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The shameless intrusion of a
brace of apostate missionaries, claiming to act
under authority of the above society, in the
peaceful domicile of the Rev. Abraham Rice at
Baltimore, induces us once more to make a
representation to the managers at New York, of the
gross outrage they authorize their hirelings to
commit, by intruding into Jewish houses, where their
presence is neither wanted nor agreeable. We would
respectfully put the question to the worthy
Christian gentlemen who compose the board of
managers, and whose pious zeal for Israel is always
at fever heat, or higher, to reflect on a single
consideration, which is: “How would they relish it,
and how should we be received were we to enter any
Christian house, and preach up our own doctrines to
ears no more willing to hear Judaism, than we are to
hear Christianity?” Fair play is a jewel; and, in
the name of justice and equity, we demand of them
that respect for our prejudices, even admitting it
to be nothing else, which they claim for theirs.
We know nothing of a dominant
church in this country; we are as much empowered by
law to be Jew, as they are to be Christian;
wherefore we insist upon it that they no longer
insult us, by sending to us those odious apostates
whom they employ for hire. We care little how many
they employ; nor how many persons go voluntarily to
hear them preach their hypocritical assent to
not-understood dogmas; let them, if they can,
proclaim their belief in the various churches; but
we insist upon it that our homes should be sacred
against such intrusion. At the same time, we urge
upon Jews the propriety of not holding intercourse
in any manner with these renegadoes; not to ask them
to sit down under the shadow of their roof; not to
bid them welcome, nor to receive from them books,
tracts, or pecuniary assistance. Such base deserters
are of right excommunicated from the society of the
faithful; they have chosen their portion: they
disclaim Israel; wherefore let Israel disclaim
them—emphatically and unequivocally.
Such a reception of the
missionaries would soon teach the over-zealous
managers of the various evangelizing societies, that
they cannot hope for any success through such base
means; and this would go far to induce them to
forego sending such as they have done into Jewish
houses, for the purpose of insulting believing
Israelites. The folly of the step, must
<<224>>be
apparent to them; since they have not produced in
any of their annual statements, even the last, a
single convert through their efforts. What then is
the use of the expenditure of from three to six
thousand dollars per annum, to feed half a dozen
forsworn Jews in idleness and sin? But let them see
that every honest Israelite’s door is shut to them,
and they will learn that it is hoping against hope
to obtain an entrance through such wicked men, and
we shall then be spared the intrusion of which we
now complain.
The managers of the Society in
New York know as well as we do, that what we state
is the strictest truth, and that many a falsehood
has been reported by their agents; but it suits them
to obtain funds by pious frauds from their deluded
and ignorant adherents, who had better spend their
means in converting their bishops, clergymen and
elders, by teaching them the principles of the
gospel which they so sadly neglect. Let us take care
of ourselves: we are as competent to do as they can
be. But, again, we urge upon our people to shun the
apostates, and to give them no handle to say that a
single Jew gave them the hand of friendship. It is a
mistaken liberality to do so; they will not
understand the motives of a kindly reception;
wherefore we say, let them pass, they are unworthy
of any notice.
We could say much more; but we
will forbear for the present. |
