The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-10-25

morning In what way We must put on the shawl,
and handle the frlnges how we must make an
offering for the privilege OF taking out the scroll
from the ark, and Tor the honor of returning ii,
and for the inspection of the seven portions in the
passage tor the day what gestures we must make
in the service before the ark how many meals we
must have IN the day and how we must go through
the afternoon and evening services All this looks
very like fearo of God that is a senseless precept
of men.
II appears to us very clear, that the great object
OF the synagogue among us ought to be to do good
spiritually to all men-to enlighten, sanctify and
save all men. The temple itself, with all its re-
stricnons, was to become blessing to all nations,
and God raised up the synagogue out Of its ruins
to fulfil this purpose. How sadly, then, does the
synagogue forget It's origin and its commission,
when It's instructions and prayers are tor none but
Jews! The consciousness that we are debtors to
all men, Jews and Gentiles, Greeks and barbara
ans, bond and free, is one Of the most essential
and powerful sentiments in the bosom of every
worthy member of the synagogue. And when this
synagogue on earth Should be as open TO all men,
and Its richest spiritual privileges should be as
freely and earnestly pressed on the acceptance of
all men, as the privileges OF the heavenly temple
are freely offered to all men. 1t you believe that
the Gentiles will as certainly enter heaven,
without coming to the light of your synagogue
without embracing your faith and reading your
scriptures, as otherwise, you cannot, In the ma
ture of things, be prompted by any potent coavlc-
ton Of duty, or any sentiment Of benevolence, to
make sacrifices for their spiritual interests. 1t Is
the love Of immortal souls, and the fear that they
will perish, and the conviction of the obligation
and privilege TO labor for their salvaioD that carry
the worthy missionaries of the synagogue, with
the word of life, TO the ends OF the earth. And
where these powerful motives are not felt, 1t is
easy TO account for the want of missionary spirit
We anticipate that the most welghty reply which
you will make to our address, is this--that you
have no faith in many OF our leading doctrines,
and that, therefore, you cannot form any union
with us. You will admit at once that there are
mn in favO Af Our Vasu
Christ and his apostles certainly stand, in history,
worthy Of credit, the rabbis OF the Talmud
There is as great probability that Paul under
stood the original Judaism, and explained 1t
honestly, in his epstle to the Hebrews, as that the
writer of the Mishna understood it some hundreds
Of years afterwards. Permit us to enquire whether
you have thoroughly and candidy examined our
doctrines! We are afraid that many of you have
never read the New Testament We hope to be
able to supply all Of you, who are willing to read,
with Bibles containing both testaments; and we
press it upon you to examine the subject more
thoroughly and prayerfully. II chrisanity is true,
il Is your highest interest TO embrace it,
Have You ever examined the argument in the eps-
tie to the Romans? Have you neverfelt the force
of the proofs presented there that the Gentiles are
ruined in sin, ard that the Jews, themselves, never
can stand justified before Gcd, in their own
Righteousness Is not all this sufficiently proved
by the few quotations from the old Testament,
Ilaoed together in the third chapter2 If the sin
ner IL thus, on his own account, under the deadly
condemnation Of the law OF God, is II not clear
that the righteousness Of Jesus Christ, if he is the
person whom we hold him to be, is perfect and
sufficient fol, the most unworthy How do you
account for the origin Of our doctrine of iust6ca-
tion, If IL is fable DO you see nothing grand
and attractive in the doctrine that God has entered
into different covenants with man and that, in
The first covenant, all have fallen into sin and con-
domination through the sin of the first man, so we
must be restored and justified through the ODE
dence of the Head of the second covenant But
our request IL, that you examine the whole episie
tor yourselves.
We commend, especially, the epstle to the He
brews to your careful and prayeftul examination.
