Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-12-19

The Rev. DIR. Wise, of Cincinnati. Saws
They May. but Had Better Not.

The Rev. DIR. Wise, president of the Hebrew
Union College at Cincinnati, lectured Friday
evening on intermarriages between Jews and
Gentiles. He took the ground that such mar
| rages are not forbidden by the Mosaic law The
prohibition pronounced by Moses was not one
of race or color or any other corporal acct
dent. 1t was purely spiritual. The purpose of
his command was to keep aloof the chosen peo-
pie from the heather. ''for they will turn away
thy sons from following Me. that they NAV
serve other gods" said Dr.. Wise, although they
consider one another heathens or even some
thing worse than that-Protestants denounce
Catholics as pagans and Catholics look upon Pro-
teStants and Greek Catholics in no better light:
nay, though Protestant sects look upon one an
other as erring sheep. and the Unitarians call all
+ OF them heathenS-Jewish authorities DENY that
unknd assertion" Although holding that by
the law of Moses the intermarriage of Jews and
Christians is not prohibited, DR.. Wise does not
counsel such unions. 'As long," said he, las
the orthodox Christian looks upOn the Jew as q
damned and doomed soul peace and goodwill,
confidence and genuine affection can hardly be
| expected to sway durable scepter in the family
The offspring OF such families are usually the
worst sufferers. Mutual respect is the first con-
dltlon IN family, which Is not easily possible in
connection with such prejudices. Again. as long
| as assertions, abandOnments and divorces adul-
| terry and concubinage are OF daily occurrence
ana IN the best classes of society, the Jews and
Jewesses had better wait before they marry out
OF the pale till the morals of society be improved
in that particular respect
| 1T might be urged" said Dr. Wise, chat
there are tens of thousands of individuals in
this country who profess no religion at ALL
hence they are free OF those prejudices. Why
should any rabbits refuse to sOlemniZe in behalf
OF Judaism. the marriage Of such irreligiOus
parties whose parents happened to be Jewish on
the one side and Christian on the other If no
/ existing law Restraints him? If the rabbi be-
| lleyes. as he ought to- that matrmOny is
sacred institution, sanctified by the law of the
Covenant, he will not make comedian of him
! self by invoking them Gods blessing If one does
not believe in the living God of Israel and the Sinai
revelation he has no reason whatever to believe in
the sanctity of the marriage compact. and hence
has no cause to be married By rabbi who
acts by that authority only. The question of
lntermarriages should be decided by synod
and in connection with that of proselytism
| synod might declare and establish for the whole
American Israel that any rabbi has the right
and 1t is his duty, to unite in lawful marriage
such persons who have declared their belief in
| the living God of Israel and the Sinaic revela-
ton consequently, also in the Divine sanctity Of
the matrimonial covenant. In this way the
! question OF intermarr!ages can be solved accord
| ing to the law Of God and to the satisfaction of
man" AT the conclusion Of the lecture a large
number of those In the audience surrounded
Dr. Wise at the pulpit to express their pleasure
| at the conclusions reached. The subject was a
delicate one for Dr. Wise to handle, for the rea-
son thas one OF his own daughters, against the
| protests Of the family, married an Irish Cath
|