Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-10-07
THE ISRAELITES.
AN INTEREsTIEG PAPER READ BY MISS CLARA BLOOM.
4 Brief History of the Jews Told By Cultured Jewsss on
 Atonement Day.

Tie record of the religious pro- gress of nations fig wonderful TO- nance, where truth and fiction are combined in presenting to genera tion after generation an entertain ing volume, and are well adapted to religious meditation. Thase records shadow forth days oi sorrow and days Of mirth, shadow and sunsb1es,. tribulatlons and peace for all denom- nations, particularly the Jews, whose record is, indeed, a sad one How sad theirlot was has been told in verse by a noted writer, who said: Tribe of the wandering foot and weary
 breast.
 Why not ice away and bo at rest2
 Tho wild dove has her nest. the fox the cave, Mankind his country. Israel the grave.
 From time immemorial the Israel ites have been persecuted race, scattered In exile over the face of the earth and strangers to the land of their foreiathers. tFntil the Roman conquest they had enjoyed compar- ntivc .ea9ss. lat 4ifer that thousands oi the wreteheil Jewish captives almost weary of life, turned their steps northward to find, if possible. that peace for which they so ardent iy longed and which was so con stantly denied them. This accounts for them being found about the Sixth and Seventh centuries, in France, Italy. Germany and Spain, and about the Eighth centuries ill England. However, even in these distant countries they met with the same trials and contempt. Indeed. their ingenuity was taxed to the utmost to discover q means for earn- Ing livelihood, for very few avenues of industry were opened 10 them. Unused to severe manual labor and tiebarred from the professions ty rank prediudices. they at la8t. through ahees necessity, adopted Il business quito new to them and be- came "money-lenders They were not fitted for tais business; their natures revolted against 1t; but live and maintain their families they must. There were always people eager to buy on credit and to bor- row on interest, and from king down to peasant Il loan might be needed for any purpoge, at any time. Though frequently arrested and im- prisoned for demanding interests on debts, and called ''uaurers," the Israelites rigidly maintained their in tegrits and trust in God; they never wavered in their rightful resolves and successfully continued their bus iness for many years.
 But through these many years they suffered many indlgnities and cruel ties. Suddenly. in the midst of seem- ing prosperity, an edIct was issued, commanding every unbaptlzed Jew and Jewess to leave Spain within twenty-four hours. Unwilling to sacrifice the religion of their fore 40AhGASt LutT thcic Aluu LAt G5CGIC3 pennlless, with their lives. And this was not a rare occurrence It hap pened frequently in various eoun- tries. for the tolerance extended to tho Jews was not based upon appre- citation Of their higher qualities, but wholly upon the self-interest ol king and country.
 Their scholarship was very little cared for, and only the skill of the physician was at all noticed. Yet, rather perilous. for Ii Jewish phy- gician cured his patient he was quite ! likely to be accused of witchcraft; or if, in spite of care, the patient died, some affectionate relative or disap- pointed legatee would, in all proba- bDity, bring q charge Of poisoning against the doctor.
 is It not like fairy lore that, after centuries have passed away, we find them here ii this Hand oi the free and home of the braye,' hon0red, upright and intelligent citizens;patri-