“Liberalists & Jews” –Abraham Kuyper (English Translation from a Dutch 1878 Theological Journal)

Liberalists and Jews

– Dr A Kuijper (Reprinted from ‘De Standaard’) Amsterdam, JH Kruijt, 1878

(Translation by Dr. Jann Schlebusch)

FOREWORD

This article was compiled for the simple public readers of ‘De Standaard’ and therefore does not in the least claim to be a study with a scientific character. The reason for this study is the untrue and even thoroughly false presentation by some of the bigger newspapers, but especially by the provincial press, about the matters discussed in this article. Almost without exception it seems that these articles promote a movement where Christian hate against the Jews is encouraged and furthermore they keep bothering with their civil rights. Against this defaming attitude of the liberalist-Jewish press, this article presents a singular, but also a sufficient argument. Also the public that do not read the ‘De Standaard’, will now be able to judge for themselves the dreadful state of the ‘love for truth’ in many organs of public opinion.

In fact, what is clear from these articles is: that we said nothing against the Jews, but we had it against the degenerate Christians; that we reject the unkind way many Christians speak about the Jews; and that we would resist any impounding of the rights Jews may have title to. There is furthermore no reason for the author to speak unkindly of the Jews, because, since childhood he was privileged to enjoy the company of outstanding Jewish families, whose excellent qualities he learned to appreciate, and he would be most ungrateful to speak unkindly in public about people who were so kind towards him in private.

LIBERALISTS AND JEWS

CHAPTER I

Increasingly the attention of public opinion is drawn to the unbelievable influence of the Jews on the destiny of Europe. We are discovering that, under the cloak of Liberalism, the Jews in fact have became lord and master in our part of the world, and they control, not only the public opinion in most countries, but also the international relations between the governments. Our eyes are opening to the fact that the course of events and even the development of church life and of community life, in a surprising way, can be explained by the Jewish influence – if we are prepared to open our eyes. And the most painful – we cannot deny the truth – is the unwillingness of our people to rectify this irregularity. In fact, our people consider it unthinkable.

There is a natural reason why this important truth has not surfaced earlier in the public consciousness of our time. Our people shies away from a new combat against the Jews: ‘We Christians have sinned too greatly against the Jews in the early ages. For too long the Jews were the pariah’s of Europe and were their rights and humanity trampled upon by ‘volk’[1] and rulers. Only with the Reformation came a change in attitude for the good. Our (the Dutch’s) hospitable rulers gave the Jew a place to live a respectable life, where he could live his peculiar life, socially and religiously, with honor. Even then the Jews were bound to exceptional regulations according to their exceptional situation. Until eventually the French revolution eradicated all discrimination and brought unconditional equality between the circumcised and the baptized.

Deeply ashamed of their own earlier unrighteousness, the Christians applauded the meaningful fruit of the French Revolution as one of its most excellent consequences. Because of their feeling of guilt, they missed the moral agility of an unchained, independent judgment with which only the good conscience of the man of character is blessed. The result was the total emancipation of the Jews. Not according to the principles of the Gospel, but according to principles directly opposed to the principles of the Gospel.

Once these principles are accepted, the Liberalists force the issue to the extent that an unhealthy admiration of Jews becomes acceptable in the more civilized circles of Europe. And in compliance with the law of logic, which expels all germs from every ideology, it finally brought us in the defenseless position where every word spoken about Jews, other than praise, is criticized as treason against the holy cause of civilization and progress.
And so, unnoticed, the Jew who previously were outside the law, now became above the law; and no more criticism of Jews exist anymore; and the Jewish element were able to continue their agenda unhindered and unpunished – safely behind the impregnable shield of historical injustice.

And even more notable: while the Jewish rule over Europe extends itself unhindered, more and more every year, and every resistance against it seems to be paralyzed – the spiritual awakening of the Protestant Christians works powerfully towards the same result. After all, from the awakening arise a zeal for mission-work and an increased interest in the ‘latter days’. The zeal for mission-work then initiated the Jewish mission which was driven by the English, Scottish and American Christians with notable financial sacrifices. Christian man understood that it would be immoral and incomplete to emancipate the Jews without preaching the gospel of Jesus to them. They felt guilty because of the past. They wanted to make up for the neglect of the previous lukewarm attitude. And so the gold flows into the offer-chest, Hebrew letters are introduced into the printing press and groups of lively and gifted men are formed to once more resound the ancient call among Israel: “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

This brought about that thousands started speaking of the ‘poor Jew’ with none other than compassion and unlimited confidence and because the proverb is true that ‘he who receives your money, also draws your love’, the endless collections for the cause of Jewish conversion, was an infallible means to ensure a widely accepted kind-hardheartedness which refused to hear anything but good about any Jew. And of almost similar extent is the eschatological course on which Christianity embarked the past few decades. The premonition is that a forceful catastrophe is awaiting and it is self evident that this catastrophe might well be linked to the terrible events which Jesus and His apostles announced in the New Testament.

The early church, Roman as well as Reformed, undoubtedly dealt too superficially and lightly with the teaching of the last days. Besides, the absence of good and solid theology about the fundamental teachings, urges many freer spirits in this ‘high Alpine land’ with its indefinite confines, to wander about to their heart’s content. We particularly shouldn’t forget that if many scatter about concerning other Biblical teachings, a combined exploration on this floating and infirm terrain is a certain possibility.

It is self-evident that this study of the eschatology, which occupies the spirit with the teaching of the latter days, would not have found this momentum, if the meaning of Israel as ‘volk’ was not brought to the attention of our generation again. Consequently, the attitude of charitablity, rather than mere appreciation towards the Jewish element, which already was prevalent amongst us, was given even more encouragement.

