New-York tribune., 1871-06-14
sHFBeEw CONGREGATIONAL UNION


The Rabbnical Conference just closed in
Cincinnati was perhaps the most important
convocati0n of Hebrews held in this or any
other country during the present century, as
regards its probable results. The Jews, 1t may
be, have not been moro than any other
people under the immediate ruling OF the
Almghty's hand, but it ID certain that for
three thousand years they have been, az 1t
were, set up and apart upon pedestal as an
example of that ruling for other nations.
Since the days Of Abraham they have stood in
the foreground of history. ray of supernatu-
raj light upon them, their faith has been
crowned with exceptional rewards, their crimes
followed with swift and terrible punishment.
Even now. they are proof such as is no.
where else offered of the truth of the
sacred prophecies Only look at them; for
two thousand years they have been scattered
over the world without country or citizenship,
suffering prosecutions such az would have
stfled any other race. Yet they have pre-
served intact their unity. SolOmons in the
Bowery this morning peers at us over the
counter of his pawnbr0ker shop with the
same queer features Of body and mind, the
same shrewd habitude of growing rich, the
same love OF high cOlors and jewelry, the
same language a. his royal namesake, who
ages ago tested all power and knowledge, and
uttered words which we use when we would
speak with Cod. Every old clOthes-dealer
serves Jehovah in the identical cumbrOus re-
ligious formula which has come down to him
from the tribes who bore the ark across the
desert. The black-eyed Jewess who sells
linen suits on Nassau-st. to-day is linked in
some inscrutable way with Rebecca at the
door Of her tent, or Jephthas daughter
going out upon the mountains to meet
her doom. We may laugh at the Jew as we
will, but he carries into our streets under his
"old clO; as no other man can do the royal
garments of a great and strange antiquity; he
stamps upon the c0mmOnest things the verify
of his own awful past. II you want the ex-
planation of the triangular bits of paper on
certain roasts of beef in the market you must
20 back TO Leviticus for it. And the tailOress
on Chatham st. prays to Jehovah for a
man child az did Hannah, because that in him
| may perchance DO found the Messiah of her
race.
1t is this waiting, this perpetual expectation
of the Messiah who was to redeem and ele-
vate them again TO their ancient power, that
has kept the Jews one as people for ages.
The time allotted by prophecy for his appear
ance is now altogether past, and two years ago
| there were indications that in consequence OF
| this large body of the Jews would accept
the Christian faith The present conference
grew ont of the hopeessness of other full
| fllment of the prediction than is to be found
| in the coming OF Jesus. SO far from accepting
Him, however the Rsbbins last week cut the
| Gordian knot by rejecting all prophecy OF
| faith in miracles. A modern prayer-bOOk Is to
! be written for tho use of the Hebrew Congre-
gational Union, in which all allusion to sacri-
fees OF the expected Messiah are to be omit
| ted such portions of the five books of Moses
only are to be used which supply spiritual wants,
| while all antiquated laws are to be omitted. The
Jews in all ages have looked forward also to
reward for all sufferings in the day of their
| triumphant return to Jerusalem, the inception
of which great migration was confidently
looked for about ten years ago, when one OF
! the Rothschilds offered to defray the expenses
of all of his people who were unable to remove
| themselves. But our Yankee Rabbins have
shrewdly determined that the tlesh1pots OF the
United States are better than the very uncer-
tain mamma TO be found nowadays IN Syria,
and therefore have docked their religious creed
iof this article also, and positively prohibit all
mention Of the return 10 Jerusalem IN any
| part Of their service. They also ayOwcd their