New-York tribune., 1882-03-12
RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

number of the RerEe DIS DeBL Hcndcg contains
an article from the pen of NJ. Rcnan Oh Eccles-
tastes, which, il is understood. is only 10 serve
rs an introduction to his forthcoming transla-
ton. II has special interest "A being in some
sort a contribution 10 the JEWISH question OF
the moment. NJ. Renan as the exrounder of
Semitic faiths and the champion OF Semitic
nationality is well known; II Is therefore
straIge to see him give vent in this article TO
fine-edged sayings and witticlslns on Jewish
weaknesses rs known 10 modern society prln-
cipaly. The following are the concluding
passages of the article: "COhelet Is, IN TACT,
essentially and par excellence the modern jew.
From him to Heinrich Ilelne there Is but gate
To ODen When one compares him 10 Elias, 70
jeremiah TO Jesus, TO John OF GisCbala, one
has some difficulty in understanding now the
same race could have pr0duced Such diverse
apparitions. Between him and the modern
lsraelite with whom cur great commercial
towns have become acquainted durlng The last
fifty years, there Is n singular resemblahce'
Wait two thousand years more, tI roman
pride and barbarian mistrust have alike dled
ont, and you Will see into what nnlshed man
OF the world this son of the prophets, TINS
brother of zealots, the cousin OF Christ, VIII
have become transformed; you VIII see how
careless he will show himself OF the paradise
mankind has accepted upon his word WIN
what ease he will have accommodated himself
to all the folds of modern civilization with
what detachment he will view all dynastic ana
feuda prejudice; and how frankly he VIII
enjoy world he has not made, gather what lie
has not sown, supplant the blockhead VINO per
secutes him, or makes himself necessary 10
the fool who desDiSes him. Ii Is for Elnl, you
would almost think, that Clovis and his Franks
fought, that the race of Capet untOlded Its
policy of thousand years that Philip Angus
tus conquered at BOuvines and COnde at
Rocroi -. We have all known HIM, this
practical sage, whom no supernatural chimela
dStracts, and who would give all the dreams OF
another world for the realities OF an h0ur or
ttiS: very much opposed to abuses, ana yet rs
far frOr! a democrat as possible; Wlt.dlhg
power at once proud and supple an arlstccrat
by his smooth skin, his nervous susceptibility,
and his air of a man who has known how to
avoid the fatigues of labor, ana bourgeois oy
his small sympathy with physical bravery. and
by certain feeling of inferlOrlty from WhlCn
his distinction does not avail to save hlm. lie
who overturned the world by his faith IN the
kingdom of God belieYes now in wealth only.
He has arrived ut perfect wisdom, ana IL
con sists in the peaceable enjoyment OF the
fruits Of his labor, amid works of delicate art
and images of exhausted pleasure; HuiItiSI.g
confirmation of the philosophy of vanity; 10
upset the world, to cruelty God to endure
all sutlcrings, to insult all tyrants, to over
throw all idols only to die at last o. disease oI
the spinal marrow III Luxurious nCtel Oh the
Champs Elysees, complaining OF the shQrtne>s
of life and tie breylty OF pleasure aAlty
of vanities"
The Republjqne Frqncojse thus sums up the
religions side of tie English character: The
ncgation Of God in that England Of which the
modern philosophical school exercises 80 pow
erful an attraction in the world j. looked upon
rs son cthing enormous and horrliyln2; at most
a certain tOleratlOn IL admitted Tor dduDt when
written but, when it Is manifested IN the con-
duct it Is >corned with anger and eXaSpera-
ton. Morality is Of divine essence III pubic
affairs and anyone that should affirm tile con
trary is treated as simple Bradlaqgh. lIat
prejudice, au analysis of which would rt Zeal Il
strong dose of PharlSccl,m, Is very Obstinate
The Catholics had to wait a long time Tor thelr
political emancipation IN England. Ihe city
OF London remained for eleven years MINUS 1t
representative in Parliament. because II chose
a Jew to defend its Interests. Then, as now,
an old fanatic named Newdegate thundered
from the benches at Westminster against the
equality of creeds before the law. That Pro-
testant Ultramontane andthematlze9 1r' pratt DIduI
laugh the majority sided with INN, ana VIII
probably do 50 again. That may last for ten
wears, during which the journals on the other
side of the Channel, which are pleased to
preach us sermons on liberty or conscience IN
Europe in general and in France III particular
will continue to catechize us with thar haughtl-
nes, inspired by frontier OF rocks ana the con-
victiOn Of unbOunded superiority
The Hungarian Protestaats are taking eX-
traordinary pains TO preserve Hungarian
nationality. \ short time ago the General
SYNOD OF the Reformed Church of Hungary ap-
pointed special commission to draw up . new
hymn-bOOk. The regulations lald down I0r
the experts upon this commission are sald 10 De
extremely severe. No hymn of German orgln
ls to be admitted. II is even proposed TO eX-
cude the Magyar translation OF Martin l.uthers
Fine feste Burg lst unser GOtt lhe new
hvmnal must be first Of all national. and atter-
ward devotional and musical. Eence % = only
10 include the original Magyar hymns and
original Magyar music. Some Old collections
of Magyar hymns and tunes have been gwen To
the cOmmi SsiOncrS 10 serve as the haNls ana
model of the new hymnal. In other respects
the Hungarian reformed Ch'ucn SHOWS SPTlI
OF progress Until quite recently Il prohibited
the Use OF the organ in public worship but me
General Synod has now decrecd that the en-
pOyment of that instrument shall be l"tGi
and CanOnlCal for the future. ne TACT =, all
the con ngrogariOns in the cities and large towns
had already provided themselves with organs
in spite OF the tradition against them, and The
synod had little choice but e leGalzc their use.
The first Protestant in Chicago so John
Wentworth says was Baptist the lrNt Gooh
ever written in that city was written ty Bap-
tst clergyman, and it was Baptist clergyman
that preached the first Protestant sermon IN
Chicago on the 18th day Of October, le25. ihe
first Protestant alluded to was Mrs. captain
Head Miss Rebekah Wells. of Louisville.
Kv1 On the Odd of May, 1911, she started
from Louisville for Chicago, riding through 4
country infested with Indians. This lady,
Mr. Wentworth says, rode the first thorough
bred English horse that ever came to Chicago.
And to that horse she attributed the preSerya-
ton of her lite, for she was riding it when the
Indians made their attack rpOn the lJth OF
August, 1872, near where the house of George
NJ. Pullman now is, and in their strife to get
of it., they lost sight Of her.
Leo. XIII. has addressed letter to the
Italian biShops. in which, after describing the
situation rs fraught with dangers, he draws
their attention to the labors of the enemies OF
tbe Church for the destruction of all religion.
He denounces those who insist that the PaDacy
i an enemy TO civilization and the welfare of
tbe people, and declares, on the contrary, that
il has always exercised its best influence in
thnir intnrnsts lie cnniIrns tie blshOns -