tion to those
professing other religions, which would tend to undermine the foundation
of their spiritual life. Standing upon the high watchtower of time, it
rather strives ever to clarify and strengthen the universal longing for
truth and righteousness which lies at the heart of all religion, and is
thus to become a bond of union, an all-illuminating light for the world.
To quote the beautiful words of Leopold Stein in his _Schrift des
Lebens_:(1097) "Judaism, while recognizing the historic justification of
all systems of thought and faith, does not cherish the ambition to become
the Church Universal in the usual sense of the term, but aims rather to be
the focus, or mirror, of religious unity for all the rest. 'The people
from of old,' as the prophet called them, are to accompany mankind in its
progress through the ages and the continents, until it reaches the goal of
the kingdom of God on earth, the 'new heaven and new earth' of the
prophetic vision."(1098) The thought of the Jewish mission is most
adequately expressed in the Neilah service of the Union Prayer Book, based
upon the Einhorn Prayerbook, which reads as follows:(1099) "Endow us, our
Guardian, with strength and patience for our holy mission. Grant that all
the children of Thy people may recognize the goal of our changeful career,
so that they may exemplify by their zeal and love for mankind the truth of
Israel's watchword: One humanity on earth, even as there is but One God in
heaven. Enlighten all that call themselves by Thy name with the knowledge
that the sanctuary of wood and stone, which erst crowned Zion's hill, was
but a gate through which Israel should step out into the world, to
reconcile all mankind unto Thee!"

Chapter L. The Priest-people and its Law of Holiness

1. The checkered, stormy, and yet triumphant march of the Jewish people
through the ages remains the great enigma of history for all those who do
not believe in a divine plan of salvation to be consummated through
Israel. The idea of Israel's mission alone throws light on its law and its
destiny. Even before God had revealed to the people at Mt. Sinai the Ten
Commandments, the foundation of all religion and morality, and there
concluded with them a covenant for all time, He spoke: "Ye shall be unto
Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation," thus consecrating them to be a
priest-people among the nations, and enjoining them to a life of especial
holiness. Possessing as a heritag