Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-11-18
RECOGNIZING JUDAISM

Warsaw telegram announces
+n,+ an edict has been published re-
coonizinp Judaism as religion IN
nnblic law The edict also grants the
Habrews self-government.
The Gazette has 55or several
months on Saturdays published ar
+ic,es on this page appropriate Tor
Sunday reading. They have been
written either by one Of the regu-
1,r attaches or by occasional contil-
hutors TO our columns. Upon read
mo the above announcement 1T oc-
c,rred TO us that the few lines at
forded a text for something we nave
often wished to say concerning judi
,ism We have ever believed that
were Judaism and Christianity more
clearly understood a better feeling
would exist between followers OF the
two greatest systems of faith.
a conservative Jewish writer
terms Christianity "the noble daugh-
fer of Judaism" and well-known
rabbi in an address at the Opera
House in Alexandria a quarter OF
century ago on the Wandering
Jew" compared the two faiths TO the
rivers Euphrates and Tigris, run
ming parallel but mingling their wa
tiers in the Persian Gulf
Judaism and its "noble daughter
Jiir.s .ianity" should long ago nave
haca on better terms-shouid nave
bester understood each other. There
oeyes was more opportune time
thsg. now. Most of the world IS rent
by ar, and the descendants OF ADra-
Ian, Isaac and Jacob are in the ranks
cf the hostile armies. French, Eng
lish and Russian Israelites are hight
ing their co-religionists in Germany
and Austria, while followers OF
Mahomet, who also claim to have
abraham as their father" are en-
ragged in this fratricida! slaughter.
Why should not the Jews Of Galicla
be recognized as religious body!
Israelites of that section OF the
world have suffered more during the
present war than others who were
more fortunately situated at the out
break of the conflict. The Jews IN
that part of the world have been
plundered and murdered by both al
mics at times, until now they are III
as deplorable condition as their
brethren were in Portugal at the
time Columbus was preparing for
voyage TO the New World, many
members of the race at that time
having been taken in custody, placed
upon RATS and started adrift IN the
Atlantic Ocean, simply because they
were Jews.
We have no purpose OF preclpltat-
ing theological argument, but will
say that we never have understood
how any person can read the Old ana
New Testaments without seeing
there is a glorious future for the
Hebrew race. The preservation of a
people without country, king or high
priest during the past nineteen CEN
turies is a miracle in itself. Unfor
tunately the great mass of religious
teachers seem to suppose that every
statement of the TWO books refers
to personal salvation, and glowing
forecasts concerning the future of
Israel are spiritualized and the sense
obscured by attempts to make plain
truths mean anything but what
is intended.
One of the minor prophets Of the
Old Testament assures US that in
the latter days it shall come to pass
that ten men snall take hold out of
all languages Of the nations, even
shall take hold Of the skirt of him
that is Jew, saying, We will go
with you: for We have heard that
God is with you
Mary Christians strangely suppose
that the entire Old Testament was
fulfilled at the appearance of Christ.
He did not think so, however, and
said take heed how ye hear"