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Our learned correspondent, the Rabbi Isidor Kalisch,
of Cleveland, requests us to call public attention
to a work which cannot fail to be interesting, which
he has prepared for the press. The little
encouragement held out hitherto to Jewish literary
labours, has precluded their being published by
regular booksellers, as they would uniformly result
in a pecuniary loss, a contingency which the
trade do not like to incur voluntarily. At the
same time, it would be doing a wrong to themselves,
were the writers, even if they had ample means, to
become publishers, without previously ascertaining
whether the works would meet with a ready demand.
The only method, therefore, is to invite the public
to subscribe, and to insure in this manner at least
a portion of the outlay to the authors, so that they
need not fear of losing largely in a pecuniary
sense, in addition to spending their time in
unremunerated toil, a reflection not the most
agreeable even to persons more than commonly
disinterested. We hope, therefore, that the friends
of Jewish literature will, by their prompt
subscribing, enable Rabbi Kalisch to put his
contemplated work to press. We shall be pleased to
forward him any names and funds sent to our care.
The circular is in the following words:
Invitation to Subscribers.
Among our various departments of science upon earth,
none ought justly to call forth greater sympathy and
occupy us more sincerely than those con<<163>>cerning
Religion and the State, for both being destined to
realize the reign of God upon earth, or the idea of
a perfect state, progress in the proper
understanding of both, implies also progress in
civilization, education, perfection in intellectual
and material prosperity, which latter may be
regarded as the mirror in which the mind of man is
reflected. Our disciplines in religion and state are
at present so much related to each other, and a
common spirit is so deeply infused in both, that
retrogression or error in one department would
immediately have an injurious influence upon the
other. It is therefore not to be wondered at, when
we see, at the present day, a continual struggle
going on concerning principles affecting the spirit
of Christianity and Judaism; for this struggle does
not merely concern the learned, but it agitates
every rank of society with the same energy.
Actuated by a sincere love of truth, in order to put
an end to this important dispute, and, if possible,
to bring about an agreement among all parties, the
success of which, it is hoped, will prove highly
salutary in solving so many other questions agitated
at the present time, I have made it my earnest task
to publish a work under the title,
“Materials For Rational Investigations in the
Scriptures
Or,
What Does Primitive Christianity Teach,
and
What the Religion of Moses?”
It
will be my endeavour, in this work, to set forth, in
a popular way, the scope and value of the religious
systems both of Moses and Christ, and their
reciprocal influence upon each other. I shall
investigate the side of the redemption of the world,
or the appearance of a Messiah upon earth,
contemplated as the founder of true freedom and
righteousness. For the proper consideration of this
part, the oldest writings and the original works are
made use of. The idea, handed down from one
generation to the other, with the force of an
incontrovertible tradition, since the rise of
Christianity, that in the latter were to be seen the
perfection and consummation of the religion of
Moses, and that the followers of Moses, or his
religious institution, had fulfilled their mission
in this world long ago, I shall oppose with
arguments that cannot be disproved; but, at the same
time, my critical researches shall tend by their
spirit of impartiality, and the calmness and dignity
I have endeavoured to impart to so earnest a work,
to spread the truths of the Bible, and to defend
them against wilful ignorance and fanaticism.
Lastly, my labours shall particularly be brought to
the point to show that a rational, republican form
of society is offered in the Bible as the best
possible society, and that its laws and teachings
point toward the happy realization of such a plan.
I
cherish a hope that this work, addressed to the
highest and most important interest of man, may not
be found unworthy of an extensive and
<<164>>liberal
support, and that a generous public may testify, by
numerous subscriptions, their interest in s
publication of which I have just now traced the plan
and spirit.
The price is fixed at the low rate of six shillings,
and subscribers are re quested to pay half on
signing their names, and the other half at the
delivery of the work.
Isidor Kalisch,
Rabbi and Preacher of the Tifereth Israel
Congregation.
Cleveland, April, 1851. |
