The Jewish outlook., 1908-01-03

the unpreJudiced OnlOOker there could
be no question of the superiority of
one belief to another, to the believer
his own religion is still the best, and
that is due to the force of heredity.
Now, when, in addition to that, we
consider that the large host of Chris
tians who belong to the unorthodox
liberal churches. and who come from
the most educated and enlightened
classes of Christendom, bear eloquent
testimony to the superiority of jew
ish doctrine, since their religion is
Judaism minus its nationalistic or his
tOrical elements, we can see why it is
psychOlogically impossible for ra-
tional Jew to become an honest Chris
tian.
Yes, there have been many deser-
tlOns from our ranks, as we stated
before. but they can all be explained.
During the middle ages, and espec-
tally while the Inquisition held her
murderMls sway, Jews were forced to
conversion. In the Hebrew language
ii special word was used to designate
such converts. They are called An
Ollssim-the coerced ones. Such were
among others the NIarannos of
Spain and Portugal. Many of them
continued to practice their own relig-
ion clandestinely. but their children.
who knew only of. the open profession
of their parents. became thorough
Christians. We do not believe that
right-minded Christians of the pres
ent day will consider those gains to
their church as II great triumph of
their faith.
Other defections from our ranks in
the past were prompted by grudges
and grievances which Jew now and
then nursed against his fellow Jews
and the synagogue. Isaac Disraeli.
the father of the illustrious Lord Bea-
consfield. is conspicuous example.
Such men sought. by the step they
took. to avenge themselves on their i'm
agined or real antagonists among their
fellow Jews. and after embracing
Christianity they often became the
most INSCRIPTIONS and treacherous
enemies of Jews and Judaism. To
that class belongs the Donins. the
Geronimo lie FEES. the Won karbcns.
the BrcnZes and the Pfetferkorns. We
cannot think of Mcshummed with
ont mt the same time thinking of those
Jewish llamans who brought such un-
told misery and humiliation upon
their people. 1t goes without saying
that there must have been something
mean and contemplate in the rake
up of such individuals who would
stoop to such methods of revenge.
Pure and noble souls are not capable
of such treachery to their kin. The
gentle and generous-hearted Benedict
Spinoza. though bitterly wronged by
his brethren who communicated
him and desecatcd his name. as was
the good old fashion i'm those days of
religious intolerance. left the syna-
gogue. indeed. but never. Joined the
church.
Still larger has been the number
of those who have embraced Christi
anity in order to remove all obstacles
from the road of their advancement
and material success. in order to graf
ify their ambitions i'm one sphere of
life or another. or i'm order to simply
find ''soft berth among the Chris
tian soul-saving dupes. who consider
it great gain when Jew. no mat
ter what his character and reputation.
has been lured into the church. 1t
was not so long ago that in every
Christian land Jew found all the
avenues to success or advancement in
the learned professions or i'm the mil