The Jewish advance., June 14, 1878, Page 5, Image 5

About The Jewish advance. (Chicago, Ill.) 1878-1881

Image provided by: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library, Urbana, IL

                
“The Nineteenth Century.”
In the recent number of The Nine
teenth Century, Prof.. Groldwin Smith
assailed the Jews and Judaism in a
manner not at all calculated to breed
’’ Jpeace between the “outcast race” and
those with whom circumstances have
compelled it to associate. Naturally
enough the offense was not overlooked.
Numerous members mooted the ques
tion, and finally Rabbi Herman Adler,
abler and bolder than his brethren, took
up the cause, and in the April Century
retaliated with an incisive and compre
- hensive reply. This reply has effectively
driven the aggressor into a corner.
Adler’s defense was able and covered
- the whole ground. From the chronicles
of history he gave the best proof that
any Jew, whether “genuine” or other
wise, was as properly qualified to be a
patriot as the best Englishman alive.
Smith, in his reply to this defense, care
fully and in a rather cowardly manner
avoids making any answer to the great
number of strong points set forth by
Adler. He evades them in a way that
is clever but hardly commendable :
“Dr. Adler says that, of the two hun
dred thousand volunteers in England,
two thousand are Jews. I am not con
cerned to question that statement, or to
ask how far it is fortified by the number
of Jewish enlistments in our regular
army. Nor am I concerned, when Dr,
Adler speaks of the Jewish soldiers who
fought in ' the German army, to call
.attention to the qualifying fact that in
Germany military service is compulsory.
s These are indications of the gradual
modification, already mentioned, of the
tribal exclusiveness and the migratory
character of the Jewish race by the
powerful and genial influences of modern
Europe. They do not prove that Judaism
proper is not what it is in general taken
to be. As to the employment of Jews
wk&t+was~eeFiainlr
much more common) fiscal agents, by
kings and caliphs in former days, I am
surprised that Dr. Adler should see in
it any proof that the Jews of those days
were patriots.’’
Ignoring all things else, Smith falls
back on the Jewish religion. This he
makes his stronghold, his refuge. He
contends that as long as the religion of
the Jew is tribal and not universal it is
impossible for the Jew to be a patriot.
The Methodist or Unitarian is not
affected by his religion. It does not
interfere with him as soldier, citizen, or
patriot. But Judaism is in every sense
of the word antagonistic to the Jew
being of any account outside of his own
premises. An idea of Smith’s bitterness
toward the race may be had from the
following:
“Among the great calamities of history
must be numbered the expatriation of
the Jews and their dispersion through
the world as a race without a country,
under circumstances which intensified
their antagonism to mankind and forced
them more and more as objects of aver
sion and proscription to live by such arts
as were sure at once to sharpen the com
mercial intellect and to blunt the con
science,. the more so as they were placed
beyond the healthy pale of public opinion
and could look to no moral judgment
but that of a tribe.’’
Again:
“Let me repeat that no human being
can feel more strongly than I do the
debt of historic gratitude due to the
Jewish race. as the leader, while it was
in Zion, of spiritual life, and the race
/
CIRCULAR.
A chaste and comprehensive Jewish Journal seems to be
a necessity in this city. We have undertaken the task of
publishing such a paper, and hope to meet with the encour
agement of all classes of citizens. We have engaged in the
editorial management the best talent suited for the purpose.
The following are the rules which we have laid down for the
conduct of “ The Jewish Advance.”
1. The news of the day, pertaining to social interest in gen
eral and to Jewish society in particular, shall be condensed in the
columns of The Jewish Advance in brief and comprehensive par
agraphs. For this purpose we have ordered exchanges from Ger
many, France, England, Russia, etc., and we have opened a
correspondence witli many personal friends, both here and in
Europe. We will thus be able to give our readers items of interest
from the first sources, and earlier than any other journal of
the kind.
2. Domestic and local news we will also gather from the first
source. No correspondence will be accepted unless we shall know
the writer to be a responsible and fair-minded person. . In religious
and social matters, we will allow fair play to the opinions of our
contributors ; but we will reserve the privilege to reject or correct
all such contributions, which might be displeasing to good 'taste.
3. "We shall endeaver to promote every good measure, which
will be advanced either by our venerable contemporaries, or by
any of our representative men for the welfare and elevation of
our race. -
