The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-02-17
THE STORY OF JONAE.
The Biblical Narrative of Jonah rs Viewed
by Nu Orthodox and Very Learned Jew.

To TIRE EDITOR or TnE SrS-Sir The dis
cussion about the story Of Jonah. which
was aroused hy the Rev. Dr. l.. Abbott Of
Plymouth Church, could not leave the Jewish
readers OF the current publications uncon-
cerned, because. by the force OF conviction or by
a mere sense of religious devotion. the Jew con-
siders himself the custodian and rlchtful in
t~erpre,cr OF the Bible. IN the "heresies' Of DIR.
Briggs We saw the dangerous tendency OF the
so-called higher criticism OF the Bible" to
undermine the belief In revelation. but in III.
eSpostulations OF DR.. Abbott we perceived only
the mistake OF q man who was unable to draw
the line between humor and bur.esque. and who
intended TO dwell on the former. but was unfor-
t~unately. and perhaps involuntar!ly. drawn into
the latter. Such mistakes are apt TO be made
by men OF the most serious cast OF mind. as
men OF the kindest and most docile disposition
will sometimes get Into n rage at q provocation
which men OF n stern and unyielding tempera-
ment would allow TO pass without special notice.
Unfortunately the subject selected By DR..
Abbott was altogether devoid OF humor. As to
the personality of the prophet Jonah. mas
much as can be learned from the book that goes
by his name, the fate and experience Of the man
deserve rather pity than scorn. But in as far as
tho moral. the spiritual value NJ the story Is
concerned, let alone Its literary merits. II surely
stands out inferior ID none of the sublime teach
ings OF the Bible. The ancient rabbis regarded
1t 80 highly that they ordained the book OF
Jonah TO be read In tho synagogue on the day Of
the year most sacred for Jewish devotion, on the
Atonemcnt, or "Kippur" day.
The reason for assigning such an important
place 10 the book Of Jonah in the ritual OF tho
synagogue IN that from the beginning To the
end II typifes "a prophet against his will" a
character which the Jewish people have recoC-
nized since the earliest beginnings OF their his
tory, aud II 10 not hazardous to say they still
recognize. Here Is not tho place TO rehearse the
historical. events OF that people. but any one
who has but the slightest Information on this
subject will easily conceive how from the time
OF tho exodus from Egypt down to the present
time they were and are but unwilling tools in
the hands Of Providence. Whatever truth they
have contributed TO the enlightenment Of man
kind, whatever lessons their historical vicissi-
tudes and characteristic tralts have conveyed.
have been exhibited against their will. A
benign Deity sent Jonah to convert and TO save
Nlnevoh: but he did not wish to go, and medi-
lated, escape from the power that urged him.
Trouble befell him on the voyage 70 Tarshish,
and unhesitatingly he confessed to his fellow
travellers who no was; he revealed to them the
reason why the storm was raging, and finally
advised them that they should throw him
into the sea In order To save themselves, Thus
unsuspiclously. by the force OF circumstances
nnd the impulse OF his own disposition, he be-
eomes a preacher 70 the heather inst the thing
ne wanted TO avoid. But he thought, perhaps,
that he could still avoid following the command
OF God. III no were thrown into the sea he would
get drowned and Nineveh would not DO saved.