The New York herald., 1877-12-02
NINETEENTH STREET SYNAGOGUE.
RELIGION AND REASON SERMON DELIVERED

EY REV. HENRY p MENDEs.
The Rev. Henry +. Mcndes delivered q sermon in
the Nineteenth street Synagogue yesterday forenoon
on the subject OF religion connected with reason.
He said: Like the liant CLEAN Of the winter sun,
which, though wanting the warmth and brilliancc IL
possesses In the longer days Of other seasons yet
sheds cheering light over sleeping nature, the win
ter festival OF Hanuca though 1t lacks the sanctty and
brlance OF other festivals. yet cheers the winter
gloom and breaks its dull mouotony. We celebrate
the feast OF light when special lamps are lit to
commemorate the age when heroes brcathed and
martyrs died. Shall their memories not live In our
hearts2 When conquered judah became the con-
queror shall not We. has sons, remember itY
THE HERO OF HAAUcA.
The deeds Of many men sung by poets OF an
tquity or painted with the pen OF the historian. but
What deeds nas the world ever moro sublime
than handful OF an oppressed people breaking The
yoke oi foreign despot Tor tho cause OF their rcli
giJnf Oi what men more bouc could poet sing tDun
OF Judas. the hero Of Hanucar oi trust aud trial.
ldcty nnd love- OF Eberiy, ot warriors ana yrs
alike yelding lie Tor country and crccd-o. such
Hanuca speak. Then does It not deserve "A more gon-
eral recognition by It's observanccr But 1t Is not
many others OF our institutions similarly
nog ccteo, anu whyr Because seek to live by the
isnt reason without the iight Of religion aud by
the lIght OF religion without the light oi reason.
n tue vision vi the prophet as reearsed in today's
Haioru. we read tnat by the bowl OF the candlestck
with It's lamp he saw two olive trees by H., and the
expanation oi them Is given him few urther
they are the TWO sons OF the OIL, referring to Zcru.
priesthood respectively. But we wish araw a les
son be OF use To Us IN the pre- sont day.
Tne sovereignty. therefore, represents reason, which,
ike KING enthroned within u.s. rules Win sovereign
sway Tor good or cv, while religion Is aptly repre-.
sonied BY the priesthood rhcy are both necessary
Tor mutual strengthening, Tor one would ail without
the otuer anu as we learn IRON the CONCLUSION OF The
verse, they need the heavenly VIII between them.
RELIGION gxsr WITHOUT REASON
Have We lever hcaru oi human sacrinccy Yet the
idea OF the worshppers Of the one whom they adored
was propitato Tie source oi lie and fe,s blessing
sn nd IA
10 show gratitude To tue glver. This SAID the
crcud gentleman, was religion without Reason; and
shrieSs o victims TO religious frenzy, the roar OF
names, the dcsola,cd homes oil our own and other
ia,lEs not so long ago, perpctracd IN tho name OF
religion we're they not Witnesses 10 religion uusQp.
ported by reasonf
Il may be SAID, however, that we are guilty OF
II The word 'rcigl0np conveys to us the notion or
sotneihiu too holy 10 be trcd with, somctnns that
is suOll me IN It's nature, something animated uy
prcatn OF heaven 1t must be nrm aud immovablc,
deserving implicit coan encc, but can II be sublime
IN its ntIure animated With the breath OF heaven II
human Dclpgs can mould, alter and adapt IL TO
divldua. tastes But now many OF us dcsocratc the
saobatE' ls that religion supported by rca.
70 aisobey The commands OF the very
source aud author OF their intelligsnce2 Is
renx.on Immoyabc II IN the process oil Improving
JUDAISM, as tho Uontiies are unfortunately aud
wrongly led TO imagine, doctrines are continually
being dropped, such the Messiah, aud such obser
vapccs M lcary laws. Nor can reason sufcs win.
cut religion. lnose we're noble teachings, tue out
growtns VI Greek aud Roman philosophy, bat were
the people moral ln the goden ages OF those great
tionsf
Nu, concluded TIE preacher. Religion aud reason
must assist eacn oghsr but Trey must have between
them, on which they depend, AZ u were, revelation.
kesciatlou be milustay: let II have hrm
coundenco let US believe IN It's truth, Tor revelation,
with religion and reason means Judaism.