Omaha daily bee., 1910-03-27
PURlM'S BEARING ON EASTER
Rabbi Cohn Tells Relation that
Exists Between the Two.
JRsUs DISCIPLE OF ST. JOHN
Latter Member OF Jewish sect
which Lived Ascetie Life
Messiah ReIigioUsIy Of
Judaism.
TRsUs DISCIPLE OF ST. JOHN

'Purim and Easter. or the Relation Of
Judaism to Christianity" was the subject
Of the address Of Rabbi Frederick Cohn
at Temple Israel last night
The juxtaposition Of the Jewish feast
celebrated yesterday and the Christian
festival Of Easter suggested the considers-
ton Of the subject which formed the sub
title Of the lecture.
The first fact to be noticed" said Rabbi
Cohn. is that Christianity is a direct
product OF Judaism. II arose 1900 years
ago. in the troublous times Of the Roman
era, when the world was under the Roman
cominion. Judea was a Roman province.
was ruled by procurators, who greatly op-
pressed the people, and it was a time OF
intense political excitement and Widespread
agitation
i'There were three important sects
among the Jews at this period. the Phari-
sees the Sadducees and the Essenes. The
Phsrisees we~0 INC leading sect and in
fpite Of az ", .. been said against them
they were ,D IIrty OF progress. They
we're liberal ard humane IN their ideas.
They Represented the religion OF the
common people, an ethical Judaism The
Sadducees were the aristocrats. Theirs was
Gull. formal, literal religion. They were
worldly, and did not, for instance, believe
obscure, were an important sect. They
were band OF ascetlcs who withdrew from
Aae world, lived together in companies and
Thad community of goods. They practised
contemplated life and were distinguished
by the rite OF baptism. Jesus was an
Essene, and, according to the New Testa-
ment record Itself, was a disciple Of John.
the Baptist, or Essene.
Longing for Messiah.
In these troublous times there was
widespread longing for a Messiah There
were many notions as to what the ex-
peoted Messiah was to be- but the dominant
one, or the popular one, was that he was
TO be political redeemer. He was not
only to deliver the Jews from the tyranny
OF their rulers, the RomaDs but he was to
place them at the head Of the nation The
people were looking for Messiah. Gradu-
ally Jesus came to believe He was the
Messiah, and was so proclaimed by His
people. For this He was executed by the
Romans for treason against the govern
ment, rebel, as the crown of thorns
aced in mockery on His brow and the
inscription, In derision, on the cross King
OF the Jews clearly showed There were
thousands Of Jews crucified at that time
by the Romans-literally thousands-as re-
lated by Josephus, the great Jewish his
torian, and as also narrated by Justus of
riberius"
1T is a remarkable thing" said Rabbi
Cohn, that the crucifixion and, indeed, the
whole life OF Christ remained unnotioed by
these historians. 1t is not mentioned by
Josephus or Phllo of Alexandria though
they tell in minute detail all the doings OF
that time; those momentous years preced-
ing the destruction of the temple in the
year 70. After the political death OF Jesus
He was glorified by His disciples and fin
ally deified, and in connection with the
Alexandrians Greek idea OF The Logos, He
,abecame part OF the Triune GOD, the second
person in the gPrInity and that was the
official proclamation of Christianity as set
sorth by the Council Of Nice in the year s25
Christian Mythology.
"It must be admitted there is a Christian
mythology as well as a Christian religion
II we are asked what was the real char
acter OF the historic Jesus and the religion
and morality taught by Him, we are com
PEELED to answer in all fairness that Jesus
was not only raclaly, but relgiously, a
lew, and that His religion and morality
ire, absolutely Judaism For the proof Of
mat we have the gospels themselves When
Jesus was asked what was the essence OF
the religion He taught, He answered:
Hear, o Israel! The Lord 0od the Lord
is one" 'Ye shall love the Lord your God
with all your heart and all your soul and
all your strength. You shall love your
neighbor as yourself That is pure Juda-
ism. II is found in the New Testament and
Is believed by every loyal Jew OF whatever
sect OF religious opinion, today"
Changes in Religion.
There are" continued Rabbi Cohn,
Changes coming in the religious world to-
day. Orthodox Christianity is by no means
believed as It once was, even by Christians.
Such men as DR.. Gordon Of the historic
South church in Boston. who in a recent
book on Miracles wrote that essential
Christianity is absolutely independent of
any and all miracles. Dr. Eliot, ex-presi-
deia % Harvard. In the lecture on The Re
ligifh OF the Future, delivered at that uni
versity last summer. which created such
stir throughout the country. also holds that
Christianity is expressed IN love OF God
and love OF man.
II believe" said the preacher in concu-
sion, with these men, that this will be
more and more as man advances in intelli-
gence, in a sincere love OF truth, the relig-
ion OF the future And that has always
been the religion OF the Jews"
when Won want what you want vyhan