The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-05-21
Sacrifices and symbols.


Sacrifices and symbols.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:--
Your journal OF last Sunday, May IL contains
under the above heading what purports TO be critl
cisnl, signed &c. Ii. h." on a sermon delivered by
me in the Temple EMANUEL which was reported in
the HERALD or the Both ult. and published full In
No. Ill OF the Je,rssh Times. 1t that &c. II.
H. has either misunderstood or wilfully misrepre-
sented both the argument and the language or the
sermon IN question. started with the proposition
that the Institution OF sacrifices Is characteristic OF
phase OF intellectual culture which belongs to his
tory, which Is no longer, and as TAR are able
10 Judge, will never again be OF any practical app-
cation for divine worship" careful perusa Of the
sermon must convince every unbiased mind that
this proposition has been logically elaborated
and fully sustained by Scriptural proofs. Not
the institution itself, bat 1.-The prayer for
restoration OF the sacrlnces," was called
"a hollow Ialsehood." And this conclusion.
far from being ''inconsistent," Is in perfect
harmony with the letter and spirit OF my propost-
lion. l fully recognized the importance Of sacri-
fees as long as they constituted the centre and nu
ceus OF religious worship but added .'that cercmo-
mails practsed after that stage when the symbol has
lost It's significant meaning, unable to move the
soul to engage the intellect, not only unjusti
liable, but become dangerous obstacle 10 relIgOus
from the prophets are both "iair and pertinent as
they are all conceived In the spirit OF my PROPOSE
uon. might nave multiplied them ten ana wenty-
fold, but that / refrained from overburdening the
discourse with Biblical qr0talioas. &c. II. H." IS
mistaken IN referring n then to Goiatrons oDaons
instances c ,n directly APPLIED their , stro-
nS ost their ~ sSa sas
a0 and ,p'' Ier ta s v aa rneir an'
aaversions, and. indeed, the progressive cnl-
sacrifices were nothing more than an elementary
phase Of religious worship, symbolicai. but not
fed III pronounoing the doctrine OF ''vicarious
sacrifice" as being devoid OF every Scriptural and
| nounces himself q firm believer in that doctrine
and in the typical character OF the sacrifices pre-
sumo ne Is fully able TO reooncie WIN ms belief the
hebrews, ", Att IL not possible that the blood
OF bulls and goats should take away SINS" although
the conclusion a Jortlort. would seem TO present
| some dlncuity.
&c. Il. H." seems to be deeply concerted show
can preach for the editcation OF the chosen race
VINO have, with all Their material wealth, no city to
| call their own-the weary-ooted wanderers or
nearly 1000 years-instead Of the hope OF Israeli
'the coming OF the Messah.' the future glory OF
| our nation,' cold and dismal necessity" II the
lncuicauon OF the principles of justice, love- and
humility as the GROWING virtues Of humanity with
Which my sermon Closes appears to &c. IL. H. las
cold and dismal necessity" | am forced TO con-
less that cannot appreciate his standard OF preach
lny 10 me 1t appears fun OF warmth and cheerful
ness, aud indicating mans moral freedom OF action
1t recOncles us to the present. hts us for the duties
OF life, helps to establish and disseminate those
| sentiments and feelings by which c0nfraternza-
TINS consists .lne hope OF Israeli "the coming Of
| the Messiah" "tne future glory OF our nation."
wealth." exceeds that OF our Gentle neighbors /
know that there are some deep-roOted popular pre-
JUDGES IN references 10 thus subject, and 1t would
| aces. II hts presumed estimate Is correct, can
| only say that the material wealth Is not hidden
under Dushel bat Is literally applied towards the
| anelorati0n OF our species, without distinction Of
creed, IN the same way as our spiritual wealth has
nlled the spiritual shrInes OF needy millions who
| how worship with the same GOD, without dunn
ishing our spiritual treasure We do not wish for
strnctlon of Jeremiah xxx I, 1--WE seek the peace
and welfare or the city which we call our home and
pray TO God III It's BEHALF Tor IN her peace our own Is
! bound up.r thus recOnciled 10 our present and
hopeful OF the future we hun6ly try to accomplish
| the mission assigned to us by Providence "that ne
is our God, and we are His Witnesses" and truth
fully ooA forward to the time. when the Eternal one
will he universally acknowledged and worshpped as
the Father oil all mankind aud peace and Orotheriy
| love will prevail among His children upon earth.
JAMES X. GUTHElM.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
] Though did neither read nor hear any more OF
the sermon OF which the writer Of the article "Sac
ritces and symbols" treats than contained in that
article In your issue OF last Sunday, It may possibly
interest YOUR numerous readers to have lay mans
| opinion on the same topic.
| The writer OF the article alluded to boasts of his
belief In the redemption not OF mankind, but OF
Christians by means OF the all-suicent" sacrifice
OF the "Redeemern Now, we Jews boast
OF needing no Redeemer. Every one is his own
| Redeemer If he should need redemption from his
own slns and for those OF others he will never be
committed The practical life Is the pivot OF Juda-
ISM Belief Is OF import only In so far as 1t tends
| the furtherance vi moral elevation. The Talmud
says:-"The righteous Of all nations win share the
enjoyment OF eternal happiness" Thus IL is very
plain that the sacrifice never mysterious thing
| III Judaism. The sacrlIce could never atone. In
identification was necessary, and the only medium
OF atonement, aud any sacrifice must have been
n. D-A ia Y
sacrifices were nothing but form OF public worship
Introduced into Mosaicism as o temporary conces-
to the spirit Of the age and preventive against
demoralizlng idolatry tLevit!cus XVIII, ~ Jere-
miah sterny repes tvl ~ 23 the idea OF ascriblng
sacrifice in itself. We admit that the prophets re-
preached the people on account of their idoatry,
and the most horrible crimes, which were
all the more horrible and degcnerating as
oTedieace to their pretended Commands. Besides
ldolaty frustrated the early consolidation or the
nation ldolatry was not overcome until alter the
1 return from the Babylonan exile, and though the
former rite was restored, the sacrifice lost It's
significance since tnence.orth prayers became
more popular clement Of public worship, and syna-
| gogues were established everywhere.
| Regarding the prophecies oil the coming Messiah,
| my BELIEF is that mankind Will daily slowly but
bur surely advance toward the state OF things the
prophets pictured. But do not believe that il Will
be accomplished by one individual. We oil have
| our snare In the task q. Ii.
| Twenty Years Experience Ina Housekeeping
i'm New York.
| To THE EpTCR or THE HERALD:-
My attention being called to an article in your
paper OF the 9th inst, under the heading or .sThe
Social Evil, and the Improper Method OF Eradlcat.
Ing It, u as resident OF New YORK and reader
OF tue HERALD for the past twenty years, beg to
MORN the writer of that article that he cannot
show nine cases cut OF every hundred where females
are driven to life OF shame through necessity.
No good, sensible, pure-minded woman will ever
degrade herself. Better death than dshonor. hut
there need or rushing headong into the former
when there - plenty OF employment to be procured
III this cty To Keep every female wishes 70 work
from the latter.
1 should ike to ask Bephegor (supposing tile
writer OF the article referred TO be oil the mascu-
line gcnderI IL hc can find OF every hundred
OF those Magdaienes VINO would be willing to take
situation IN any capacity where labor is required;