The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-09-14

MONDA Z hI( ()RNING
I were the tie OF q union, pious materialism
In such q state of affairs It Is no Wonde
that the main idea was lost to many of us
In the Jewish houses more attention wa
Z paid to the kitchen than 10 the elevation Q
mind and feelings, and i'd the synagogue
more consideration was paid to the desk o
the reader than 10 the pulpit Of the preacher
whence life and love, religious understand
ing, and ennobling Of the heart ought t,
foW. The whole body of the Israelitisl
people moved in union in circle of forms
ls it q wonder, when many have reduced
Il their whole religion to a visit OF two days il
the year-on Rosh :Hashanah and Yom Kip
Ipur-to the house of worship, and try t.
Ipray then enough for the whole year or
Others are satisfied with the securing
iof 9 last resting-place-to die ant
be buried among Yehudim? But let i
be told unto you that Rosb Hashanat
is not instituted merely for prayers, but fol
the renovation and regeneration of the innel
man; for the restoration of your heart, and
not to die, bat to live, and to be active anG
benevolent among your fellow.citizens and
lcoreligionists;is is your main duty-is Judaism
Friends, probably few Of you are aware that
in our present time great enemy is eudan
gering Judaism aud religion at large. True
the enemy is still dwarf, but he Is growing
very fast, and he has to be met sooner OF
later. His name is materialism.
Modern materia1ism, as expounded by
lTyndall, is highly dangerous, for his doc
friya .x,nf ~,
but are couehed in an eloquent so-called phil
bic, but must have the same disastrous effect
as the old epicorean materialsm.
I And will tell you one thing more, that it
will be our lot TO meet the foe, for there is
no other religious denomination on earth
capable Of meeting him.
We are well trained soldiers on such occa.
sions, and victory will and must be ours.
We fought with our wandering taber-
nacle the gigantic temples of the Egyptians.
We fought with the Solomonc temple the
Moloch worship, with the second temple in
! the first period against Persian Angeology,
and, after the restoration of that second tenn
pie, against the gorgeous monuments
Basilicas Of the Greeks and their My
thology. In Bethar we fought with our
rabbiDical schools against Roman etfeminacy.
In Spain and Franco, with our Yehuda
Halevy, Solomon ben GabiroI, Iben Ezra's
Maimonides, Kimehies, and the host Of Jew
ish poets and philosophers against the pro-
saiSm and platitude and cruelties then pre-.
] vailing. In Germany, with our Mendelssohn
against the heartlessness of the tyrants on
one side, and against infdelism on the other.
We have been we'll trained for 1000 years.
We Israeltes, the fighters for God and truth.
| But we have to take our arms up again. We
alone have to tread the wine.press, and of
the nations none will be with US. How shall
we fight our battles, and where? assure
you neither the ceremonies nor the ancient
customs will or can be the weapons; nor will
the kitchen nor the reader-desk be the battle
field. We have, like under Ezra, to reach
again for the Old Bible lying neglected and
unread in some corner Of the houses. We
will have to count our old treasure again
we will have to read the Bible again with
understanding, and the living, inspiring
words of the pulpit will again save US.
Let US commence this day to perform our
task.
First. In our firm belief and confidence
in The grace and forgiveness of God.
Secondly. That not only we, but all, even
OuE euCutCS, are NoiLuy VI ooo . AiCiSy
that God will have compassion upon us and
subdue our iniquities, but also will cast into
the depth the sins OF our enemies. Let US
have such charitable and forgiVing dispo-
slion; and then,
Thirdly. We will glory in the perform
ance of truth and mercy. Remember Isaac,
the type of bodily sacrifice, is not mentioned
in our text, for the glorious Messianic future
will not consist of sacrifices, but the union
of mankind will rest upon truth and kind
Eness. May truth and brotherly love prevail
among you and all, that union Of al! man.
kind may speedily be accomplished for the
sake of the glory of God.
During all the services at DR.. Bettelheim's
synagogue the singing was very fine, as the
public must acknowledge when they are told
that Professor Reinhardt, Misses Brandt,
Michael, Reinhardt, and Held, and Messrs.
Julius Fischer and Gustavus and Emanuel
Milhiser compose the choir.