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by
A. C.
It
has always appeared to me a great disadvantage to our nation, that so
little has been given to the world by those among us who are so well
able to combat with our literary adversaries in defence of our views and
principles. To this circumstance alone may be attributed the unfounded
prejudice which is attached to us in almost every part of the globe. Men
have been progressing in knowledge since the commencement of the
fifteenth century. In the arts and sciences; and even in matters of
faith, many wonderful revolutions have taken place, all tending to
harmonize and to render the mind more liberal. But in one particular
there seems to have been no progression: the scandalous falsehoods which
had their birth at an early period of the Nazarene era, or which were
the remains of paganism, and which have since been industriously
propagated over the whole earth, have survived to the present day; and
we find that these monstrous and absurd calumnies against our nation,
instead of having subsided along with the gradual disappearance of
error, seem to have gathered strength in many countries, and they are
not totally extinguished in any; for even in the United States, where
universal toleration, or rather freedom of opinion, has established its
benign sway, these barbarous prejudices of former ages are not without
their influence upon the minds of the non-Israelites. To what are we
to attribute this unfortunate state of things, but to the want of energy
on our part to dispel these mists of darkness? Why is it that we are
every where looked upon as an inferior and unenlightened race, incapable
of mental energy, and even despised by many sensible and shrewd
observers ? For no other reason (and it must be confessed the reason is
good;) than that few efforts have been made by our own writers to rescue
us from unmerited obloquy. Our greatest literary characters hitherto,
for the most part, have stood aloof, and allowed every thing that malice
could invent to be widely circulated, without essaying to stem the
torrent of illiberality and error.
It
is true, that the rigorous laws and restraints upon our nation in
Europe, afford a good reason for the inactivity of our rabbis in that
quarter, although I still think they have evinced symptoms of
lukewarmness, and frequently neglected to take advantage of times and
circumstances, when they might have employed their pens with effect. But
no excuse can be found for so long a neglect of this in the United
States, where there are about twenty thousand souls belonging to our
nation, and are daily increasing in number, in wealth, and in
importance, and where no obstacles stand in the way of our publishing a
just defence of our principles, and of vindicating ourselves, through
the press, from base and unfounded charges. Proselytism can never
influence a true Israelite in the present state of the world. He never
can be found supporting societies for the propagating of his faith. His
confidence is placed in the infinite power of the Supreme, "who can
turn the heaps of men to the true worship," when it pleaseth Him,
and who will accomplish this in his own time, without the aid of the
puny and presumptuous efforts of mortals, who vainly think that they are
capable of giving an impulse to the Almighty, and of hastening the
fulfilment of his eternal decrees. There is, however, a defence of our
just rights, and a rank in society, which we are entitled to hold, and
to maintain by every lawful means in our power, which we ought not to
omit upon every proper occasion. The law provides for the security of
our property, and we never hesitate to resort to it when we suffer
injury, or fear that we may unjustly be deprived of our goods. The same
law, however, guards also our character and reputation. Shall we then be
slow in vindicating what is dearer to us than wealth? Shall we remain
for ever passive in that which is of greater importance to us than mere
existence, whilst we continue alive to the security of what cannot add a
day to the number of our years, nor ensure a moment of permanent
happiness? Rouse then, my, brethren; rouse from the lethargy into which
our nation has been so long plunged! The times are favourable to the
exertion. It is absurd to suppose that nothing can resist the efforts of
the Nazarenes to spread their faith. Has not experience taught us that
they must fail? Nearly twenty centuries have elapsed since the founder
of their system assured them that the kingdom of their Messiah was then
to be established; that the knowledge of his doctrines should be
conveyed to all ends of the earth. But how have these predictions been
fulfilled? Of seven millions of human beings that now inhabit this
globe, the Nazarenes cannot count more than two hundred and fifty
millions, even at the utmost stretch, to whom the name of Jesus
has been communicated; while the other four hundred and fifty millions,
which, of course, include our nation, are, according to them, sitting in
the valley of the shadow of death. And this, notwithstanding all the
labours of the Bible and missionary societies in Great Britain, Europe,
and America.
To
be indifferent when our rights are questioned, shows we are undeserving
of them. To submit to insult and defamation, without one struggle in our
behalf, is clearly not to be worthy of an honoured name. We possess the
means of doing ourselves justice, by exposing the machinations of our
opponents. Let us, then, wield the weapons of reason and of truth on
every occasion that offers. In this way, and in this way only, can we
dispel prejudice, overcome hostility, and resume that rank in society of
which we have been so long despoiled, and which was conferred by the God
of our fathers as an inalienable inheritance.
Abraham. |
