RITUAL MURDER, a general term for human sacrifice in connection with religious ceremonies. False accusations as to the practice of ritual murder by various bodies have often been made. Justin Martyr in his second apology (cap. xii.) vigorously defends the Christian community against the charge : Octavius, Minutius Felix, Tertullian, Origen, and other Church Fathers all refer to the subject and indignantly repudiate the atrocious libel that the Eucharist involved human sacrifice. The myth was revived against the Montanists, and in the later middle ages against various dissenting sects of Christians. In modern times the accusation has been again levelled against "foreigners" during the disturbances in China. The chief sufferers from the libel were however the Jews. The earliest form of it (the first instance is the case of William of Norwich, 1144) was that they immolated a Christian child at Easter in mockery of the Passion. In the course of the next century there came about the elaboration that the blood was used in the manufacture of the unleavened bread for Passover (which generally coincided with Easter) or for other purposes. Ultimately, it was actually alleged that "the Jews of every province annually decide by lot" which congregation or town was to be the scene of the mythical murder. Almost in variably, the accusations were followed by spoliation and perse cution. Among the classical instances are the "martyrdoms" of Hugh of Lincoln (1255) and Simon of Trent (1475), the Damas cus affair (1840), and the Beilis case (I 9 I i-13). It is easy to
understand how in ages when the Jews were everywhere regarded with suspicious awe such stories would find ready credence ; but the revival of the myth by the anti-Semite in modern times is a deplorable instance of degeneration. That there is no foundation whatsoever for the belief is proved in the classical treatise on the subject by Hermann L. Strack, regius professor of theology at the University of Berlin. Many proselytes to Christianity have strenuously defended the Jews from the charge. Several of the popes have issued bulls exonerating them, and temporal princes have often taken a similar step. Many Christian scholars and ecclesiastics have felt it their duty to utter protests against the libel, including the most eminent Gentile students of Rabbinism of modern times. Indeed, the vast majority of the literature refuting the charge comes from non-Jewish pens. That on the other side is entirely anti-Semitic, and in no case has it survived the ordeal of criticism.