The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-12-22


deities, and all this was not taken from
above, and it failed. Judaism did not or
lginate in the personiacation of human
beings.
SO far, the prophet tells us I'm very clear
terms what Judaism Is. He tells I'm two
departments what Judaism Is:
First-Hou shall think; you shall rea-
son; you shall conceive; you shall under
stand: you shall know God, Judaism be-
sins with the knowledge of the true God (;
Judaism centers in that one great doc
trine. 1t is not inherited. You shall, by
your reason, rise to the higher level. break
through the clouds of materalism and
human ignorance TO the true conception Of
God as he was announced from Sinai.
Judaism means the fear and the wor-
ship and the veneration Of Jehovah; the
highest ideal of truth, holiness, right
eousness and virtue; that you shall, by
your understanding. also know and love
That is Judaism in its foundation, and all
our teachers in all ages pronounced dis
belief of the only one and living God as
the one sin of an Israeite.
Judaism teaches that whoever denies
idolatry and pagansm may fairly be called
a Jew. He who confesses belief in the ten
commandments has done as well as he
who confesses in the whole.
Devotion to God and prohibition of idol
airy are the only words we have inheri-
TED from GOd. on snail, with your fea-
son and your justice, reach that high stan
dard Of humanity. which is the highest
ideal of Jehovah That Is Judaism. Many
think that they know all, but when they
come to the touchstone they find that
they have made a mistake. They may be
believers in the one God. They may have
the best intentions, but have miscompre-
hended and misapplied the best idea of
life. Therefore, the prophet gave an adj
ditional definition of Judaism: THAT you
shall know that the God of whom / speak
is the eternal God. that ] am the God who
does raise justice and preserve honor
Here is the great touchstone of Judaism.
If you have come TO the conclusion that
your God has permitted you to Cypress
mankind, to be intolerant and unjust to
your human brethren; if the God of your
conception allows you to be impure and
unholy, and that you may commit any
wrong. you are in error. God loves duty
and honor and holiness on earth.
The prophet gives a supplementary def
milton: If you should think that IL is only
Gods will on earth and not your duty,
simply that he shall dispense grace on
earth and you neglect to do anything
good and righteous, If you think that
by mere belief. you are an Israelite. you
are again mistaken. God desires you, man,
that YOU should be gracious, merciful, and
that you should dispense justice and act
with Righteousness, and Gods desire Is
Gods command. If you worship God in
another way than in grace and righteous
ness and Justice you have false con-
ception Of God and of Judaism. and your
religion is not Judaism, but akin to hea-
thenism.
Judaism is belief in the true God
grasped by our reason, and it requires the
DEVELOPMENT of the reasoning faculties
Judaism requires that you shall love that
God, ana that highest ideal is not merly
theoretical knowledge and love, but 1t is
eternal goodness.
Jehovah embraces the world with good
ness and wisdom. God commands you
to be the same I'm your attributes. in your
hearts and souls. What is not this is
not Judaism. 1t may be in Judaism bur
If not in this definition, l cannot under
stand 1t, and no one else can. God is a
free Cod Who can reason, let him rea-
son by himself. Reason IL given for use
and not for ornament. Who can love
let him love, for that is a faculty given
only to man. Who can reason, think, love
and feel. let him concentrate his senti-
ments on the highest ideal. Jehovah re-
yeaIs himself to you in all the walks OF
life Judaism is not mere theory II is
a practical religion. No science. no philos-
ophy can go beyond the absolute. 1t is
the highest Of what man has thought, or