We tury. It received important advantages | Jews who flocked to this country, soon from the settlement in Liverpool, in after the British isle became hospitable 1762, of Mr. Yates, who came to this towards them, came here to enjoy peace country in the retinue of Queen Char- and safety, and not to distinguish themlotte, and was offered a situation in selves as Spinozas, Mendelssohns, &c. the royal suite by George III., but Besides, the portals of the English unipreferring a humbler sphere, lest he versities and colleges were closed against should be tempted to forget his God, he them. What else can be the result, obtained a post in the custom-house. under such a pressure of disadvantages, The authorities of that establishment but a contraction of all intellectual had so much respect for Mr. Yates, that faculties, and a drying up of all the they allowed him to absent himself sources of genius and learning. every Saturday, in order that he might accordingly find the few literary observe the Jewish Sabbath; and when Hebrews which are, nevertheless, found he died, the custom-house was closed in this realm, complain bitterly of the on the day of the funeral, in respect to apathy of their richer brethren with his memory. He acted for some time regard to the promotion of learning. in the capacity of minister of the con- The columns of the Jewish Chronigregation, till he was instrumental in cle' are now and then embellished with procuring the appointment of Mr. Hart a pathetic appeal to the wealthy and to that office in 1780. The Hebrews influential for support, in the endeavour in Liverpool have, ever since that to raise the literary character of the period, continued to increase in num- English Israelite." bers, wealth, and influence, and the memories of Mozley, Samuel, and others, are cherished for their benevolence. Mr. Isaacs, the minister of the Liverpool synagogue, was the first to establish Hebrew lectures in this country, and several of his discourses have been published. The Manchester synagogue was founded by Mr. Nathan in 1780. It was in this town that Rothschild began his career. The Jews of Man- According to Mr. Leeser, the writer chester, like their brethren generally, of the foregoing article, the number of are very attentive to the wants of their Jews in New York is 10,000. Till the poor. Dr. Schiller and Mr. T. Theo-year 1827, one synagogue sufficed for dore, both Jews, resident in the town, that city; but since that period five have reflected honour on the Hebrew congregations have sprung up, and the brotherhood by their talents and writings. On the subject of Jewish literature in the United Kingdom, Mr. Margoliouth makes the following remarks: The whole Jewish people scattered throughout the world have been estimated at five millions, of which number two millions inhabit the different European states-the largest proportion within the dominions of Russia. Comparatively few Jews reside in Palestine, although many continue to make pilgrimages to that land of their affections and their hopes. Israelites are annually receiving accessions from Europe by emigration. The first settlement of Jews in America took place in New Amsterdam, when it was under the Dutch government, about "The Anglo-Jewish literati and 1660. They are now scattered throughliterature laboured under the most out the various states of the Union. disadvantageous circumstances, ever Each congregation or synagogue is since the Hebrews returned to this independent, electing its own minister, country. The Hebrew literature, strictly so called, being very little understood by the English Christians, was discarded by the great mass of the British savans. The generality of the and making its own laws. With the exception of one educational establishment in New York, and another in Cincinnati, together with Sundayschools in other cities, the Jews have no colleges or public schools in the United States. For a general description of modern Judaism, and of Jewish doctrines and observances, reference may be made to Dr. Cox's "Biblical Antiquities," forming one of the volumes of the Encyclopædia Metropolitana. For the purpose of the present work, it is not necessary to advert to the sects of Pharisees, Sadducees, Samaritans, and Essenes of former times; but the general reader will be interested by the following brief sketch, in conclusion, of the Caraites or Karaites, that is, Scripturists, so denominated from their adhering more closely to Scripture than the Rabbinical Jews, who add to the written or Mosaic law the traditions of the Talmud or Oral law. The Caraites are of very ancient origin, and claim to represent the genuine succession of the Jewish Church. The rise of this sect is involved in obscurity. There are traces of the Caraites about the sixth century of our era, contending for the sufficiency of the Old Testament Scriptures alone, against the Rabbinical doctors of the time. Their tenets appear to be the following: viz., 1. That all material existences, the worlds and all that are in them, are created. 2. That the Creator is himself uncreated, that there is no similitude of him, but that he is one alone. 4. That Moses was commissioned by him. 5. That through Moses was revealed the perfect law of God. 6. That it is the duty of the faithful to know the Scriptures, that is, the law, and the exposition thereof. 7. That God directed or inspired the other prophets by the prophetical spirit. 8. That God will restore the sons of men to life at the day of judgment. 9. That God will render to every man according to his works. 