Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1890-04-15
A Jewish pefence

earning and philosopher Mihdl. MAJ
ately been preaching series of sermons
a the Fifth avenue Synagogue Ia which
he explains and defends the attitude II
he jews towards Jesus and His Teachings
" hile the founder uf christianity wa
,till ON earth. In this connection one i
reminded Of the old story about an Irish
man who maltreated jew and excused
himself because the Jews crucihcd Christ.
But" said the Jew THAT happened more
than ian years ago" ~phwell." replied
the Hibernian. Il on'y heard aN il thi>
marnin' ID seems little late for nr
Gottheil Ia be- explaining the matter aud
il will probably not alter conditions
great deal anyway. Besides the christian,
have no good reason to find fault with the
Jews about the matter II the plan of
christian salvation j. What 10 j. declared
20 he for the rsa>on that IL the Jews had
not slain the Savior the chances uf redeutp-
ption for the christian world would have
b,-en cut of entirely. and millions Of al
legged Christians have very slim chance,
even a. matters now stand.
DR. Gottheil i interesting. however. in
pointing out that A. in the day, of jesus.
the Jews were ALREADY widely scattered
and the means If communication We're
slow and difficult. onlN a small minority
II the race within the boundaries Of Judea
we're cognizant Of the mission. the teach
ings. the doings aud the very existence Of
the Christ The great majority were Ion
complete ignorance Of Iii, life and the
manner 1T His death. aud Therefore ecu
not h. held accountable for the tragedy
Of Calvary. The New Testament ia MANY
places records that in Iudea itself. " her
lie ever went. Hewa> followed boy crowds.
who listened eagerly io II> doctrines. lie
was admitted into the ~Nuagugur>. though
His Teachings We're ~uhVrrN >iNraf the pre-
vailing religion and the existing social ~ys-
tenn; and when lie drove the mnu"y
changers from the temple itself % j. not
recorded that anybody rose up in oppn~i-
ton lie bitterly assaulted the phari~cf>.
the fathers 81 the Jewish svuagpguc~. and
vet when Tie predicted the ruin of the
temple and nation. and some af the
hearers picked up stone, "a cast al Him.
the Scril,es aud Phari~cc- gathered about
for His protection.
The New York sun. ia commenting
upon DIR. Gottheils strong aud striking
position. says:
The j. view of the subject which
will be novel for Christian rrader- gem
orally. II j. not presented In the Christian
commentaries of the New Testament. and
Yet the gospel records sustain it.. Tn
doubtedly. the Jews ~ a mas re icrted
Jesus in his supernatural character; but
IN thai r.>,ct ~, Mern W effilr liFqliH 4
training the more inclined they Were in
criticise His claims Ia divinity: hut j. not
that the ease to a large extent lu tI.
modern Christian worlde The >crihr-
who were guardians of the public peace
were appalled, by hi revolutionary doc
trineS. They believed that they would
utterly upset tho existing social order.
break mp the family. oNerturn the
authority Of government. aud iniroducc
communism and anarchy in their place.
But has not Christendom practically eN-
pressed the same belief by refusing To
mold society after the model Of Jesus. aud
by constructing IL ON radically different
and directly opposite principles To use
the phrase of -. Paul. does ID not cruelty
him afresh and continually? Let Christ
lans ask themselves. therefore. neither
Rabbi Gotfheil is not Justified in inquir-
Ing II in actual practice they accept the
teachings of Jesus ~ divine command,
any more than do the Jews. l. IL not
true that. like the lows of old. they take
such parts Of Ills system ~ suit theiruwn
opinions and cnnVonicncc~. aud east aside
the rest
The fact i that Inc large bod, ofchristian
church members known a. Unitarian, re-
ject the doctrine of the divinity Of Christ
a. much ~ do the Jews though they hold
10 His divinity a. an eNcmplar Of all that
j. good. and there H. hc>idc. q much
larger body Of people among christian
nations who are not member, of an,
church for the very reason that they do
not believe in the christian plans 81 sal
walton at all. Aside from this there are
millions who belong To christian churchc,
aud who fully endorse the entire christian
doctrine aud yet la their practices follow
anything hut the TEACHINGS Of Christ.
They read and listen 10 the reading Of
that chapter Of Corinthians which sp,.-
cially dwellS upon Charity. one ,cr~, of
which says Though speak with the
tongues Of men aud of Angels aud have
not charity. | am bccpmc A. sounding
brass or tinkling'cy mhal. aud vel in a
general way the more severely religion,
they are the less charity they have.
Many think that 10 give few. 'or oven
several. dimes To buy shirts f1r heathrn
hotteniots is charity. while they have no
sort Of patience with any one who does
not believe exactly a. they do. thus
iraNersing another verse of that same
chapter which says: And though I
bestow all my goods to feed the poor
and though give my body To- h.
burned and have not charity. il
profiteth nae nothing
That sort Of religion which fore fathers
In magnificent churches hung with rich
tapestries aud carpcted IN Al. mintcr
aud which goes through the form Of gili-
edged worship surrounded by such cyi. +
dences Of wealth. aud such convention
alities Of fashion that the woman clad in
cheap garments j. made Ia feel mnrtj6
cation and chagrin II she enters. and
whore no pew door is opened for a money
less man. is not the religion. teaching
practice nor anything akin thereto. Of
Him who preached the sermon on the
Mount aud who sent his disciple, abroad
10 teach on the highways and the bvwa,s
without purse or script. and who said:
The foxes have holes and the birds Of the .
'lr have nests hut the Son 1T Man hath i
IN ahere to lay his head.
The death Of samuel j. Randall. q re- !.
ori Of which is given in the IIlRAIb'- :
ispatehes this morning. together witla "
rief sketch Of his life. bcrcaves the ma
an aud aspasfaffx a.. n...,....... a.. $500.