And finally add to all this the incalculable influence which a single convert like Da Costa with his Semitic glow had on the attitude of our ‘volk’ towards the Jews; just think how differently we started viewing the Jews since we offered a hearing ear and loving heart to such an Israelite; yes, when we calculate how the orthodox confession of this baptized Israelite gave whole groups of Christians the courage to rethink their own confession – then we are less amazed at how the Jewish element was able to organize itself so powerfully against us, without Christian Europe suspecting anything other from the Jew than what is lovely and well-sounding.

CHAPTER II

Nowhere in history is there another example where such a powerful influence was exerted by such a small group, than the contemporary Jews, which increasingly astonishes everyone who study this phenomenon. Of the 6 – 7 million Jews (some say 10 -12) living in the world according to the best sources, only three and a half million live in Europe and even they are widely dispersed among the more than hundred times bigger population – consequently about 1%. And this 1% is distributed such that by far the most of them live in countries which do not have much influence on the bigger picture, namely Poland and Austria.

Of the three and a half million Jews, a good two and a half million live in Russia (Poland) and Austria. Consequently the real brunt of the social and political domination of Europe, more precisely and closely viewed, is not brought about by three and a half million, but by only one million sons of this Semitic nation. Most of these live in Prussia (250 000); Germany (200 000) and France (110 000), while among the smaller countries our own country (Netherlands) has the biggest contingent. Conversely, in England and Italy, and also in Switzerland and Belgium, their percentage is so completely insignificant that they compose one per thousand or even per three thousand of the population at the most. And yet, this insignificant group to the point of almost being extinct sets the tone in Europe; is master of the political terrain; governs the development of general perceptions; and has the fate of Europe in their hand. We still remember the story that was told amongst us for a short while: There once was a stranger who sought legal help. He asked for a lawyer, so the hotel owner gave him the address of a Jew. The lawyer sent him to an attorney, which also was a Jew. The attorney helped him to contact the court officer – another Jew. In the corridor he walked past the judge, which he saw by their clothes that he was surrounded by his Jewish family. When he came to the magistrate, he had the honour of speaking to another Jew. And eventually, in The Hague, he appealed to the minister of Justice.[2] When he got there, he was received by the Jewish secretary who arranged a meeting with the Jewish minister of Justice: one ‘Godefroy’! Was it any wonder that the astonished stranger, after this judicial adventure, asked his best Dutch acquaintances: “Has the whole Justice department gone into the hands of Jews?”

Although this most probably is an exaggeration and dramatization of the facts, it is basically none other than a good comparison of an alarming reality, which even more than in public office, is true about the media and the stock exchange. The printing press in the whole of Europe, in as far they as servants of the Revolution – be it in the liberalist or conservative direction – became the ‘private yacht’ of the Jews. In Vienna, as in Berlin; as well as in Frankfurt and in Hamburg; and Cologne and Paris alike, the most influential newspapers are in their hands. And as far as our own country is concerned, you merely have to trace the history of our biggest newspapers, the Dagblad included, and you will discover that also at home Jewish energy is solely in the driving seat. And not only is the editorship of these papers, here and in the other countries under direct Jewish leadership, but also the corps reporters, the correspondence bureau, political correspondents, etc. are, as far as it concerns this influential press, almost exclusively in Jewish hands. In almost all the parliaments of Europe they are the ones who record the speeches; take the photographs; and by their analysis quickly summarize the impressions which will prevail in the land according to their wishes. Furthermore, because the Jews are in the driving seat of this mighty vehicle, they also control the publication of books and therefore the communicating of facts etc. to the extent that there are almost no competition. If you consider this, you will be able to form a picture of the message: The huge press of Europe is a monopoly in their hands!

By this they have it in their power to place every event and occurrence in the light (perspective) they desire; to conceal what doesn’t suit them and to write up what they like. In short, to play with light and darkness until the ensemble leaves the impression that satisfies them. Thus, in the second half of August (1878) one could read in all the foreign newspapers about “the masterful report of our local minister Kappeyne who made an undisputed end to the ‘Muckers’ and ‘Rijckschrittlers’[3], while on the other hand, not a word is spoken about the result of our petition. Now, everyone here, even in liberalist circles knows that a petition seldom succeeds as surprisingly as our ‘Smeekschrift’ (petition) did and conversely that seldom is there so much opposition against a government report as was against Kappayne’s. But of course the local Jewish correspondents know, that by their obliging painting and officiating writing they can create a depiction on the canvas for the whole of Europe, not of the reality, but of the fantasy of the imaginative reporters. And this concerns only a passing event in a small area. But the same system of falsification of facts and of the public opinion was also for example systematically conveyed in the press analysis of the recent events in Russia.

Such is the day to day working of this well-disciplined close-knit phalanx[4] on the public opinion; by their reports on the parliaments; and again on the cabinets, and eventually on the fate of all of Europe. This therefore has the result that the Jews, by this vehicle of the mighty press, prepare the only intellectual bread which thousands upon thousands consume and especially in all circles where the newspaper is the only reading-matter. They have the forming of commonly accepted concepts in their power and therefore they are also able to cultivate the people’s spiritual mind and heart according to their liking. Now, combine this immeasurable influence of the Jewish press with the magnificent fiscal power with which the Jewish bankers play a leading role at the stock exchanges. The name Rothschild has only to be mentioned, to enlighten the picture of this second mighty fact for anyone who studies this phenomenon. Because indeed, in London and Paris; in Frankfurt and Vienna as well as in Berlin, the millions and billions of the European assets are chained up in the Jewish banks in such a perplexing way, that these few Jewish firms, with their broad following of smaller banks and offices are able to manipulate the economic base to their every whim. In fact it is certain that no big loan will be given in Europe if the Jewish bankers oppose it; and also they have the power to let the exchange rate of any currency rise or fall according to their command.

