The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-02-15
FORTY.rOURTR STREET SYNAGOGUE.

The Duty OF IsraeIttes Toward tina
House of God-Mr. lsaacs' Appeal to
Stop tho Plague OF Indifference which
Prevails Among His People.
The congregation worshipping regularly in this
synagogue has largely increased since the Rev. DR..
Mendes has become the assistant rabbi there. Yes
terday, however, the venerable and reverend Mr.
Isaacs who has administered so long and faithfully
to this congregation, preached a sermon on the IN
terest which priests and people, men and women,
should take in the sanctuary OF God. His text was
H. Kings, xii, 9, which recites how Jehoida, tho
priest, took a chest and bored a hole in 1t, and
caused the people entering the temple to put their
offerings therein Tor the repair OF the house OF God.
The lberality OF tue people was SO great that tho
priest announced no more money was needed.
1T has been," said Mr. Isaacs, ''at all
times blot upon Us that when we have
been well ourselves we have not been mindful
OF the poor. 1t was so in the days OF Jezebel, it
was SO IN the days OF Athaliah, it is in our own
time" He accounted for this indispostion of
Jezebel on the ground that she was not Jewess,
but u stranger; and nothing but evil, he
tended, results from alliances OF Israelites with
strangers. But IN that dark and gloomy period
something occurred that spread religion and light
again among the people. There arose man, II we
can call him man, OF austere manners attired III
coarse garments and feeding on coarse fare bus
intensely Jealous for Goa and His cause-Eiah, the
1sraelite, by name. He began his mission At this
time, aud how he succeeded you all know. His
banner was unloded and ioated on high, and on
it was Inscribed one God whom alone men should
serve He left Juaea as suddenly as he came to it.
saying only one word ut his departure, "that IN
the valley Of Jezre the dogs should lick the blood
OF Jezebel." This prophecy was aIterward fulfilled
in the days OF Jehu the son OF Nlmshi.
WE OWE MUCH TO THE WOMEN
OF Israeli SAID Mr.. lsaacs. Let 1t not be said that
We had Jezeoel among u.s. She was not a Jewess,
put daughter OF the stranger. The same may be
royal seed OF Sne o had oreTS blood n M
her. But Jehosheba, the wife OF Jehoida, q true
Jewess, saved the life OF the young prince Joasn
Athallah. While such women have had part in
our past history We can point with pride to our
Esthers, our Humans, our Abigails and our Jehos-
hebas-ornaments to our history and our religion.
The faithful priest. too, had nand in this revival
OF feiigion, Iniak now muca iaitnlul priest can
Jehoida, the guardian OF Joasn. was one of the
great men Of his age While the other priests
Thought more OF themselves than they did OF the
law Or OF the temple Of the Lord he loved both, and
taught his young ward also, in the principles Of
to have the same effect as the temple OF old. God
must dwell with US; and II this be not the case
then Will our assemblies be mere mOckery. All the
money brought into the house was to repair the
breaches OF the house; but though the priests col
lected the money, they did not distribute It, Joash,
who. at seven years OF age, had been proclaimed
King, at this time took away all the power from
the priests and repaired the house OF the Lord HIM
self with the free.wil offerings OF the people, The
spirituality OF worshippers should not be inter-
fered with by the temperatures OF the sanctuary.
What lesson has this good Jewess JehOsheba leis
to the women OF Israel to-day True, our
CHILDREN ARE NOT MURDERED NOW.
and our women are not called upon TO save them,
as was Jehoshebah. But they are called upon to
save their own children from indinerentism aud
neglect OF the plain preeepts and principles Of Ju-
dalsm. Solomon, VINO knew human nature, BIDS
the children not TO forget the law OF their mothers,
but to serve and obey them. And when children
thus taught are required TO part with such moth
ers they will forget their love- and the blessing
OF God will be showered upon sucn mothers.
Jehoida the priest has also lett US an important
example. While other priests neglected their
duty ne remained faithful and true The minister
and put himself between the living and the dead.
and thereby stop the plague OF indifference. BY
such means can the priest enktndle the light in the
house OF the Lord. Mr.. lsaacs concluded with an
appea! to AIS congregation not to be unmindiul OF
words OF advice to youth who had just been adj
mttted to the privileges aud duties Of the syna-
gogue.