The New York herald., 1871-02-12
J u d A I s M.
A Review of Its Present Con-
ditiOn.
The Orthodox and Reform parties-Their
Distinguishing Characteristics and
Relative Importance.
The Sweeping Away OF the Rubbish Of
Tive Thousand Years and the Jewish
Church of the Future.

During the past year the attention OF many
thoughtful observers has been drawn upon the
striking internal conflict going on In the body
OF the American Jewish Church. After stiffness
and torpor, scarcely ever broken by the fantest
ripple OF aoubt even OF inquiry, extending through
many ages, this faith has suddenly provoked among
Its members TIE same spirit OF careful and rigorous
scrutiny ana The tendency to 'sprove all things
and hold last TO that which Is goodn and that only
which has torn the bosom OF so many crystallized
types OF Christianity and from which even she who
boasts herself the immutable Catholic Church OF all
the ages has not wholly escaped.
Before attempting briefly to trace ont the blurred
and confused lines that separate the various
CONFLICTING SHADES
or existing Judaic theology IL is well TO carefully state
that ofthe reforms proposed show any tendency
TO approximate Judaism Christianity. The reform
as Loyalty Judac in tone OF thought as their
orthodox antagonists, and they reject, with even
added vehemence the one distinctive doctrine OF
Chrlsuanlty-a vicarious atonement. But though
they, therefore, hold out no hope OF bringing Chris.
tianiy and Judaism together religions It is curl
TO remark the passionate earnestness with
which some OF them express the aspira-
ton OF union or Jews and Chris
tians, as men linked together by the tie Of
common humanity, and by the further bond OF
beliefs which, differing in many things, still agree
upon certain grand fundamental truths. They
hold, indeed, with German philosopher, that IN
thus world OF variety 1t is foolish to look for uni
formily OF belief; but that
RELIGIONS LIKE FLOWERS,
While strkngiy different in colorlng and shape, are
frequently OF equal beauty and diIuse equally pleas
Ing though distinct, perfumes.
IL Is worth while, too, TO note, before going fur
ther, that this reformed school OF Judaism has made
Its appearance In anything like definite and con-
spicuous form in this country alone In Germany there
is the faint dawn Of similar spirit but the changes
proposed are OF the mildest character and are urged
with modesty and linidity which are scarcely the
most salient traits OF the American leaders OF the
movement In England there only two moderate
reform congregations-one IN London and an other
In Manchester. 1t is only in America that jewish
heierodoSy has dared to assert itself with bold
front and IN unmistaSable tones. For
CAUSE OF THIS
last fact we have not perhaps far 20 seek In this
country alone has the Israehte been placed upon an
absolute equality with his fellow citizens Ii every
oIner land-even in England unti few
years ago-the descendant OF David ana
Moses and The kinsman OF Christ has been
separated from the social world about HIM by
bitter cruel barrier OF scorn and hatred. In Rome
IN Bagdad III Moscow, among the MohammedaDs Ds and
Chrislans OF every type, ii has been, and WIN ew
exceptions, Is stl counted high and noble virtue
to cheat and plumber ana oppress the ..chos sen
people OF d. Surely 1t has not been a strange
thing that people thus wronged should hold them
selves apart and should seek Consolation IRON the
lnlqutOuS injustice aud causeess anmoslv that has
met them on every haud III Jealously guarding from
change their hereditary reigion--a religion which
was tue nrst 10 ensnrlne, anu stll soiemny holds,
uupolued by any consistent accessory dog mas the
sublime principles OF the unity, wen the good
ness ana tue justice 0l God. Nor has II been Won-
deriui that the Jew has remained willingly blind
To the poetry o1 blended Incarnation the human
only by men who emulated the cruelty and biqotry
or the coarsest forms OF idoatry and superSitien
But about the time when, Al this country espe-
claily, the abors OF tue
EARLY APOSTLES OF uNITARIAYIsM
were being crowned with abundant narvests-that
when also generations of tolerance and Kindness
had thawed the cold, icy hatred toward Chris
tians that had naturally sprung up during
began 10 diligently examine every article OF iaitn
every teaching OF tradition. every custom OF ritual
that distlDctlvey marked their religion. That eX-
animation has yearly grown more rigidy searching,
and IT'S results though not yet fully apparent point
Clearly TO the remuneration OF all the superficial over
growth cf usages and beliefs which have been
mainly responsible for the preservation of jewish
nationality: while al the same time IL Is no less
clear that the fundamental truths taught by Noses
those WDlcl nave I gard purely 10 spiritual life and
revelent, more vital faitn tnan ever. In the very
country, therefore, and al the very time When
tlihg Ike
BRoTHERLY LOVE AND RESPECT
nave been possible between Jews and Christians,
there has been breaking down both sides OF re-
hgious obstacles 10 the growth oi such Ieeling
Oithodox Christians couple OF centuries nence IL
there be such Thing a. orthodox Christianity in
that dIm far future may nave vet another fajsi,ied
prophecy TO explain mystify. The Jews may then
nave ceased 10 be a peculiar people, except in
that they Will still proudly boast distinct blood
nople aud ancient ancestry, historic past and an
immortal literature. The reformed Jew even now
cats and drinks with the Christian many even al-
yocate the abandonment OF circumcision. except in
hot climates, where it is beneficial! san
iary provision, aud that vast mass OF customs
communion between Jew and Gentle, will have
soon, probably, been for ever cast aside 1t Is in
deed no yan dream to hopefully believe that the
curse which the early Jewish Christians uttered
against their fellow countrymen, ami which II the
Intensity oI their ianatcal hatred they would have
lam made eternaly active, VIII soon very soon, be
wholly powerless Tor evil. Tnen, ami then only, to
quote the words OF the good Catholic, Bernard de
The Hebrew shall go free
AND celebrate in triumph
Ana tie suniit land that recks not
Of tempest or Of hght
Shall fold within It's bosom
Each nappy lsrac!ite.
EXISTING PAETIEs.
There are now. though they can he distinguished
ony with some difficulty, as Their boun.
other, four representative parties IN the
JEWISH Church. These may be termed
tie extreme orthodox, the conservatives the mo-
derate reormers and the extreme radical reformers.
The nrs am the lasttne extremists both SIDES
are numerically very weak, and practically csaser-
yaliyes and reiormers divide Inc Church between
item. At present the conservatives are, perhaps
slightly the more numerous ana influential, bur two
reform views With create. or less energy and few
more years VIII probably sec the rciormers papably
iu The ascendant.
EXTREME ORTHODOX.
The extreme orthodox party IS IN America very IN
significant, and is represented I'm New lorG by only
scme five or SIX congregations, comprising the
syndgogleS III Chrystie, Henry, Alien, AT
tor,ey and Thirty-tllird streets, ana the Hol-
laDders synagogue IN stanton street. In
tneso the forms OF Jewish worship followed
in Central and Eastern Europe are retained with no
material change The separation OF The sexes g. OF
course. rigidly observed, aud cumbrous and
lengthy ritual with many prayers and customs
Which are OF comparatively recent date, engraitcd
upon tue slmpler and moro ancient hurgy, Is used
IN their daily life this class OF lsraelltes sill strive
to keep themselves rigllly apart from the Gentle
world by number or customs and practices which
would DC tedious 10 detail at length. The cnarac-
ter OF this lsraete party may perhaps. be best
derscod by saying that Ia all things they prefer the
land their fathers left 10 the haven OF refuge they
have now found; that they Jews
hrst, and then Americans-Amerlcan Jews