Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-12-23
THE JEWS OF ROUMANIA.
Lecture at the Hebrew Reformed Syn
asogue Last Night by Hon. r.
B. PeixOttO.

The congregation at the Jewish reformed
synagogue, corner of Main and Exchange
streets, were entertained last night by lee
ture on Romano and Judaism" by Hon.
B. F. Peixotto, United States consul to Rou-
mania. Mr.. Peioxtto's delivery is calm and
easy, his lecture being unusually interesting,
as well as instructive. The spirit of the lee
ture evinced that of progressive, ,hberality and
enlightened thought, and was creditable to
Mr.. Peixotto, and also to his race and religion
He said that Judaism is a religion which ap-
peals to the mind, heart and sympathy of
every thinking man. We have, however, a
very faint idea of the persecution and suffer-
ings of the Jews in the east. There are no
longer open outrages, owing to the instru-
mentality of thus government and the coop
Grafton of others. The speaker related the
fact of an outrage perpetrated upon the Jews
at lsmael, in that country, and the fight of
hundreds Of families from Roumania and
their reception by the Turks, where there
Is no interference in behalf of humanity
In ROumania the duty devolves upon the rep
resentative of the American government.
This Is the feeling among the representatives
of the governments there. When the fearful
outrages upon the Jews in Roumania became
known, the subject gained the attention of
the governments of the world and the imme-
date action of the United States congress.
The people here have no idea of what the
Jew has to suffer in Roumania. There he can
hold no land, pursue no learned profession,
is debarred from several commercial pursuits,
can hold no government al office and is ex-
cluded from every avenue that leads to dis
tinction or bOnor. 1t was when these out
RACES became known that the civilized gov
ernments in Europe and the United States
determined to repress such indignities and
baIbarties Despite the oppressive laws, the
Jews still cling to their faith, and no manner
of persecution deters them from the religion
which they believe to lie the religion of hu
msnity. The people who live here cannot
conceive what hard thing it is to be Jew
in Roumania. What is the effect of the right
of citizenship and freedom to the Jew in
America? Have they kept their re-
hgon pure and made its power and
influence felt? The system of worship was
founded upon a mould so ancient and at vari-
ance with the spirit of the present age that
but few young men, though Jews and proud
of their religion, seldom like to enter. They
want that which has been engrafted upon it
in later days. living, vital principles, and
men to speak to them as they should be |
spoken to; to teach that the Jews can live |
peacefully with their neighbors, and that we
are all children of the same father. If the |
Jew have a mission higher than the rest Of
mankind, it is to elevate, purify and instruct |
humanity. 1t is now time that Judaism |
should erect in this country some memorial of |
its civilizing Influence. This will be done in
the character of college, which is soon to |
be erected IN the city of Cincinnati and dedi-
Gated to God. He urged the young and the |
old to give attention to the history of their |
country, so as to fit themselves for the onerous
duties that may await them. Already there
are in the parliament of England several |
Jews, in that of Austria nine, in Germany
FIVE, and IN France a life senator |
There are Jews in all the universities of Eu- |
rope, and many of the art critics Of the press
there are Jews. The parents in this country |
are accountable for the neglect of the Jewish |
religion by their children They have all |
kinds of editions of Schiller, Shakespeare,
Goethe, and other writers; why have they |
not more copies of the bible and religious |
works? They must band themselves together |
with the great Jewish society of humanity |
and civilization The Jewish religion Is a |
living religion; they must daily make it more
vital and pregnant with the great truths Of |
humanity and Judaism. Heasked this COM