Litchfield enquirer., 1849-02-22
From NoaA's- NeU York Star.
COHEN, THE JEWISH INFIDEL.

i
COHEN, THE JEWISH INFIDEL.
> Among the most prominent Free
Enquirers," as. tle Concert Hall party
was denominated, was c. q CoHBN,
whose terrible death must still be fresh
in the minds Of the reader. HeAwas the
the life and soul Of Concert HallLhighly
respectable - gifted by nature with a
strong and powerful intellect which q
liberal education had greatly improved.
Being I. philosopher by profession, he
was listehed to as a kind Of oracle. His
nntimelyand melancholy death produced
a great sensation, and it was generally
conceded that it was a special demonstra-
ton of Gods vengeance.
Mr.. Cohen, though quite young man,
was an excellent chemist, and his read
ings generally were varied, scientific, and
full Of interest; but in matters of religion,
he took a singular and extraordinary turn,
and, from being well educated in the
Jewish faith, he became an Atheist; and
we think we can safely say, almost the
only one Of that persuasion who, in any
change of religion, utterly abandoned
and surrendered all belize in great First
Cause. Mr.. Cohen joined the Society
Of Free Inquirers, and preached Atheis-
tical doctrines, and was contributor to
their paper (the Free Enquirer,) and we
notice this fact, to relate o singular cir
cumstance connected with his writing and
death.
After Abner Kneeland had been tried
and convicted, in Boston, of blasphemy,
and before sentence, he published kind
of explanation of his creed, which in a
great measure softened. if it did not en-
tirely do away with, the belief that he
was an Atheist. This recantation gave
great offence to the Free Enquirers gen
orally, but particularly to Mr.. Cohen,
who assaulted him for so doing in the col
umns of the Free Enquirer, published in
the city Of New York. The words Of
Mr.. Kneeland were as follows:
"Hence, I am not an Atheist, but a
Pantheist: that is, instead of believing
there is no God, believe, in the abstract,
that all is God, and that all power that
is, is God, and that there is no power ex-
cept that which proceeds from God"
In an article which he signed with his
name, Mr.. Cohen assailed such " jargon
as he called it, and made this emphatic
remark: " For my part, I should say,
can attach no idea to the soord Of God, e.sd
cannot ooasesaeaRy beiieue in Aia !"
1t was printed on Saturday, February
10, 1884, and on the very day that such
an avowal was made, under the deliber-
ate sanction of his name, he was blown
to pieces in his laboratory, while making
! illuminating powder!
His head, by an understanding among
the Free Enquirers. was given to the So
ciety for chronological studies and his
arm, which was blown off, was never
found Thus his body was gone one way,
his head another, and his limb another
scattered, we may say, to the winds.
Now, philosophers may smile, free-think-
ers may laugh, and atheists may ridicule
the idea of Divine interposition, or Divine
vengeance-all have a right to make
their comments; but, say what they may,
it was singular coincidence of pre- essiOn
and catastrophe.
Poor Cohen was Jew--a well educa-
ted Jew,-of all nations on earth, the last
to renounce their God-his chosen and
favorite people; he who brought them
up ont Of the land of Egypt, from cap
tivity and bondage; who was their cloud
BY day, and their pillar Of fire by night !;
who gave into their safe-keeping the
great moral law which now governs eve
~ civilized nation; he who now keeps
them together, as distinct and separate
nation, for great objects hereafter. To
disclain, and rcnounce, and deny that
God, is a most rare and extraordinary
indeed.
Cohen was an attractive and eloquent
speaker, and always drew crowded as
semblies. His death, therefore, to say
nothing of its peculiar circumstances,
was a severe blow to the Free Enquirers,
whose principal orators were now dead,
or had abandoned the Hall; their accrcd-
tied organ, the "Free Enquirer" news
paper. no longer receiving sufficient pat
Tonage. also ceased to exist; and, undsE
the pressure of all these circumstances.
the society itself rapidly declined, and
finally disbanded.
It is also fact worthy Of notice. that
one Of the printers OF the Free Enquirer
fell dead IN bis Eooms without moments
warning or previous indispositiani
Since the abandonment Of the TIVE %
cietics. several attempts have been mads
to reorganise. and notwithstanding the
pretenoe ind aid OF the venerable Robert
owen, u permanent organization could
not De elected. Thus, IN the providence
u GOd. the tiger. although unclaimed.
hss beea sholn Vi ais streagth.
A l.ttle girl passed from tombstone 10
tombstone u Mount Auburn, reading tke |
m aissAA A IA .aals.srlsR imam aiiah MAMA