nly won on their own
merit, but in competition with learned theologians and noted
divines,--we may truly say that physicians are by no means atheists or
agnostics, but that, on the contrary, they are the real exponents of a
practical and intelligent religion, which they not only practice, but
fully and intelligently comprehend.

CHAPTER XII.

HEBRAIC CIRCUMCISION.

The first mention that we meet concerning circumcision is in Genesis. It
is the command of God to Abraham; in establishing the covenant with him,
He said to him: "This is my covenant, which ye shall keep between me and
you, and thy seed after thee: every man-child among you shall be
circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it
shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you" (Gen. xvii, 10,
11). It was also ordained that this should be extended to servants
belonging to Abraham and his seed, as well as to their own children; and
that in case of children it should be done on the eighth day after
birth.[54] This was appointed as an ordinance of perpetual obligation on
the Hebraic family, and its neglect or omission entailed being cut off
from the people (12, 14). In compliance with this ordinance, Abraham,
although in his ninety-ninth year, circumcised himself and all his
slaves, as well as his son Ishmael. Slaves by purchase were
circumcised,[55] as were any strangers, who were also circumcised before
being allowed to partake of the passover or to become Jewish citizens.
It was to be observed by all heathens who became converted to the Jewish
faith. During the wanderings in the wilderness circumcision was not
practiced, but Joshua caused all to be circumcised before they entered
the promised land.[56]

The old Hebrews strictly followed the injunction to circumcise on the
eighth day, and of such importance in a religious sense was this rite
in their estimation that even when the eighth day fell on the Sabbath
the eighth day ordinance was observed. The ordinance, however, was not
blindly arbitrary, as rules were laid down for exception. For instance,
whenever a family had lost two children through circumcision it did not
become obligatory on that family to circumcise the third child, who was
however considered as entitled to all the benefits of the congregation
or of the Hebraic religion, just the same as if he had been circumcised.
Again, Maimonides, or Moussa Ben Maimon, a celebrated physician and
rabbi, born in Cordo