The New York herald., 1876-03-19
SYNAGOGUE WORSHIP.

SYNAGOGUE WORSHIP.
WHAT Is JUDAISM, AND WHEREIN Is IT IN
FERIoR TO CHRISTIANITY OR oENTnIsM p
DR.. GoTTHEILs PREPARATORY ANSWER.
After having concluded series of dscourses OF con-
siderable interest giving the reasons why he is Jew
in belief we'll by birth, Dr. Gotheil yesterday be-
gan another series of lectures Judaism. Tho
sonist societies would do well these
every second Saturday hereafter, for evidently they
don't know much about Judaism historically prac-
tically. And as certain associations have recently
shown deep interest in the conversion OF the
house OF Israel and sought by what means they might
reach them, DR.. Gotthel will give them certain
"ponts" this limo before he gets through with his
series. Yesterday he made Isaiah XIV, 22-25, the
basis OF his opening discourse-"Turn unto me- that
ye may be helped, all ye ends OF the earth, for
am God, and there is one else By myself have
! sworn, righteousness is gone out OF my mouth
word which shall not return, that unto every knee
shall bow and every tongue shall swear only the
Lord shall men say OF me, there righteousness and
strength Unto Him shall come and be ashamed
all that incenscd against Him. In the Lord shall
they be justified and shall glory themselves all the seed
OF Israeli Afier some preliminary remarks concern
ing the value of the good opinion OF their fellow
and the great mission OF Israel to preach peace and
good will mankind tho Doctor the question
before him and asked, What is JudaismS When
consider the great change that has taken place in the
Jewish mind and in the religious life OF the people OF
Israel, the Doctor said. this question became i'm
portant
WHAT Is JUDAISM TODAY
II this question put any OF you now, said the
Doctor you could give intelligent answer. But it
would DO impossible for you to give satisfactory
answer any assembly OF non-Israetcs To say that
believe in the Old Testament and not
IN the New will not suffice In history
we "the unknown quantity" OF religion
Judaism is not be understood by Gentiles but is
some ethng to be overcome by them. The prevailing
idea, which amounts to hereditary impression among
Gcnties is that we sraeies should all appear Old
Testament garb, with the habits and customs OF those
days When the Doctor went fresh from Germany to
Manchester, England, the rabbi Of the Reformed
Jewish congregation there, a Christian minister,
tive OF Scotland and graduate Of Edinburgh University,
engaged TO help him in ms En-ish study. After
they had been thus associated Tor time the
Scotchman showed some uneasiness, and one morning
he made known his trouble by asking Dr. Gotthel two
three times over before he could be satisfied If Dr.
Gottheil were really Jewish rabbi He had noticed
his library stocked with the literature OF England and
Germany as we'll of Palestine; no had heard HIM
quote correctly passages from the New Testament and
had him day after day dress and speak and act
Just ike other He could not understand H. And
reply TO an inquiry, this Christian minister gave his
own conception OF what jewish raob should
be-a man with a long beard and longer
tunic, with turban rolled around his head
and holy oil rolling down over his beard and garments
even the skirts OF his clothing. But they
dcrstood each other they became last friends Now
this Is the general idea Ia many GENTLE minds to-day
it is believed that Jews live out half dreamy existence
longing for their TO Jerusalem. II any
should ask him # he did not want TO go back thther
he would consider that the wish was father 10 the
thought Why should they desire TO return Tho Is
racIites in every land and in every ago have assim
lated themselves with the people with whom they
dwelt In every respect except religion They are
everywhere
THOROUGHLY SArIoSALzEo AND PATRIOTIC
They Arabs in Syria and Egypt, Germans
In Germany, Engshmen in England, Americans in
America, and warriors In battle in every country
when their help needed. There is country in
the world wherc The Jews have been scattered that
their blood has not been she'd Ia IL possible ths Doc
tor asked that VIC can so through such experiences and
yet be swayed only by tho same motives that swaycd
our ioreiathers at time when nothing but exalted
idea OF their own nationality and reigion and their
adoption by God as His chosen people was before thcmy
The mind OF Israel Is not obtuse and slow TO
apprshcnd 1t Is quick and active and the |
heart tender and trusting. And not only politically !
and socially, but intellectually. Also, the jew has
never ceased to be active They are not and never
have been the Rip Van Wnkles OF their time, waking
mp after the sleep OF centuries wipe their eyes and
inquire what has taken place IN the interim. They
which they lived. century and half before the
rise Of Christianity the Jews OF Alexandra had their
poets and philosophers The names Of at least three
Of the former have been handed down to They
translated their Scriptures into Western tongues,
transcribing with pen every word centuries before
the art OF printing was discovered Josephus defended
his religion and the antiquities OF his people before
imperial Rome more than eighteen centuries ago. In
the spanish period Of tho worlds history there not
branch OF science that quite familiar TO tho
Jews The astronomical observations OF Jew for
AlOuSc OF CaSiHe renamed IN use lOr centuries,
down even TO late date. 80 also Of the philosophy Of
Spnozai II was conceived In Jewish mind There IS I
a mighty museum OF Jewish literature comprising
ethics, poetry, philosophy scientific research, &C, and
ask, Is n religion that has such a record be
passed W simply with a cOndesccnding rccognitionf
And our GENTLE brethren are still sending out their
MISSIONARIES WITH LITTLE PENNY TRACTS
10 convcrt us What but smile give them /
when We see their chic men going on pgrlmages TO
Jerusalem and returning with relics OF the Holy Land
chips from the foundations oi the city Of
jerusalem and then giving their money TO convert us
Which needs conversion mOsY Dr. Gotthel here related
hts experience with ono OF those pilgrims who ack
nowledgod that he had mover been inside OF syna
gogue, had never heard a jewish rabDi preach, had
never been IN Jewish home or school, and knew
thing about them except what he cleaned from his
New Testament, from hcarsay from business trans
actions In which no always found them honest and
right Dr. Gotthoil expressed his surprise that this
pilgrim and others like him should DO much moro
anxious 10 visit the tombs Of dead Jews aud yet
so little about the living ones.
Judaism OF today h development OF Old Testament /
religion the growth Of the seed that was SOW In Palcs-
tine the monothcstic idea which has down |
along the ages from Abrahams time. And the aim Of /
reform Judaism not TO bring back l
primitive Judaism, but 10 realize the /
perfect idea Of religion. To-day, there /
fore simply take the total Of the past and Try
OF the present The Jewich mind has wrostled with /
the world Tor the preservation OF It's grand e and is
full OF hope and life TO day Il Judaism
living thing; it's faith that will stand fast in tho
hour OF defeat 0r In the hour OF triumph for Ia not
20 sagcs or prophets that ooks but To thc living God
who has promised 70 be It's support aud stay.
This discourse, given IN substance merely, was de-
signed preparatory and fundamental those which
are 10 follow. " was eagerly listened 70 BY largo