Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-08-11
ANCIENT JEWISH ETHICS.


Brownies lecture, last evening at tho
Assembly Hall. There was fair
audience present. The lecturer was
introduced by Mr.. q. w. Penrose, who
stated, that owing to n mistake, by
which II was announced In Sunday
papers that tho lecture would DO de-
livcred In the Episcopal church, the
public were mIsled, and that probably
many had gone 10 that place.
DR.. Browne on coming to the ros'
trum began his lecture by stating that
although n foreigner according to hesh'
lac was native American according
to the spirit. On his landing on
American soil he was born again, anu
was prouder Of his second birth than
OF his fint which latter M ho said
took place In Hungary.
lie stated that the duty Of the Ice
tuFcr Is, rather 10 instruct, than TO
entertain, 10 tell something that h's
audience docs not already know. For
this reason his subject was well suited,
because tho ralmui was not u Gniver-
sally known work. lie had divri
into the treasures Of that ancient re-
cord, and would now draw forth the
gems aud pearls which II contained,
aud lay them before his audience.
The lecturer then gave an
historic synopsis OF the Talmud,
showing that when the Hebrews came
into Canaan they had only the i've
books VI Moses rho various interprc-
tations given 10 some Of the texts In the
Prniatuuch led 10 the compilation Of
an uninspired code by church authori.
ties Tor the guidance anu government
Of tho orthodox. These commentaries
woru not reduced 10 writing, because u
was against the law, and the whole col.
lection comprises what IA now called
the ralmud. la fact II was the Con-
DrGsfiOHai Giobs VI the Hebrews. IL
was undivided into two nart-, the
Mlshna and the Gcmafa, the former
the text and The latter the commentary.
About isD a. d., learned Rabbi
made a careful compilation OF the
whole pust-MOsaic oral co lc, and II was
shortly alter reduced TO writing.
Though the ancient Jews woishippod
the ialmud, anu beloved everything
II contained = lid fact, yet the mod.
ern jew does not regnni II In this light.
| He studies II for what II contains
Of value officially aud historically.
lie knows that II contains many things
not worthy " reverence, the same ~
the Giobo might contain the Jokes VI
sarcasms Of members OF Congress.
The lecturer dwclt on the various de-
velopmenta Of the 'ralmud rs II passed
through BaOylonla, Chaldean, Ana
maic, Greek aud Roman situations.
| He also dwelt on the attempts made 10
dtslr0y Il both In ancient and medieval
times. So little was known Of IL by
those who ordered Il burnt, that one
pOtcntale supposed u was rabbi or
preacher. There was no liberty for II
until after l.uther's reformation, when
II was printed aud Published In Venice
about i59a. Ever since, the learned
and Wise Of all nations have been
seeking treasures IN the Talmud.
The lecturer next gave an analysis
/ Of tho ralmui according 10 the ethics
which Il indoctrlnates. These he
| divided Into four cardinal points. The
| IlFNk WIS itNtitNNt W lhithh-t Nut rtt
ond charity aud bcneyolence, the third
peace, aud the fourth acquisition and
diffusion Of knowledge. lie then CAV,
a comparison between the ancient
Greek and ancient Hebrew ethics will
regard TO parents. He did not claim
for the Talmud the origin Of reverence,
for parents, because such was more ul
less Characteristic u all advance
peoples, aud 10 some extent nmonl
bruies, but he claimed the ancien
Hebrew reverence 10 10 superior to al
others.
In treating OF charity among III,
Jews, DR.. Browne gave some illustra
tions that, 10 say the least, soundct
strange 10 modern ears. lie told thl
story of q Jerusalem Vanderbilt whit
fell into poverty, and how this paupe
was subsequently maintained Ia hi
original style, Ia order 10 comply will
the ralmuiic rule relating 10 charity.
The Talmud ethics relating 10 peac
were next t0uchedon. In this depart
ment he entered into what might h
called short Bible controversy, nni
told u rather sophlsticaP II not irreycr
ont, story about the Almighty's de
fence Of sarah, In order 10 keep pcac
In the family OF Abraham.
Tho acquisition AMI diffusion o
knowledge was next handled, and, nc
cording 10 the Talmud, the schola
and philosopher among the uncien
Hebrews was almost AN object OF wOr
ship. Pupils were instructed to homo
aud protect teachers before parent
That was why knowledge became Ia
heritage OF Israel and that was why III
Hebrew race still survived Egypt
Babylon, Assyrla, Greece aud Rome
an would yet survive existing dynas
ties. OF the lO,UlO,O00 Jews now seat
tered all over ihe world, there was no
one, male or female, over six years q
age, who could not read nj least Ia GU
Language. Even In Russia, thougl
schools are closed against In
jew, though he cannot read the Ru.
sian newspaper, yet he can read au,
wilte In class'c Hebrew. II the Bill
were destroyti and not copy left OK
tant, II could be restored by means d
tho Jews, who had IT, contents memo
Ti1ed, even to the letters and spaces.
The lecturer then went Into detail
to show how learning was ioste
among the ancient Hebrews NOR
than among any other nation. n
also dwelt on tho value OF the ralmul
for a full understanding Of prlmitlv
christianity, and endeavoTed 10 shoy
the relation between tho gospel mn,
the ralmul.
DE, Brown spoke little more thai
an hour and half. lie was attentl
vely listened 10. lie Il an easy an
iiueut speaker, aud had his subJec
arranged 40 that II was not difficult B
follow him.