Literary Production. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated
- Title
- Literary Production. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated
- Author
- Morais, Sabato
- Date Created
- 1896
- Format
- 11 pages on 4 sheets
- Language(s)
- English
- Source
- Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies
- Sabato Morais Collection, Box 10, Folder 11
- Has Format
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p3k931r2r/manifest.json
- Link to Colenda
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p3k931r2r
- Provenance
- Transfer of Custody from the Hebrew Education Society, 10 March 1913.
- Is Format Of
- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx10FF11_4.xml
- content
-
S. MORAIS,
546 N. FIFTH STREET,
PHILADELPHIA, PA.
11
96
About the scheme of Christianizing
the Constitution of the U. S.
At longer or shorter intervals attempts are being made to Christianize the constitution of the United States of America. Since my residence here, I could reckon scores of time, when fanaticism broke loose and attacked the Republic of the North, as a godless union; as detestably altruistic, for not having given a conspicuous foremost place in its Magna Charta to the man of Nazareth as a the alleged the regent of the all-ruling Divinity. The very circumstance which manifests the profound wisdom of the founders creators of the freest nation on earth, has been declared a heinous sin. It matters nothing to the clergy, that probably more churches exist and flourish under the stars and stripes than in countries boasting, in their charters, of great perfect loyalty to the Church. The indisputable fact that in every stage of the history of this government, its temporal authorities have acknowledged the Providence and protection of the Universal Father, has no weight on the minds of most ministers of the gospel. No; they must read in capital letters in the pages of the statute book this confession: "We, a Christian people, acknowledge the trinity as the supremest power in earth the universe".
There came lately in my possession a pamphlet containing some letters of George Washington and others among the immortal Sages of the revolution. In that correspondence he that runs may read the sentiments of deep rooted belief in the Almighty cherished by men at the helm of the ship of state. Washington, writing to answering a Mr Levi Sheftal, who had sent tendered the first President of the Republic con--gratulations on behalf of the Savannah Jews, said: "May the same wonder-working Deity, who long since delivered the Hebrews from their Egyptian oppressors; planted them in a promised land--whose providential agency has lately been conspi--cuous in establishing these United States as an independent nation--may He still continue to water them with the dews of heaven and make the inhabitants of every denomination parti--cipate in the temporal and spiritual blessings of that people whose God is the Eternal". To the Jews of Newport, the great hero and statesman, with unmistakable proofs of his appreciation of the broad righteous God approving principles upon which this government was based founded, writes: "The citizens of the United States of America have a right to applaud themselves, for
having given to mankind examples of an enlarged and liberal policy--a policy worthy of imitation. All alike possess liberty of conscience and immuni--ties of citizenship. It is now no more a tole--ration spoken of, as if it were the indulgence of a class of people, that another may enjoy the exercise of their inherent rights. For, happily the government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no factions, to persecution no assistance, requires only that they who live under its protect--ion should demean themselves as good citizens in giving it on all occasions their effectual support." To our own Mickvè Israel, Washington emphasized his confession of faith, in the following terms: "The power and goodness of the Almighty, so strongly manifested in the events of the late glorious revo--lution, and His kind interposition in our behalf, have been no less visible in the establishment of our present equal government. In war He directed the sword and in peace He has ruled in our councils". But such admissions of an absolute reliance in the Sovereign Ruler of the world, count
nothing with in the opinion of the white cravatted, who cry down the constitution because it fails to declare that Washington and his coworkers intended the asylum of the oppressed which they built up, to be solely and exclusively Christian. One of the strongest staunchest advocates of a denominational constitution, warming up in his subject before the Judiciary Committee in the House of Representatives, said last week that "the opponents of a Christian government, would abolish prayers in the churches; the Bible in the schools; chaplains in the army and navy." No, not quite so. Churches, like Synagogues, are for prayers. The Bible in secular schools, if restricted to sayings teachings and maxims unsectarian in character, might not be objectionable, though unnecessary. Years ago when my oldest daughter attended the Norman School, I argued with Mr Fetter, the then principal in order to show the injustice done by the constant preference given to the recital of new testament, while the old offers much that is not doctrinal, as for instance several of the psalms and the entire book of Proverbs. With regard to chaplains in the army and navy, their presence is of a very doubt--ful usefulness; their absence could not possibly be felt, missed, where our defenders on sea nad land comprise men
of various denominations. Bearing in mind the woeful effects of occasioned by Christianized governments, their total secularization, can may indeed be regarded as an incalculable blessing. Thomas Jefferson, who framed the declaration of Independence, understood that well; for, in a communication to Mordecai M. Noah, a prominent Israelite, he wrote: "Your sect by its suf--fering has furnished a remarkable proof of the uni--versal spirit of religious intolerance inherent in every sect, disclaimed by all while feeble, and practised by all when in power. Our laws have applied the only antidote to this vice, protecting our religious, as they do our civil rights, by putting all on an equal footing. But more remains to be done, for although we are free by the law, we are not so in practice. Public opinion erects itself into an inquisition, and exercises its office with as much fanaticism as fanned by an auto de fè". And John Adams, ad--dressing the same public spirited Mordecai M. Noah, gave utterance to these thoughts: "I wish that your people may be admitted to all privileges of citizens in every country of the world. This country has done much. I wish it may do more and annul every narrow idea in religion, in government and commerce".