Now, everyone knows that a country has to borrow money to make war. Therefore it is not difficult to see how deeply enslaved the cabinets of Europe are to the Jewish bankers to avoid being destroyed in the moment of impending danger. Compounding to this, no-one can deny that the liberalist handling of the state finances and the approaching Caesarism has sent all of Europe’s budgets into turmoil. With this in mind you can imagine the pressure that the Jewish bankers exert on the monarchs and the cabinets with the eye on a huge deficit or a looming bankruptcy. If these two factors were not enough to make the Jews almost all-powerful, it is further entrenched in a concrete way by the talents of their coryphées[5] as well as a substantial part of Christianity’s relapse into heathendom. About both of these last two factors we will elaborate in a following article. I will only mention about the first, that the Jewish families in comparison produce a very substantial percentage of exceptionally capable, talented men in every facet of science and arts[6]. As lawyers the Jews are well sought after; increasingly more Jews become surgeons; at our universities they take up more and more lectureships; and the names of D’Israeli, of Gambetta, of Lasker and so many others has only to be mentioned to visualise the far-reaching influence they reached on the political terrain.

Chapter III

We do not hesitate for a moment to credit a significant share of the unequal influence of the Jews to their peculiarity and talents. A Jew is different from a Caucasian. That is immediately evident from their build (frame); from their gait; from the forming of their vocal organs; from their profile; and from their complexion. And because we cannot deny the strong cohesion between body and soul, it follows that the Jews’ frame of mind, thinking and worldview results in different perceptions and that they go about their work differently than us. The crucial difference in personality consequently explains the very prominent dissimilarity between Jew and Christian which everybody notices at first glance. Notice in their bearing and clothing; in their glance and tone; in their housing and food; in their sympathies and antipathies; in their choice of occupation and of recreation. Even in life expectancy the Jews differ from the rest of the Europeans. They make up a disproportionate large percentage of our grey haired men and women.

And the contrast between Jew and non-Jew is not a passing phenomenon, because after eighteen centuries among all other ‘volke’, it is still evident, almost undiluted in its original severity. Everywhere the Jew, both in body and soul, that is, in his whole personality and appearance, truly remained Jew. In all countries the Jew assembles with his tribesmen as a particular caste. Even where they abandoned their particular customs, the Jews remained a ‘volk’ in a much stricter sense than any of the European ‘volke’ ever was. At the read of Revelation, it doesn’t seem strange. Indeed we know that the origin of Israel lies in a wondrous creation-deed of God[7]; that God set apart this ‘volk’ from the other ‘volke’ in a very special way to be His own; and that Israel’s calling did not end with the destruction of Jerusalem at all.[8] Indeed, from all that we read about Israel in the Holy Scriptures, we can prophesy what we observe today. That is: a) that they will not be wiped out; b) that they will remain a ‘volk’ with exceptional spiritual gifts; and c) that, as long as they reject Christ, they will remain allies to the enemies of the Christendom.

The denial of the Jews’ superior excellence therefore is not our charge at all, and we will not speak one word in our article that even approach the unchristian-like and thorough Jewish-like contempt with which some German circles scorn the Jews. No, on the contrary, Israel’s continued existence; Israel’s numerical expansion; Israel’s dispersion among and influence over the ‘volke’, in spite of the way they hold on to their own ‘volks’-type, is welcome and concrete evidence even more so, of the truth of this mysterious world, in which Scripture places us and in which Israel once was the ‘volk’ to the glory of God.

We accordingly acknowledge wholeheartedly that the Jews proportionally have a higher intellectual capacity than the Germanic or Latin ‘volke’. Not in the sense that our best and greatest men came from their midst – rather the contrary is true. The Jews have produced almost no man, who remained Jewish, of foremost greatness. And even Spinoza, whom they like to mention as an example of a first rate philosopher, could only acquire the fame with which our younger generation are taught to honor him, through skewed depiction and artificial idolization. No, currently the Jews have few genius of real merit, and therefore it is the positive sciences and not the speculative sciences which draw them – where not genius, but quick understanding and clarity of mind are the prize features. What the Jews do possess in greater measure than the Christian, is the talents of the second degree. More of their sons do study, and they mostly make a successful career. Especially at the bar everyone acknowledges their dominance, where ingeniousness and cunning-ness are required. In the medical field they occupy high and honorable positions in many of our foremost cities. Even in the less scientific fields, where the Jew competes with one of us, the prize all too often goes to him because of his quicker understanding, tougher determination and clearer insight. In short, wherever the Jew starts to compete with the Christian, we usually have to concede that we have met an opponent too tough. And yet both the finer tuning of their spirit and their peculiar way of life are insufficient to explain the immeasurable influence that they have acquired. Even if we add the reaction upon their past suppression, it would still not be sufficient to explain this. And they surely do draw vigour from their past suffering. Never can you suppress a part of the population or they will become stronger for it, because the suffering exercises their moral vigour. And as time passes, the stronger moral vigour begins to bear the fruit of stronger energy, tighter cohesion and nobler courage. We currently (1878) witness this among the Roman Catholics in Germany, as well as to a certain extent locally; and there is no reason why this firm law would not be valid as far as Israel is concerned. But even when we bring this factor of Israel’s past suffering into consideration, together with their numbers, their talents and their resilience, the Jews would still have been unable to achieve the goal to conquer Europe without outside assistance. The indisputable victory must mainly, if not exclusively, be attributed to the degeneration of Christianity itself who, in her return to heathendom necessarily had to pass through the Jewish phase and when they arrived there, naturally had to succumb before their superiors.

At the life-station where the Christ is rejected, but some vague godliness is still temporarily evident, the Jew is at home; that is his forte; the Jew sets the tone; and therefore it was inevitable that the degenerate Christianity, in the period which they call “the modern theology”, had to allow the Jewish spiritual superiority to reign over them, although unintentionally. When the modern pastors themselves became Jews according to the spirit, it was self-evident that their spirit had to bend before the spirit of our present-day Jews. A Reform-Jew [9]and a Modern Pastor is one and the same thing if closely scrutinised – simply two varieties of the same spiritual type.

