The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-06-09

lhey Are Very Few, one Reason Being
That They Ave not Part ruiar4v Welcome


That They Are Not Particularly Welcome.
NEW YORK, June S.-lf the eminent
scholar, Rabbi Joseph. was informed OF
the recent conversion TO Judaism oil Law
yer Wayne W. Wilson and TWO other
Brooklyn Christians he must have been
greatly surprised. Probably i'm ali his
experience he has never been called upon
10 act IN Ii similar case Converts TO
Judaism are scarce az all times. but they
are positively prohibited in Russia. where
the learned rabbi was dOmiclled until
he came to this country.
Even If the law there were otherwise
however. and the attractiyeness Of Ju-
daism TO the inhdel We're greater than it
Is, 10 is safe 10 say that very few con-
versions would occur. The Jewish Church
is not given to proselytizing. and the
rabbis of the orthodox persuasion. ar
least, are slow TO accept proselytes. We
are the chosen people, cry the orthodox
Jews, because we have sprung from the
loins Of Abraham. Isaac. and Jacob. and
mere sympathy with our faith makes not
the inhdel one of US"
The applicant for admission 20 the Jew
ish church, has 10 go through a long and
labOriOus course of training before De can
hope for any encouragement from the
orthodox rabbis. The experience Of a
mission 20 the orthodox church illustrates
this. He was a man OF good fomily and
had fallen In love with the daughter Of
an orthodox Jewish merchant ln Berlin
He was so completely .nfsfuated with her
that he was willing 10 sacrifice social POI
sitiOn, his military career. and everything
else for the sake of possessing her. She
was not Indifferent 20 his suit. but firmly
refused 10 consider 10 unless be- abandon
ed his religion. and became converted to
hers. The officer resigned from the army,
babe farewell 10 relatives and friends.
and came to this city. Here he made
known his purpose to one of the ortho-
doN rabbis and persuaded the latter 10 I'M
struct him I'm the principles of Judaism
and prepare him for the ceremonies at
tendant upon formal admission into the
church. The novtiate lasted for more
than year. and all his Impotence did
not avail 10 shorten 10 In any degree.
The feeling against admitting the out
slider is responsible also for the unwll-
lngness 10 let 90 OF one born in the
faith. The jew who wishes TO abandon
the religion of his fathers must be ready
10 give up an his Friends and 10 be for
gotten by his relatlyes-even by the
mother who bore him. or course. 10 does
not follow that such a fate always befalls
the wanderer but IL does usually and
the relatives actually go so far as TO wear
sackcloth and ashes I'm mourning for
the hereto. just as if he were dead and
buried sidney Luska" gives a very ac-
curate description In the yoke of the
Thorah' Of the feelings Of the orthodox
jew I'm regard 10 intermarriage. and 10
is even stronger where the jew wishes
10 abandon his faith formally.
The advance toward more liberal senti-
ment in the church is shown in the Brook
Ign conversions. The Reform Church.
as IL IS called. Of which Rabbi Geismer is
am exponent has abandoned the selfish
view Of the non-Jew which has always
existed In the orthodox church. and adj
mits the possibility Of good In all men.
In fact the very advanced wing, OF which
Rabbi Hirsch. of Chicago may be called
the leader. goes so far as 20 assert that
the man who loves God and his fellow
men and lives blameess life should be
credited with the highest religion. There
Is practically no difference between such
a Jewish Church as Rabbi Hirsch pre-
sides over and some Of the very advanced
Christian churches, and that this fact is
appreciated by many ministers and rabbis
is illustrated IN the many exchanges Of
pulplts between them in various partsfof
this country In one of the largest cities
Of this state an eloquent rabbi has az va
riOus times appeared In the pulpit Of a
Congregational church. and the minister
of this church and the rabbi are fast
friends. Perhaps even stranger than this
is the fact that their friendship IS SHARED
by a confirmed agnOstic.