reason, is the ally of religion and truth. Research, criticism, inquiry, and all other exertions of reason, are divinely appointed means for the progress of humanity to its lofty ideals of God, truth, and happiness.—Rabbi Isaac M. Wise, Cincinnati, Ohio.

FRATERNITY

RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

EDUCATION.

Resolutions of Conference of Rabbis, Cleveland, Ohio, July 15, 1870.

These resolves, laid before the Conference by Rabbi Lilienthal, of Cincinnati, and approved by a select committee, were adopted unanimously, and engrossed and signed by all present:

At a meeting of the Rabbis of various cities of the Union, held in the city of Cleveland, Ohio, from and after July 13, in consideration of the religious commotion now agitating the public mind in both hemispheres, in accordance with the principles of Judaism, it was unanimously declared:

1. Because, with unshaken faith and firmness we believe in one indivisible and eternal God, we also believe in the common fatherhood of God, and the common brotherhood of

men.

2. We glory in the sublime doctrine of our religion, which teaches that the righteous of all nations, without distinction of creed, will enjoy eternal life and everlasting happiness.

3. The divine command, the most sublime passage of the Bible, "Thou shalt love thy fellowman as thyself," extends to the entire human family, without distinction of either race or creed.

4. Civil and religious liberty, and hence the separation of Church and State, are the inalienable rights of men, and we consider them to be the brightest gems in the Constitution of the United States.

5. We love and revere this country as our home and fatherland for us and our children; and therefore consider it our paramount duty to sustain and support the government; to favor by all means the system of free education, leaving religious instruction to the care of the different denominations.

6. We expect the universal elevation and fraternization of the human family to be achieved by the natural means of. science, morality, justice, freedom and truth.

Dr. J. Mayer, President, Cleveland, Ohio; Dr. M. Lilienthal, Cincinnati, Ohio; Dr. Ad. Hubsh, New York; Dr. I. M. Wise, Cincinnati, Ohio; Dr. H. S. Sonneshein, St. Louis, Mo.; Dr. L. Kleeberg, Louisville, Ky.; Dr. L. Adler, Chicago, Ill.; Dr. S. Tuska, Memphis, Tenn.; Dr. G. Kalish, New York; Dr. M. Fluegel, Quincy, Ill.; G. M. Cohen, Cleveland, Ohio; A. L. Mayer, Richmond, Va.; Dr. L. Goldhammer, Cincinnati, Ohio.

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CHAPTER VII.

GREECE.

ORPHEUS, PYTHAGORAS, PLATO, ETC.

ONE BEING.

There is One Unknown Being, prior to all beings, and exalted above all. He is the author of all things, even of the ethereal sphere, and of all things below it. He is Life, Counsel and Light, which all signify One Power, the same that drew all things visible and invisible, out of nothing. We will sing that eternal, wise, and all-perfect Love, which reduced chaos to order.

ter.

The empyrean, the deep Tartarus, the earth, the ocean, the immortal gods and goddesses, all that is, that has been, or that will be, was originally contained in the fruitful bosom of JupiHe is the first and the last, the beginning and the end. He is the Primeval Father, the immortal virgin, the life, the cause, the energy of all things. There is One only Power, One only Lord, One Universal King.—Orpheus, B. C. 1200.

ONE SOUL, AND OTHER SAYINGS.

There is One Universal Soul, diffused through all things,— eternal, invisible, unchangeable; in essence like truth, in substance resembling light; not to be represented by any image, to be comprehended only by the mind; not as some conjecture, exterior to the world, but, in himself entire, pervading the universal sphere.

Unity is the principle of all things, and from this unity went forth an infinite duality.

The soul of man being between spirits who always contemplate the Divine Essence, and those incapable of such

contemplation, can raise itself to the one, or sink itself to the

other.

Truth is to be sought with a mind purified from the passions of the body. Having overcome evil things, thou shalt experience the union of the immortal God with the mortal

man.

Man is perfected, first by conversing with the gods, which he can only do when he abstains from evil, and strives to resemble the divine nature; second, by doing good to others, which is an imitation of the gods; third, by leaving this mortal body.

A man should never pray for anything for himself, because every one is ignorant of what is really good for him.

Every man ought to speak and act with such integrity that no one would have reason to doubt his simple affirmation. Do what you believe to be right, whatever people think of you.

It is either requisite to be silent or to say something better than silence.

It is impossible that he can be free who is a slave to his passions.

We should avoid and amputate by every possible artifice, by fire and sword, and all various contrivances; from the body, disease; from the soul, ignorance; from the belly, luxury; from a city, sedition; from a house, discord; and at the same time from all things, immoderation.

It is better to live lying in the grass confiding in divinity and yourself, than to lie in a golden bed with purturbation.— Pithagoras, B. C. 586.

ZEUS AND DIVINE LAW.

Greatest of the gods, God with many names, God ever-ruling,

and ruling all things!

Zeus, origin of nature, governing the universe by law,

All hail! For it is right for mortals to address thee;

Since we are thy offspring, and we alone of all

That live and creep on the earth have power of imitative

speech.

Therefore will I praise thee, and hymn forever thy power.

Thee the wide heaven, which surrounds the earth, obeys;
Following where thou wilt, willingly obeying thy law.
Thou holdest at thy service, in thy mighty hands,

The two-edged, flaming, immortal thunderbolt,

Before whose flash all nature trembles.

Thou rulest in the common reason, which goes through all, And appears in all things, great and small,

Which, filling all nature, is king of all existences.

Nor without thee, O Deity, does anything happen in the world, From the ethereal pole to the great ocean,

Except only the evil prepared by the senseless wicked.

But thou also art able to bring to order that which is chaotic, Giving form to that which is formless, and making the discordant friendly;

So reducing all variety to unity, and even making good out of

evil.

Thus through all nature is one great law,

Which only the wicked seek to disobey,—

Poor fools! who long for happiness,

But will not see nor hear the divine commands.

[Cleanthes, B. C. 260.

THE ONE PRIMITIVE SUBSTANCE.

The Eternal Living Being, most noble of all beings; distinct from matter, without extension or division, without parts or succession; who understands everything, and, continuing himself immovable, gives motion to all things, and enjoys in himself a perfect happiness, knowing and contemplating himself with infinite pleasure.

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There are many inferior deities, but One Mover. All that is said of the human shape of those deities is mere fiction,