The Jewish advance. (Chicago, Ill.) 1878-1881, 1880-05-07

which it is generally understood. Trust.
confidence, reliance in God. is all that
our rc)igion-if you choose to call it so
-cnjains. 1t demonstrates by rational
argument that there is God; and when
this truth is once embraced all other in
functions follow as logical consequences,
and cannot be gainsaid.'
EXcuse me, my friend" said Zriem-
by, but I think that your definition is
not altogether correct You will admit
that the Bible is the basis of your reli-
gious system. Now. can you understand
also the miracles that are recorded in
that book ? If you be7icrc them, then
rational argument is supcrAuous, and if
you doubt them you ackn 'wledge a'fal-
lacy in the basis which brings the whole
system to the ground.
My young friend, reioined the Is
raelite with a significant smile, Il am
pleased to see from your argument that
you are pondering much on these sub
jects. You are searching fo1 truth and
you shall find it. With regard to your
last question, | can tell you only that
all the miracles recorded in the Old
Testament had their local or personal
significance. The persons for whose
benefit they were performed never de-
MED them, and we have no reason to
comment on their truth or untruth.
None of our religious principles are
based on the truth of miracle. conse-
quently the miracles are out of the ques-
ton when our religious system is dis
cussed. When you read the Bible dis
cerning between record and Injunction.
individuality and generality, and above
all considering time, character and To-
cality, you will understand it better
written for you alone and appealing di-
rectly to you. | can not speak to you
any further on this topic, you will there
fore excuse me. Now | must bid you
goodbye"
The young men extracted from the
lsraelite promise that he wonld come
to see them. Some time afterward they
engaged him to instruct them in the
Hebrew tongue and philosophy. They
gradually gained his confidence, so that
he expounded to them his theories with
out reserve, and opened to them new
field of thought.
Hitherto they had been taught reli
gious system which is based on the su-
pernatural; and as such a foundation
cannot have any hold on a searching
mind, the theories and principles which
are constructed upon it must naturally
fall to the ground. If, on the other
hand, the mind Of the adherent is un-
able to think for itself, and adopts the
belief in supernatural things without
research, its religious conceptions must
degenerate into passion which becomes
as dangerous to others as it is disadvan-
tageous to himself. The believer en-
braces the idea that the will Of his Gre
ator is in constant conflict with the ply
sical nature of man. He then regards
the world around him as natural enc
my to his better self ito his soul. Aye.
even his own instructive desire for such
things as are necessary for the mainte-
nance of life, is the snarcs Of the devil
to entangle his soul. He must deny
himself fer the sake Of his Creator; he
must cast away the body for the sake
of the soul, But with all the priva-
ton which he inficts on himself, he
must yet enjoy something Of the world
III order to maintain life. lie is a sinner
after all, and groans Nea culpa. and
must still rely upon supernatural sal
yation," Everything near and around
is the work Of Satan in direct oppo-
sition to the ideal which he bIaspheln-
ously terms God; he, the believer, must
therefore hate it,
Judaism. on the contrary, is based on
the truth that man is a creature of God