Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-01-12
The Last of the Seven Brothers Of Roths-
nhtld

child.
The Hebrew Leader on Christmas
day presented the following interesting
paper to its readers:
Mr.. Senior Sachs, of Paris, who has
rendered important service to the He
brew linguistic literature, has, in the sx-
cellent Jewish periodical. the Hamqjid,
erected worthy monument to the late
Barren James (Jacob) de Rothschild. He
published an obituary of this gentleman,
in which he gave with remarkable skill
collection of passages from the Scripture
and from the unequaled Hebrew poetry,
adapting them to the deceased and his
family. What may appear extravagant
in this composition has to be attributed
to the poetical inclinations of the author.
He begins thus: Israel has been be-
reaved of an ornament" James Roths-
child was an ornament of Israel" not
because of his immense wealth and his
power as Enancier, but because. he
lived since 1872 in the capital OF sybar-
itism and epicurism, in the midst OF
relations which are apt to estrange any
one from the path of higher moral and
religious life, and to beguile him into a
cou rse in which the letters of every ex-
ter,aal restraint are thrown aside; and,
nevertheless, stood firmly and faithfully
by the monothcism of his fathers and
strictly observed those positive his
tor ical doctrines which are the custo-
di,ins of morality, as we have clearly de-
monstrated in these columns ON former
occasions, and shall have an opportunity
TO refer to hereafter. 1t was an inter-
esting coincidence that Baron Roths-
child died in that week, when In the
synagogues was recited: Jacob NIL
grated from Beer Scheba from the well
of the Seven" which was thus inter-
preted by Mr.. Sachs; he was one OF the
seven brothers, who we're such bounti-
full source of many benefits to Israel.
With singular ingeniousness he hnds
appropriate comparisons between the
well-known transactions of Rothschild-
for instance, the great idea of the French
Northern railroad, which he started.
and which produced in the commerce of
the world one of its most powerful links
and our old legends told about the
patriarch, Jacob. He further enumerates
all the charitable institute ons which were
erected through his agency, such as hos
pitfalls, eating-rooms for the poor, orphan
asylums, particularly mentioning an
asylum for poor ialyipg women. he like
wise praised the benevolent assistance
lent poor students and scholars. He says
while to such the heart of the rich was
usually hard and closed as rock,
Rothschid knew how to raise the heavy
rock. he here gives o we'll deserved
scorrging to those rich jews of Paris
who are ashamed of their nationality,
and holds Rothschild up to them as an
example The author relates the estab-
lishment of synagogue in one OF the
country houses of the baron. at which he
addressed some touching words to his
children, admoaishing them to remain
faithful to their fathers. He reports how
the deceased, during his presence in the
city, had even in the last year, on the
day of expiation, walked on foot the long
way from bis palace to the synagogue.
He confirms that it was in strict obsdi-
ence to his command that his hearse was
drawn by but two horses, the hearse be-
ing a second-class one, and that none of
the numerous decorations OF the de-
ceased were affixed to the hearse, or
carried in front or after it. He further
remarks, expressly, that the sons of the
deceased went through the prescribed
mourning rites and the rest of the most
simple ceremony, as well as the oratlons
we have previously reported in these
columns.