The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-10

Blair a staunch Scotch Presbyterian minister. Is
regular attendant at this synagogue, ana othe
ministers drop In occasionally. The sermon de
livered oy Dr. Gottheil yesterday was what might
be called rational exposition oil the Mosaic story
OF the budding OF Aaron's almond rod th'
tabernacle and Its bearing fruit. the discourse
was designed to explain away the apparent mlrac
uousness OF the circumstances narrated The
Doctor read the story as given IN the Bible so tina
the congregation might perceive the relation o
his text to the context II a contest such as arose
between
MOSES AND AARON
side and the partlsans OF Koran on the
other was presented TO us for decision, what, he
asked, would be the effect upon uss Miracles have
lost their argumentatlve power In our eyes. They
can never prove nor disprove any proposition.
We have learned 10 Judge them by the hight that
We POSSESS. strange as the thing may appear, II
II can be accounted Tor by natural causes IL proves
no more than the poisoning OF the trees IN me
sprlns time. But II no sucn causes can De shown
then we would refuse TO accept 1t ana suspect the
person who produced 1t. The whole course OF our
training mas been anti-miraculous. Our age may
be designated emphaticay an age OF reason. we
may cite the discussion OF question that Just
now eXcltes punlic attentiOn-the discussion be-
tween Mr.. Gladstone and the Catholic Cnurch
That Church trusts more III miracles than any
other. We are told Dy that Church that on ITS
affairs miracles occur daily: that bread and vine
eases winch have bariied the skill OF physicians
yield promptly to the touch OF a little holy water
BuL no miracles are resOTleu 10 ny Jnc
or antiln laJ ipiity dogmatists. Wnv nots Ra.
tioua argument Is here met by rational argu-
ment The English Premier mas challenged them
to make good their cause, but they have not in
vited him into their temples TO witness any mira
cle Believing then, as we nave been Taught that
there can be
NO INTERRUPTION IN THE LAWS OF NATURE
we are therefore compelled to discard All such evil
dences as these. But what are we to do with such
cases hat now under Observation-Disclosures rodY
the Doctor then showed the significance, In
political and religious sense. OF slaves or rods in
ancient modern, TueY are the tuSlR-
MA OF once anu OF authority Hence the patriarch
should not depart from Judah nor lawgiver
from between ms ieet until shiloh came. The rod
was the symbol OF government ana the emblem ol
justice In courts OF law In Jeremiah the prophet
calls upon all those about nlm TO oemoan nm. and
all that Know his name W say, How IS the stron.
same prophet saw IN his vision the rod of an
almond tree, and the explanation Is glven-
une s 0rd The wi" Almond tree Receives its
from the TACT mat It Blooms and bears
lruit wnen all other trees are IN the deadly
all the heads OF the tribes OF Israel had rods OF
almond trees as emblems OF office. surprising,
tnen that this sign OF official power formed the
subject of the poets eulogy IN later years OF
priestly authority, what would be more natural
Tor MN than to represent the high priests rod
budding and bearing lruit, as symDollcal OF a
higher authority than any other elder OF the
people possessed? And so we ind IN the ninety
second Psalm, ''Ihey that he planted IN the house
OF the Lord snail 1oursh IN the courts oil our God.
They shall brlng forth iruit IN Old age they shall
uprlgnt.n Here the reason Is gwen.
THE POETRY OF THE PSALMS
and the prophets has furnished much OF the ma
teria out OF which the ruling priests OF more
modern times have been constituted. THIS rod
was to secure the high priesthood to Aaron in per
petulty. The Doctor met some ODjecLiOns that
might be raised against this symb0lcal inter
probation as doing away with Gods reveale 4
truth. THAT SYMBOL transpants the spiritual
from the hOt-house OF imagination to the
open held or practical lie. where they
are brought nearer to our understanding.
We lit tue veil OF poetic imagery and men
and women are seen walking behind us as actual
as they are to-day. God l. with us now rs he was
with our fathers In days OF yore. caring Tor aud
dong Us good. lhe' blooming ro1 anu the dover
and fruit must be 10 us as the blooming OF dry
stick was TO aaron. 10 believe that winch we
never can understand is spiritual barrenness; but
to believe that which we can understand Is d
source OF strength. We try TO give 10 every mar
ratve It's legitimate meaning. Inc Doctor tneI
explained how the plety and spirituality o. Aaron
and his worship, as compared with the neads
OF the other tribes constitute tine blossoms, and
the rult OF his priestl, lie and once Is symbol
lZed by the ROD. And the same symbols would IA
July express the same spiritual cOndiIlon to-day
as they did then. The Doctor therefore urged HI
hearers to lie their lives be blooming and iruIt
bearing by being devoted to God aud 10 the gOot
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