CHRISTIAN STATESMAN AND THE JEWS.
By J. H. Waggoner
The Christian Statesman publishes the following:— “The Jewish Times publishes the Address to the American Citizens prepared by the National Liberal League. A number of Jews were in the Liberal Congress, and some of them were elected officers. If the Jews can be generally enlisted in the movement, it will add much to its strength. Of course, the principles of the League are in direct contradiction to the Hebrew Scriptures; but the Jews have no such faith in the Bible as would keep them from political atheism.” Under existing circumstances, it is hard to determine just how much “political atheism” there is in the action of those Jews, as the party of which the Statesman is the organ does what it can to compel them to take that course. It is true the position of the Liberal League is not in accordance with the Hebrew Scriptures; nor is that of the Statesman and its party. It stands in direct conflict with the teachings of the Hebrew Scriptures. The Liberal League does not propose to circumscribe their privilege to act according to the teachings of the Scriptures, but the Statesman party does. It proposes to compel them to observe “the venerable day of the sun,” contrary to the teachings of the Scriptures. A prominent advocate of the Religious Amendment, writing on this very point, said:— “But it may be asked, Would not the Jew be denied equality of rights by legislation protecting the Christian Sabbath and ignoring the Jewish? The answer is, We are not a Jewish, but a Christian, nation; therefore, our legislation must be conformed to the institutions and spirit of Christianity.” And Dr. Jonathan Edwards, in his address before the National Convention in New York, classed, not only the Jews, but all who keep the seventh day, with Atheists and the lawless, to be treated as he would treat the insane if they came in the way of his privileges! Is it any wonder that the Jews unite with the enemies of a movement which promises only intolerant treatment of those who do not bow to its arrogant usurpations? The history of the Jews contains too many dark scenes of persecution, which they cannot forget, to allow them to unite with the Amendment party. We regret their affiliation with the Liberals, but it is only what we might expect from the attitude assumed by the very illiberal Amendment party. The whole movement is calculated to engender strife, and to foster the feelings of religious bigotry and intolerance now so largely prevailing. If the Statesman would heed the teachings of the Hebrew Scriptures, or the words of prophecy in the Christian Scriptures, it would pause in its unwise course, and no longer seek to involve us in a religious struggle which must be as disastrous in its results to the piety of the conquering party as it will be to the rights of the conquered. J. H. WAGGONER. Salem, Oregon, Aug. 25, 1876.