'Thou shalt relieve him, a proselyte or a sojourner, that he may live with thee; and again, That thy brother may live with thee' (Lev. xxv. 35, 36). And whosoever sees a poor man begging, and shuts his eyes from him, and does not give him alms, transgresses a negative precept, for it is said, 'Thou shalt not harden thy heart nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother.'" The extent of the charity is fixed according to the wants of the poor person-" According as the poor hath need thou art commanded to give. If he has no clothing, he is to be clothed; if he has no furniture, it is to be bought for him; if he has no wife, he is to be helped to marry one; if a woman, she is to be assisted in getting a husband; yea, if it had formerly been the custom of the poor person to ride on horseback, and to have a servant running before him, but now he has come down in the world,-it is a duty to buy him a horse to ride and a servant to run before him, for it is said, 'sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth' (Deut. xv. 8). The Commentary in the Jom Din says, that this extent of charity is not to be expected from individuals, but by the joint contributions of the many; and some persons may think that neither the few nor the many amongst the Jews practise what is here prescribed; but we are considering the system, and therefore think it right to exhibit its principles, which in this respect far excel those of the political economists of the day, and, if practised, would prevent much crime, as well as go far to diminish human misery. The Rabbins further provide "that in every city where there are Israelites, known and faithful men should be appointed to go round and collect the appointed alms." When they had the power, they punished with stripes any one who refused to give, and at present they hold out every inducement in the way of persuasion and threatening. The Hebrew word which they use for clms properly signifies righteousness, and hence they bring many passages from Scripture to move the people to the performance of this duty. "We are bound to be more careful respecting this commandment of alms, than about any other of all the affirmative precepts, for almsgiving is a characteristic of the righteous seed of Abraham our father, as it is said, 'I know him that he will command his children to do alms' (Gen. xviii. 19). By almsgiving alone it is that the throne. of Israel is established, and that the law of truth standeth, for it is said, By alms (in righteousness) thou shalt be established' (Isaiah liv. 14). By alms alone it is that Israel shall be delivered, for it is said, 'Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with alms' (righteousness) (Isa. i. 27)." A man who will not give alms is said to be as bad as an idolater, and it is even suggested that it is necessary to inquire into his genealogy, for such cruelty is found only amongst the Gentiles, as it is said, They are cruel, and will not pity; but all Israel and he that is joined to them are as brothers, as it is said, 'Ye are the children of the Lord your God.'" From these few extracts it appears that the Rabbinical system inculcates mercy and charity amongst those who profess it. An examination of the judicial laws would shew that its tendency is also to dispense justice. But some of its advocates are not content with this praise; they endeavour to shew that it is liberal, according to the modern sense of the term-that it teaches that all men without exception are brethren-that it meddles with no man's religion, but allows every man to go to heaven his own way. This is perfectly false. If there be one religion more exclusive than another, it is Rabbinism. It divides mankind into four classes-Israelites, proselytes, children of Noah, and idolaters; and between each class it makes a great difference. As to idolaters, so far from regarding them as brethren, it applies to them the commandments given against the seven nations of Canaan:-" It is an affirmative precept to destroy idols and idolaters, and everything made for such a purpose, for it is said, 'Ye shall utterly destroy all the places' (Deut. xii. 2); and again, But thus ye shall deal with them,' &c. (Deut. vii. 5.) And in the land of Israel it is a commandment to pursue after idolatry until, we destroy it from all our land. Elsewhere we are not commanded to pursue after it, but only in every place that we subdue we are to destroy all the idolatry found therein, for it is said, 'Ye shall destroy the names of them out of that place' (Deut. xii. 3)." "Further, it is forbidden to shew them any kindness, for it is said, 'Thou shalt shew no mercy unto them;' therefore, if one sees a Gentile, a worshipper of the stars and planets, perishing or drowning in a river, he is not to be helped out. If we see such an one near to death, we are not to deliver him; but, to destroy him with the hand, or to thrust him into a pit, or anything of that kind, is forbidden, because he is not at war with us." It may be thought that this is utterly at variance with the above humane command to bury the dead of the Gentiles and to visit their sick, and with another command often quoted," to feed the poor of the Gentiles along with the poor of Israel." But the reason assigned for both these precepts removes the apparent contradiction. These things are commanded "for the sake of the ways of peace." The context in Maimonides is very explicit. He says, "The poor of the idolaters are to be fed with the poor of Israel for the sake of the ways of peace. They are also permitted to have part of the sheaf forgotten, and in the corner of the field, for the sake of the ways of peace. It is also lawful to ask after their health even on their feast day, for the sake of the ways of peace; but never to reiterate the salutation, neither to enter the house of an idolater on the day of his festival to salute him. If he be met in the street, he is to be saluted in a low tone of voice, and with a heavy • Hilchoth Accum, e. vii, &c. head. But all these things are said only of the time that Israel is in captivity amongst the nations, or that the idolaters have the upper hand of Israel; but when the hand of Israel is strong, it is forbidden to suffer an idolater in the midst of us either to dwell or to pass from place to place with merchandize. 