Show THE PHILOSOPHY OF CONVERSION Only a short while ago the Christian orthodox churches of the country have called for n period of ten days prayer to bring about the conversion of the Jews t Christianity Living as we do In a century where things arc considered consid-ered from a scientific rather than from a dogmatic point of view It can certainly cer-tainly not be amiss for one lo try and gain n clear and impartial comprehension comprehen-sion of the true and relil nature of the process of conversion Conversion divested di-vested of Its hnuy ant mystical t ole meats can have but one lucid and comprehensible com-prehensible meaning and this Is the turning of a person from one set of opinions to another This definition being accepted the next thing for us to consider Is the proper and effective means whereby such end can easily be attained and following upon thin the clear and definite reasons why such a task should at H I be l undertaken I takes but a little reflection to find that we can never expect successfully to change or modify the opinions of a sane and rational person without knowIng know-Ing first how In the nature of things opinions are from the first formulated again there cannot be tIme least I object for UB to try to effect such it change unless we absolutely know and unmistakably unmis-takably realize that It will add to the store of human knowledge the sanctity of human life and the stability and fullness ness of human happiness A man receives Impressions the Im prcsslont evolve Into consciousness and his consciousness matures into opinions only through his vital and nevcrccaK lag contact with the rest of the world around him Whatever man has gained of knowledge or whatever error has crept into the Inner realm of hit thought whatever of beauty grandeur or sordldness and blight adheres to the subtle fabric o his mind has all come from his cither true or mistaken cell mate of the nature of his relations with the forces that surround him Man would never think of t Creator did he not always see or feel the multitude of things cre tel One would never dream of a Universal Intelligence did not the perfection of Natures systematic system-atic and orderly operations constantly appeal to his senses Man learns only through study and Investigation The term revelation Is Indicative of nothing else but the successive unfoldment of Natures secret to mans evergrowing and widening vision while the word Intuition is but a techlnacl name for the residues of social experiences which countless processes of heredity have transmuted Into enduring and ever abiding Instincts This being so the only proper and effective way to correct one would be to lead him rationally and consecutively back to the objects of Nature that impressed im-pressed him and then to show how hlu ane deficient and Inaccurate understanding of them has led him to false and unwarranted un-warranted opinions There can be no place for prayer Did the chemist or astromoner ever pray for the conversion conver-sion of the alchemist or ostrologlst Yet the secret which the tiniest atom contains and the law which governs the sway of Its affinities Is certainly as much a part of the Supreme Intelligence gence as the hussy and hairsplitting niceties of mystical theologians I the Jews have misunderstood the plan of the Universe If they have misinterpreted misinterpre-ted the will of God as revealed In Nature Na-ture If their life and work Is based upon a monstrous misconception of cause and effect the only thing to do Is to point out the mistake to show how their spiritual findings do not satisfy sat-isfy the many problems of life how their conception of Universal Being Is I contradicted by Us Inner working and operations What place Is there for prayen What good can come from the hysterical outpuorlng o minds lhat cannot reason that are unable to either clearly point out the mistake or definitely defi-nitely to show how It can effectively be rectified When we look again for the alms and ultimate usefulness of this scheme of wholesale conversion the shallownesn and superfluity o this undertaking becomes be-comes more emphatic still What necessity ne-cessity is i there for converting the Jew Is there In nil the realms of human ac llvlly any single field to be found wherein his Inferiority to the Christian can be clearly pointed out Is he perchance per-chance not as Industrious not as temperate tem-perate In his habits not is charitable not as educated rs the Christian Do the penal statistics of the country show greater criminality more prostitution and vagrancy among the Jews than among the Christians Cannot the loyalty loy-alty of Jewish men and the virtue of Jewish women favorably compare with that of individuals of other creeds Are they more vindictive than the others History proves the contrary For hundreds o years the Jew has been hunted persecuted oppressed and maligned ma-ligned hardly Is there a bit of soil In the land of Christendom where his blood has not Mowed even today In the very glare of the twentieth century Christian power haunt and harass him yet with all the dolors of such real and innumerable grievances stamped upon his brow ho Is Infinitely less prejudiced against the Christian than the Christian Is against him If thn the spiritual yearning the civic Ideals the life forces and moral standards of the Jew are In no way Inferior lo those of the Christian what necessity is there for converting him Why can he riot be left lo work out his destiny in his own way Why Is he not allowed to add to the Gtore of human knowledge Industry I and perfec I ton In the peculiar pccular manner Lo ivhici nature and history have titUned I ho trnner hit answer anr must be left to UIQ In II creased l IniolllBonce lQ Intollmcc of the comlnr htC gea rations rCne L G KCYN OLns Rabbi o Congrogallon Iinnl 1ra l |