4. Our belletristio part will consist of original stories, sketches,
essays, etc., either from our own pen or from that of oui: con
tributors. We^will give all encouragement to domestic talent.
5. In our editorial articles, the questions of Lhe day will be
treated;, in "‘The Pulpit” department we will bring synoptw-i
of sermons and lectures by our representative pulpit orators; in
the ‘‘Students’ Column” chips of learning and wisdom will
be brought; and the German Department, (embracing the
6th and 7th pages,) will also be varied with matters of good taste
and useful information.
6. The Jewish Advance will have a Getl^n^ar of Lodges,
Congregations and important social meetings
in which every movement of general interest will be noted downr-J
We shall be thankful to lecturers, ministers and presidents of social
organizations, if they will send us subjects of lectures or impor
tant debates to be announced beforehand.
Besides these regulations we shall endeavor to introduce as
many useful and agreeable features in “The Jewish Advance;-”
as time and experience may suggest. We shall strive to be pleas
ing and useful, and hope that the confidence and support of all
fair-minded people will assist us to a successful career, which may
be an honor to the Israelites of our city and a benefit to many.
Keep your copies of the Jewish Advance on file, they
will make a useful and interesting volume at the end of six
months.
TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION STRICTLY IN ADVANCE.*
For a year, postage prepaid, - $3.00 I For six months, postage prepaid, - $1.75
Sample copies will be sent free to any address. Agents will
receive a liberal discount.
HENRY GERSONI, Editor.
MAX STERN, Publisher.
Iggr* Please fill out the subscription blank on 8th page, and ad
dress : “The Jewish Advance,” Nos. 84 & 86 Fifth Ave. Chicago, 111.
which, when the hour was come, &ave
birth to the apostles of Galilee. "What
the Judaism of Galilee was we can only
very dimly discern, but we may be suro
that to the Judaism of the stock ex
change it bore no moral relation what
ever.”
A little of Smith’s personal feeling
toward Adler is evinced in such extracts
as this :
"Such, then, is my position. If it is
erroneous, the best way to convince mo
and many others of our error is to tell
us exactly what Judaism is, whether it,
is a religion of race or not; if it is a
religion of race, how it can be universal*
not tribal ; and at the same time what
is its political bearing, and what are the
relations between country and race in
the mind of a strict Jew. It is needless
to say that there is no one who could
give us the information with authority
equal to that of Dr. Adler."
milling buck entirely as he does upoa^
Judaism, Prof. Smith succeeds in making
a very weak reply to his able adversary.
He mentions Methodism and Unitarian
ism, but he absolutely forgets those
other religions that are as much tribal
as Judaism, and which do not in any
way interfere with patriotism. More
over, Prof. Smith attempts to stab under
cover. Adler met him as man to man.
On Adler’s part there was no cowardice,
no flinching. He had,been insulted, and
he indignantly threv^/j^pk the insult.
He did not throw it b^Blj^yith the hypo
critical smile, but^wm. hopest anger.
Smith hits back undercover. When
pretending that the mattef is of no
moment to him whatever, he sends
poisoned arrow after arrow. He is only
going to "venture briefly to reply to
Rabbi Adler,” and then uses more than
a dozen pages of The Century to express
his venom.
He “happens to be leaving England,
h&S.neither the time nor the neces*_i
sary appliances at hand for fully entering
into some of the theological and histor
ical questions raised by Rabbi Adler,”
and yet he crushes Adler in these mat
ters^ with a sarcasm and indifference
worse than the most comprehensive dis
cussion could do. The expression of
Smith s rage at Adler’s personal remarks
is a type of his feelings in regard to his
latters :
M&d with some
irsomiT—*__
a notice of which on my part would iTot'
enhance the dignity of the discussion,
or bring us nearer the truth.”
— Chicago Times•
remarks of a rather
A Grave Discrepancy.
“Only last month a prominent clergy
man of New England, Rev. Washington
Gladden, in the Independent, strongly
condemned the practice of Orthodox
Christians mingling socially with those
whose views were heterodox. He says
that the Bible lays on Christians the
imperative duty of ‘shutting the doors
of our houses upon them’; and adds :
‘We do not any longer curse the “un
sound” teacher. We pass polite and
complimentary resolutions about him.
We do not refuse to associate with error
ists. We sit at their tables and they at
ours ; we dance at their weddings and
weep at their funerals. How shall this
grave discrepancy between precept and
practice be explained ?’ ”—Albany Ex
press.
May such discrepancies increase in
number and in gravity, and may Rev.
Gladden live to see and to enjoy them.
He is too good for heaven.