The Irish standard., 1914-03-07
JEWISH TREND TOWARD
CHRISTIANITY.
Some Of the Forces Which are Con
tributory Causes Of This Move.
ment-Ratisbonn and
His Work.

ment-Ratisbonne and
His Work.
Mixed marriages are held RESPONSE
BILE for the rapid disintegration of
Judaism. The extent of their influ-
ence has been so visible that certain
rabbits, in deploring the losses to
Christianity, have been driven to pro-
nounce civil marriage preferable to
religious; although they deny the va
lidity Of the former and admit that of
the latter. Rabbi Myer hesitated not
to describe the Christian tendency as
a canker eating into the very face of
Judaism, for three-fourths of the chill.
dren sprung from mixed marriages
pass over to Christianity.
Where Mixed Marriages Have Effect.
In France the phenomenon is the
least observable, but in Austria two
per cent Of Jewish unions are mixed:
in Hungary, six per cent; at Buda.
pest, eighteen per cent; at Copen-
hagen, between 1892 and 1908, forty
three per cent. The proportion con-
tinues growing, and everywhere the
development has been noticeably felt
during the last quarter of a century.
1t is highest in Sweden. It has more
than doubled itself in Prussia, for in
stead of eight and seven-tenths per
cent, or 228 mixed marriages out of
2,61S in 1880, there were 5O7 mixed
marriages out of 1854 in 1905, or a
percentage Of seventeen and one
tenth.
No more important condition for
Judaism has been known in Christian
times than that which confronts it to-
day. But happy the Hebrew who will
find the true light. Unfortunately, the
harvest is being largely reaped by
Anglicans, Presbyterians and Luther
ans. English, German and American
UNCONVENTIONAL and "non-denomina-
tional" CO institutions are displaying
the greatest activities. It is to be
hoped that other Lemanns and Rats
BONES will spring up within the pale
to draw the children of the race-elect
to the Fountain of living waters and
not allow them to be deceived and
lured to dry and broken cisterns.
Catholic Missionary Endeavor.
The phenomena described entities
the Jew to measure of ingratiating
sympathy, respect and favor. If the
Italian immigrant in his poverty is
the object of fraternal solicitude, why
Is not the Jew as we'll? If the He
brew whom we know seems hostile or
Indifferent towards Christianity, it
may not be for long. He can hardly
be more radical in his infidelity. or
more rabid in his scof1ng than was
the Hebrew free-thinker of Strasburg,
Maria Alphonse Ratisbonne. Yet
Ratisbonne was in the end thoroughly
converted at Rome, where the Blessed
Virgin favored him with a miraculous
apparition. He became Jesuit, but
after a few years, desiring to devote
his life to the conversion of his race,
he was permitted by Pope Plus TX
to withdraw from the society for that
purpose.
Previous to his ordination, which
occurred in 1S47, he had assisted his
elder brother, Theodore, also a priest
and convert, in founding the Sister
hood of Our Lady of Sion for the
Christian education of Hebrew chill
dren. He now secured foundation
for the Sisters at Jerusalem, where, in
1856, he erected the large convent
called "Ecce Homo" on the Via Do
lorosa, with the school and orphan
age for girls adjoining. He also built
ST. Peters orphanage for boys not far
from the Jaffa Gate. Another monu.
ment to his memory is a school Of
mechanical arts within the city walls.
At Ain Karin, the birthplace of st.
John the Baptist, the Convent of st.
John, church and another orphanage
for girls were erected by him. Here
he gathered about him the volunteers
for a new congregation to perpetuate
his work, the Fathers of Sion. In con-
junction with these he labored until
his death in 1884.
The Fathers and Sisters of Sion work
on heroidAlly. Their establishments,
though supported by aims, are emf
nently successful. They are only
handful. but lthey ind the prospect
stimulating. for the new fields seem
rapidly whitening for the harvest.
bill ~ The New World.