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by
Isaac Leeser
(Continued)
In
resuming the subject of our last month’s leading article, we will at
once advert to the singular objection we occasionally hear to the
establishment of Jewish schools, that by so doing we would prevent our
children from becoming acquainted with those of other creeds, give them
contracted ideas, and encourage the growth of sectarian prejudices from
and towards others differing with them in faith. The persons who reason
thus, take it for granted, that school associations are powerful levers to
remove mutual undeserved prejudice, and hence, they believe that it would
be injurious to do the least to weaken this softening influence. It is
certainly true, to a great extent, that to be brought in mutual contact is
perhaps the best remedy to remove, or to soften rather, the unfounded
impressions and gratuitous ill-will which mankind entertain towards each
other, since by this means we discover, that what we imagined so wrong in
those differing from us, is by no means so formidable as we were told by
others, or as we conceived it to be from our notions. So there may also be
strong friendships springing up between school-companions which last
through life; friendships which could only have been knit together between
souls yet unused to the guiles of life, and untainted by its passions.
We
have presented the argument, we think, in its strongest light, and it then
amounts to this, that in order to wean our children from unjust prejudices
against other sects, and to render these friendly to Jews, it is necessary
to abandon a strictly Jewish system of education, and leave the formation
of the youthful mind to any other than teachers professing our religion.
We
imagine that our liberal friends mistake altogether the means which are to
conduce to the end proposed. We will merely remark in passing, that we are
second to no man in true feelings of liberality; we believe, in accordance
with our ancient teachers, “that the righteous of all nations are
children of everlasting life;” as far as our means will reach, we will
be ever ready to assist all persuasions, without questioning whether they
return thanks for the good they enjoy to the God of Abraham; we believe
that we are bound to be just to all, even to our persecutors; but we do
not think that we are at liberty to let persons who do not believe
with us in the same immutable principles of faith, instil, unchecked,
their peculiar views into the souls of our young children; to taint these
with views inimical to our ideas of religion, and adverse to the hopes of
their parents. We think it a singular display of liberality, to place the
younger members of the Israelitish people in positions, where they must
constantly hear doctrines propounded and principles illustrated which are
against what their parents, if they give them any instruction in religion,
inform them to be divine truths. We do not charge gentile teachers with
any direct attempts to employ a wrong and undue influence to warp the
minds of children entrusted to their care for general education, though,
we doubt not, that such methods are not rarely resorted to to produce a
powerful impression wherever an opportunity offers; but we merely lay it
down as an undeniable fact, that the bias of the teacher will naturally
impress itself upon his system of instruction, and, in consequence, leave
its traces upon the pupils who attend him. For instance, in speaking of
morals, and their influence
on life; how will a heathen convey them? as the emanation of the wise and
intelligent, a Socrates or a Plato, if he be a Greek, or of Cicero and
Seneca, if he be a Roman; and that they must be practised if we wish to
embellish our life with all the graces of which it is capable: the Jew
will justly tell you, whatever man may have elicited through deep
reflection and study had need to be perfected by divine revelation, and
that to lead a happy life, we must adhere strictly to the ordinances
regulating the course of man to man, those relating to personal holiness,
and those which respect our devotion to God; whilst the Christian cannot
rest here, but he must tell you, that morals are nothing unless perfected
by what he calls the true faith, into the details of which it is useless
for us to enter. If, then, such a one teaches morals at all, and we do not
believe it possible to conduct education without some instruction
herein from one quarter or
the other, it must be by basing them upon his peculiar creed; for you
cannot expect that he will step beyond his own convictions to teach your
children what he does not believe himself, or in a manner different from
what he believes to be the truth. You cannot expect that a teacher will
turn hypocrite, merely to earn your approbation and secure thereby the
attendance of Jewish pupils; since in free schools he is beyond your
reach, and in pay schools he will look to his own interest more by
pleasing the majority of his patrons, than by gratifying the few Jews,
who, though their accession be of value to him, will not compensate him,
if by pleasing them he displeases those who believe Christian morality and
Christian dogmas absolutely requisite for their children’s salvation. We
do not blame this system; for, as we already said, if the parents and
teachers think their doctrines are right, and necessary to the happiness
of mankind, they would be neglecting what they conceive the best interests
of the children, not to impress the doctrines and views in question upon
their minds. We only say that, under the best circumstances, Jewish
children are exposed in Christian schools to receive the same impressions
which are made on others; or if they are not to be allowed to attend the
instruction in morals which the other children enjoy, they must grow up in
ignorance of the sacred duties of life, unless their parents become their
constant preceptors at home, to instil that what is not acquired at
school; and then we must assume that all parents are duly qualified to be
able to lay the foundation of a good character in their children. But is
this the case? Or, which is more to the purpose, can this absence of
direct instruction prevent
indirect impressions being constantly conveyed through the fellow-scholars
who are not Jews? We have already hinted, that the school-books, beinng written by Christians, have all, without exception, a sectarian
tendency; and, besides this, the constant intercourse from day to day
chiefly with those only who are of a contrary opinion, will be but too
likely to draw Jewish children from the observance of a religion, of which
they can, under the circumstances in question, receive only a very
imperfect knowledge. They will at once see that the religion of their
parents is not the universal belief; so far from it, that but few profess
it; they will be asked, Why they are Jews? and how are they to counteract
the feelings called up by the first circumstance, or reply
understandingly to the query?
