Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1868-09-28
JEWISH

A Congress of the Rabbits of Contincn-
tai Europe has recently been held at
Cassel, Germany. Like toe Ecumeni-
cal Council of the Roman Catholic
Church. called by the Pope, the object
of this convention is to reconcile sci
ence with religion, to renew and read
just the old theories, so as to conform
them to the continual progress Of tue
modern scientific world. A very salts
factory progress was obtained by the
members, the main points of harmoni-
| ous agreement of reference being emu
meratcd thus "Thc Rabbits are in fa-
vor Of using in worshipping, rs far as
possible, the German language, instead
of the Hebrew. They agree to n gen.
cral abreviation of the service drop
those portions which treat OF sacrifices
and votive offerings, MS also the prayers
for a restitution of Jerusalem, return 10
Palestine and the Qc-establishment Off
Jewish Empire. They acknowledge the
necessity of new doctrines regarding the
mission Of the lsraelites, and deprccnte
every semblance of self-glory."
This virtually means that the German
Jews are about abandoning the main
points Of Judaism, and that after thirty
centuries Of cxclusiveness, the "sepa-
rate people" are about to merge them.
selves more oil less completely into the
common family Of mankind. They have
already abandoned some of the theories
which they have hitherto chung to with
fanatical enthusiasm-the various sac
r%iices, and the tedious ritual, the ex-
pectaucy Of q literal Messiah, the return
to Jerusalem, and the building up of n
great kingdom. out of lsrael's dry
bones. Faith in the literal understand
ing of the prophetic book of the Old
Testament has evidently been abau-
doned, and the sacred writings will be
understood by tho more devout portion
of the German Jews in q spiritual sense,
while those who have drank in the met
aphysical pr~opensities Of the people
among whom they sojourn, will indulge
in all kinds Of mythical and RATIONAL
istic interpretations Of the Old Testa-
ment Scriptures; another portion,
probably, will cease TO believe at all.
We notice similar signs among our
American Jews. In Cincinnati it was
publicly proposed, a short time since,
among the Hebrews residing in that
city, to unite with the Uniturians, on
the ground that there was no essential
difference between the doctrines Of the
two sects, and the Rabbis on several
occasions actually did exchange pulpits
with the Unitarian Ministers. In Bos-
ton, an eloquent Rabbi electrified the
people of the club" by lecturing to
them, upon the spiritual nature Of the
prophesies concerning the Messiah, and
took the ground that no personal Mes
slab was to be expected.
All these things point to ono conclu-
sion. Judaism, which has resisted
eighteen centuries Of persecution, re-
tanning in a most marvellous manner
during that period its ancient form, to
the miuutcst details, now that the ont
side pressure is removed, is about to
break down of her own accord the wall
of partition which has hitherto earned
her the hate of mankind, and to come
out and proclaim her children one with
their kind, as belonging to the brother
hood Of the whole human family. It
is the old classic story OF the traveller
over again, whose cloak the fiercest
winds tried in vain to blow oil, but
which the warm, gentle sunshine COM
PEELED the wnyfarer to lay inside Of his
own accord. If we mistake not, this
movement on the part Of the Jews will
be followed by most important conse-
qucnces in its influence on the faith and
practice OF many sccts Of the Christian
world. y