Chapter IV

When you would dare to reveal the secrets of their birth, the Liberalist-Jewish press attacks you with intense anger. The following tale of angry polemic from the pen of the editors of our capital’s foremost newspaper Handelsblad, is public evidence:

We are on the eve of the taking up of a ‘volks-petition’ against the Jews. Indeed, the latest Standaard published the first part of an essay with the title: Liberalists and Jews, showing “the unbelievable influence which the Jews exert on the fate of Europe these days.” And the paper continues to say “the most painful is the reality that our ‘volk’ does not even consider resisting this influence to return to an acceptable balance. The mistake was that the emancipation of the Jews did not happen along the principles of the gospel, but because of considerations directly opposed to the gospel.” Of course the paper refers to the French Revolution. They furthermore contend that, by profound reaction to the past suppression the Jews “were placed above the law almost unnoticed, where they previously stood outside the law” and that this is advanced by the efforts and money spent to convert the Jews to Christianity, because “who receives your money also draws your love”[10].

Now we know that according to Standaard’s conviction not even the public school is based on the Gospel, but is a hellish result of the revolution. Now that the attack on the public school has failed, a crusade against the Jews is presented as variation and delight for the heavy hearted. In a following article we expect a petition where the Jews will be confronted with a choice to be baptised or to lose their citizen rights namely on education; property rights; the right to collect debts; etc and in this way lose their exaggerated influence. In their third piece on this subject, we can probably expect the Standaard to follow in the footsteps of their ‘Christian’ colleague, the Wag Weekblad,[11] namely to propagate Jewish emigration to Palestine. These ‘Christian’ misters are indeed admirable citizens. They seemingly do everything in their power to cultivate and promote unanimity and peace in our beloved fatherland according to their religious doctrine.

Now we must stress that we have until now, not uttered a word to injure the honor of the Jews. On the contrary, we blamed the Christians and we praised the Jews. And still, this polemic! A polemic which doesn’t respect honesty; which, because of its maliciousness lacks the tolerance to let someone else have a say; and which uses the newspaper to cool its enmity. All this simply because of our bad fortune of not belonging to the Liberalist-Jewish family. Not so much to refute this malicious article, but rather to prove the truth of our points, we took up this noble ‘genre’-piece in our columns.

We can simply quote Esser in his Maranatha, which would serve perfectly at refuting: This is the words of one German High Rabbi who confirm what we endeavour to convey in this series of articles and what the Handelsblad wishes to conceal. We quote:

“These narrow-minded and short-sighted Christians,” according to the High Rabbi, “give us trouble by making off with a soul here and there, and rejoice royally when they do. They do not notice however, that we do mission-work too and do have better and richer results than them. We conquer one after another of their territories. It will not be long before all that are truly civilized among the Christians will need Christ no more, and will be able to manage just as well without Christ as we do. The time is coming that the great majority of Christians will return to our God-concept, our Monotheism. The future is ours. They convert in masses and unnoticed.”

Would the editorial staff of the Handelsblad have the courage to publish these words?[12] That is doubtful. But even if they pass this over, soon they will not be able to avoid taking notice of our opinion about the Jews in our country. Or rather, even if they are found refusing to do this, they will only be able to stand with honor before their readers if they mislead them. In anticipation we will only say this: The Liberalist-Jewish press touched on the subject of a ‘Volks’-petition. With this they revealed that they plan to apply the same tactics with which they destroyed the April-movement. This reveals that the thought of a ‘Volks’-petition troubles these misters. And we plan to continue hammering this anvil.[13] If ever something will explode in their faces, it may well be this daunting and unforgettable national announcement.

Chapter V

Among the Jewish ‘volk’, like in any other ‘volk’ that is bound together by blood-relationship, there are two types: the serious kind and the frisky kind. The serious kind sometimes degenerate to surliness and by wandering from the good track, may even acquire an unholy character. Conversely, the frisky may withdraw into the intellectual and social spheres because of their decadence.[14] But, despite the variety, the different types have a common basic intent, according to the goal they strive for, be it this life or the afterlife.

Among the Jews of old these opposing schools of thought were called the Pharisees and Sadducees. Both were true Jewish sects which were rooted partly in the natural, and partly in the godly ‘volks’-make-up of Israel; but in this they stood firmly opposed to each other, because the Pharisee held that they sought nothing from this life, and everything from the hereafter, while the Sadducee pretended that everything was about this life and expected nothing from the afterlife. As we all know, the Sadducees denied the resurrection of the dead, and thus the reality of future life; and conversely we could argue by the same token that the present life had no meaning in the dogmatics of the Pharisee. This confirms that the Sadducee was a Pelagian and the Pharisee slighted God’s power over man. Indeed, the serious man – even the falsified earnest – desires boundaries; the frisky spirit wants to be free from all bounds. It follows that, whether you confess or deny ‘free will’ depends directly on your seriousness with which you view life or the absence thereof. It is hardly necessary to remind even the uninformed that the Pharisees stood firm on the tradition of the ancestors at home as well as in the temple, while the Sadducees were against these customs and rituals, and sometimes caused a menace in the temple because they did not respect the tradition. If you keep this in mind, you will recognize exactly the same alliances in the orthodox Jews and the Reformed Jews.

The orthodox Jew is deeply serious, even in our time, even though the seriousness does not follow a true course. He suffers with patience and awaits with impenetrable calm the big catastrophe which will prove him right and the world wrong. And for that all-encompassing vision he sacrifices everything. Even his own financial benefit. He sternly clings to the teachings, decrees and traditions of his fathers. His sight is not set on his own wishes, but rather on God’s purpose in his own and in other’s life. And however amiable you are towards him, he stays an outsider, dispersed amongst the ‘volke’, but without ever becoming a child of those ‘volke’.

