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Dr. Schlessinger.—This learned and eloquent
defender of Judaism has gone back to his native
land, Germany. We knew not of his departure till
after it had taken place, or else we should have not
left New York during a hurried visit of but two
days’ duration without taking leave of him in
person. Our readers have for the third time, in this
number of our magazine, the opportunity of seeing
some of this gentleman’s productions, and no doubt
he could have become a regular and constant
contributor to our pages. It was his intention,
originally, to send for his family to join him here;
but the state of his wife’s health was so precarious
that the physicians would not permit her to
undertake a long sea voyage; and as the political
reasons which induced him to leave Germany are no
longer operating, and Dr. Schlessinger being,
therefore, able to return to her without any risk of
being molested for his liberalism, a crime
under a monarch’s rule, he resolved to repair to her
in person, and he hopes, that under the blessing of
Providence, she may be restored to health, when her
husband is present to watch over her. We sincerely
wish him a happy reunion with his own beloved
kindred, and shall be glad to hear of his being
reinstated in his position as Rabbi of Sulzbach,
which, we understand, has been left vacant for him
since his quitting. We part from him with deep
regret, as he is one of the few whose heart and soul
are true to the cause of his religion no less than
to the freedom of his fatherland; still we do not
think that he will be long suffered to remain away;
but that his services may be <<316>>demanded in some of the large congregations at New
York, where he is so generally known. Our readers
would be surprised at the rapid strides in writing
the English, Dr. Schlessinger has made in the course
of about nine months which he spent here; and this
little circumstance alone would show that he is
precisely the sort of man who would be useful in
this country. We trust, therefore, to have yet the
pleasure of hailing him as the presiding teacher of
some flourishing community in America.
Louisville.—We regret to learn that Mr.
Henry, who officiated as Hazan for about a year past
in a congregation at Cincinnati, has removed to
Louisville, and having obtained a school there,
founded, if we understand correctly, upon the ruins
of the congregational school we were made to believe
was but lately in a flourishing condition, is about
offering himself as a candidate for the office of
minister, now held by Mr. Gotthelf. We sincerely
trust that, should he really carry his rumoured
intentions into effect, the people will not lend
their aid to dismiss a faithful officer and replace
him with a person who, whatever his qualifications
may be, and we confess our entire ignorance of him,
allowed himself to be made the instrument at all
events to displace, last year, Mr. Gutheim, now of
New Orleans, from the situation which he had so
worthily filled at Cincinnati. Indeed we cannot
understand why people will act in this manner
towards those who have served them well; it is
indeed, but poor encouragement for any one to devote
himself entirely to the general welfare, if he, with
all his efforts, runs the risk of being compelled to
make way for a stranger who only comes to this
country or to a particular city to obtain an
office,—without perhaps, having the qualifications
or feelings which fit him for the position he
desires. We have, we acknowledge, no right to
interfere in the domestic affairs of the people of
Louisville; but we deem this becoming a candidate
for an office worthily filled by a person willing to
continue at his post, so great an outrage and so
palpable a sin against the plain spirit of the
Scriptures (Deut. xxvii. 17), that we would be false
to our calling as a journalist, did we not seize the
first opportunity which has offered, to record our
protest against it, and to express the hope that no
such attempt may be crowned with success. Periodical
elections may perhaps be justifiable as enabling
congregations to pass their judgment often upon the
merits of their ministers; but they ought surely not
be made the means of oppression, and to invite a
periodical contest for office, and to keep alive and
foster the baneful party spirit which, alas!
<<317>>is the reason of so much mischief among us,
and occasions the failure of all attempts at doing
good service to our cause. We could write a long
essay on this topic; but we forbear, and recommend
simply the Israelites of Louisville to express
publicly their confidence in their minister by
re-electing him by a triumphant vote, so that he may
have no just ground of regretting having taken up
his abode among them.
New Orleans.—The corner-stone of the new
Synagogue, Shangaray Chassed, was laid on the 22d of
July (not the 21st as stated in our last), by the
ministers of the city, aided by other Israelites,
among whom Mr. Touro was not missing. We have not
received any particulars, wherefore we are compelled
to be satisfied with this simple notice. We,
however, hear that Mr. Gutheim made an address which
was well received, and we have no doubt with ample
justice.
Judaism in California.—Our readers know as
well as we, that the emigrants to the “Land of Gold”
went there generally to acquire wealth, and many
feared, that religion would be lost sight of, in a
community where all “make haste to get rich.”
