The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1878-08-20

conflict. IL IS pain 10 gou, anu teaches
that service in God means a life oi
righteous duty.
Ethnographically, the Jew is being
of particularistic and universalistic ten
denotes with the former predominant
among the ancient, with the latter pre-
dominant among the modern, yet each
manifesting traces Of the other. His
ritual laws are particularistic, his mora!
code universalistic the priest is an en-
blem of the former, the prophet Of the
latter, peculiarity. In bis literature,
history, customs, manner, language and
religion, you will find them both.
D'Isreali recognizes this truth when he
says, "with the Isrealite everything is
ancient, nothing absolute" If particu.,
laristitc to cast forth from himself all
idolatry, was he not universalistlc in
things irrelevant to this Was Jerusa-
lem to him his only home Babylon, do
thou acquit him of the charge! Did he
reject the learning Of non-believers as
profane? Athens, unroll the records and
suffer not those that imbibbed the re-
fresbing drink oftby philosophy to be
convicted ! Were the high principles of
his morality confined within his own
circle and blood Read his law and OBJ
serve that the idea that all peoples were
to participate in the blessing promised
to him is a tenet of his religion. Was
there not full equality between him and
the stranger in whatever pertains to JUS
tice and right? Were not love and ben>
ifcence to be extended to all2 Aye, did
he not give birth to that Phariseeisp,
which had for its sole aim all that which
makes the Jew modern, the reconcilia-
tion of his life and religion to the spirit
of the times {?
Mark now, this, his greatest pecu>
liarity. The Jew sthe union OF con-
trary traits: reconciles enthusiasm with
acuteness of intellect; has capacity for
stability and progress, subjective and
objective inclina!ions. From his heart
flows the burning pathos Of Hebrew
poetry; flow jealous patriotism and
glowing conversation; flow liberality,
maguanamity, and general desire of
the great and sublime. From his intel
lect flows the Hebrew language, which
in its original state presupposes great
acuteness; flows the subtlety of Talmud
disputations. TIE heart is the origin
of his frenzy, rashness, want Of grace;
the intellect of incoherent thought, lack
of system and arrangement. The for
mer explains his love for ceremony and
blindness to innovation; the latter HI has
heart gives birth to his tolerance and
egotism; the intellect to adaptation to
environment. Otherwise he is rather
passively receptive than activel y origi.
nal has quickness Of perception, and
pertness at repartee, while in his phan'
tasy, strong family disposition and ex-
cessiveness Of love and hatred, he dis
plays the great feminine propensity of
the race. The remark that woman re-
ioices most when she delights man, the
Jew most when he pleases Gentle, is
strikipgly true.
The ethnographicsl popularity has,
however, no parallel in tho ordinary
life of the Jew. He dressed and lived
in antiquity, and he does now, as Gem
tiles do. He imbibed then, and he does
now, the spirit of the people he associ-
ates with. The Frenchmen is spirituelle.
Is the French Jew not sof Integrity,
solidity, and reserve are all the charac-
teristics of the Englishman. They are
likewise those of the English Jew. Un.
der Castilian skies, amid the luxuries of
Southern nature, Spanish and Moorish
society has given him the tinge Of her
own kuighthood; while Italy and Ger
many have impressed their traits upon
the domiciled exile. And the Amcri-
can Jew presents all the divsrsitie' of
the American inhabitant.
What now as to the jews influence
on the industrial and intellectual devel-
opment of the world? In both he has
participated ; yet his relations to the
two differ. The cause is the same
oppression. 1t forced him to apply bis
intellect and time to satiate the rapacity
Of his prosecutors. Hence the quietude
of mind and comfortableness Of life 30
essential to marked intellectual improves
ment were wanting to develop men of
science and philosophy. History, there
fore, shows him to US an active agent
in the industry of the world, a passive
participator in its thought.
In antiquity the Jews pursuits were
emlnently honorable. Agriculture and
cattle.raisiug developed first; the domes-
tic trades soon followed. while comm .rce
was not far behind. The Middle Ages
behold him infusing the elements of
development into occidental towns,
weaving many an Asiatic thread into
the fabric of European civilization, ini-
tiatiug banking systems, and making
himself in general indispensable. His
strong commercial activities to-day are
universally known. Goodwin Smith
disparages him because his politics are
those of wealth Much rather to his
praise, if his wealth be but honest. For
wealth makes good citizens; wealth ad-
vanccs the progress of civilization.
knowledge has ever been vsnerated
theme with the Jew. He was as jealous