Completely different is it with the Reformed Jews. With them there is no notion of any active, visible fear of God. They are merely Deists, i. e. they still agree that God exists, but for the rest they do not take Him into account. Hence their strong and exaggerated pelagianism. They are the ones who do everything themselves, and they do it because it is their own free will, and they refuse to argue from any other viewpoint than according to their own free will. They have no consideration for a future life either. They prefer to go up in this world, they strive to progress in this world, to acquire honor in this world, to enjoy from this world. They do not trouble themselves with the traditions of the forefathers, and sometimes there is even a false ambition to conceal that they are Jewish. They still build synagogues, but rather to listen to the beautiful music and fine sermons, than to be initiated into the mysteries of their fathers. In short, they simply continue the old values of the Sadducees in a more stringent form. And just like the Sadducees were able to adjust to life under the foreign rule of the Romans, they now position themselves with rare pleasure in life among the Gojim. Only in two aspects the orthodox Jews and the Reformed Jews are inseparable: in their recognition of belonging to the same ‘volk’; and in their strident or silent animosity towards Jesus the Messiah. The first they do openly: Orthodox Jews and Reformed Jews still have a strong relationship. Even the Reformed Jews want to be buried in the cemetery with the Hebrew inscription; whatever the cost, they close on the Sabbath; however far they degenerate, they stay members of the synagogue or they erect their own synagogue; whenever a Jew is honoured, they love it. When another Jew suffers grief, they feel sorrow; and where it concerns charity to the poor, they sternly discriminate between Caucasian and Semitic blood. We know that, especially in America, in England and to a certain extent in France there are many examples of Jews who broke with the synagogue and pass as Christians. But these exceptions serve to prove our point, rather than to refute it, because the mass of the orthodox and Reformed Jews remain one ‘volk’.

It follows that it is futile to try to replace this ‘volks’- unity with the unity of the world-wide church. The difference between Jews and non-Jews is of total dissimilar nature than the difference between Lutheran and Remonstrant. Only the shallowness, which our age takes pleasure in, can deceive itself to the extent that they allow the denotation “the volk” (this is the Jews’ title of honor, because they are the ‘volk’ par excellence) to fall into desuetude; and to place them next to Lutherans and Remonstrants as “just another denomination”.

Secondly, their shrill or silent animosity against Jesus as Messiah needs even less argumentation. The facts speak for themselves. They have nothing against Jesus of Nazareth. That is evident. If we could ask for a place for Jesus amongst the Rabbi’s, what would prevent them from accepting this great name for the glory of their ‘volk’? And to acknowledge the excellent instructions on morality which this Rabbi brought to light from the rabbinic treasures?The orthodox Jew might still object to this because this Rabbi also denounced the traditional teachings, but not the Reformed Jews who would choose Jesus’ side in this and would even leave out from what Jesus has taught, anything which they dislike. Do not be surprised if you hear the assurance from Jewish pen or Jewish lips that the Rabbi of Nazareth which the modern theology portrays, is far from despised and that they rather take pride in Him and love Him. If you, o baptized in the Name of the Lord, are prepared to discard the Christ from your Jesus, then you will be assured of the acclamation by the Reformed Jews. But if you do not and you come with the real Jesus; with Jesus as “Son of God”; as the One promised to the fathers; as Christ – indeed as Messiah; as the Messiah who their fathers hanged on a cross and killed – be assured that “orthodox” and “Reformed” will be forgotten, and once more Pharisee and Sadducee will be united in their aversion of your faith. And that this is true, we see in the tormenting of the father and mother’s soul when one of their children is baptized; consider the stern and uncompromising attitude towards mixed marriages; and the askance looks at the converted Jew if he would dare to enter the Jewish quarters. Yes, ask the English and Scottish missionaries who dared to reap under this interesting ‘volk’ with the gospel.

It reminds us of the Jewish child who entered a Christian church in Amsterdam and stormed up the stairs of the pulpit with an uncovered knife to kill the outstanding Dr Schwartz. Of course we don’t blame the Jewish ‘volk’ as such for this attack on Dr Schwartz, just as we don’t blame the socialists for Hödel’s crime. But even our most zealous Jewish friend will have to admit: if the sons of Israel’s homes had only peaceful thoughts, this dreadful incident would not have happened! It is far from us, however, to blame the Jews for this, and we wholeheartedly admit that it is impossible for them to take any other stance, except if they should convert. The coming of the Christ in this world marked their political, social and hierarchical downfall as a sovereign ‘volk’. The confession of the Christ is in fact the complete denial of all their pretentions. And the followers of Christ have over the years, by forsaking their own principles and by pressure and fulfilment, intensified rather than appeased this contrast.

Therefore it was inescapable that we came to the conclusion that we did, namely:

a) that the Jews take exuberant joy in Christianity’s great apostasy from the Christ in all the countries in Europe in various forms and names; and

b) that they joined forces with these apostate Christians and that they would exert the most extreme effort to keep powerless those Christians who have not yet deserted the Christ and sternly push through the total desecration and de-Christianisation of the public domain.

Chapter VI

The apostate Christians slide down a steep slope, so that they drift ever further away, with logical necessity, from what was their fathers’ glory and hope. They are apostates, with all the frivolousness and self-indulgence which characterize the apostate. Or, if you will, renegades, with all the bitterness towards their former brothers you would see in any history book about renegades. But this degeneration does not happen all at once. They go through stages. At first they keep the complete form of their ancestral faith, only denying the core of the sacred mysteries. Then they proceed by breaking down the authority of the Scriptures. Hence the decay of negation creeps up to the sacred Person of the Redeemer. And thus, unawares, they end up with a religion, which, free from all authority, everyone acts as to he thinks fit. Then the Station of the Jews is arrived at. By this we mean that they have slipped and degenerated the full distance to where the Jewry was, in its bastardized form, when God created Christianity from it. They then still confess a living God in spiritual sense, but without knowing Him by the light He revealed; and they wander on in the deception of their own piety, which they created in their hearts. This is the perspective of the negation of the Christendom since about 1848. Not so much in the church, nor in the theological classroom, but in leading circles on social, literary and political terrain.