10. That the Jews have not been cast off by God, but only chastened, and they look for salvation by Messiah the son of David. In common with the other Jews, the Caraites believe that the Messiah is yet to come, and it is their persuasion that he will be a temporal king. They dispense with many of the observances of the Rabbinical Jews, and maintain a simple form of worship. They have never been a numerous sect, and probably are outnumbered by the Jews in London alone. They are found chiefly in Damascus, Constantinople, Cairo, Persia, Lithuania, and the Crimea. Their honesty is proverbial, and their general character and conduct irreproachable. In Wolff's journals we find the following translation of a hymn of great simplicity and tenderness of feeling, which is chanted responsively by the Caraite Rabbi and people dwelling at Jerusalem: "On account of the palace which is laid waste, We sit down alone and weep. On account of the temple which is destroyed, We sit down alone and weep. On account of the walls which are pulled down, We sit down alone and weep. On account of our great men who have been cast down, We sit down alone and weep. On account of the precious stones which arc burnt, We sit down alone and weep. On account of the priests who have stumbled, We sit down alone and weep. On account of our kings who have despised Him, We sit down alone and weep. We beseech Thee, have mercy upon Zion; Speak to the heart of Jerusalem. Make new again the ruins of Jerusalem. May the royal government shine again over Zion; Comfort those who mourn at Jerusalem. May joy and gladness be found upon Zion; A Branch shall spring forth at Jerusalem! THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. BY PROFESSOR W. JOS. WALTERS, PHILADELPHIA. "CATHOLIC" is from a Greek word Church is," (Catech. xviii.) And St. signifying whole, general, universal; Augustine (Anno 400,) remarks, that and is applied to the Church to desig-"though all heretics wish to be called nate the union in one body of all par- Catholics, yet they never dare to point ticular churches confessing one Lord, out their own meeting-house to a one Faith, one Baptism, and one God stranger, who inquires for the Catholic and Father, (Eph. iv. 5.) "The Catho-place of worship," (Cont. Epist. Funlic Church," says St. Cyril of Jerusalem, dam, c. iv.) "is so called because she is spread over Thus it had been in all ages, from the whole habitable globe, from one end the foundation of Christianity; and to the other," (Catech. xviii.); and this thus it was in the beginning of the sixin conformity with the declaration of teenth century, when certain religious our Lord, that "penance and remission innovators made a formal protest against of sins should be preached in his name some of the doctrines taught by the unto all nations, beginning at Jerusalem," Catholic Church of that period. From (Luke xxiv. 47;) and with his com- this protest they obtained the name of mand to his Apostles, "Go ye into the Protestants or Protesters; while the whole world and preach the Gospel to adherents of the ancient faith continued every creature," (Mark xvi. 15;) to be called Catholics. The Separatists, whence the saints are represented in however, soon experienced the inconheaven proclaiming, "Thou hast revenience of which St. Augustine has deemed us to God in thy blood, out of spoken above. How could they protest every tribe, and tongue, and people, against the doctrines of the Catholic and nation," (Apocalypse, v. 9.) Church, while in the creed they proWherever a new doctrine has been fessed to believe the Catholic Church? preached in opposition to the doctrines To escape from this difficulty, some of the existing Catholic Church, the divines of other communions have mainpatrons and followers of the new doc-tained, that they (the Protestants) are trine have derived their distinctive the real Catholics, under the ingenious appellation from some circumstance pretence that they teach the doctrines peculiar to themselves; whilst the originally established by the Apostles adherents of the old doctrine, remaining in the Catholic Church. But this canin communion with the Catholic Church not avail them, for two reasons: 1st, in other places, have retained their The word Catholic has no direct referformer name of Catholics. Hence St. ence to the truth or falsehood of docCyril (Anno 350), tells his hearers, trine. It points out universality, it "When they go to a strange place, not designates "the Church spread over to ask for the church simply-for the the whole inhabitable world,”—a_deheretics have their places of worship-signation to which they can have but to inquire where the Catholic no claim. 2d, If their reasoning be THE DOGMAS OF THE CATHOLIC admitted, we must concede the title of of Dr. Butler, preached, at Cambridge, Catholic to every heterodox sect that at the installation of the Duke of ever had existence. For all these sects Gloucester: "Popery, as it is called, believed that their peculiar doctrines is still a fertile theme of declamation to were true; and of course they might the old women and children of the year thence infer, as the divines in question 1811. This term Papist is reproachdo, that the doctrines in question were ful, conveys an erroneous idea, keeps those of the Apostles, and gave to them alive a dishonourable prejudice, and a right to the appellation of Catholics. ought to be abolished; nor will I ever So long as the creed is true, there believe that man a sincere friend to must exist a Catholic Church, in which Christian liberty who persists in the the reciters of the creed may profess use of it." their belief. There was, then, such a church when the so-called reformers were born. By Catholic ministers they were baptized; in Catholic doctrines they were educated; in the Catholic Church they were taught to believe. Subsequently they separated from her a separation that certainly could not affect her right to the title of Catholic, which she had possessed for so many centuries. She still exists, and In these words the Apostle speaks of is still the same Catholic Church. the natural blindness of men respecting Their followers also still exist, and may religion. He teaches, that whilst we justly claim the names assumed by their live in this lower world, encompassed fathers. They may be Anglicans, or with clouds and darkness, we see