Democratic Sentinel, Volume 3, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 January 1880 — Idolatry Among the Jews. [ARTICLE]

Idolatry Among the Jews.

Idolatry was considered the most heinous offense of which a Jew could be guilty. Among a people professing a monotheistic faith, hedged in by nations given to every form of paganism, prone to abominations of every kind, it was thought necessary that any public desecration of religion should be severely punished. Hence, in such cases ignorance could not be pleaded in extenuation of the crime; nor was any preliminary warning requisite in order that judgment of death might be legally pronounced. In ordinary affairs, as in the more serious matters capitally punishable, the Hebrew code did not permit of any sort of detective system. A man was not permitted to Becrete himself in order to watch his neighbor. A witness who had acted in such a manner would not have been permitted to give evidence. When, however, a Jew was believed to have publicly devoted himself to idolatry, and to have endeavored to seduce his neighbors to the same practices, any ruse was permitted for the purpose of demonstrating his guilt. If, for example, lie declared to one’persou only that in such and such a grove an image was erected, and attempted to persuade him to join iu worship there, the latter was permitted to hide a friend wherever convenient, and, calling the idolater, might say to him, “ Now. tell me more about that image you worship. If the backslider repeated his solicitations, the testimony of the two witnesses was procured, which was necessary foT condemnation. But previous to laying the matter before a Sanhedrim it was imperative upon both witnesses to reason with the idolator. They were, according to the Talmud, to speak kindly with him. They should address him and say, “How! Would you have us forsake our God who is in heaven to follow deities who are made of wood and stone?” If the erring brother gave oar to their exhortation and quitted his pagan practices, tbe witnesses who knew of his backsliding were not permitted to mention the fact to any neighbors or friends. “He who repents must never be reminded of his former iniquities.” But, if obstinately bent on worshiping the image he had found and set up for himself, the depositions as to the circumstances were laid before the tribunal. These facts were, however, only sufficient to found the accusation upon. To convict, it was necessary to prove that the offender was really given to the pagan practices to which he endeavored to persuade his brother. Similarly, in the case of a simple idolator it was requisite to prove more than mere adoration of an image or prostration before it, or dressing and tending it. It must be shown that he acknowledged it verbally as his divinity, and immolated sacrifices and offered incense in its honor. This was essential in order to constitute Idolatry punishable with death. —Pall Mall Gazette.