The New York herald., 1869-12-27
JEWISH REFORM.

Lecture by Rev. DIR. u. Einhorn rhe Third
and Fourth Resolutions Passed by the Rnb-
binical Conference.-The INSTITUTION Of
Priesthood Has Lost All SiRnifcance-
Bloody Sacrifices Not in Accord with tho
Progressive Spirit of The Jewish Religion.
Rabbi Einhorn lectured on saturday at the Temple
Adath Jeshurun before large and refined congrega-
ton on the recent Rabbncat Conference in Phila-
delphia
. The main functions, the lecsRrer said, OF the
Aaronic priests consisted carrying cut the pre-
cepts or the sacrihcal rites the instruction OF the
people in the law OF God, especallysin deciding
between the sacred and proiane, The clean and un-
clean. They further exercised tue CHIEF judicial
power IN all civil and criminal cases and they were
commanded TO bless the. people TO these functions
annexed certain duties and privileges, as, for
instance, the share IN portions or the animals
offered as SACRIFICES, the prohibition OF Intoxi'
eating beverages, OF tearing their clothes
in cases or mourning, the contamination of corpses
and the marriage with certain classes. On what
rested this distinction OF class among all people
that claimed to be nation OF priests? Though the
Talmud answers simply with the validity OF the Mo-
sale behest, we yet find in Jewish history an Intense
struggle against the prestly arlstocracy which
finally resulted in reducing tse priestly privileges to
the merest shadow. OF the pr testify functions the
sacrifices have forever ceased The great Sanne-
drlm consisted OF men not OF the LeviLlc tribe Tne
priests not exclusively the teachers OF the peo-
pie, but all those learned IN the law. Even IN bless
nOunced. And SO have all their other privileges
been reduced TO naught. The rational spirit could
neverobe suppressed in JUDAISM. and 1t was this
spirit which made sne congregation say to the High
Priest ''Y0u are our messenger not privileged
midder between God and US Ia this spirit the Ia,
higher than an iliterate high priest" The arsto-
cracy OF blh receded farther and farther with the
Jews, and only the moral obligations OF the priests re-
manned, and these were transferred on all the people,
we are in no greater opposition to the dead-ietter
doctrlne than the old sages In doing away with the
poor remnants OF priesthood. Israel had originally
the mission to De congregation OF priests; there-
Se ns sons 81 Bu, the peope showed IN inc
worship OF the Golden Calf tnat they were not ripe
yet for the Divine idea; hence the selection u the
Levites as the priests, instructors and teachers OF
the people. Yhe barrier between the people or Coo
was only moral barrier ana Lhls alone answers the
question raised by the 1amud, how the non-Aaron-
ties In their undlness to offer SACRIFICES could en-
power the Aaronltes to do IL for them" II the
privileges or the priesthood were permanens the
uestion would be pertinent but IN the true spirit
OF the Mosaic doctrine they were only chosen for
time, aud with the destruction OF the second temple
all Iaraelltes, and when we pronounce the Aar0nic
| blessing we invoke ii IN behalf OF the whole human
family. ls there any other form against which the
old prophets Numbered ike the sacrihcial cult ?
| They ever proclaim God desires truth. right
mud Of rectitnde, not incense and sacrifices
| 1t Is now 1,soo years since Israel was delivered
hold it as the panacea OF the future. Not blood
OF innocent animals atoues bsfore God, but sngly
and solely the conservation OF the blood that rolls
| and circulate In veins. and blood OF atone
ment in the Mosaic sacriicial worship Is only the
symbol OF the human blood that needs atonemenL
Only paganism recognizes the priest as the repre-
sentative Of God, and the suffering animal the
representatives OF the sinner. DO you think Israel
needs to descend into the grave to bring up the
skeletons OF the pasty II that were Israel woud
live any longer Not IN the graves does 1t
its treasures; the contrary ell that dead con-
signs tohe past but US doctrines laws lnstitu-
tOns, which have become the property Of the whole
civilized world IL Will embrace with all Its heart,
soul and lie, to be truly nation OF priests.