The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-03-23
A Call for Justice.

A Call for Justice.
At Akron O., recently, Rev. Ell.
Mason, pastor of the First Universalist
Church, preached very forcible ser.
mon on the Jew, in which he said in
part:
CHOW, considering all the facts,
what is the explanation of she pre-
judice against the Jews, which still
persists, even in our own land? l sup
pose the average Christian would an.
swer that it is due to the fact that
their forefathers rejected Christ and
crucifed Him. I have heard good
Christian people say that the sacrifice
of Chist was foreordained from the
beginning as means of saving the
world lost through Adams fall, and,
then, almost in the same breath, they
declared that the Jews are an accursed
race because of their part in the trag-
edy of Calvary. In other words, God
made use Of the Jews to work out His
purpose of redemption, and then cursed
them for what they had done. Can
you imagine God guilty of SO mon
strous an injustice? That the Jewish
race, as race, was guilty of the death
OF Jesus is not true. That many OF
their priests and people were largely
responsible for it, there can be, it
seems to me, little doubt. But is it
surprising that they did as they did?
Let us ask ourselves the question, and
answer it candidly: What would we
have done hsd We been in their
places?' Nay let us bring it nearer
home: What reception do you suppose
Jesus Christ would meet with il He
were to appear in Akron tomorrow?
''But even if we acknowledge their
utmost guilt, it was guilt that affec-
ted only those concerned in the crime,
and surely their, descendants are not
responsible. IL it be said that the peo-
pie who cried out, "Crucify Him
Cruelty Him also said His blood be
on as, and on our children then I
answer that I do not for a moment be-
lieve that God ever cursed an unborn
and innocent chiidssat the behest Of
anyone-no. not even its own father.
Oh. my, friends. wheE will We cease
ascribing to God motives and acts
from which we ourselves would turn
away in loathing and horror GAS
says the Rev DR.. Madison G. Peters. a
prominent Baptist clergyman: II
Christ prayed for. forgiveness of His
enemies even while He was suffering
the agonies of the cross, surely we
ought to forgive their descendants
twenty centuries ago.
But said Mr. Mason, "if this
prejudice against the Jewish people is
SO unjust, how can it's remarkable
persistency in spite of the liberalism
of modern civilization, be explained!
Simply by the fact that we are not
yet civilized enough to have outgrown
religious and race prejudice. It has
been said that if you scratch the
veneer off a civilized man yen will find
a savage underneath, and sometimes
it is true. Perverted history, race an
tipathy, religious bigotry, these are
the three sources Of prejudice against
the Jew, whatever may bez5he manner
in (which that prejudice finds expires
sion.
The preacher declared that it is
time to right the wrong of many
centuries. to recognize the fact that
Christianity owes to Judaism a part
of its noblest principles, and to com
mend the gospel of Christ to His peo-
pie by manifesting the spirit of Christ
in our relations with them. The re-
cognition by bis own kinsmen Of the
Messiahship of the Man of Nazareth
will never be so long as the very
name of Christian suggests to the Jew
at the most cruel persecution and at
the very best arrogance. I"
In closing Mr. Mason exclaimed
''If the blood of Abraham coursed
through my veins, I should be proud
of it. And I would rather be an
honest Jew, in creed as well as in
race, than to be Christian so mar
row minded, cruel and un-Christian-
like that | treated with scorn the race
to whom [ owe not only my Mas
ter, but the prophets who prepared
the way before His. advent, and the
apostles who continued His work after
His departure.
The First Universalist Church and
tie Akron Hebrew Congregation have
always maintained the kindliest re-
lations. Three of the ministers who
have served the former during Rabbi
l. Z. Philo's incumbency have preach
ed in the Jewish temple and the
rabbi has spoken in the church on
several occasions.
Buchtel College located in the City
OF Akron, is an Uniyersalist institu-
tion, and will be potent influence in
the community. The church is largely
composed of the faculty and student.
body of the college. The sermon is,
therefore, all the more important
because Of the church's associations.