, 1869-04-18

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and fo1mnl adoption Of Judaism By three
ladies, formerly active members Of the
Christian Church, is an event which Will
strike most parsons as somewhat strange.
Bot 1earncd Raht Of the Heb1ev Church,
in this city, has stated, over his own signa-
turu, ast such events are of frequent, Il
not oommon, occurrence in all parta Of tho
world One Of the great Christian charities,
to which there hare been large suberrip-
TONS made, aud to which thousands OF
dying Christians hare vilied their fortunes,
has been the mia6ion fozthA conversion Of
the Jews and, in this country and oehsr
lands, the Christian public maintain, atlsrsse
expense. organized societies having for
their ohject the conversion Of the Jewa to
Christianity. Except upon the idBa that
the value of IN immortal eoul converted to
Christian truth Is beyoud al estimation in
uners money, it must be confessed that tho
progress Of tho mission for tho conversion
Of he Jews has not been very sue
ceasfal-thAt il to gay, II has produced
a less number Of converts for the Ha1ne
amount Of expenditure than any Of the
other missions for the convention Of unbe~
Heverx. It would appear, however, that the
Christian body is not any longer to have the
battle to themselves, for the 1araeite Is in
vading the Christian camp and c1r1ying its
soldiers eapdsea into 1ndea, Tha oouvrr-
sion ot Jews to Christianity, and siee eer.a,
is matter Of less difficulty at the present
d.y thsn it hAs bean IN tho past.
In the arat place, the Jews havs
| progressed, and no longer present
a stnhd and impreguable front to
outaiders as IN paat times The pazsecu~
ton Of the race has, in great measure,
CEASED, and the forbes,zncs Oh tie one
hand has relaxed the repulsion On the other.
Tho two bodies have begun to consider and
treat each other as brethren Of the sama
fanly--ehi1drsn OF the sama Father, The
ancient antpsthy has gwen way, and Of the
Hebrew Church Of this day there is large
portion, called *Liberal Jews" who, in
oldrn times, would have been stoned tc
death aa apostates; and IA the Christian
Church there ara . Liberal Christians, who,
but q comparatively abort time ago, would
tayo stoned for their heresy At the stake o.
On the soafold.
The Liberal Jews, looking at ths, subject
from their standpoint, regard these Lib.ral
Christians II virtually united vith them in
al tbs essentials of common faith, and
only tasszained from an open avovl ot
unian by the prejudioaa which have eoms
down through 80 many centuries d
biHa1. antagoa1iarni i. While, On the othel
+ hand, The Liberal Uh1iistt sttians regard tho p1ac
teal severance Of the Jewish body As 70.
sn,t n The silent working Of truth, and
claim the multitude ot Liberal Jews a. hat
ing already, In adopting tho Christian cod.
of morality, virtually beooms Christians il
I'll things Eave the avowA thereof.
i OonveHious to and from religious bodie!
which. .thua claim each other can
pot, whao- sariously considered, b
very suzpESing. nor can such conversion
:. fail IN time to bring both sides 10 = close
communion upon the szus general fail
md practice.
IN the meantime, that portion Of III
Christian l.oay which holds the doctrine Q
Idbo1al Christianity as but little, il any, BED
ter than insdeIty, and That portion Of Ii
Jesish body Who treat With equal seorn th
modern school Of Liberal Judaism, look O
in sorrov at this gradual coalition, aud dr1'
from it no. dattesing promises for the pr
gross and spread Of the ruth Of religion
This innovation upan the doctrines {
| the Christian md Hebraic faiths is By n
means confined to this country. It is ere
ta6te extensive in Europe. In catho1
Spain snd Italy and Austria, and IN Pzota
tant England and Germany, the once al
powerful oonfeaaion of the Christian do
+ t.ino and of the Hcbraic code At looselyupo
men's oonscienoee, and the tendAn<
, is. quietly but strongly dismembering bot
bodies, snd drawing tho dotatchsd ro'
.. tions 1oarer 1nd nea1er to EACH othel