The New York herald., 1873-10-26
JUDAISM AND REASON.

Definition OF Reltgion-Walkfng with
God-DiscOurse by DIR. Vidaver In the
Thfrty-tourth Street Synagogue.
'Noah was just man and perfect in his genera
ton, and Noah walked with God.n-Gen., vi, 9.
This was the subject OF DR.. Vidavers remarks yes
terday in the synagogue IN Thirty-fourth street.
The religious question, he said, Is the all-absorb-
ing question now among men and preachers and
religious teachers are asked to give definition Of
religion. 1t is useless for them any longer to say
that this or that creed Is the way and that this or
that church is the door Of entrance to heaven.
The people see the preachers and the churches,
but they don't see religion. They see also that
religion does not belong to this or that
church, and they necessarily inquire, What
is religionp And we have a right to COM
mand attention to the word "religion." The Bible
has no equivalent for 1t. One OF the most graphic
definitions Of what it Is is given to in the text
Noah was a just man and Noah walked with God
Soul religion is that principle that brings man to
man and man to God. With the spirit man CON-
municates with God; with the body he commu-
nicates with How, then, shall these be unted3
Just as Noah did. He had no Bible, no priest no
temple and yet he was perfect man and walked
with God. He had above him the spangled light Of
the heavens by which he knew that there was o
God. Has not the Almighty given to US minds by
which we can study God in His works and see Him
praise to God as sung by Naturef Isaiah jeremiah,
Job declare that God can be seen in nature, and
His children can come to Him then at all times
NO OTHER MEDIATOR THAN MANS REASON.
And Is God confined In the incarnation2 Every
man who chooses to use the faculties OF his mind
can walk with God in nature But 1t will be said
that this is misunderstanding religion OF nature, Of
humanity. Wen, Judaism knows no other God
than the God OF nature and OF revelation. The
Bible contains only the revelation OF Gods word,
not OF His nature or being. But 1t wll be asked,
Mny oS Goa " Il ae ad
always read the book OF nature, nor can all men
read 1t; and because, further man cannot find IN
the book OF nature laws Tor the moral guidance Of
his life. David looked up to the heavens and they
told him OF q Creator; but this revelation
revelation in this book the Bible,. And the his
tory OF all nations Is almost daily confirming the
truths and declarations Of this book. Show me,
any that can produce such laws as are here on
those tablets (aoove the ark. You VIII not find
any.
THE HEArHEN OF OLD
had the same book or nature that we have; yet
they never found out God. They sanctioned many
acts in social life which we would shrink from.
Virtue was unknown to them. And many Of our
modern rationaists interpret the doctrines and
laws or nature as containing in them nothing that
providing even ior his own family. In China,
where the law OF nature prevails, they
leave their aged and 1nfrm on the streets
TO die. And some OF the pagans OF our time have
suggested that the lives OF sckly infants and OF In
firm and helpless old people should be blotted out.
nyou give up this revelation on Sinai you have
nothing left to support you in old age and In the
hour ofdeath Letus, like joshua say that whatever
others may do we will hold to this revelation.
handmaid oil science. It teaches that the God OF
nature Is the God Of the Bible. and this book is the
ligous In the Jewish sense, means to have love to
God and love to man, and to walk with God. And
the man who thus lives, Of him Y can be said that
he - full OF character and OF lifea perfect man,
and one who walks with God.