The Jewish advance., 1880-01-30

brethren recite at the opening Of the
ark and which may be recited by the
most radical none -conformist--is also
used in the same language which the
angels do not understand. Of course,
it would be very unbecoming to explain
to human beings thing which the pure
spirits do not know Such things must
go directly (not even through the hands
of the angel that weaves wreaths of
prayers) to the Eternal without touch
ing the heart of the one that recites
them. Let us pray with "b.")
Appropos of prayer, | could never
comprehend how in an ordinary mean
ing OF the term, one person could pre-
scribe prayers for another one whom he
knew not. If on general principles this
could be done, as life has always the
same essential demands, in special cases
| (and almost every person has his spe-
cialty) this could certainly not be done.
And to pray in a language which one
does not understand, is an absurdity.
TO recite prayers whose only merit con-
sists of being old compositions, is vast
ing time to no purpose There is He
brew prayer in behalf of Royalty in
every prayer-book which is published in
Europe. 1t is a time-honored compost
tion and very admirably adapted for it's
purpose. But shall citizens of repub-
lie also be bound to recite this prayer
because it is Hebrew and because of it's
venerable age? But our orthodox breth-
rem will recite every Sabbath the famous
IP',s mp, in which they pray that the
Eternal may grant prosperity and long
life to the Sn,7l ~, n y W, ETC., Of
fees and officers which do not exist
since fifteen hundred years. But this
is stale subject to write about. Many
have written on this subject and-the
llpNs n,P, is still IN existence. and recitS
I ed as devout1y as ever Almost every
prayer-book we have contains its own
Yekum Purkon, those of the radical
reformers not excepted.
1t is my intention (and I hope it is
none of those with which the road to
the Hades is paved )to write an article on
the Yehuna Purhans of our reform
prayer-books, but [ cannot do it just
now l have not all of them at hand.
My friend Easyswimmer who has be-
slowed on me the honorable title of
"Mephisto" tells me that he considers it
an act Of malice when I say beforehand
that ;" intend" to write on this or on
that subject-maice toward those who
are identified with it. 1t is-as he saws
like the cat allowing the mouse to
run for certain distance after she had
caught her in her paws and made sure
that the doomed creature would not
escape her. But Easyswimmer is mis-
taken; he does not know me we'll. I
really have no malice in me, and would
not torment my victims " knowingly.
But as it is my habit to speak as think
and to write as I speak, I sometimes
note down what I intend to do. Beside
this, have the happy conviction that
no evil in the world is identified with
certain person; in other words: [ do be-
lieve in Total Depravity." Persons
may sometimes identify themselves with
certain wrong (and that quite inno-
cently), but they can at any time turn
the other way and drop the discredit-
able connections. Therein lies the truth
of what the Hebrew philosopher calls
1,'n, and the modern thinker terms
free moral agency" This power is
born with man and remains one of his
noblest possessions as long as he lives.
1t becomes weaker or more potent in a
measure as the person allows selfshness
to influence his actions more or less.
(Io be continued.)