The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-10-01
MEYBRBEER ON RELIGION.

hShRt He Thought of Judaism.
Pc New York Musical ReUieto of last week
Eshed a report of a conversation Meyerbeer,
3ete composer, once had with a friend, NJ.
Meyerbeer said
- must make a confession to you. In order
IN Jew, even to the smallest extent, one must
stand Hebrew, just as to be Prenchman
Dust understand French. For Judaism is
F1nly religion, but also a nationality. The
t1ality sticks to us were II only because we
tfways charged with it, even when the reli.
e1as entirely vanished. II 1 had a son, and
Il i'd to bring him up In the Jewish religion,
take care that he should understand
NV. For the little of Judaism that still
! to me l am indebted to some Biblical
y, some "reminiscences of Hebrew. Not only
'lh boys, but Jewish girls, too, should at the
4 three begin TO learn Hebrew they would
sOn.'
What you tell me- replied NJ. Well, de
me, and at the same time astonishes me-
may easily imagine why; for you are re-
med for having permitted your amiable
&hter to get baptized
have replied Meyerbeer, allowed my
piers the liberty to choose their religion. /
8ed then that | acted ia this as kind parent
&sopher, and good citizen. believed that a
~ had neither the right nor the obligation to
Mig TO teach. | myself did not know the
yh religion Women, and especially young
k(must have in earliest childhood something
IAN inspire them. If the word had not been
ten abused, should have said that children
kEed the least bit of fanaticism.'
YDo you think that instruction in Hebrew
i is sufficient to fire the imagination of a
n person of the Jewish faith ?"
Certainly Dieu, God, says nothing to me.
RlLord" is as much Christian as Jewish. The
the case with the Eternal" But 1dOndi
e something, especially when know that
"a mysterious word, which combines the
OF past, present, and future. What do
.&think Of this, who understand Hebrew as
|*as your mother tongue'
think you are giving utterance to precious
ks, and therefore should not like to inter-
# you. shall take note Of everything, and
Wsh our conversation sooner or later. Aud
IL few irrelevant romarks, M. WE'LL con-
Hs mo, no; am not come to speak, but to
"a Let us resume the subject. Ii is as sim.
1t is true. A Jew who does not understand
Nv makes upon me the impression of Peter
miel, who has lost his shadow. The Israel
NBOuths in Germany who only learn Latin
4reek are either simpletOns or Get baptized
Lust the same with Jewish girls : and having
ued to describe the degeneracy Of modern
y Meyerbeer replied -
ia surety, Hebrew is the language of reason,
III order to be good husband one must have
reason, and that too in goOdly proper
WHO tells us this !"
have read the Bible my mother has, more.
W9ften repeated this TO me. When she was
~ larguing she always concluded with some
"a quotation, which summed up everything
NJ words for my mother understood Hebrew.
tr me, when was boy, Hebrew appeared
II as difficult as useless. have since changed
WfW. My brother understood more Hebrew
n lie began all at once to study it, but he
0o longer time for it; it is only in youth that
AArns WELL
this case pity ourlyoung Jews and those
future for our young Jews, even the sons
EaodoS parents, have a dislike to Heb rev.
prefer drawing their rules from Figaro,
R1'n Jaitae, and from morning to eve study
o but the money articles. AS for the poor,
Wbnly devote their sons to rabbnicai and
W studies, when their talent is mediocre.
la youth exhibits extraordinary talent, he
As himself to some other branch. Do you
Wwhat our young men now. days become ?
iEs OF fares, journalists, pianists, literati,
1E4nes matlematicians, and still more rarely,
kors-i. g., scholars, as Montaigne says,
now what others before them knew
i ferbeer proceeded to deplore the tendency
pig jewish men of the present age to devote
kttention to money-making rather than to
will be seen by his remarks that he was
Xfterthe straightest and strictest sect" a