The Bossier banner., 1893-12-28
THE JEWISH PEOPLE.
Some Popular Errors Concerning Them
Pointed Out and Corrected.

Pointed Out and Corrected.
Hebrew is tho name of an ancient
race from which the Jew is descended,
but there have been so many admix-
lures to the original race that scarcely
trace of it exists in the modern Jews
Intermarriage with Egyptians, the
various Canaanitish nations, the Mid
ianites, Syrians, etc, are frequently
mentioned in the Bible There have
also been additions to the Jews by vol
untary conversions, such as that in the
eighth century of Bulan, prince of the
Chasars, and his entire people. We
can, therefore, not be said to be dis
tinct race to-day. We form no separate
nation and no faction of any nation.
We form merely an independent religi-
Gus community. We are often charged
with exclusiveness and clannishness,
with having only narrow, tribal aspi-
rations, and with being averse to break
ing down social barriers. Few outside
of that inner close circle that is to be
met in the Jewish home or social group
know aught of the Jews domestic hap
any clannishness in the Jew, it is due
not to any contempt for the outside
world, but to an utter abandon to the
charm of home and the fascination of
confreres in thought and sentiment
However, if there is remnant of ex-
clusiveness in the Jew of to-day, is he
to blame for it? Did he create the So
11.r.In nrO 70 hot
as rule, averse to intermarriage with
non-Jews has been quoted in evidence
of Jewish eXclusiveness. The historical
fact is that the Roman Catholic council
held at Orleans in 533 A c.. E. first pro-
hibited Christians to intermarry with
Jews This decree was later enforced
by melting out the penalty of death to
both parties to such union. Jewish
rabbis then, as matter of self-protec-
ton, interdicted the practice of inter-
marriage And though to-day men are
free to act according to their taste,
there exists on the part of the Jew as
much repugnance to intermarriage as
on the part of the Christian. Such ties
are, as rule. not encouraged by the
families of either side, and for very
good cause.
$50 little is Judaism understood by
even educated men outside of our ranks
that it is commonly believed that all
Jews have the same form of faith and
practice Here the same error of rea-
soning is used to which reference has
already been made in speaking of the
character of the Jew as an individual
and as class Because some Jews will
believe in the coming of personal Mes
siah or in bodily resurrection or in the
esta blishment of Palestinean king
dom, the inference is at once drawn by
many that all Jews hold the same be-
lief Very little is known by the pop
ulace of the several schisms in modern
Judaism denominated as orthodox, con-
servative, reform and radical 1t is not
my province to speak exhaustively of
these sects, and it must suffice to mere
ly remark here that orthodox Judaism
believes in carrying out the letter of
the ancient Mosaic code as expounded
by the Talmudic rabbiS; that reform
Judaism seeks to retain the spirit only
of the ancient law, discarding the alb
solute authority of both Bible and Tai
mud, making reason and modern de-
mands paramount; that conservatism
is merely moderate reform, while radi-
calism declares itself independent of
established forms, clinging mainly to
the ethical basis of Judaism. To pre-
vent the inference that Judaism is no
positive quantity, and that there are
irreconcilable differences dividing the
various sects, will say that all Jews
agree on essentials, and declare their
belief in the unity and spirituality of
God, in the efficacy of religion for spir-
itual regeneration and for ethical i'm
provement, in the universal law OF
compensation according to which there
are reward and punishment, either
here or hereafter, in the final triumph
of truth, and fraternity of all men. 1t
may be briefly stated that the deca-
logue forms the constitution of Juda-
ism. According to Moses, the prophets
and the historical Interpretation OF
Judaism, whoever believes and prac-
tices the Ten Commandments is Jew.
The meager results achieved by mis-
sionaries and tracts have proved how
futile are all efforts to convert the Jews
''The Jew is tolerant by nature-tol
Grant by virtue of his religious teach
ing. He believes in allowing every
man what he claims for himself-the
right to work out his own salvation
and make his own peace with God. y
Rev DIR JoSenh Silyerman in Men h