Here you have the arguments and admonluons OF
the great disciple Of Rabbi Gamalie, which he adj
dressed TO his own people. First, he argues that
Christ is superior TO angels, and TO Moses himself
and ihen he admonlshes not 20 destroy ourselves
through unbeliei, after the example OF the Israeli
ties IN the Wilderness who, through unbelief, lost
the promised rest of God He argues, further, that
the Doctrine of the priesthood of Christ has foun-
dalton broadly end deeply laid IN the Hebrew
scriptures that, In PARTICULAR, David speaks OF a
single priest who should be after the order or de-
scrpiion of Melchizadek rather than OF Aaron; aud
that Chrst's priesthood does correspond to that OF
MelchiZadek, in having no prlesty genealogy-n
being priest without either predecessor or suc-
cessor, and in having venerable antiquity, an
establishment and duration which prove II superior
10 the priesthood of Aaron. He argues, that while
the Aaronic priests were sinful men, and needed
TO bring bloody offerings tor themselves, Christ
was personally free from all SIN that while the
ly, Christ has made one all-snilicent atonemeni,
and that while the priests made their atonements
in The earthly sanctuary, Chrif has presented his in
the heavenly temple. lie argues that the sacrifices
Of animals were Insufficient Of themselves to give
peace 10 the conscience Of the offender and that,
on the contrary, the blood and spirit OF Christ are
adequate TO perfect reconciliation and assurance
Of salvation. He argues that one OF the psalms
describes the time OF the setting aside of burnt
Oft, rings and that OF the prophets speaks OF
new covenant unlike the covenant made at Sinai.
IL ~ true that there rs an Impossiblly OF any union
between us while there ~ this difference IN our
doctrines hence we urge on you again the exami-
nation Of our sacred scriptures We remind you,
also, that there may be some minor difficulties In
an argument, while the argument Itself u, IN ITS
essential parts, perfectly clear and Irresistible.
Brethren, your history, for fifteen hundred years
before Christ Is distinguished by your special Ia
vor with God, and particularly, by the familiarity
Of your prophets with the mind Of God; for the
last eighteen hundred years you have suffered the
mos cruel prosecutions your synagogue has, in all
probability, been standing Immoypbly on ground
foreign to ITS original purpose and you have, APP
parently been spared only TO show the fultment OF
the threatenings Of your law. Your people were
almost crushed through your own observation-disclosures
and the revenge Of the Romans you have ex-
rerieI ced, most bitterly, the deceit Of the first
friendship of Mohammedanlsm, and we are sorry
20 tdd that Chrstendom, Itself, IN direct opposi-
ton To the teaching OF our SAVIOR, has set Itself Ia
the most deadly opposition toyou. IL hunbles US
to know hat YOU have suffered IRON the crusades,
ana In spain, FRANCE, ana Otler countries; ana We
christians, certainly ought to have less sympa-
thy with your prosecutors than you have. In all
tins bloody history, there u nothing which, pro-
I perry. urd,rtcod, should prejudice you against
us. The spirit of prosecuting Is as little charge
able to the presbyterian church as to yourselves.
We most ardently desire that the God OF pro.
violence may never employ our beloved coun-
try 10 punish any people for their Gins; We especial
| y ctprt cate being employed to bring new chas-
tistmtnts Ct persecution on the sons OF Abraham
We would have our country exclusively conse.
Grated TO the diffusion Of the peace OF the gospel
| Far be il from us TO do any thing TO revive ole
| IreJudices against you. We come TO you, not as
/ tie friends Of waf--not with clamorous accusa
| ticHs-rot IN concealed deceit, but Ia honesty and
| love. We come to GU not IN the storm OF Oppose
| ton, bet with "a still, small voice." voice tina
s,eeks Of the remission Of sin and everlasting
p.ace-a voice OF h, avenly, touching invitation
! he rsme voice that was once heard at your tenn
| pie and in your solemn asst mbl.s. Horrible vii
that day be when this voice ceases TO be heard II
| our country. Consider enxiousy whether God
| does not c, me to you in this small voice. "Comt
unto ne all We that labor and are heavy laden, and