The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-02
THIRTY.FoURTH STREET SYNAGOGUE.

Egyptian DarkisEss and Jewish Igno-
rance-Dr. vidaver Deprecating the
Discussions Among Israelites-A Prayer
for the Unity OF Jews and Gentilcs in
the worship OF the One True God.
The Rev. DR.. vidaver rabbi OF the Congregation
Bnai Jeshurun has been very i'll during the last two
weeks and wholly unable TO preach. Yesterday,
however, he was much better and occupied his
pulpit. The congregation was larger than usual,
and the topic discoursed upon was the
religious ignorance and differences among
Israelites, orthodox and reformed. The Doctors
text was taken from the chapter that had
been read in the course-namely, Exodus K, %,
23-"And Moses spread forth his hands over all the
land Of Egypt, and there ives thick darkness for
three days, 80 that the people could not see
one another. But In all the dwellings OF
the Israelites there was light" The Doctor
contrasted the feelings OF blind man
who first looks out upon the light and beauty OF
this world with what must have been the feelings
ter s ba
see one another for three days. Such darkness
spiritually prevails now over Israel and we have
need to pray, as David did, "Open thou mine eyes
BEHOLD woNDRous THINGS
ont OF the law" II Israel would know the path OF
rectitude which is revealed and would say one to
another, "Come, and let us fall down and worship
the Lord our Cod" and would so walk and so wor-
ship there would soon be no need for every man to
say to his brother, know the Lord,n for all would
know Him, from the least even to greatest, and
every man would behold and recognize the
beauties OF Judaism. But, alas! this Is not so
now. Ignorance, gross darkness prevails in every
place, and every man has his own ideas of Judaism.
What does this meanp Is Israel people of yester-
day, that they should have such discussions among
themselves What some persons call blessings
others call curses. What some think is essential
There is but answer to this in the Scriptures
"My people are destroyed for lack OF knowledge
the Lord says. In our own midst no man sees In
his fellow man brother, but there is In the hand
and in the heart OF every man sword wherewith
to STAY his fellow man. II they meet together TO
study and find out the truth 1t cannot be said OF
them, "Behold, how good and how pleasant o
thing 1t Is for brethren dwell together In unityn
We can't deny that the condition and outlook OF
entirely due TO Ignorance. One party. in their
zeal to destroy whatever is old as II it were obso-
lete, are intent upon pulling down the whole fab
everything that is old with tenacity worthy of a
better cause and for no better reason than because
1t is DID, without any regard to its value or appro-
priateness. Both parties are cropping in darkness
as gross as was that OF Egypt Light is what they
most need Where shall we get it
THE LAW IS LIGHT,
says the Scriptures That Is what the people want.
The Doctor then briefly referred to the giving OF the
law ON Sinai, and the light and truth which from
that day to the present has iumined and sancti-
fed the world. The man who does not believe in
this law does not possess this light, but walks In
darkness We are admOnshed to seek the light TO tx.
much as we can. 1t may do for some other demon.
nations to make saints OF the most ignorant men
and women-as, for instance, the Roman Catholic
Church-but II won't do for Israel 20 be or TO re-
main ignorant. And because OF this ignorance
we see one party in Israel now clinging tena-
cously to the old ways and things and the other
party, equally tenacious, pushing out after the
The one party PUSHES along into superstition and
fanaticism and the other INTO infdeity. But this
need not be so. Israel has received that light
which can penetrate the thick darkness that sur
rounds the spiritual community. They have this
light in all their dwellings. But Is there no
MIDDLE WAY OUT OF THIS MAZE
Where Is the man so spiritual who has no need OF
ceremonials, however simple2 Or is there no use
or beauty In things that are venerable with age
Is the sun IN the armament less useful and beaute-
GUS to-day than 1t was 0,OoO years ago2 Certainly
not. II you would find the middle way in which
the light OF God forever shines. and where the
lions whelp cannot come, you must read this book
the Bible. Here you will find the middle road,
where reason and faith go hand In hand. Take 1t,
and IL Will yield peace and blessings in all your
dwellings. II will shine into your hearts and, with
the gilt OF Gods truth In your souls, you shall have
light In all your habitations.
The Doctor closed with an earnest prayer fol
union, not alone among dissenting Israelites but
also among jews and Gentes, and when all shall
come to worship the one living and true God in The
unity of the faith