Lutherans, or Calvinists, or Baptists, or faintly and obscurely the things that any other denomination whatever: but are above; that the revelations, made one thing is certain,-they cannot be to us respecting a future world, are Catholics. "We see now through a glass in a dark manner: but then [we shall see] face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know even as I am known. And now there remain Faith, Hope, Charity, these three: but the greater of these is charity,” (1 Cor. xiii. 12, 13.) often wholly above our comprehension, and generally full of mystery and difficulty; that we shall never be able fully to comprehend them, till the veil is drawn aside by death, and we behold God face to face in whom, as in a clear mirror, all truth and all knowledge will be found. As to the term "Roman Catholic," it shows the bond of union which binds the various churches of Christendom in the profession of the faith of the chief See of the entire Christian world. Hence, it always brings to the mind of the faithful in any clime, the great, primitive senior church, the Church of While here upon earth, there remain Rome; and as more nations became for our exercise three virtues-Faith, converted to the faith, they were called Hope, and Charity. These united, by their different appellations, as form an epitome of the whole duty of a "English Roman Catholics," "Ameri-Christian. can Roman Catholics," Roman Catholics," &c. "French Faith serves as a remedy for our natural defects, and supplies the place of knowledge. It teaches us to believe, without doubting, doctrines which we cannot comprehend, on the testimony of God, who has taught them. It "The reproachful epithets of 'Papist,' "Romanist,' 'Popish,' 'Romish,' &c., are no longer applied to them (the Catholics) by any gentleman or scholar," (Rev. J. Nightingale, author of "A teaches us to put a restraint on the Portraiture of Methodism," &c.) daring flights of reason, and to confine The same liberal Protestant makes within its proper limits this noblest of the following quotation from a sermon our natural gifts: to employ it in examining the grounds upon which reve- charity, it profiteth me nothing," (1 lation rests, but not in discussing the Cor. xiii. 3.) Charity, then, is somecredibility of any subject which it dis- thing more than benevolence. It is a covers to have been revealed; to wait virtue which regards God as well as with patience till our faculties are en-man. It would be a partial and imlarged, and the obstacles to our know- perfect virtue, indeed, if it excluded ledge removed, and, in the meantime, God, the most perfect, the most with the humility and simplicity of amiable, the only adorable being, the children, to receive, venerate, and love first of benefactors, the best of friends, the hidden and mysterious truths taught the most tender and loving of parents. us by the invisible and incomprehensible It teaches us to love God above all Deity. things, to prefer his law and will before every consideration, to make them the rule, guide, and criterion of our thoughts, our words, and our conduct. fice whatever we value most in life, rather than violate the allegiance we owe to our sovereign Lord. It teaches us to worship Him in the manner He requires, and consequently to follow the religion which we sincerely believe to have been established by Him. For should any man say to God, "I love thee, O God, but I will not worship thee in the manner which thou hast commanded, but in a manner which I consider as good or better," would he not offer an affront to God? Would he not be considered as a rebel against the Divine majesty? Would not his selfish homage be rejected with disdain? Hope teaches us to look forward with humble confidence to future happiness. It is an essential doctrine of revelation, that God really and truly It prepares us at any moment to sacridesires the salvation of all mankind; that he created all for this end; that with this view, Jesus Christ, his eternal Son, died upon the cross, and established the Church with all necessary helps to salvation; that consequently, if we do our best endeavours, we shall be saved, not indeed by our natural strength, for with this alone we can do nothing, but by the help of grace, which God is ever ready and desirous to impart to those who employ the proper means of obtaining it; that, consequently, if any one is lost his perdition is from himself alone, and that if any one despair or cease to hope, it must either be that he refuses to do his best, or that he violates the doctrine of faith, This sacred virtue teaches us to love and accuses God of injustice. Hope every neighbour as ourselves, in thought, gives peace to the mind, not by impart-in word, and in deed. It forbids us to ing a certainty of future happiness, think unkindly, or to judge rashly of which even the Apostle himself declares any human being; it commands us to he did not possess, but by inspiring a put the best construction on his conduct, firm yet humble confidence in the pro- to excuse it when we can, and palliate mises, the mercy, and the merits of it when it will not admit of excuse, Christ. and this, even though our judgments be confined to the secrets of our own Charity is the first, the greatest, the most essential of all the Christian breasts. virtues. It is not synonymous with Still more does it require that our benevolence to the poor. It does not words be regulated by the same princonsist merely in relieving the dis- ciples-that nothing escape our lips tressed, comforting the sorrowful, cloth-which can injure our neighbour's repuing the naked, and similar works of tation, or disturb his peace of mind— brotherly kindness; for St. Paul says, that, when occasion offers, we under"If I should distribute all my goods to take his defence, excuse his defects, feed the poor, and if I should deliver extenuate his errors, and proclaim his my body to be burned, and have not merits. It teaches us to assist him in |
