The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-04-18
Easter pays ana olller: pays.
From ,he American fraellte, RabbI VIE, ElIto


Next Sunday is orthodox Sunday, viz :
The orthodox Christians keep the Pope's
Easter Sunday, and the orthodox Jews
keep the Rabbinical Easter, viz: the
eighth day thereof. As little as the
Christian Easter, Pentecost or Christmas
Is ordained in the Bible, or. could be re-
ferred back to any SO called inspired au-
thority, so little, indeed, can the Rabbi
nical, or the so-called second holy days
be justified from any Biblical standpoint,
especially with those who .expound the
law, sand thou shalt not add" &C., 10 re.
fer to all commandments Of the Penta-
teuct.
The Christian holy days, it is well
known, were originally priestly imposi.
tions. The Jewish Ctanukuh was changed
into Christmas, without any definite know
ledge when Jesus was born, which is not
known now. The Jewish Passover was
turned into the Christian Easter, and
the redemption Of Israel from Egypt,
which Is the historical foundation OF the
Passover, was replaced by the redemption
OF the heathens from sin and damna-
ton by the the blood OF the crucified one,
although the very idea OF vicarious
atonement is Pagan, entirely foreign to
ancient and modern Judaism. The Jew
ish Shabuoth, TO DO celebrated the tiftieth
day after the first day OF Passover by
the Minchath Biccurim, "the meal Offer
ing OF tho new -FOUR" was changed into
the Christian Pentecost; and rs the Jew
ish tradition points out that day as the
ono OF the revelation OF Mount Sinai, the
Christian writer's put In lieu thereof the
Pentecost miracle, or the ascension OF
Jesus 10 heaven, or both. Jesus went up
to heaven, they maintain, and then the
Holy Ghost came down upon the Apos-
ties, which was a new revelation in their
opinion. All this was done; and after
wards, also, the Jewish Sabbath was
changed to Sunday. to retain the Jewish
institutions as much as possible, and yet
be no Jews IN appearance, not on account
Of any religious motive, but from politi-
cal necessity. The Jews represented a
vanquished nationality, held In derision
by their barbarian conquerorS, who hated
them on account OF their yalor, patriot
Ism and incorporating adherence to
the religion, laws, institutions and CHS
toms Of their fathers.
The GENTLE Christians considered it
necessary not to be recognized Jews,
changed primitive Christianity to suit
the political situation, and went so far as
to excommunicate the Apostolic Chris
tiaus, viz: tho Ebionites and Nazarenes,
who. like Jesus and the Apostles Paul
excepted, adhered to the Jewish laws.
This was not carried out radically in one
year or in one century; it took long
time TO impose these new holy days, es-
pecially the Sunday-Sabbath, on the Gem
lilo converts, as The history Of the Church
abundantly shows.
The Ra6bis OF old, before the lunsr cal
endar was authoritatiyely fixed, and
when the Hebrew people In general were
ignorant Of the computation OF time,
claimed the right Of fixing the new moon
days for the heads Of the Sanhedrin in7Je.
rusalem, hence that august body estab-
lished and proclaimed the holy days.
But as their proclamatiOns, in many in.
stances, could not reach the Jews in for
eign countries in time, two holy days
werc instituted for each one ordered in
the Bible, on account OF the doubt about
the calendar. As long as there was a
Sanhedrln in Palestine, up TO the begin.
ming OF the fourth century, this privi-
lege Of domlneetiug over the Jews OF for
eign countries, besides other privileges,
was tenaciously and religiously main
tanned, perhaps in order 10 keep up a
spiritual union by some outer means, or
to keep the Hebrews attention riveted
on Palestine.
So the Hebrews outside OF Palestine
were Obliged 10 keep two holy days in
place OF every one ordained in the Bible.
when the second Hillel, who stood at the
head Of the Sanhedrin in the beginning
Of the fourth century, fixed and pub.
lished the lunar calendar, against which
the Caraites still protest. these second
holy days were retained outside Of Pal.
estinc on account OF ancient custom, and
also, perhaps, the calendar might be for.
gotten again, So our orthodox brethren
to this day keep two holy days for each
one ordained in the Bible, with the same
right as the Christians keep their respect.
i've holy days, neither Of which can be
referred back to any inspired record, and
both Of them are human impositions
which originated from real or imaginary
necessity.
The Gentle Christians who intention.
ally made new religion from Primitive
Christianity, as taught by the apostolic
congregation and secta, undoubtedly had
the same right to establish new holy days
as tho rabbIs Of old had 10 make second
holy days; both Of them rest upon the