6 He is not to pass through our land until he take upon him the seven commandments given to the children of Noah, for it is said, 'They shall not dwell in thy land, not even for an hour."" It may be thought, however, and it is often confidently asserted, that Rabbinism does not interfere with the religion of other nations. It is true that the Jews do not interfere, and that for ages they have been a quiet people, attending only to themselves. But the conduct of the Jews, and the Rabbinical system, are two different things. The system commands the conversion of the heathen by force, and sentences them to death if they refuse to be converted-" Moses our master did not give the law as an inheritance to any but Israel, as it is said, the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob;' and to those of the nations who might wish to become proselytes. Moses our master has also commanded us, by divine appointment, to compel all that come into the world to embrace the commandments given to the children of Noah. And whosoever will not embrace them is to be put to death."* Their doctrines concerning the children of Noah are much more mild, but still the Rabbies are very far from considering even the pious of the nations as their brethren. They admit that such will have a share in the world to come, but make a wide difference between them and the Israelites, as may be seen from the following laws:-1st, A proselyte of this sort is not allowed to study the law. 2nd, If a female, a Jew cannot marry her. 3rd, It is lawful to lend on usury to the child of Noah. 4th, The murderer of this sort of proselyte was not put to death by the sanhedrim. It may, however, well be doubted whether according to Rabbinism there are any such proselytes at present. There are no doubt Gentiles who are not idolaters; but freedom from idolatry is not sufficient to constitute a child of Noah. In order to this, he must be received as such during the celebration of the Jubilee, which is now impossible; and further, he must be formally received before three witnesses.** Christians have not fulfilled these conditions, and therefore, according to these laws, cannot be considered as the children of Noah and the pious of the world. Indeed, we have seen above that Maimonides reckons them amongst the deniers of the law, and in other places he says expressly that they are idolaters. But this is enough to Hilchoth M'lachim, c. viii. 10. ¶ Hilchoth Accum, c. x. VOL. VII.-Feb. 1835. tc. viii. + Ibid. R shew that Rabbinism is an exclusive system, and cannot be represented either as tolerant or liberal without keeping back a part of the truth. Not that we find fault with it or its teachers on that account. Until the Rabbies be conscientiously convinced that the system is wrong, we honour them for their uncompromising statement of their religious opinions. PARISH CHURCHES. NO. XXI.-BARFRESTON CHURCH, KENT. To the Editor of the British Magazine. SIR,-I send you a drawing of a door-way, which has often been engraved, but principally in scarce or expensive books, such as "Britton's Architectural Antiquities," "King's Munimenta," or "Grose's Antiquities." I have here thrown it into perspective, (contrary to those mentioned,) with a view to shew the depth and richness of its various mouldings; and having, like all who have seen it, been led to bestow on it some degree of attention, you will perhaps allow me to balance some opinions which I have met with respecting it. To determine the era of its erection would be to discuss the arguments advanced for and against the existence of Saxon churches in this island. The earliest date assigned to it is that of King, in his "Munimenta," who considers it a work of Theodore's, A.D. 670, if not of Honorius, his predecessor in the see of Canterbury. The latest is that of Britton, who pronounces it of the age of Lanfranc. The first feature to be noticed in this very curious door-way is the semi-circular impost which fills the intervening space between the door and the mouldings. It is charged with a basso relievo, exhibiting a rich specimen of the prevailing style of ornament in these remote ages. A majestic seated figure, within an oval compartment, elevates his right hand, as if in the attitude of speaking; his left supports a book, which is widely opened before him; around him are various figures of crowned heads and angels. King, in his "Munimenta Antiqua," offers arguments to prove that this must be the archbishop by whom the church was built; an opinion which Mr. Britton's correspondent, in his Antiquities, rather decidedly controverts; maintaining that this figure is the second person of the Trinity, as the lesser one, immediately above him, can be no other than the first. With all due deference to such high authority, I cannot but think his hypothesis imperfectly made out. By what right can we argue that these two figures, so dissimilar in their position, and in their proportions, form two persons of the Trinity to the exclu |