The New York herald., 1873-10-19
LEXINGTON AVENUE SYNAGOGUE
The Conflict Between Life and Law
Modern Times Better Than the Old
Discourse by Rev. DIR. Huebsch.


Discourse by Rev. DIR. Hucbsch.
The congregation in this synagogue began yes
terday the reading in course OF the fourth book of
M0ses-Numbers-an introduction to which DR..
HueDsch gave in hts practical address to the peo-
pie. This book contains condensed history OF the
Jewish people from the time the law was given on
Sinai until their approach to the promised land, q
period Of about thirty-eight years. The Doctors
text was taken from Isaiah, xxxv., Sand there
shall be path and way and holy way; IL shall
be called the way OF holiness; no uncean shall walk
therein" The children Of Israel had no sooner lett
Sinai than they began to murmur for meat and for
water and to doubt the ability OF that God who
had already done so much to supply these gifts to
them in the wilderness. Here they have reared up
this Tabernacle at the command OF the Most High,
and have encamped around it according to their
armies and their tribes, each under its own ban
ner The Levtes, whose duties called them to
carry the Tabernacle aud its service, are to lead
the hosts In their marches from place to place.
There must be no cashing OF authority. Each
must have his own work and his own place
signed to him; for order is heavens first law.
Moses and Aaron had their positions to occupy,
the Levites theirs and then the several tribes in
their order. But there were in the camp
OF Israel, as there are in every camp, who canuot
patiently submit to constituted authority and have
regard for law or order Korah and his fol-
lowers revoted against the jurisdiction Of Moses
and the priesthood OF Aaron, but the Lord Himself
swiftly and summarily cut short their rebellious
spirit and purposes They had come to the bor-
ders OF the Holy Land and Moses had sent spies out
TO examine and report the nature and condition OF
the country and It's inhabitants, and upon their
faithful or 1aithless report depended their pro-
longed or brief stay IN the wilderness We md
that only two OF the spies brought back faithful
and true report OF the land Its people. And for
the unaithfuuess OF the rest the whole host had to
n ha
wilderness for forty years-each year to represent
day OF the previous excursion OF the spies.
Baak, King OF Moab, gathered his forces against
them but percelvlnR tnat he could not fight with
any assurance OF success, he called for Baaam to
curse them. But Balaam did not help him in this
regard. He did, however, seduce the people into
the idolatry OF Moab, and in this way excited the
another blow to Israel in the death OF Moses, the
man TO whom they looked to lead them into the
promised land But he was simply to
LOOK FROM PISGAHS TOP
and see the land before him. but not to enter
therein himself. His lieutenant, joshua was to
take his place And from this we may earn few
things. First we see in TINS history the conflict
between life and law begun with the oldest gene
0 aw as no a oSe Sn Of Bt the
Grafton lived to enter the Holy Land save
Caleb and Joshua. All the others died
peared and now there is no more the same gener-
alton nor the same leader But thereis new
generation and new leader, and the people move
forward as they did of old. And from this we may
learn secondly, that the Church OF God does not
depend upon one generation or one leader, but Is
Independent OF both. The truth is always standing
in the highway OF which the prophet speaks, and
leaders and generations must rise up from their
paths and by-ways into this highway, wherein
nothing unclean can walk. 1t is therefore, absurd
ior us to continually laud the old times as better
than these. The comparison will not hold good
either physically intellectually or spiritually.
There was greater poverty In the olden times than
there Is now. There was then nothing between
riches ana poverty-n0 middle class from which
men might rise to aiiuence and plenty.
And where there is no middle class In So
ciety there must be extreme poverty and extreme
wealth. We should, therefore, guard against these
extremes by preserving, so far as we can, our mid
die classes. To be sure, we have no longer
prophets as OF old; but then we have culture more
solid and complete Intelligence higher and more
widespread and morality more generally prevail
ing among the people. We do not want to do
away with the old unless it obstructs us in our
growth. The present leaders may not be what
they ought to be-leaders; but leaders will disap-
pear while the law and truth OF God shall stand as
firmly as ever. We must see to it that we are not
the unclean who are prohibited from entering into
the holy way, and let US lead the young in the way
OF the Lord our God. In old times men fought re-
llgious wars with sword, then with money, but
now they fight all such battles with the spirit of
truth. For 1t Is not by might nor by power, but
by My Spirit, said the Lord. that sucn victories
can be obtained. The Doctor referred briefly to
the Alliance and the Free Religionists' gathering
and in a kindly spirit TO each.