Perhaps the far greater
portion of Jews at present there are thus affected;
but there is a consolation in the thought, that all
are not alike. For proof, we refer to the following,
which has met our eye in a New York paper, credited
to the Alta California of June 18th, a journal
appearing at San Francisco. Our readers will be
pleased with the tone of true liberality with which
the paragraph is written, as it shows all absence of
a narrow spirit against us, as often characteristic
of persons not acquainted with our religion; and
they will at the same time rejoice with us at the
prospect of a Synagogue being speedily organized on
the shores of the Pacific, and they will also join
us in the wish that the example may spread, and be
felt all along its shores. “One of the most solemn
and impressive ceremonies of the Hebrew faith was
performed yesterday at the Albion House, in the
family of Mr. Kelseay. Dr. Zechariah officiated upon
the occasion. At the same time we understand a
Jewish Benevolent Society was formed. As there are
many enterprising and useful citizens of the Jewish
persuasion in our community, we have no doubt that
this society will be a large one, and that ere long
we shall hear of the establishment of a Synagogue at
San Francisco.”
Will not some of our friends in that city keep us
advised of the progress of things? They would confer
a favour both on us and our readers.
<<318>>
England.—The Jew Bill, as it is called, has
again been postponed for another year. Baron
Rothschild, tired of waiting the slow movement of
the ministers, presented himself to take the oath of
office, leaving out the words “on the true faith of
a Christian;” and though it was considered lawful
for him to be sworn on the Bible (without the
gospels), and with his hat on, the House so far
respecting his religious sentiments, he was still
declared incompetent to hold his seat, because the
words omitted are considered the sine qua non
to qualify any member. It matters not whether he
have any religion or faith of any kind; provided
only he swears the whole oath, he is qualified, even
if next day he should introduce a bill to banish the
bishops from the House of Lords, and to abolish the
established church, and to make Christianity itself
a penal offence, as formerly Protestantism was, or
Catholicism at other times. So much for legislative
absurdities and the trifling of men otherwise
learned and intelligent; but it only proves that
there are children in the world besides those
who sit with a pinafore at their meals and are sent
to bed in charge of their nurses at early
candle-light,
France.—In obedience to the requirement of
the invitation of the Minister of Public
Instruction, the central consistory have elected Mr.
Adolphe Franck, Member of the Institute, and
Professor of Philosophy in the College of France, as
the Jewish deputy to the Superior Council of Public
Instruction. Mr. Franck is Vice-President of the
central consistory of the Israelites of France and
author of the work on Cabbala, which has received
much commendation in Europe. No doubt but this
worthy and learned scholar will honourably discharge
the responsible functions which his colleagues have
devolved on him, and se that the Jewish interests
are well protected.—To judge from various articles
in the Archives it appears that the Catholic
clergy are making strenuous efforts to rise again
into power. Three revolutions have not yet taught
them wisdom, when they can defend the propriety of
the ancient Inquisition. Perhaps they may pave the
way for another day of the barricades and if this
should be, they may then witness a final separation
of church and state, and have no longer their
support from the public purse. For our part we do
not care how soon this may be accomplished; and in
the mean time, we are glad that many Protestants as
well as Jews feel the degrading position ministers
occupy in being paid by the state, and receiving
salaries entirely inadequate for their support,
whilst the high dignitaries of the Catholic Church
are well provided for. This should surely “be better
regulated in France.”
<<319>>
Berlin.—A friend who lately visited Berlin on
a business tour through a part of Germany, writes to
his family some facts relative to the state of
religion among a portion of the Jews of the Prussian
capital. The picture is melancholy enough. His
statement is as follows:
*
* * “‘We have gained but two things as the results
of our revolution,’ observed an intelligent Prussian
to me: ‘the removal of religious disqualifications
and freedom to smoke in the streets of Berlin.’ You
smile at my coupling the two together; but, I assure
you, if the Jews consider they have cause to rejoice
by having their civil shackles removed, no less does
the German feel that he has achieved at least
something, now that he has the liberty to puff
where he likes.
“I
was walking in the Linden to-day and met the funeral
procession of Mr. William Beer, brother of the
composer. After the hearse followed one of the royal
carriages (the first time that the remains of a Jew
have been thus honoured in this country), the
carriage of Meyer Beer, the pupils of the Jewish
free schools, a number of carriages of the nobility,
some of the foreign ambassadors, and closing with a
long array of private carriages, imposing from their
numbers, but nothing else.
“Whatever advantages the Jews of Berlin may have
received in the way (I cannot speak of other parts
of Prussia) of civil rights, they cannot boast of
much religious advancement as flowing therefrom.
Mixed marriages, before prohibited, have taken place
in many cases, and the reform(?) temple now numbers
200 members.
“‘I would not ask you to my house during the
Passover,’ said one of their leaders to me, because
we only observe it in a historical form. We have the
matzos on the table to remind us of the food our
fathers partook of on going out from Egypt; but we
have also leavened bread.’ But do you call
yourselves Jews, when, besides all this, you
substitute another day for that which was to be
through all generations the distinctive mark between
you and your Creator? ‘Yes! we call ourselves Jews,
and good Jews too, for we do not deny the superior
sanctity of the seventh day; but as we are occupied
with worldly affairs at day, we worship on this, as
we consider it much better to render thanks on
Sunday than on no day at all.’ Will such philosophy
as this pass current at the gates of heaven?”
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