The New York herald., 1871-09-17
The Jewish Asw Xser-Tas Jews In tho
United StnioS.

/ U0te0 Stut09s
1t is not, we think contrary to truth to say
that many hundreds of those into whose hands
| will fall the HERALD of this morning are igno-
rant of the fact that large and growing Sec
tion of our population are engaged in the cele-
bration of festival which is, at least, as old
as the days of Moses. On Friday evening
| last at sundown, commenced the year 5,632,
according to Jewish calculation. The opening
| days of the year are devoted to prayer, fast
ing and charity. The festive season, we be-
lieve, lasts for ten days. With the old ortho-
dox Jews the two first days are held in special
veneration. With the new school the first day
only is especially sacred. 1t is the hope and
prayer of all good sons and daughters of Abra-
ham that their names should be found written
in the Book Of Life. We know no good rea-
son why we should not, after this fresh proof
of devotion and sel-sacrifce, join with them
in this high hope and prayer.
The return of this Jewish festival compels
attention to subject which we are all of us
too liable to overlook. The history of the Jew
ish people is virtually the history Of the hu-
man family. How much of the history of the
world would be worth remembering away from
its connection with that peoplea The call Of
Abraham; the patriarchal history which fol-
lowed; the bondage in Egypt, the deliverance
and the subsequent wanderings in the wilder
ness; the conquest, occupation and strange his
tory Of the kingdom; the disruption of the
afafa which Co1ovu On opd noyid hod oo Iohor
iously built up, the decline and fall; the ap-
pearance of Him who claimed to be the long
promised and long-looked-for Messiah the
new teaching; the crucifxion, and the miracu-
lous events which Immediately followed; the
destruction Of Jerusalem by the soldiers OF
Titus and the consequent and final dispersion
how largely all these enter into all that we
know or care to know of the past! We know
Of no higher compliment which can be paid to
Christianity than to say that it is the compile
ment of Judaism. Differ as Christians may
from Jews, differ as Christians and Jews may
among themselves, this at least must be ad-
mitted: that Jews and Christians alike
have right to claim an Inheritance
in the precious memorials of the same
glorious past. The history of ancient
Israel is no doubt the property ofthe Jew but
it is also in q very emphatic sense the property
of the Christian. To the Jews we are indebted
for our moral ana religious opinions If we
are not Jews by blood. we are Jews all of us in
intellect and feeling. Dsraeli once said -
"One-half of Europe worships Jew; the
other half worships Jewess." 1t was daring
and somewhat impious saying; but it has this
to recommend tit is true.
We cannot-we dare not-be Indifferent to
the condition and prospects of the Jewish peo-
pie. Time was when it was the supposed duty
of every Christian to trample them under foot.
The history of their wanderings in all lands
for tue last eighteen hundred years is a his
tory of sorrow and suffering which is entirely
without parallel. No people have ever been
so tried and tempted. For centuries the world
was in league against them. Anything was
good enough for Jew. With what measure
he meted it out to the Founder of Christianity,
with that measure every Christian deemed it
bis duty to mete it out to him. But there was
He stopped, but he stopped in hope and with
determination yet to conquer. In spite of
apparent neglect he trusted that he was not
forgotten by the God of his fathers. In spite
of persecution the sons of Israel grew
and multiplied; and wherever they went they
contrved to amass wealth and to give proof
of intelligence. Times are now changed.
The Jew still suffers in some lands; but in all
the great civilized nations of modern times he
is the object Of imperial, royal, or, what is
better still, national favor. The clouds of ad-
versity no longer darken his path. Wherever
opportunity is given the intellectual character
of the race reveals ITSELF In almost all de-
partments Of human enterprise and ambition
the Jews compete successfully with their Cen
tile neighbors. In literature, in the fine arts,
in politics, in finance, they carry off the
prizes and by their wealth and their rapid
accumulation of the same they threaten to
become the masters of the world Kings
once plucked out their teeth to find out their
purse. Kings are now proud to court their
favor and assistance. In almost every nation
of Europe in Germany, in Austria, in France,
in Great Britain, not to speak of the smaller
States, the Jew has worked his way to the
surface and made himself felt as power.
While however, it is not to be denied that
the condition of the Jew has been ameliorated
in all the civilized nations Of modern times, it
must be claimed for these United States that
the sons and daughters of Abraham find their
true home among the free people Of this
young republic of the West. Nowhere else
are they so fully admitted to the rights of
citizenship. Here they feel that they are
citizens by right and not by favor or privilege.
Disqualified neither by race nor religion. every
Office in the republic is open to their ambi-
ton nor is there any good reason why a
descendant of David should not yet sit in pride
in our Presidential chair To the advantages
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