When our Constitution was written, it was not yet a period of complete godlessness, neither of human idolization, but of a religion, interpreted according to everyone’s own opinion. This is the reason for the Constitution’s vagueness in reference to God. Hence the theory of “Christendom rather than religious division”. Hence also the eventual fatal marriage between the modern theology and political liberalism. The modernism in our churches was the fruit of this marriage, and the later fleeing of many a modern pastor to the editorial rooms of the Liberalist-Jewish newspapers is merely the embodiment of the superseding assumption that the degenerate Christianity takes refuge in the tents of Israel for a while. But it doesn’t end here. Beneath the Christendom is Judaism. This is the first place where the degenerate Christian arrives. But beneath Judaism is the Heathendom. Beneath the heathen idolatry is the heathen witchcraft. And ultimately beneath all these the lewd service of the sensuousness[15] and bestiality. We already see that the “esprits forts”, the leading minds, have left behind the Jewish phase and do not want to hear anything of modern theology and have already erected their tents on Pagan terrain.

The whole spectrum of how the intellect is idolized; and then again the imagination; and sometimes nature; and then on another trip the arts; and still another man itself – how they ingeniously choose the object of their worship, cannot be discussed in this short scope.

This process is also according to fixed laws; and Mister De la Sausave Jr.[16] would have done well, and would have been more scientific and more interesting, if he did not try to prove that the source of heathen idolatry is partly to be found in Christianity; but rather the reverse: that the great degeneration of the Christendom must end up there, once they pass through the Jewish phase. That the return to Paganism correlates with the old Heathen practices of witchcraft and calling of the dead[17], is already evident in the ‘table-, dance- and knock-spirits’[18] as well as in the significant phenomenon of Spiritualism. And the spirit from the underworld has even pulled them down to full-fledged bestiality, not only in scandalous circles, but alas! also in the books of esteemed authors. To our indescribable disgrace, already witnessed in our land, books of professedly scientific men circulate, in which the horrors of the Astartan service and the godlessness of the old Canaanite ‘volke’ are praised as naturally ethical and service to nature.

We are therefore aware that the current triumph of the Jews is merely temporary. Once estranged from Christ, nations who have tasted His blessings will necessarily sink infinitely deeper than Israel, who, in their present form has not known the blessings of Christ. It might even happen that the more serious Jews will eventually defend their spiritual monotheism against the Christian apostates’ idolatry of nature and man. For some time now, we are convinced that the Jewish phase of the degeneration will not last. It is already passing, and with the signs of decrepitude that Liberalism increasingly shows, this all-powerful Jewish influence is on its way to its end. But for the moment – and we hope that people will become deeply conscious of this – the influence is still dominating and is connected with Liberalism’s party-tyranny. Not that all Jews to a man conspire in this way. On the contrary, there are also proud and independent spirits among them who refuse to be blindfolded by the Liberalists and who already clearly see that the Liberalists are also leaving them behind in their rush into the arms of the Heathendom. These are the exceptions, however. If we do not focus on the exceptions, but on the rule, it will be obvious to all, that the Liberalism is covered from head to toe in the Jewish spirit, and that our degenerate Christians, in an evil sense, are sort of “Proselytes in waiting” in the portals of Israel’s Synagogues.

CHAPTER VII

We have come to the end of our series of articles and we wrap up with the following four conclusions:

1. The danger of the moment does not lie in the Jews pampering the Liberalists, but much rather in that the Liberalists are thoroughly Jewidized.

From the outset (in hindsight nobody will deny it, although the wisdom of the passionate editors of Handelsblad[19], Dagblad and tutti quanti falls short in their arrogance) from the outset these articles are not aimed at the Jewdom, but at the Liberalism. What we want to make clear to our readers and press on their hearts, was not that they would see a dangerous Liberalist in the Jew, but that they should discover a forged Jew in the Liberalist. We want our public to open their eyes to the fact that, according to the familiar statement of the Head-Rabbi “that the Jews have converted the Christians in great numbers” to estrange from the Son of God; and that the Jewish population over here is indeed almost one million, comprising of 70000 Semites and 900000 Caucasian Jews – in descent different, but united in their spiritual beliefs and in their defiance of the Christ of God. The fact that Godefroy, the Jewish delegate, had again taken up the theological role when the Liberalists had to debate the spiritual character of the education law, highlights this very significant fact.

You could argue against our point that Gladstone and his followers openly opposed the Jews in England. But under closer scrutiny, this actually proves our point even more. Indeed, the thoroughly unfounded habit which earlier abounded, to pretend that the English Liberals are of like mind to our Liberalists is now rejected by all. The attitude of the English Liberals in their discussion of the education law already refutes this untenable view; and when Gladstone had the courage to agitate against the Turks, whom the European-Jewish press nurture, the gap between our Liberalists and England’s Liberals started to become visible for everybody, to such an extent that even Nieuws van de Dag wrote a small article about it to warn against putting them on a par.

Our readers will indeed also be informed enough to know beyond any doubt, that it is in fact the anti-revolutionary element; the Christian ‘volk’ of Great Britain and especially the thoroughly Puritan Scotland, which comprise the core of Gladstone’s party. If this is taken into account, the fact that Gladstone, Froude and especially Goldwin Smith shout “no Jewry” with so much force and emphasis is proof that they are not in opposition with us, and evidence that men of more impressive stature are also disturbed by the Jewish question.

2. The Jews form a phalanx with well closed ranks despite their attempts toward reformation and the different religious views among them. The aims of this coterie have a distinct, fanatically hostile character towards Christ, especially by their spiritual influence on the Liberalism.