Brethren. May the day never arrive dawn when Christianity, or any creed shall will have received a public recognition from the Constitution of the United States. For, notwithstanding the clause that congress shall make no law respect--ing an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the exercise thereof, still, we Jews suffer ostracism through local or state laws. Some years ago, when street cars were forbidden to run in Philadelphia on the first day of the week, in deference to by the urgent solicitations of would be saints, who did not scruple using their own conveyance and hordes on that same day, a chief justice the courts decided that Sunday is not the Sabbath. Nevertheless continual arrests have been made and are being made in this city almost within a stone's throw of the Indpendence Hall of Independence, among our brethren who as disturbers of public peace for working in their own shops on premises, on a Sunday, because as they observe the Sabbath. as disturbers of public peace. Complaints are brought to me, request--ing to take some action, but I realize the inutility of it; because if the the seventh day Babtists--a large denomination--cannot redress remove a clear wrong injustice, we few cannot hope to rectify it. Injustice Wrong against us, is not easily set righted. What I only could accomplish in Philadelphia was to prevent our sons and daughters receiving punishment for
non attendance at schools on high holidays, or, as expressed in school language, from being demoted, a circumstance telling operating working disadvantageously about regarding their average at the end of the term. What stronger proof of the arbitrariness which the majority exercises, can Philadelphia exhibits than in the case of an insti--tution for the training of fatherless boys in secular learning and mechanical skill? Stephen Girard, may have been imbued with the atheistic ideas of the France of his time. Be it so or not, he was so determinedly opposed to denominational religions, that in bequeathing to their city the magnificent college, which bears his name, with the endowment of two million dollars, anxious be resolved to prevents the inmates from being influenced by Clergymen. he Accordingly the man left positive orders that none of them latter be ever allowed to enter the institution. The thought of imparting Christian doctrines, of holding Christian services, of building a Christian chapel in those premises, was abhorrent to the testator. Yet, his will is set altogether aside, and I have had obtained in the past, the personal knowledge of a Jewish lad admitted there, being tampered with by one of the employeés to effect a so called conversion. If Christianity acts so clandestinely on the Jesuitical plea, that the end justifies the means,
what could we anticipate, if Congress should have ever de--clared to the world that the cross is the victorious ensign of the Republic of the North; that by it every tongue must swear, that to it all must pay homage? But that ominous event will not occur. Too many are the interests at stake, clashing among innumerable seats, abounding holding together and jealous of the upper hand gained by any in this land of equality, professedly so at all wants, if not in the strictest sense of the word. That cala--mity--I may predict--will not overtake us, but we Jews, without com--mitting ourselves by unwise agitations, must always side with the liberals, recognizing that cant is not religion, professions are not actions. At a meeting of Philadelphia Episcopalians, ostensibly in the interest of Russian Jews, outraged and murdered by the Russian government, a clergyman remarked that those who do not adhere to the fourth of the majority, must expect perse elections. But that homicidal theory is not applied now to the Armenians under a Mohammedan government, often provoked incited by the medlesomeness of American missionaries. Of course, Turks cannot be placed under in the same category as with Christians. To rebel against them Moslems rule is virtue.
Understand, I lament what happens in the East, even if only a part of what have journals here and abroad have reported, did come to pass to have be true; and I com--mend the philanthropy of Miss Barton and her mer--ciful coworkers to mitigate the sufferings of human creatures; but I cannot help contrasting the uni--versal sympathy now displaced in every city, in every town towards the Armenians, and the culpable indif--ference when millions of Jews, were under the lash of the brutal Cossacks and then equally brutal emperor. I must fervently pray that in this land of the free and home of the brave, the endea--vours of churchmen may prove illusory, shadowy, unsubstantial, like specters fleeing phantoms. In the language of Isaiah I exclaim [Hebrew] [Hebrew]. "Take counsel together, it will come to naught, speak the word, but it will avail nothing, for God's with m us." - Identifier
- p3k931r2r
- identifier
- SMBx10FF11_4
Part of Literary Production. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated
Morais, Sabato, “Literary Production. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated”, Sabato Morais Digital Repository, accessed September 19, 2024, https://judaicadhpenn.org/legacyprojects/s/morais/item/83242