The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-06-22
THRTY-rOURTH STREET SYNAGOGUE.

The Teachings OF Judaisnl-Faith, Nee
Forms, Must Save Men-Sermon by Rev.
DR.. Vidavcr.
The Summer solstice is beginning to have an sp.
probable effect upon the Jewish as well as the
Christian congregations. This was manifest yes
terday in the Thirty fourth street synagogue. DR..
vidaver preached thoroughly Judastic discourse,
with, however, one doctrine, peculiarly Christian
and Methodistic interviewer throughout-namely.
justification by faith. His text was Numbers XIV,
l3-"Ye shall 60 up and possess the land, for ye
are well able to overcome" Religion, the Doctor
remarked. Is q land OF promise. glorious Canaan,
given by God to man. Its crystal streams are now
ing pure and bright over the everlasting rock Of
revelation, quickening the soul Of man. and blessed
all they who live In this land OF PROMISE Those
who are denizens OF this land live painless
and snless lives and yet how few, com.
paratively, speak well OF 1t. or these sent out
by Moses to spy the land OF Canaan only two could
bring q truthful and good account of it. And
equally few there are who speak well of the land
Of faith,. Of Judaism, while many there be whs
speak evil of it, They say of Judaism that it is Q
land that consumes its inhabitants; that 1t Is Q
land OF giants and they ask how can they live
there. 1t imposes too heavy yoke upon them,
they say: 1t
CIRCUMscRIBEs THEIR SOCIAL LIFE
aud enjoyments and impedes their way and they
cannot perform the duties which 1t imposes upon
them, in accordance with the spirit Of the age.
But who, he asked, gave the law ? Did not God
And the text says We are well able to 20 up and
possess the land. No matter what others say. he
declared we can and we shall go up and possess
the goodly land. The law Is not for giants; 1t Ii
for men like ourselves-men with human hearts.
1t Is for all men, and He who gave It knows Just
what we can and what we cannot do and what We
can bear. Hence He has gwen us a law that we
can obey. And that law Is perfect, quickening the
soul, and while keep 1t we arc drinking from
the fountain Of living waters. Those who denounce
Judaism as neavy yoke do not know what
they are saying. Judaism Is not q heavy
burden. IL is rather stream OF living
gr Trims on the road to Che promised land
But what Is tue spirit OF. Judaism 7 Our rabbics
cred TO Noses 0ls statutes, 3e5 OF which, or one Tor
every solar day In the year, were prohibitory. Da-
vid subsequently codiied and reduced these to
eleven, Isaiah to six, Micah to three-namely, to.
do Justly, To love mercy and to walk humbly with
God; aud dnally Habbakuk condensed the whole
law into sentence--the just shall live by faith.
And thus the spirit OF
JUDAISM CAN EXPAND
or be compressed. according to the circumstance
OF human life. IL Is the same divine, eternal
spirit Of truth that we see. much IN the num-
Der as in the weight and Importance OF It's laws.
Its aim and end is TO get men TO live by faith that
their days here may oe bright and happy that
their minds may be elevated and their prayers
Doctor II your lives do not accord with your faith,
they are worthless and vain. And Is 10 too. much
To ask OF a man that his profession and his life
shall agreeP IL II much more natural for man to
love than to hate. Ii Is easier to keep the law
than TO break IL. And Judaism encourages every
man TO keep the law. Ii impedes no mans progress,
In that which l. right and good. lie (the Doctor
saw before him man who had been raised to pO-
sitions OF honor and trust In Europe and flied
them with fidelity, and yet his heart clings AZ
iondly as ever to Judaism. IL is not true, there
fore, that Judaism impedes any mans moral or
social progress. We can go up and take the land.
We can take possession OF our faith and be happy
he said. IL Is land OF light and OF sunshine and
| let every Israete here Know that we can go up.
| and let him act upon that knowledge. To know
that we can 60 up and that we have the power and
the right OF possession will not help US unless We
| enter into
THE LAND OF FAITH AND LOVE
lie might lecture 60 them In midwinter on FIRE ana
| describe all Its elements ana the blessings and
/ benefits which fire mparts, but they might shiver
with cold while he was talking. man can better
| understand the properties sId advantages OF fire
by sitting before IL nve msnutes than by hearing
some one talk about IT fog nn hour. Therefore the
lesson that ne would innress upon his hearers was
that II they know thatthey can 90 up let them go
az once ard take poss esson OF the land that nowetn
/ with mix anu money The Doctor closed briefly
! with Few WORDS respecting the bessedness Of
those VINO 90 go, up and who taste and see how
good tine LORD W.. and VINO faithfully keep Ills com
mandmfnta