The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-07

The open or concealed pressure OF anti
Semitism particularly on the continent
OF Europe), which makes II impossible
for the Jew as such to attain to social
distinction or political position. will drive
most of these into the arms OF the domi-
nant church of the country in which they
live. In a remarkable article published
in the "Deutsche Jahrbucher'' of octo-
Der. 1900. writer who uses the nom de
rlume of Benedictus Levita openly urges
those of his fellow-Jews who have be-
come estranged from the synagogue to
have their cIiadren baptized In order that
they may not suffer as their parents have.
but may become really believing Chris
tians since ths.ss s.::..sIiation with the Chris
tian Church has become necessary In the
modern Christian State. Another German
Jew at about the same time advises his
brethren to declare themselves Comics
sionslos." so as to become lost. not In
Christianity. but in "Deutschtum." n
| similar request was made to the Jews OF
Roumania, IN 1860. by the historian Ken
opol, OF Bucharest. There is little fear
that this advice of wholesale apostasy
will find many adherents. notwithstanding
the fact that an unusually large number
of conversions have taken place In Ger
many and Austria. due wholly to pres
sure from without rather than to con-
viction from within. The detection even of
comparatively large numbers can. how
ever. hardly affect the Jewish cause as
a whole: for these numbers living on the
periphery, or even beyond ii, have been
of little service to the Jewish cause: and
all through the ages Jews have made
Just such contributions as these to the
general society in which they lived
There can be no doubt that Zionism Is
a strong protest against these weaklings.
and that the coming century will witness
the Jews divided into two camps not nee
essariIy hostile to each other. the Zionists
and the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. who plead for
a conservation of the old energy and the
old ideals. and those who look forward to
the disintegration of Judaism and its
gradual passing away into other forces
That Judaism can only conserve its force
If that force IL attached to a racial and
national basis is seen clearly in the fact
that Just those Jews In Germany who
have been most loudly clamorous against
the Zionists propose to have now what
they call a German ''Judentag." which
can certainly mean nothing unless 1t be-
come Zionist in its tendency.
Confident in this hope, We Of the House
OF Israel look calmly into the future. The
message of the prophet of old is full OF
meaning for us: Thus saith the Lord
God: behold I, even l. will both search my
shv-p and seek them out. a shepherd
seeKeth out his flock In the day that he is
among his flock which Is scattered, and
/ will deliver them out of all places where
they have been scattered in the cloudy
and dark day" We can echo the senti-
ments expressed by a Christian Zionist,
George Eliot. many years ago: Revive
the organic centre; let the unity of Is
rael which has made the growth and
form of its religion be an outward reality.
Looking toward a land and a poIity. our
dispersed people in all the ends of the
earth may share the dignity of national
life which has a voice among the peoples
of the East and the West-which will
plant the wisdom and skill of our race
so that il may be. as of old, medium
of transmission and understanding. Let
that eefie to pass. and the living warmth
will spread to the weak extremities Of
Israel, and superstition will vanish. not
in the lawlessness of the renegade. but
in the illumination of great facts which
widen feeling and make an knowledge
alive as the young offspring OF beloved
memories.