| 88 ought to rouse us to still greater energy in behalf of the children of Zion is the circumstance that their sufferings came more directly from such as claimed the name of Christians; and I may add, that so great was the delusion into which the Christian word had fallen, that to inflict a wound on a Jew was with nations, as if it was never said in the word of God, "Israel was holiness unto the Lord, and the first fruits of his increase! all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the Lord" Jer. 2: 3.
But I shall now pass on from the scenes of long past wrongs which my brerhren [brethren] of the House of Israel have sustained during a period of at least seventeen centuries, and making use of the language of the Prophet. I shall say, "In those days they shall say no more, The Fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the childrens teeth are set on edge. But every one shall die for his own iniquity-every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge."-Jer. 31: 29, 30. I shall, therefore, direct your attention to the state of things as they are now in our times, though a knowledge and a reference to the past is very necessary, in order to show the cause of the present prevailing opinions of the Jews, and their prejudices against Christianity.
It has been continually urged by a certain class of people, that it is evident that the Jews were an obstinate people who would not come over to Christianity, but, I would ask, "What has been the character of those who strove with them, for many centuries, as to induce them to embrace Christianity? What were the means made use of to bring them to the foot of the Cross? Was it with that love and charity with which our Savior called their forefathers to repentance? Was it by presenting to them the true undefiled word of God? O no! The means were such as are not only contrary to the Bible, but also averse to human laws; the only alternative in some parts which was left them, as we have seen above, was either to profess their belief in Jesus (convinced or not convinced) or else their property was confiscated, and their persons given up to the sword; and as for the inducement which was held out to them, the religion to which they were invited, was "idolatry," the Church of Rome has been, and is still, the greatest enemy to the Jewish nation, not only in a temporal but in a spiritual sense. What do we see in our days? The large bulk of; the remnant of Israel are mixed up amongst a people who call themselves Christians, but who profane that holy name by their idolatrous practice, and that in the eyes of my poor brethren who have, by sad experience, been taught the lesson from Jehovah to abhor these evil practices.-Thus the name of Christ has became a still greater stumbling block than ever, until at last it became hateful to them. Add to this, (it may not be generaly [generally] known but it is a fact,) that Jews (particulaely [particularly] in my native country, and the surrounding kingdoms look upon the system of the Church of Rome as the very essence of Christianity which may be thus accounted for.
The Romanites have imbibed many superstitious observances from our forefathers, and, as my brethren value such amongst themselves, and as they are more strictly adhered to by pious Jews, therefore they make the same distinction and form the same conclusion with regard to Baptists and Protestants; the latter not regarding such things, and not only so, but are altogether, with but few exceptions, careless about any religion, so that the poor Jew has no opportunity to see vital Christians: what he really considers as such, is the idolatrous worshiping [worshipping] of Romon [Roman] Catholics, and hence the general predominant opinions prevailing amongst my brethren that Christianity is idolatry. What do we see when we cast our eyes to those parts where the Jews are most numerous, and where the Romish religion also is chiefly maintained? I have witnessed their religious ceremonies in Prussia, Poland, and in the adjoining countries, the thought of which makes my blood run cold within me, when I think of my poor brethren who are kept from the true light by witnessing these abominations practised [practiced] before their eyes and which is called "Christianity." But more of this in the next.
I have seen them on their appointed days parading the principal streets and squares exhibiting the different images of Joseph and Mary, and other Saints, ornamented in the most ridiculous manner, and when arriving at such spots where they have "set up the images of stone," they fell upon their knees thus praying to them with outstretched arms. And need it be wondered at that the Jew who is at such a period, looking on from his hiding place* whither he had fled as soon as the procession was approaching should turn away his head from this sight in disgust and contempt and be provoked to zealous indignation at the very thought of becoming a Christian.
* The last few years the Jews have been more privileged, but 30 years back when Jews were in danger of their lives, if ever they ventured to show themselves openly when these processions moved along; so it happened that an aged
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