The Jews are divided. Among them you find an orthodox group which still adhere to the Thora, Talmud and Menahga. Then you find a group of Reformed Jews who only honour the spiritual core of the tradition. Lastly, there is a group of Libertarians who does not acquiesce to anything. Notwithstanding the differences, they still have the sense of belonging to the same national existence. This is evident not only from what we see every day in their marriages and care for their poor, but also amongst other things not the least from their secret orders like B’nai B’rith, which endeavour to bind together everybody of Jewish origin with firm discipline in an effective organization, much like the Free Mason lodges under strict secrecy in order to help and protect them. Such an elite body in the Liberalist camp necessarily influences the character of what they strive for. But the influence will not last. Quite the contrary: the Liberalism is opposed to God and the Jewdom is not opposed to God as such, they are only opposed to Christ. The deepest conviction of the Liberalist is hostile to all faith, while the Jewish murmuring only wants to destroy the faith about the Cross. That is the reason why the Jewish-Liberalist press, over here and elsewhere, in cohorts with the modern pastors, are so resolutely opposed against the bold confessors of Christ in particular.

Members of parliament like Moens, Godefroy, De Meijier, and others, who take every opportunity to act as lay-preachers of modernism, are certainly not irreligious. No, they would actually defend the common faith in God against the scoffing of the “Kappeyne”[20]. But when the issue is not universal Theism, but to oppose the confession of Christ as the Anointed of God, the fanatical Jewish heart in people like Moens, Godefroy and Meijier come to the fore and their especial zeal against the Anti-Revolutionaries[21] knows no bounds. Once the Christendom is destroyed, the Jews will defend the faith in God against the radicalism again. But in the meanwhile the balance leans to the negative side. In this Lion, the former editor of Dagblad, who were manhandled in unprecedented manner, was basically not untruthful, even though it seemed such. There is a station on the Liberalist route, where the Jews halt and make a right turn. And it is about this station that this competent writer prophesied, not completely without merit – even if it wasn’t always with holy inspiration.

3. There is no reason at all why Jews should be deprived of any rights they are currently guaranteed of. It is natural that we should bring this topic up.

Froude and especially Goldwin Smith do want to go this way with the English Liberals, and what is particularly noteworthy is that the Imperial Chancellor, Otto von Bismarck, the most influential man in Europe, is in favor of barring Jews from public office as well. Only recently the anti-revolutionary Deutshe Reichspost quoted this – not altogether without merit – comment of Bismarck:

“I am no enemy of the Jews. I even like them on many occasions. I am in favour of them having all their rights, only not to fill a governing position in a Christian state … I am of the opinion that the expression ‘Christian state’ is as old as the former holy Roman Empire itself; as old as all the European states; this is indeed the basis in which these states are rooted; and every state, if it wants to secure its continued existence (or its right to exist where this is contested), must build on the religious foundation. To me the words “by the grace of God” do not merely have an empty sound, but I understand it such that the regents who God has entrusted with bearing the sword, desire to do it according to God’s will.

However, I can only acknowledge as the will of God that which is revealed by the Christian gospel and I believe I am within my rights when I say that the Christian state has the duty to put the Christian doctrine into practice – yes, to realize it in everyday life. Even though it doesn’t always achieve this, I believe it remains the duty of the Christian state to put Christian doctrine into practice. But that they will come closer to achieving this goal with the help of the Jews, I cannot accept. If we accept that the foundation of the state is its religion, then our foundation can only be Christian.”

May I say without exaggeration that with this statement, the whole matter became relevant for discussion. So much more with the following two events:

Firstly, the assertion by our Liberalists (which their masters also put into practice) that neither “ultra-montanen”[22], nor anti-revolutionaries can be nominated for certain governmental positions. And secondly, the struggle of the Australians and the Californians against the Chinese. This struggle (over which we cannot elaborate here and about which more information can be found in the Revue des deux Mondes of 1 September 1878) amplifies the fact that the question whether one ‘volk’ can sanction that another ‘volk’ with which they do not identify can be placed on equal footing in their midst, is a question which is clearly one of numbers: As soon as it is feared that the other ‘volk’ may become a majority, it is no longer a struggle about rights, but a struggle for survival. On top of this the Handelsblad has, with no consideration for their editorial staff and before they even knew what our intentions were, attacked us as if we wanted to curb the citizen-rights of the Jews. We therefore explicitly state that every attempt to take away the existing rights of Jews will be met with our firm opposition; even if they do not have the rights yet, we would be in favour of granting it to them; and in short, we reject any combatting of the Jew which aims to create an uneven playing field on judicial terrain.

These newspapers have completely falsely presented our intentions to their readers; we therefore hasten to add our support to the literal wording of the declaration which they proposed: (a) that with this the undeniable fact is indeed confirmed that the Jews are of the same country, but not the same ‘volk’ as us; and therefore live among us as guests; and (b) that it would be a grave mistake to view the influence of the Jews as innocent and to turn a blind eye to their reaction against the Christendom.

4. That the only relationship the Christian should have with the Jews, is one of competing with Israel in moral solemnity, one of combating by spiritual superiority, [23]and one of mission among them of our love, of our talents and our word.

We know the Jewish life too well not to know how the moral solemnity is deteriorating also in their families and how destruction is also caused by the sins of self-indulgence. But with this we certainly are not blind to the fact that at least the orthodox Jews – and they are by far the majority – have thus far been free of the sin of drinking, and by the gentle drawing of their family ties, they ensure a milieu for their younger generation that enable them to resist much evil. In this lies a moral element that deserves recognition and admiration from the viewpoint of ‘volks’-welfare and – why not say it? – should be envied by the Christians, who, with so much more glorious spiritual capital, achieve so much less results.

