The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-10-26

,oains. and they are in danger OF beng speedily
absoYbed Inv Maho snmedanism or heathenism.
Une o. .nem, 10 my -o-V consistently,
priest OF BudOha, taking, not Vs. -"
Tor his sacerdotal name, the characters rem 49,,
which signify zone Who rs rooted and grounded
in the Truth" The large tablet that once
adorned the entrance of the synagogue, Deanog
on 1t the name of Israel, has been appropriated
by a Mahommedan mosque, and some efforts
have been made 10 draw the people over TO the
faith OF Mahomet from which their practices
differ SO little that their heather neighDOrs nave
never been able TO distinguish them from
Moslems.
One of nv visitors was a son OF the last Of
their rabbis who, some thirty or forty years
AGO, died In the province OF Kansuh. With him
persisted the knowledge OF the sacred tongue,
and though they still preserve several copies of
the Jewish scriptures there is not man
among them who can read word OF Hebrew.
Not long ago 1T was seriously proposed to ex-
pose their parchments To public view in the
marketplace, in hopes they might attract the
attention of some wandering Jew, who would
be able to restore to them the language OF their
fathers. Since the cessation OF their ritual wor-
ship their children all grow up without the seal
OF the covenant. The Young generation are un.
circumcised, and, as might be expected, they no
longer take pains to keep their blood pure from
intermixture with Gentiles. One Of them con-
fessed to me that his vile was healhen. They
remember the names OF the Feast OF Taberna-
cles, the Feast of unieavened Bread, and a tew
other ceremonial rites which we're practised by
a former generation, but all such usa9es are
now neglected, and the next half century IS not
unlikely to put period TO their existence as a
distinct people.
In the margin OF the Poyang Lake stands a
lofty rock, SO peculiar and so solitary that it is
known by the name of the Little Orphan. It's
kindred rocks are all on the other side of the
lake, whence il seems 10 have been torn away
by some violent convulson and planted i'm
movably in the bosom OF the waters. Such TO
me- appeared that fragment OF the Israelitish
nalion. rock rent from the sides of Mount
Zion by some great national catastr phe and
projected into this central plain Of China, IL
stands there an orphan colony, sublime in its
antiquity and solitude. But it Is now on the
verge Of being swallowed up by the surround
ing food, and the spectacle is a mourful one.
The Jews themselves are deeply conscious of
their sad situation, and the shadow OF an lneyi.
table destiny seems to be resting upon them.
Poor, unhappy people As they inquired
about the destruction of The Holy CITY, and the
dispersion of the tribes, aud referred TO their
own decaying condition, what could do to
comfort them but point to HIM who is the con-
ISOLATION OF Israel? True, told them the city
OF their fathers was broken down. and their
people scattered and peeled, but the straw was
not trodden under foot until it had yielded pre-
cious seed for dissemlnatirg in other fields The
dykes had not been broken down until the time
had come fer pouring their fertilzing waters
over the face of the earth. Christian ciylilza-
tion, with all its grand results had sprung from
Jewish root, and the promise to Abraham been
already fulfilled, that in his seed all the ma
tons of the earth should be blessed."- Y
Times.