The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-08-19
IL Judaism DeclininEF
Published In the IntellIeeneer by request from
the JeRish MtssenRerl

When We survey our condition O
jews, beholding on the one hand the Of
torts made BY some modern teachers Il
erase all that has an ancient appearance
and substitute instead something NOR
congenial to our tastes and conyeniences
and, on the other, listen to the remark
Of zealotS Of various creeds, who taunt u
with remaining votaries oil faith which
has long since been abolished by new
dispensation, II behooves US TO give somC
reason for remaining steadlast 10 reli
glon which has the Divine being for n
author, and which Is intended to remain
perpetual.
We have often been asked, whether w
are satisfied that our faith 10 well founded
whether We have no mlpgiyiDg, seeing
that Tor centuries We have been dispersed
over the lace Of the globe, and that ever
the ingathering oil Israel is denied by
many Of our own persuasion, who con-
slider such an idea only tigurative. Dc
we not perceive, Il Is said, that Judaism
Is decliningi When such, and similar
arguments are employed 10 Wean uS
from the belief In the perpeIuity Of Juda.
Ism, what answer shall we giVe9 Shall
we point 10 the vast increase Of our syna.
gogues in Europe and America as an eyi.
dence Of our steadfast adherencep This
might afford some evidence, but not q
complete proof. Our prompt answer Is
this: Judaism cannot decline; for Ia
raelites, however thoughtless or unwise
some OF them may be, have no misgiying
as regards the permRnence Of their faith,
for they feel an undyiDg confidence in the
promises Of God and his free grace, mercy
and Justice; and, although they may pass
from this world without witnessing the
fnldllment OF prophecy in lsrael's favor,
they retain such confidence In the word
Of God that they never entertain any
doubt. They may, on cool reflection, re.
greet that on some occasions they have de,
parted from the beaten track, but the idea
Of their faith declining would be foreign
to their very thought.
This "a not surprising when we analyze
our religion. II requires no compromise
OF the intellect. In our beautiful and
consoling creed, how sublime Is the pure
and spiritual nature Of God; how meta
true, how philosophically
stated: that all natures harmony demon
strates q unity; that all indicates the most
infinite benevolence, not only to human
beings but to the brute creation, not
alone in the laws which govern the uni.
verse, but In the revelation he has given
us. And even II we have not now proph.
cts to warn and instruct, we have their
consoling promises. Let Il not be said
that we are hoping against hope; that for
centuries we have prayed for Q return to
onr golden age, or for the coming Of a
Messiah, and that our petitions are unpro.
ductive; that our faith must decline, see
ing that we are as yet dispersed through.
out every land, and no signs appear in the
Orient that the prophecies are about be.
ing fulfilled. The very fact Of our dis.
persion affords strength 10 the wandering
Jew. Is 1t of no purpose In the ways OF
providence that we should have been
scattered in every land, to be witnesses Of
the accuracy Of our past history as re.
corded In our Bible? Do we NOT remain
q constant miracle 10 demonstrate the
truth Of the prophecies What would
be the state Of the religious world in our
day, agltated as 1t Is by the votaries Of
lntidelity and skepticlsm, were the Is
raelite not to support the truth Of revela-
ton?
Let, than, the scoffers at our religion
say what they please, let the selfish and
superficial declare that the oracles Of God
are now nugatory; our answer Is, that we
exist TO refute their views and 10 contra
dict their differences. Sad, indeed, would
II be for the worlds happiness were Juda.
ism to decline, were the living witnesses
Of the truths Of the Bible to cease from
their evidence. What would
become Of the various pulpit orators Of
other creeds, could they not point 10 US
as contirmatory Of those words that they
owe to our Moses, our David, and our
other saints OF antiquity, debt Of graft
tude that they can never repay?
Our religion is not declining. We con.
cede that many there are born, in the faith
Of Israel, who from various causes have
become recreant TO their trust; their con.
duct, however injurious, Is after all an in.
dividual act, between themselves and
their Heavenly Father: Such non. con.
lormiSts are not confined to the professors
Of our faith; they are found in every sect
and denomination, yet afford no evidence
81 tho decline Of the collective body. We
do not hesitate in saying, that at no period
In our modern history have we maintain.
cd q better condition before the world
than we do now, and this assertion can
be confirmed by the most substantial
evidence. Let US hope that the waverer
and the on.conIormist will swell the
ranks Of the God.iearing, so that those
who come after US may, through our ex.
ample, continue to strengthen the cause
Of our faith, so that the Messianic period
may take place, and general happiness
nravAil thrnuphnnk the world