The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-07-14
The Rabbi Of Congregation Emanu-
Ell Answers DR.. Swallow on
Advanced Thought
Teachings Of Modern Judaism Sue
cinotly Set Forth for Lay
Readers
An Able Paper on a Subject Which IL Now
Creating = Good Deal Of
Interest.

ference of American rabbits at Baltimore
The question naturally arises, what il
"Hecuba" to the writer, or he to Hecuba
In a matter concerning Judaism alone it il
hardly called for, for one to express hi
own purely subjective christian point o:
view. That an orthodox christian woult
not agree to the views of DR.. Wise is self
evident. And unless the writer assigns
peculiar weight to his personal opinion ht
really cannot expect that by merely ''scold-
ing" to make use of a caption in Sahnr-
days INDEPENDENT, he will make the least
impression upon one devoted to reformed
Judaism or upon any independent thinker.
It is not, however, to defend
one of the venerable leaders in
Jewish thought who can we'll
take care of himself, that / tax the patience
of your readers, rather on account of the
general tone of ridicule of advanced
thought which the communication betrays.
Nothing is so sacred as individual faith,
and no one respects it more than /. 1t is Il
delicate flower which out not to be bruised
indifferently by ridicule or sarcasm or even
crushed un~feelingly by oy%erpowering reason.
Yet faith ought not to assume to lay down
the rule for others. When it, enters the
arena of discussion it must use more DOW
erful weapons than it's own tender senti-
ment. Now to the really advanced
thoughts of the rejection in a belief in the
coming of a messiah and that of the resur-
1ection of the body, the writer offers no
other argument in reply b the ipse dixi
of the Christian consciousness supported
by the array of the traditional texts
Vvhyoh tho vnru nrnH in r1QdtJnn "a
to their critical Interpretation. "All
christians think this older thought of the
Jewish rabbis-better, we believe" etc.
Certainly with a sentiment of faith it is
to use an expression of an Italian diplomat
a bootless controversy to argue. And the
spnce would be too limited to examine the
question of texts. especially those in Isaiah,
whose Interpretation all criticism based on
historical insight has given NJ.
Let me. briefly as possible, describe the
nature of that advanced thought in treat
ing the bible which, with complacency. he
deprecates on behalf of the ''most intelli-
gent portions of the christian church." 1t
is the offspring of the love of truth, and
disabusing it's mind OF traditional pre-
possession-it goes to the bible as
M other literature to decide upon
the time of composition of any
of the books in it, upon the Interpretation
and meaning of texts according to the
canons Of literary criticism and not accord
ing to any particular church dogma.
Without any opinion upon the ques-
ton of revelation, recognizing that
the agency OF the truths assumed
to be revealed in the Bible consists
of men who lived in different times and
circumstances, modern Biblical criticism
seeks to discover the religious and moral
truths through a critical and literary in
sight into the language and imagery in
which they were dressed. And far from
assuming that a prophet upon whose char
acter of announcing moral truths they lay
more stress than his foretelling events, far
from assuming that what he said had refer
ence to things which would happen six or
eight hundred years after hi n, as the tradi-
tional church view has 1t, it tries to under.
stand the peculiar garb in which the prophet
presents a truth which he wants to impress
upon his hearers, from the character of
the audience, the weight of the prophet,
scenery, etc. In a word it tries as little as
possible to swerve from the natural e%xplana-
tion of the literary product, the prophetic
el%oquence. And applying this method to
what is known as the Messianic prophecies
recognizes in them a universal moral
truth, and a particular natural. nay. if you
will. Oriental coloring. In the eleventh
chapter of Isaiah, in Micah especially and
in other places, thers is the greatest stress
laid upon the character of the Messianic
lime. 1t will be one where a spirit of wis
dom and counsel and knowledge and fear of
the Lord will rest upon the ruler, where the
spirit of peace will fill the world, spread
ing itself in the imagination of the prophet
to the animal world, and where no nation
will lift up the sword against any nation,
ETC., and where the world will be full of
the knowledge of God as the waters cover
the sea. A sublime outlook for the human
race. 1t was the utterance of the
prophets that their moral ideal would
ultimately triumph in the world,
and humanity liva according to it. And
FEELING that Israel was the guardian of this
ideal, they with truth expressed their faith
that all nations would go up to the noun
tain of the Lord-to the house of Jacob.
This was the kernel of the Messianio be-
lief to which modern Judaism clings
earnestly, an enlightened, officially, perfect
God-fearing humanity. No doubt some of
the prophets as well rs the Rabbinical
writers, conceived the ushering in of this
time. to be the coming of a
Messiah. What more natural than
If Israel is to be the center of human
lty redeemed, that Ito an Oriental imapina-
tion) the union of all noble qualities in ons
man who was to be the King of Israeli
NOW, says Advanced Thought. this ele-
ment. the personal Messiah, and the ma
tional kingdom. is the product of local fell
ing. IN ethical ldoa stripped of this
coloring is only worthy to be an object
OF faith. OF course Ibis ia a matter of
opinion.
But why does modern Judaism take this
advanced thought az its own? Because "a
long as the Jewish race was prosecuted and
excluded from society, deprived of all
rights, it found the balm for it's bruised
heart in the sweet hope of it's restoration to
Palestine and the coming Of the messiah.
But when at the end Of the last century the
sun of liberty burst Into the ghetto and the
French revolution and the establishment of
our own glorious country gave it liberty
and equality, and the right to
enter as Il co-worker in civilization.
The modern ~Israelite whose mind was kept
vigorous in spite OF centuries of oppression
saw the logical result of his emancipation.
lie was to cease rining for Pales-
tine, and become a thorough wholesouled
patriot in the land where he was born, and
he read In n true light the glorious message
OF his prophets. He was to be Il witness of
that ideal by the purity OF his faith, all
over the world, and work together with his
fellow men TO bring about Its realization.
1t Is therefore indeed IN advanced thought
IN modern Judaism, this rejection in the
belief OF the personal coming OF a messiah.
And II the writer of the communication
would look beyond his inherited church for
mula, and rlso to q conception of n united
humanity, he would hail with delight the
enumeration of such an advanced thought
III the synagogue, for he would perceive its
ethical, social, religious import and of
course it the jews have ceased PRAYING for
the coming of the personal messiah, there
is no use threshing the old straw and trot-
ting out the old texts to convince him that
the messiah has already come.
But IN spite of his likes and dislikes,
modern Judaism has pinned its faith To the