The Portland daily press., 1868-12-22
Terms $500 per 0nnuns, d. odrooce.
Religious Intellieenca

"A recent number of the Israelite, an abla
Jewish paper published in Cincinnati, con.
tains proposition, evidently carefully consid-
cred, to change the day of the Jewish Sabbath
from Saturday to Sunday, in order, as the
writer says, that we may have a day of rest
a real Sabbath, which can be observed by all
israel, and by the whole Christian world ar
tace. s. The writer who makes this propos-
| 80 declares that he has been "selected as tho
| en-. sn Of party, respectable in intellect.
iuily persnNded of the corrao,ro., 50 .t>S'
views, and fully aeterminoa - -. a.
lect in all its bearings" He So. s.T,N -,
Hebrew word 'Shabbas, which ~. t"o o,u
tom of this controversy, is declared - 80, -
simply rest. Cease from labor and devote 20
the services of God-this is the literal ana
spiritual meaning Of the word 'shabbas' o.
sabbath. Any day we set apart as day Of
rest, to worship God in spirit and in truth, ia
acceptable to him. Therefore he would choose
Sunday as more convenient, observed as it is
by millions, because it can be hallowed, while
the day now observed cannot. The writer ar
CUES his point at length, and thus attacks the
intolerant and prosecuting temper which has
been displayed by his Acknowledgements:
1t created the Christian Church. Jesus was
a1ew, great man, second Moses who de-
sifed 70 purify the faith and correct the vices
OF their church and people, nothing more or
less. But as prophet is never appreciated I'm
MS own country, he was crucified and made a
martyr Of and his disciples made him a God.
fhe blood OF the martyrs is the seed of the
church.. We sowed the wind and we reaped
the whirlwind. Our vices, foIlies. irrelieion
and cruelty created that church which has
been our scoIrge and oppressor through
countless ages.
1t is proposed to call grand religious coun-
Gil, who can settle this Sabbath question def
nitely; either adopting Sunday for all or diyid-
ing those wishing Sunday and those retaining
Saturday as the Sabbath.
The Consistory for the creation Of cardi-
nails will be held next March, The Pope will
then confer the purple on ten prelates at once,
thus filling all the vacancies in the Sacred
College, which he desires to see complete for
the Ecumenical Council. On this occasion
the Pope will restore the hierarchy of Scot
land, establishing primate at Glasgow, and
confer the cardinals hat on Archbishop Man
ming.
"A Baptist Council was held at Laight
street Church, New York, last week to consid-
er the merits of Matthew Hale Smith C'Bur-
leigh" of the Boston Journal,) as a minister
VI sno OosPcly ne uaNluR TcCelVeu u call from
the majority of the members of that church,
the pulpit Of which was formerly filled by Mr..
Kalloch. The Council, after considerable dis
cussion, adjourned for six months without def
mite action. The general character of Dir.
Smith, as a man and Christian, does not seem
to meet the requirements of the Council.
Rev. Mr. Baker has accepted the call
made to him by the Episcopal Society of Lew
iston, and will soon enter upon his pastoral
duties.
The jews of Hungary, numbering some
100000, have recently been called upon to ar
range the relation their ecclesiastical organi-
zation is to bear to the State. This is to be
done through congress of elected delegates.
Inasmnch as the Jews are divided into two
parties or sects-the old believers and reform
ers-the contest will be most lively one. The
different parties carry banners, make speeches,
and resort to every device usual in continental
elections; and in Pesth the Reformers have a
large majority, though it will probably be re-
duced in Congress. Whichever party is sue
cessful, will draw up rules for the organization
of the whole, which, when accepted by the
Minister of Religion, will bind all Israelites in
Hungary-a curious expedient, which may,
nevertheless, succeed. In France, the Hugue-
not church organization was finally decided in
this manner, notwithstanding almost irrecon-
cilable differences of opinion existed, and con-
tinue to exist, between different congregations.