Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1854-06-15

Judah Touro;-
! My iriends,-what IS the mouv.
! which has brought us together from
\ 80 many places situated al II great dis
lance from each other to this spot de-
voted to The repose of those who have
departed this lie Z What is the cause
that on this field OF death ne universal
assembly OF SO many lsraelites is
. Witnessed in this city where none OF
their brothers in faith have their dwell
Z lng 1t Is not, as you well know, 10
90 homage TO The remains OF brave
warrior who has fell glorlously in The
defence vi his country, nor TO honor the
memory OF one VINO has won Tor hln,-
sell an imperIshable renown in the
, world OF letters but simply to Commit
~ The bosom oi the earth what il NOR.
la. OF our TREND, Judah Touro, ii plain
man, an unassuming merchant, who
brealhed his last IN the quiet OF his
chamber lar away III The metropolis oi
The sunny South, not surrounded hy
his own II sh and blood, but those who
watched over HIM from motives OF duty
and affection, an affection enkindIed in
their hearts by his kindness and uni.
WHO a!proached him. Eighty Years
have elapsed since ihe minister OF
the Jewish congregation which then
H'urished IN this Isle oi the sea was
greeted 10y son aud alter lour scores
o! summer and winter have chased
each other over our globe. the wander
ilgs oi his son are brought To Il close,
and he Is 10 he Inferred here where his
( kindred sleep, mourneJ Tor by many
VINO knew him not when living, honor
ei 10y those 10 whom his person was
unknown. And ash me why !" The
answer will present llse.i at ouce, il you
regard those who surround his b err
lie dniassed wealth 10y honest iruyallty;
teisurrs tJweJ iIiO his golfers IN Tie
pursuit oi his mercantile enterprises; he
had no one near hi who was bound ~
hiu by the Ties oi blood aud Kindred
yet he s'luandered not his acq Iislllons
lex x'rdvarance aud intemperancc, il
bolslerJus na,sali or secret uebauchery,
bat he relieved dis rrss whcn It pre-.
senrd ls,l to his benevolent eye
when he saw the naked he clothed
tn cn, aud those lhal headed iuod
taned !; at his hands, whether they
belonged IL his iarh or country, or
whether they worshIpped at OdIcr
shrlues aud had first seen the light oI
day ~ foreign lands. ANA il you had
seen him ~ his daily walks you would
not have suspected him TO be The man
Vi wealth aud The hunured protector vi
the poor, as he was ; the exterior OF our
brother betrayed not The man within
But when he gave you his hand, when
he expressed IN his simplc manner thai
you were weicome, you could not doubt
his sincerity ;you ieIt convinced that he
WAS cmphatcally man Of truth, OF
sincere beuevoleucc. And thus he lived
Tor many years, unknown 10 the masses,
bat lct w,thln the circle where his
character could display itself without
us,entatIon and uottu iveuess, at u
PERIOD when but few OF his faith were
residents oi the same city with him.-
But when they began to multiply
arouud han, his lujc Tor the people ol
his he!ci was awakened anew within
hun, and he locked about himself for
the means OF supplying home Tor hlS
religion in the vicinity where lie resi-
ded. And il you have ever been
lh New Orleans, where Mr.. Touro
Ilved lor full halt century, you will
have seen al elegant structure with the
necessary out-buIldinus attached, which
he resented somewhat more than tour
years ago, to the congregated "Dispers-
ed TO Judah" the Minister and Presi-
dent which are now present to Join
win us in entombng the beneiac,or OF
their institutions. And II you have
ever been present during the hours OF
worship ~ the house bestowed as free
Gift without solcitatlon on his fellow Is.
raelitrs, you may have observed a
plainly dressed old man seated IN a
corner in the upper portion oil the Syn
agogne, devout'y engaged in prayers,
not throwing about his eyes to the
right or The leIi, but feeling, as lar as u
man might Judge from the manner he
exhibited, DIS an humble mortal III the
presence OF his creator and all the
honor he ever received was the Office OF
opening The ark where the testimony 10
deposited before tile readlag OF the law.
Aud II you had been privileged 10 wit
ness the deposiIlng oi the stone com
memoratlng his noble gift, beneath the
en,rancc oil the Synagogue, on the day
il was dedicated with song and thanks
giving to the Eternal One, the God OF
Israel. you would have seen the picture
o. heartfelt pleasure illuminating his
placid countenance, as lie, with his own
hand, applied the mortar 10 the tablet
wh,ch Witnesses that he voluntarily
parted with n property which others
: have regarded as securing them an in
dependence for lie.
But when his hour came TO be sum-
moned away to the place destined ior
all the living, was Witnessed the great
est triumph Of his abode Oh earth
While pcrn.itted TO look forward TO
additional years Of lile in comparative
good heath, his natural timidity pre-.
vented him from concentrating various
benevolent endownieuts which he had
contemplated. But when he saw that
his time approached to die, he dictated,
with an unclouded mind, the manner IN
which his wealth was to be appropriated
alter his decease. And let me call your
attention. my friends, TO the noble man.
ner IN which our deceased brother Is
raelile distributed what still what hIs.
aud over which both his religion and
the law Of the land permitted him TO
exercise an unchecked control TIE
thought ol the widow aud orphan ~ HE
own city aud where he dwelt IN hls
youth and devoted a porllon OF his
means TO their relief aud those 10 whom
he has conhded this trust, are not Of his
own iaith aud kindred, and probably no
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