il almost appears, SO entirely TO change the pre-
vang sentiment. Whatever the proverbial
versatility Of the popular mind, there must have
been some chord strung to the most sensitive
pitch, the slightest touch of which would vi
brate through the whole frame OF society, and
madden, at least, a commanding majority TO
their blind concurrence in this revolving niquity.
Thus in the Jewish nation, but more especially
in the prime movers, the rulers and the heads
of the Pha, isaic party, the murder of Jesus was
an act Of unmitigated cruelty: but, as we have
said, it arose out of the generally fierce and big
oted spirit which morally incapacitated the
whole people from discerning the evidence of
his mission from heaven in his acts Of Divine
goodness as well as Divine power. 1t was an
act of religious fanaticism they thought, in the
language of Jesus himself, that they were do
ing God service" when they slew the Master,
as much as afferward when they prosecuted his
followers.
When, however, the last, and, as far as the
existence of the nation the most fatal display of
the existence of this fanaticism took place, it was
accidentally allied to nobler motives, with gene
rous Impotence of oppression, and the patriotic
desire of national independence. However des
perate and frantic the struggle against such ire
sistibe power, the unprecedented tyranny of the
late Roman procurators, Festus, Albinus, and
Florus, might have almost justified the prudence
of manly and resolute instruction. Y ct in It's
spirit and origin il was the same; and it was
wei known that even to the last, during the
most sanguinary and licentious tumults in the
Temple as well as the city, they never entirely
lost sight Of deliverance from Heaven. God,
they yet thought, would interpose in behalf of
his chosen people. In short, the same moral
state Of the people (for the rulers, for obvious
reasons were less forward in the resistance to
the Romans,) the same temperament and dis
position, now led them TO reject Jesus, and de-
mand the release Of Barabbas, which, forty
years later, provoked the unrelenting vengeance
Of Titus, and deluged the streets with the blood
Of their own citizens. Even after the death of
Jesus, this spirit might have been alayed, but
only by the complete abandonment of all the
motives whichled to his cruciixion-by the ge
neral reception of Christianity in all its meek
ness, humility, and purliy,-by the tardy sub
sttution of the hope of mortal for that Of tenn
pora dominion. This, unhappily was not the
case but il must be left for Jewish history to
relate how the circumstances of the times, in
stead Of assuaging or subduing, exasperated the
people into madness; instead Of predisposing TO
Christianity, confirmed their inveterate Judaism,
and led at length to the complishment of their
anticipated doom.
Altogether, then, it is evident that it was this
brooding hope OF sovereignty, at least of politi-
cal independence, moulded up with religious
enthusiasm, and lurking, as it were, in the very
hearts core OF the people, which rendered it i'm
possible that the pure, the gentle, the humane,
the unwordly and comprehensive doctrine of
Jesus should be generally received, or his cha
racter appreciated by nation in that temper Of
mind ; and the nation who could thus incur the
guilt of his death, were prepared TO precipitate
themselves TO such fate as at length it suffered
Hence political sagacity might perhaps, have
anticipated the crisis, which could only be avert
ed by that which was morally impossible, the
simultaneous conversion Of the whole people TO
Christianity
nDJEE IJTSnGDU on AnNESr