Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1877-05-12

tinued: "Changes were made not only
in externals, but doctrines long esteemed
fundamental were boldly challenged.
Patriotism was the lever of reform. The
Jews said, five belong to the father
land, to return to Palestine were treason,
to expect the Messiah is useless so these
ideas were abandoned. They said, If
we are to mingle with the world, the
dietary laws which were intended to keep
us separate and distinct must go;' 80
they were abolished. And when it was
said that these rest on the talmud, it was
answered, Then the talmud must 60
Or on the bible, Then the bible must
go, too Even so important an ordi-
nance as the rite of the covenant was
called in question, and other equally fun
damental roints, If you ask, then, what
remained of Judaism, this remained; ;
First, the belief in the monotheism of
the prophets; and, second the Messianic
mission of the Jewish people. These are
the pillars of the reform movement to-
day. What these reforms did was this :
They cleared Judaism OF the eXternals
which had grown up around it during
the dark ages of persecution, they SIM
pliied its doctrines, they purged its
ceremonies, they cut off many fasts and
leasts, and waged manful warfare against
superstition. They raised the moral
level of the people. Their mission was
to emancpate religion from the thraldom
of the past, and to fix ii firmly in the
present. The first they did; did they
accomplish the second? ? 1t were uu-
grateful to blame those who have done
50 much with not doing what they could
not accomplish. We cannot deny that
the movement at present lacks magnetism
and vitality. The old leaders are pass
ing away, and their successors have not
even scholarship. True, they have hand
some temples and impressive ceremonies,
but such outward pomp is often the sign
of inward decay. 1t is not sufficient to
cut off few prayers here and there, and
remove few obnoxious passages Of the
liturgy if what remains is equally re-
mote. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob no
longer aroused any enthusiasm in the
breasts of the people, and as to the story
of the Red sea, why even the children
in the nursery have ceased to believe it.
The contrast between profession and
practice, too, is striking. Look at the
wealthy reform Jewish merchant in his
counting house ON Sunday, discoursing
on the sanctity OF the Sabbath, and OBJ
iecting to any change in its observance
forgetting the saying Of the old rabbis
that the Sabbath was made for man, and
not man for the sabbath. Is this con
suIting the needs OF tine time? The
people are tired of hearing of the Goeds
of Nose, and Joshua; there are live,
practical questions which demand treat
ment in these times. As for ourselves,
we, in this work, are related neither to
Judaism nor to Christianity; for us the
time has come to unite for those urgent
practical purposes which demand our
attention" In conclusion, DIR. Adler
referred to the attacks made upon him
in the public prints, and said: "A word
to the reformers. That their leading
men should Join in the hue-and cry
against us is deplorable eplorable, not
for us but for them, as showing their
weakness. On what plea can they re-
sist the new methods tried now to ac,
complish what they have attempted and
failed to accomplish? Our sole crime is
a difference of conviction from theirs. |
implore them not to lessen the value Of
conviction, which is the alpha and omega
of morality implore them to remem-
Der their years and dignity and the trials
by (which they were beset when they
preached their then new doctrines but a
few years ago A new time has come. a
new tide has arisen, and tide and time
are the slaves of no man,"-Ne,O York
World.