The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-01-18
FoRTY.FOURTH STREET SYNAGOGUE.

Neglect and Defiance OF the Claims of
Judaism by It's Protested Followers
DE-. DE Sofa Mendes on Pharaoh's In
fidelity and Modern Sceptieism.
Rev. DR.. DE Sofa Mendes, the newly elected rabbi
the Congregation Sharai Tephila, is drawing out
the members OF this congregation in much larger
numbers than they have been wont TO gather there
on ordinary Sabbath days. His earnestness and
eloquence attract the young people, and his ease
and freedom in the pulpit are pleasing to all classes
and ages. And moreover he Is thoroughly ortho-
dox on all jewish questions. ''Modern thought"
has evidently not moved him in the least from the
landmarks OF his ancient faith. to which he clings
with firm hold. Yesterday his congregation was
comfortably large. The house was not crowded,
however. The lesson read was from Exodus, where
Moses and Aaron sent to PharOah, King ofEgypt,
to demand the liberation OF the Jewish. bondsmen,
and Pharaoh's sceptical answer, "WhO Is the Lord
neither win let israel CO." Dr. Mendes remarked
that this days reading carried on the history OF
the Exodus AS Moses and Aaron carry on the
struggle with the proud monarch they fall each
time and are met with some sucn sceptical reply
to their demands as that given above. But when
he was plagued he gladly sent Tor Moses and agreed
to let Israel go If the trouble could be removed:
But the Oftcner the plague was stayed or removed
the oftener he hardened his heart. Like many
others, when he was
IN TROUBLE HE THOUGHT UPON GOD;
but as soon as his trouble was ended he turned
back again TO his former ways and denantly babe
the great prophet to come not near him nor see
his face again. Moses replied that he would not
see the king again until the latter should be glad
to send for MIN, or until he should take parting
look at his hosts as they melted away beneath the
angry waves Of the Red Sea. The children saw
nothing but torment and distress before
them. They were required to make the same num-
Der OF bricks as heretofore and yet the materials
Tor their labor were withheld. These were the re-
suits, so lar as they could see OF all the efforts Of
Their labor was increased. while the facilities for
LABOR were diminished. VINO shall wonder, then,
said that the chldren of Israel refused to hearken
to Moses This feature in the narrative, the Doc
tor remarked IS one of the strongest proofs OF the
authenticity OF the Pentsteuch. 1t shows that the
Israelites were just like other men, and that they
acted under the circumstances as other men would
OF men angels or demlgods.
The Doctor discussed more In detail the defiant
attitude OF Pharaoh ana the sad condition Of the
Old sermons and traditOns-declares that as soon
as Pharaoh heard Moses demanding the release OF
sacred books and called his priests together. but
they were unable TO give him any information con-
corning
They knew OF the gods OF the Moabites and OF the
Aninonites and the Canaanltes, but had never
heard OF the Hebrews God. Then 1t was that the
King asked, .Mho is the Lordr' &c. And when,
the tradition runs, Moses described this God as
the Creator OF the Universe, the Lord of Heaven
and Earth. the Founder even of Pharaoh's own
Kingdom and CROWN the naughty monarch re-
phed that he was thereby convinced that Moses
the Kingdom and the sacred river had given him
his power ana prosperity But the authors OF the
Midrash wrote beJter Than they knew. They de-
scribed not only the Pharaoh Of that day, but Of
our day also. How many u man to-day answers
when the claims OF religion are pressed upon him
as did Pharaoh or the BaDyonish monarch, 'WhO Is
the Lordy is not this great Babylon that have
budedr' When the Mosaic laws can 10 men to-day,
Sabbaths or feast days, they call over the names
and number or their gods, and not finding the God
of Israel there they ask who Is the Lord When Ju-
dasm explains tat it is the God OF Israel who gives
n m vihnp they have worth DOOsessinQ. they
respond that they nave made their own fortunes,
and that what they possess Is their own. Turn to
the monarch OF mind and the result Is no better.
Referring to the discoveries OF science, and the
Dawinan theory In particular, the Doctor re-
marked that these theorists tell us that what we
believe Is true Is Ialse and what we supposed was
new Is old ana well known. But the Lord God OF the
Hebrews sends US TO the proud Pharaoh, OF mind
who looks in the books Of science and philosophy,
and seeing no reference TO Judaism there they con-
cudc that 1t has no history. and that IL Is a new
conner. But IL answers that what they are now
finding out she knew IN her early days In Egypt.
This, however, the monarch OF mind denies. SO
far these modern Pharaohs, how proud they are,
anu how de1anti They
KNOW NAuGHT OF IsRAEI's con,
bnt when the dark days oI trouble come upon
Tor me that the plague may be removed" But as
they arc delivered they turn again to their
old paths and are ready to warn the messenger OF
GOD not to see their faces again and the syna-
gCgue knows them no more. When death sczes
on their vitaIs then they hasten, as did Pharaoh,
TO send for tue man OF God 10 entreat Tor them
once more.
The lesson says that the childre n OF Israel hcark
ened not unto Moses from want of spirit and Sc
verify OF toll. IL Is true they were inwardy con
scious OF their religion, but they were ashamed TO
confess 1t, like many men IN our own day VINO say
the trust in a supreme Being butwho refuse to
confess him for lack OF manly spirit. Man goeth
fOrtn TO his labor and toll until the evening. A
mind vacant Is mind distressed A mind in
doubt Is u mind oppressed. The Doctor, referring
the necessity OF rest for tic mind and body, said
that Judaism, more tnan any OF her daughters, pro-
vides Tor such rest in her Sabbaths and holidays
but the people hearken not TO Moses rom want
OF spirit ana cruel bondage. He urged ms hearers
70 remember always mat Cod had chosen them TO
heal Ills A0Il sta4Ntgd.