Therefore, in the second instance, we have to stress that only by combatting with spiritual superiority will we stand a chance against the Jews. We strongly reject and combat the attitude towards the Jews, that still fairly commonly prevails and which gives rise to crass name-calling, like “hawker”, not so long ago by a modern pastor of the church of Amsterdam, Dr Van Ronkel.

We are not sentimental and do not in the least want to forget that there rests a holy blood-guilt upon the Jews and that the terrible events of Gabbatha and Golgotha still have an impact today. But precisely for that reason we want to act, not in the spirit of the Jews, but in the spirit of our Lord and Savior who, when he was reviled, reviled not again, but blessed His persecutors.[24] It is Christ Himself who disgraces everyone who attacks the Jews with bitterness and it is in His Name that we fervidly protest against every meanness aimed at the Jews. We do want to oppose them, but in an honest way – opposing them in the spirit. And we wish to fulfill our mission towards them: a mission which is not restricted to missionaries at all, but a mission every Christian must take part in. This mission requires that we should not avoid contact with the Jews, but indeed seek contact. And in this contact we must still have the courage to bear witness for our Lord, both by our words and by our actions. At the moment – why be silent about it? – our attitude instead issues a licence to the Jews to withdraw their conscience from Christ. To them we seem hard; inhuman; “children of the world”. Who knows how different the Jews would have stood towards Christ by now if they could see more of Christ in the Christians!

POSTSCRIPT
As could be expected, especially the Dagblad of South-Holland and s’Gravenhage[25] took exception to our remarks about the Jewish origin of our influential newspapers. It follows that it was a ‘hot iron’ for this paper.
Imagine that an organization which stood at the head of the Christian-conservative coalition for years now should be exposed as emanating from the Jewish-liberalist press-family who has always been more or less hostile towards the Christendom!

Anxiously they first printed a piece in their columns from the pen of a Jewish polemic writer[26], which was sent to The Handelsblad as a letter; and later they themselves wrote a quite mild main article even with reference to the letter – to demonstrate the unfoundedness of our statements. We have already answered the stinging attack by De Handelsblad adequately; and about the recent main article the following will suffice:

1. That the three big, influential daily newspapers (the Roman Catholic excluded), were brought to their current status and importance by three Jewish editors, namely the Handelsblad by Mister Keyser, the N. Rott. Cour. by Mister Tels and the Dagblad by Mister Is. Lion. Tels, Keyzer and Lion, that was the Trio!

2. That the influential correspondence-bureau in The Hague is completely in Jewish hands;

3. That the reports of the ‘Tweede Kamer’[27] are almost exclusively compiled by Jewish journalists; and

4. That the local operating telegraphic bureau is being operated by Jews as well.

This accomplishment is to the Jews’ credit rather than to their shame. Indeed we declare that we cannot see what else to derive about them other than a testimony to the honor of the vigor and energy of the Jewish talent – if you ignore the fact as such. And indeed, the number of smaller newspapers in the provinces, like the N. Zutfenche and the N. Arnhemsche that are not under Jewish control does not detract anything from the dominating weight of this fourfold fact. Or are we forbidden to say that our rivers originate in the mountains, merely because we cannot see the mountains at the point where the rivers flow through the ‘Dommel-Aa’ in Den Bosch or the ‘Oude Diepte’ in Groningen? Neither does it detract anything what percentages of these editorial bureaux still consist of Jews at this moment. Or does Nieuwenhuizen no longer live on in The Nut, simply because the Reformed apostates have driven off the Mennonites?

And finally, it detracts very little that the upcoming papers Vaderland and Nieuws van den Dag are from other origins. Or was it not precisely the drift of our argument to illustrate that there are two types of Jews in our country: The Jews of blood and the Jews of spirit?

[1] Since the English word ‘nation’ has been robbed of its original ethnic meaning of ‘kinsmen’, and because the word ‘people’ does not convey the ethnic meaning of the word sufficiently, I use the Germanic word ‘volk’ in the translation to convey the true meaning of the author’s intention.
[2] In American terms: the secretary of Justice
[3] I don’t know what this refers to.
[4] A closely and well-organised unit of soldiers or organisation contending for a cause
[5] Leading ballet dancers. A metaphor for the Illuminati.
[6] It could also be translated as ‘ skills’
[7] Rom IV: 19-21
[8] Rom XI: 25,26
[9] I am not sure whether our understanding of this term is quite the same as Kuijper’s.
[10] Dutch saying meaning: if you spend money on someone you necessarily become more interested in and affectionate towards that person or cause.
[11] Probably anti-Semite bulletins
[12] Here a footnote was added: “they did it”
[13] Dutch expression meaning to keep on exploiting this subject (ride this horse)
[14] Especially in the sense of self-indulgence.
[15] in the sense of sinfulness
[16] Kuijper probably refers to a study about this subject
[17] I am not sure how to translate “dodebeswering”
[18] I translated this directly, because I do not have knowledge of this.
[19] Newspapers and magazines
[20] Probably followers of Minister Kappeyne mentioned in Chapter 2. Probably a reckless atheist group.
[21] ‘Anti-revolutionaries’ is the name by which the Christian politicians who opposed the liberalist influence of the French Revolution called themselves. Probably coined by one of the grand soldiers of Christ: Guiliame Groen van Prinsterer
[22] I don’t know this group; nor how to translate their name. Probably what today will be called fundamentalists.
[23] Lit: ‘combatting by spiritual majority’
[24] I am not sure of the translation of the word ‘bad’ (which I translated with ‘bless’. I think the direct translation should be ‘pray’). It seems that the reference is 1 Pt: 23, where there is no mention that Jesus prayed for His persecutors. He might refer to Rom 12:14 which teaches: Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
[25] The Hague
[26] It seems to me that there should be an English term ‘polemist’, but I can’t find it in a dictionary.
[27] The ‘Tweede Kamer’ is the Dutch equivalent to the American House of Representatives and the British Lower House.