Contradistinction to What the Ministers 01 Rcn- Gion Require, Is More Than
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
ponents, that no one can be more opposed to a contradistinction to what the ministers 01 rcn- A BOARD OP DEPUTIES. church tyranny than wo are; but we ourself too gion require, is more than we can determine; No. II. often want li ght and information, and therefore but to our understanding there can be no diver - In our No. 15, we commenced a discussion, desire to have those at hand who have the confi- sity of wants whore the interests so perfectly co- somewhat desultory indeed, on the plan indefi- dence of the !)eoplc , and are able to impart to us incide. For we hold i ( self-evident, that the peo- nitcly propounded from New York, respecting a such instruction that we can follow it imp licitl y pie both need reli gious information and arc also Board of Deputies for the !Tnited States. Since in our private affairs and in the administration desirous to obtain it , as much as the ministers then we have had a conversation with a gentle- of public business. should be capable and anxious to impart it. To man in Baltimore, received a letter from an in - But in stating this as one,if not the first of all suppose for a moment that it were otherwise fluential Israelite in the West, and inserted a the objects of a Board of Deputies, we do not would constitute our religious teachers a species communication in our last from Dr. Mayer in mean to confine its action to this point only. So of oli garchy with interests divers and separate Charleston, all , in a measure, controverting the much can be done by united action, so many from those of their constituents, in which case position we assumed. Dr. M., indeed , has level- things are needed outside of the field of politics , they might be fit to represent the Church of ed his criticism more against the idea itself that we are surprised that the absence of all, which Roine, but not the law given by God through have said ; but wo take it for distinguishes other reli gious communities, has Moses. When we therefore gave prominence to 6י\ץ than any thing granted that we shall be favored before long not long proved to the lowest capacity, that we the selection of a duly authorized ecclesiastical with his objectionsto our especial views, and will stand in want of a union for a thousand matters, council, wo recommended what we believed to thereforeproceed to discuss the topic as though neither absolutely religious nor altogether politi- be of the highest importance to the whole peo- we had been summoned by all sorts of parties to eal. We need imperativel y a high-school for the pie, of whom the ministers are but a small por- defend our position, not hastily assumed. training of ministers and teachers; wo require tion, and this instituted not for the especial bene- In the first instance it is maintained, that the school, reading, and devotional books; we must fit of the persons constituting 'it , but of the whole ,Another question altogether is it .־people want a Board for political purposes, mean- have hospitals and widows' and orphans ' asy- communitj ing a jxjpulardelegation whose business it should linns; we stand in need of agricultural colonies; whether, under present circumstances, it. is prac- be to look after the civil interests of American of means to train up boys as apprentices with- tieablo or even advisable to form this council. and foreign Israelites, in order to assist them out the necessity of violating their religion ; we This now brings us to the consideration of that whenever any wrong is done to them on the should have houses of industry to give work to part of our article in which it is thought we part of states or religious sects. A Board, they the unemp loyed poor,and more things yet, which pronounced an excommunication against certain say, such as could be charged with the supervi- with the !!!creaseof population will become daily persons whom we might as well have named , as sion of the Swiss Treaty, the civil disabilities in more and more matters of necessity, if \\ e desire retcrred to, since they are all sufficiently well North Carolina and New Hampshire, the Sun- at all to ])reserve the character for superior mo- known in the congregations of America. We day laws, and other similar home transactions, rality which we have maintained hitherto. x\ll stated , and repeat it now, that "it would not be and the Mortara case, Austrian and Russian op- the branches thrown together here need , ami practicable to allow their (the reform congrega- pression,the massacres at Galatz and Odessa, !fee, God willing• to spare us, shall receive special and tions) Rabbis to have a vote in religious matters, and other like events happening 'abroad , is need- separate discussion ; we only group them now till they have purged themselves from the reports ed to give strength to the opinions and means together, to show at a glance that a Board of of heresy attached to them now." This is not, of individuals, which would be uselessly express- Deputies, composed of laymen or ministers re- however, denying the people or the ministers ed or expended, while unitedly they could be presenting the people simpl y as delegates, would their full liberty which they enjoy here, to be as brought with effect and force to influence com- have emploj 'ment for all their talents arid the little .lews as they may deem fit. But surely it munities and entire states. At the same time it means their constituents could raise in any rea- would be the height of folly in us to go to a so- is contended, that no ecclesiastical authority is sonable time , while an ecclesiastical committee called .Rabbi for a religious answer, when we required, since the people can, as hitherto , re- should dispense religious informationto the peo- knew from reliable reports that he transgresses sort for information to any man who is reputed pie as the portion of their work in the division the precepts of religion, or teaches doctrines learned in the law, to guide themselves in mat- of labor for the public good. If after all this which are plainly against the letter of the Bible. tors of conscience ; and that hence we were amount of exertion there be time and inelina - They preclude themselves by their acts to be our wrong in attaching the importance we did to a tion left to look after our political interests, we teachers; all we would therefore require of them council of learned Rabbins to be established as would oppose no objection, only that wo should is to confine their votes to general questions, but the first thing the Board should do after their hesitate, for our part, raising a Jewish 01• Israel- keep silent, or show that the reports concerning organization. Our friend, it will be seen, differs itish political party in the country. Every He- them are false, when matters of practice and from us altogether respecting the object of the brew can vote for himself; and thus, though ques- faith are discussed. They are confessedly the Deputies. Wo confess that we do not deem for- tions which concern the social position of lsra- minority as yet, whatever they may become eign polities, and, for that matter, domestic ones elites might be brought forward, no one should hereafter; and they should therefore not come also, as deserving the special consideration of be advised how to vote; for this would place us forward to carry disunion into meetings where Israelites in America in a body, except under in antagonism to other persuasions, an evil which their co-operation might contribute to promote very rare circumstances: while, in view of the should be carefully guarded against by every the general welfare, but would prove pernicious distracted state of our religious affairs, since lover of our people. We need no church and in regulating ' matters of reli gion. If reformers every local Rabbi, Hazan, Parnass, and Shamas, state, nor dictation from our superiors how to think themselves free to do as they please , the to borrow the language of a contemporary, act as citizens; all we require is light, a clear old fashioned people have the same,ri ght to con- makes laws to suit his views, and propounds such appreciation of the questions of the day, and we suit those onl y in whom they have confidence. doctrines as true Judaism, as seem best in his fear then not to trust to the good sense of indi- It ' we were, a reformer we would not desire to opinion, we hold it the duty of all friends of our vidual Israelites to pursue the safest course for come into collisi on with the orthodox; we might faith to endeavor to heal the breach, or, if that the general welfare. Even a difference of ways pity their blindness in not going about the world be impossible, as we honestly believe is the case, and means resorted to, would work no real in - huntin g for every new rush li ght to displace the to consolidate the portion who are yet faithful jury to a particular measure, for which, in the radiance of the sun of truth which has shone under the guidance of honest, learned, and po? abstract, they all might profess to work. over us for so many centuries; but in doing this, pillar teachers. Wo assure both friends and op? To know precisely what the people want, in wo.should leave them undisturbed in any thing vol.