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376 The History of the Jnrs .
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The history of the Jews has always appeared to us a study of deep importance and interest . As the early objects of the Divine special care and protection , piety to God and a proper desire to become acquainted with all his dealings to the children of men , seem to render incumbent upon us an acquaintance with the history of this extraordinary people : and , further , the consideration that they were the channel through which our religious
knowledge has been derived to us , forces upon us a sympathy which no rightly constituted rnind , we think , would seek to repress . For our parts , we have always felt towards the Jews something of that filial respect which pious children retain , towards even bad parents : their crimes , their obstinacy , their injustice to their Messiah , we do not attempt to palliate ; but we look upon these things more in sorrow than in anger . Had we lived in their day , should we have been exempt from their crimes ?—should we have assented to the claims of Jesus , and renounced our high hopes and splendid
anticipations ? Is it not more probable that the spirit ot nationality would have exerted its influence upon us , as it did upon them , and led us , if not to the same excesses , to the same pertinacious adherence to our original notions ? Our present profession is , perhaps , as much the result of circumstances , as their obstinacy in favour of their peculiar system was ; so that charity ought to induce in us a greater indulgence to them than has commonly been their portion . The disgust and hatred with which , in former ages , the Jews were looked upon , was unjust and cruel ; and we regard the increasing compassion and tenderness with which they are now generally regarded , as the trium ph not only of kind feeling , but of reason and religion .
We are presented , in the little work which stands at the head of this notice , with a new history of the Jews , a publication very acceptable , notwithstanding the many accounts of them we already possess . There are few persons who read the Bible as a work of general literature , nor is it at all an
* The History of the Jews . 3 Vol » . ( Murray ' s family Library . )
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The theme is exhaustless as it is lovely , and well is it adapted to the age of observation and of wonder , when the eyes open on a new world and the heart is not choked with its cares . If other topics be needed , they may be found in abundance in Scripture story—in the life of Jesus and his apostles more especially . There is a hymn of this kind which all children love , and which should serve for a model ; it represents Christ walking on the sea , with the motto , " Lo it is I ; be not afraid ! " The Scripture Songs in the little volume before us are rather inferior to the rest of the work ; they are
judicious , however , and well chosen as relates to the matter , and if they are good enough to interest the child , the parent may excuse any faults of versification . To please and to excite the taste is much in every other department—it is always a means ; but in religious education it is all in all—it is the end , and should never for a moment be lost sight of . The demand of religion is , " Give me thy heart , " and when the heart is gained the work is accomplished .
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THE HISTORY OF THE JEWS . *
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), June 2, 1830, page 376, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2585/page/16/
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