We
believe and argue from the consideration, that our parents are anxious to
bring up their children as Jews, and that they would be sorely grieved,
were they to abandon our precepts, either through infidelity or apostacy.
We therefore ask them all respectfully, and beg of them not to pass the question lightly over, whether they expect
that the end proposed used can be obtained by having them educated in
Christian schools, as has been the case exclusively hitherto in America,
with but few exceptions? Can they be so blinded as to imagine that all the
knowledge requisite can be obtained from parents who themselves know
perhaps little, or gather it up from casual intercourse with religious
persons? Is it not as likely that they will learn Christianity, or imbibe
an indifference to all religion, which latter is so much the case, a fact
which we all have so often to deplore? And all this mischief is to be
maintained simply that our children may form friendships at school, and
learn to be free from prejudice! They ought to be so from all sorts of
unfounded ill-will against all differing from them in religion; but in the
name of truth, let them learn what they are to believe and do! let them be
informed in the reasons of the life of their parents! let them acquire a
conscious dignity, a becoming pride, in the name of Jew! The best of us
are exposed to constant temptation during our whole life, being, as we
are, surrounded by the evil example and the silent influence, not the less
potent for that reason, of adverse beliefs and varying conduct. It is
therefore imperatively demanded, that we implant early the proper prejudice,
to call it so, into our children, so that they may become proof against
the open and silent attacks of those differing from us, and be firm in the
profession of the lineage and faith of Israel, though alone in the midst
of thousands.
We contend, that many of our poorer children have not
become attentive members of the Jewish faith, and that some of the wealthier have left the Synagogue through infidelity or
apostacy, because they had not a good foundation for a religious character
attainable in their schoolboy years; they had no example at home to induce
them to be pious; the parents probably spoke disrespectfully of all
religions; or they were too ignorant to interpret to the inquiring mind
the reasons or perhaps the details of observances demanded by Judaism;
added to which there were so few books, we may say none at all, within
reach, to do that for our youth, that is, instruct them, which the parents were either incapable or unwilling to effect at home.
We deem it as much our duty to protect from the curse of irreligion, or erroneous belief the children of other
Israelites as our own; not to look only for the good of one city, but for
the benefit of all communities where we reside, especially those of the
same country. It can therefore not be a matter of indifference to us what
becomes of the offspring of the poor or irreligious, whilst we have the
means and the will to instil proper principles in our own household. We
ought to have a more enlarged appreciation of our duties; we ought to feel
a pleasure in propagating our faith, not indeed by preaching it abroad to
those not of Israel, but by endeavouring all we can, by straining all our nerves, that no one belonging to Jacob should be withdrawn
from the bosom of the chosen people by the criminal neglect of those who, by their wealth, intelligence, or influence,
could save one soul from the fowler’s snare. We contend, moreover, that we know of but one remedy in the premises, and
that is, the establishment of Jewish schools, and the selection of Jewish
teachers of enlightenment and high endowment to sit in the teacher’s chair. We may be met with the objection
that, if we even had such
schools and such teachers, the rich, the exclusives, as they term
themselves, would not take advantage of them, and would still send their
children where they could mingle with those belonging to Christian
parentage of the better classes of society: perhaps this may be so, for
pride exhibits itself in strange antics, even to its own injury; but let
this evil have to be endured;
still there are thousands of the poorer and the middling classes (we hope
no one will take offence at our use
of these conventional terms) to whom religion is a subject dear as life;
and these would doubtless hasten to place their children in a position,
where, independently of worldly learning, they can and will acquire that
knowledge which best embellishes the life of the wealthy, and is a
priceless jewel to the afflicted in their hour of sorrow. But we do not
fear that ultimately the rich would act so injuriously to themselves as to
detain their children from Jewish schools; let them only see that they are
well conducted; that order and decorum reign among those who frequent
them; that there are those in attendance whose friendship and acquaintance
will be a source of comfort to their fellow-scholars in after-life: and
our word for it, they will soon learn to forego their silly prejudices,
and gladly avail themselves of the instruction of men and women who will
have no occasion to poison the springs of affection in the youthful mind;
who will not inculcate that the religious practice the children see at
home is folly and wickedness; and give them such companions, that they
need not constantly defend themselves against their unfriendly assaults,
nor be for ever taking up the gauntlet of controversy, which they are
compelled to do where teachers and scholars are of a religion differing
from that of Israel.
But we have said enough for once; we mean, however,
to resume the subject hereafter.
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