The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1877-01-12
4DLERS LECTURES.
II, Ercogiafiag -II'tjcEe upon Their Tn
dcncies as Innorations upon He6re,c
Jniy, Doctrine and Dogma.

In E.rCOFidftHD -1Fttcte upon IHctF IeIi-
dc,.cieS as Innoratjons upon He6re,c
Unug, Doctrine o,,d Dogma.
1t is maintained that Ameri-
cans learn nothing from history. They
try the same experiments over again, the
results of which history records, and
must often pay dearly for this negligence.
Is not this the case also with our Jewish
leaders? Did they not, and does not
each of them try to make history anew,
ard each on his own account. without
consulting for moment the records of
past events? We believe they do. If
each synagogue has another liturgy and
ritual. and each school another cate
chism. Judaism must be broken up in
fractions, in its form of neutrality-suspicious.;
and this, although a mere form to men
of learning is essential to the congrega-
ton, standing at the foot and seeing but
the base Of Mt. Sinai. The Teaaqim,
after the fall Of Jerusalem, and after the
1maaim Gae9nim, rabbinists and phi
losophers had set the example Of liturgi-
cal unity in Israel but it did not teach
those 4 lesson who learn nothing from
history. They have been told, request
ed, begged, under humiliation and self
denial they have been entreated. let US
unite Israel's houses of worship as in
days of wore, but they refused persist
emily. f;ow comes Prof Adler and the
Sunday lecture association, and inform
them of the logical sequences of those
premises. The thing is broken up right
there, and it coulC not possibly come
otherwise Where every Jewish man. in
stitution, book, every attempt at union
and united action was dragged down in
the mud, each and every Jewish au
thority had been violently butchered,
and STRAUSS d" Old and New Faith" had
been publicly rehashed before the young;
there had to come indigerentism first,
contempt next, Prof Adler and his asso-
cation last. It could not fail it Is the
natural course of events. Perhaps this
viii arouse some of our readers there to
consciousness that all can do more than
one; that Israel united Is Isreal indeed
Perhaps they viii begin 10 see that the
strong authority and the united inteIli-
gence of the union of American Hebrew
congregations, in annual council, Is more
efficient than that of any one man or
congregation; and it might be better, after
all, to submit individual opinions to be
/ legitimate resolutions of all or the ma
iority than to make history anew, each
on his own account. Perhaps it might
/ rouse some to see if we let our future
rabbis be educated under the material
/ ism OF Berlin, or under the very chris
tian vigilance of Columbia, Yale or
/ Trinity, they viii be no Jews but if we
I take this matter in our own hands, we
could do much better, and there can be
none to care better for our interests than
we ourselves could do it, and the union
/ of American Hebrew congregations is
ourselves exclusively. Perhaps some of
/ IsraePs honest friends in New York will
/ begin to see where they have been led
/ to- and reflect what will become of it I'M
der such leaders, such workers, such
scribes and such isolation, blind and
naughty contempt of men and lessons.
We say perhaps" for nothing is sure
in this world. Perhaps Prof Adler and
his association will go on, preach atheism,
materialism and utilism, if that is their
object, until the young shall turn away
with disgust from the naughty inditfer-
entism OF the old, and the in
1incible selfsatisfaction of the leaders,
and open a new ere of Judaism or, per-
haps, they will let the whole thing 60 to
pieces 10 ( Ne their pride. Who can
tell? One thing is certain, hover, Juda
ism depends not on New York or any
other city, country or generation. All
New York may be heathenized; this
whole generation may follow after Baal,
Moloch or Mammon it will do no harm
to Judaism. which Is indestructible be-
cause divine. Neither Hannah nor An
tiochus, Epiphaues nor Hadrian, nor the
crusaders, nor any man or body OF men,
could possibly destroy eternal truth
with which Judaism is Identical There
is one eternally living God, an all-wise
and adjust Providence, immortality for
man and eternal justice for men, to tri-
umph at last and mans will is free.
Whosoever chooses may run himself to
hell and selfdestruction, but Judaism
VIII live forever. It is Gods decree;
man cannot change it. Three thousand
years Of history testify to it; no mans
argumentcanlinjureit. Allphilosophy of
all philosophers, science of scientists, crit
icism Of critics. bubbles of philologists,
and rusty pins Of psychologists amount
to nothing before the consciousness OF
the human family and the mighty voice
of history. They proclaim, thousand
tongued, Gods providence, immortality
and perfect ability of the human race;
and this is Judaism. This willoutlive all
generations and nations; and the last man
(if this should ever be) will die with
these truths in his soul.--Am'1can
LsrGelite