The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-04-05
JEWISH DEFENSE or CHRISTIANITF.
An Extraordinary Paper which Has Caused
Considerable Comment.

An Extraordinary Paper which Has Caused
Considerable Comment.
THE Christian Unionl
A very extraordinary paper is that which we
publish in another column by three represent
| tives of a jewish Frecthinkers' Association,
| defending Christianity against the attack of a
/ co-regionist Rabbi Sparger published an
article in the Brooklyn Eagle maintaining
| that Christ was myth, OF. If not myth, az
! impost0r. His article excited considerable
| comment. and appears 20 have led 20 dis
| cussion of the claims If Christianity m the
| Free Religious Association To which the
writers Of this document belong As COM
| mttee of that Association they publish ms
| paper. apparently representing the CONCLUSION
! 10 which the Association was conducted by us
! discussions: the conclusion that, whatever
! place may be assigned to Jesus Christ IA the
| ologv historically the religion which derives
| its name and its inspiration from him Is the
| only religion which is aggrC sslVely, courage
| Ously and hopefully working tor the ainelio-
| ration and uplifting Of tho human race, the
only religion which on philanthroplc and
| Humanitarian grounds deserves the serious
| considerable Of mankind.
! We recommend many Of our readers who
are skeptical respecting the claims 81 CHRIS
| tianity 10 read with care this paper, and any
| OF our readers who have friends troubled by
| doubts respecting the claims of Christianity
| to mark this paper and send the Christian
| Union containing IL TO such friends lven
| apart from It's source 10 would be remarkable
/ a. a clear. compact. and concise statement ~
! the evidences OF Christianity.
JEWISH DEFENSE or CHRISTIANITY.
From the Brooklyn Eagle of December %.
! in reply % q letter from a Jewish rabbi argu-
! ing that Christ was q myth or else an lmpos-
| tor. We comment editOually elsewerc.-Eds.
c. u
To the Editor Of the Brooklyn Eagle. Some
| few weeks since there appeared IN the Eagle
| a letter from our much-esteemed friend and
co-religionist. Rabbi Spargcr: Il was brought
| 10 the notice of our association by one of our
| members and 10 received q great deal OF con
sderatlon. AS did also the answers 20 II which
| appeared in the Eagle subsequently,. All
! the letters, except Rabbi Spareer's, were, ap-
! parently. from Christians. Now, II the
! Eagle will give Us q little Of ITS valuable
| space we will give the views OF considerable
! number of hberal-mInded Jews mot oItho-
! dox) not Jews who look backward, but men
who look at things rs they appear 90 the pres
| ent time The first question we considered
/ was. could fraud or deuslOn have stood the
! trials and tests which Christianity has stood
and have held its ground. IN every instance.
and gone forward with giant strides, till IL
is now the most liberal and progressive
religion that the world has ever
seen, religion adapted 10 every country and
every people on this globe? Other religions
| are and have always been sectional. each hay
| ing its own special district or country (Juda-
| ism alone excepted). and although we Jews
| do not believe the Christians are right, we
| must nevertheless wonder at tho rapid pro-
| gress and the gigantic proportions 70 which
| the Christian religion has grown. What
would this world have been if the Christian
| religion had not come into II? Judaism would
| certainly not have developed into such
grand and sweeping system. We Jews were
but handful Of the worlds population, and
we were always "A secluded people. keeping 10
! ourselves and looking Mt all other nations as
| inferior, not trying 10 raise others above pa
| ganism, but stunning them and uesplslng
| them. Christianity, on the other hand. is
| seeking out every nation and people. convert
ing them and making them better, and We
| Jews to-day enjoy the greatest benefits IN
countries where the people live the
nearest up 10 the teaching of
their leader, Jesus Christ. BE he
| a myth or reality. his teachings. without
| doubt, improve all who follow them. Then
the Christian religion to-day shows no sign Of
| weakness. but Is stronger than ever, and IS
| gaining in strength. while all the other relig-
ions are on the decline, receding before the
rapid advance OF Christianity. Judaism alone
| remains lmmOvabe-we might say q tOsslllZed
monument Of Gods truth-a religion with a
| glorious past record, but with little hope for
| the future We Jews plOd along the we'll
| beaten tracks of our forefathers and make no
| advance. What did all the elaborate cere-
monlal law given to our foretathers
| mean Was 1t simply meaningless cere-
mony to be performed year after year? We
think not. Ii must have certainly pointed
10 something TO come Then all through the
| prophets time what do the prophets meany
We modern Jews are apt 10 explain the
| prophets meaning to suit ourselves and
| place great reliance on what our
rabbis say. But our forefathers did
| not think 50. They either dsbe-
lieved the prophets or looked for the fulfill
ment of the prophets predictions at some fu-
| ture time, but We Jews OF the present day do
not look for the fuihllment Of anything
| Since the time Of Christ there has not arisen
among US one prophet 10 oppose Christ as an
| impostOr. which Is now over eighteen hun
bred years. This we cannot but belieye TO be
| circumstantial evidence that the law was full
filled in Christ. Then one OF our best authori-
| ties. the Targum. applies part Of Isaiah fifty
| second aud all of the tfty-thrd chapter 10 the
| Messiah. So do our Pesekta and our an
| cient books. the Tanchuma and Siphre
| all of which was fulfilled IN Jesus
Christ. Then, again, Josephus speaks Of
| Christ. Although some contend that the pas
sage where he refers directly to Jesus. called
| the Christ. j. spurious. yet we cannot prove
that il is not genuine Tacitus. little over "a
| century after Chrlsts birth, and who lived
| about the time or Josephus, quotes IL as true
In another place Josephus speaks Of James
the brother of Jesus. who was called Christ
This passage has not been pronounced spuri-
| Gus, so 1t Is safe 10 accept It as positive eyi-
dence that Christ did live on this earth
and was well-known person in his time. In
the year A. ID. GA. the Emperor Nero accused
the Christians Of firing Rome. This was less
than forty years after the ascension. or rather
the so-called ascension. of Christ, and quite a
number of Christians were killed az the time.
Very likely some OF these Christians were Jews
who had been converted 10 Christianity in
Judea and had gone 10 Rome to escape per-
secution, which was raging against the
Christians in Judea. Perhaps some OF
them had seen Christ and spoken
with him. Perhaps some Of them had seen
some of the miracles reputed 70 have been
L dana h. him nj 10 fha-a had haos, NJ Christ