The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-10-12
SYNAGOGUE WORSHIP.

THE FALL OF ADAM FROM A JEWISH STAND
MENDEs.
The Rev. DIR. do Sofa Mendcs yesterday preached
before the congregation Of the Forty Street
Synagogue. taking hts text from Genesis. viii al
"And the Lord said. will not again the earth
for the sake of man. for tho Imagination of mans
heart is evil from his youth" To this the preacher
applied u text from the Medrash. This sermon. the
first OF u series Bible characters which the Doc
tor proposes to give. and tho subject taken from
the weekly lesson, was "Adam."
Adam is shown, said the Doctor, first in oil the
grandeur of his innocence. Lord Of creation and by
sovereign right. aflixing names to his numerous
SUBJECTS next. as the guilty partner Of the guilty
helpmate. fleeing from the presence OF tho God he
had offended. Ii not this sudden descent frooa
the elevation of the angel to the levc. of the
trembling culprit evidenc, Of what lin all humility
let poor human language be used may be called
q fatal accident in the machinery OF creationf II
He did fall; therefore. why he made perfectly
Let us describe the little we purbiind mortals
permitted to of Gods intention revealed, first
In mans NAME and. second In our daily experience.
THE HEBREW NAME FOR MAN.
In these days vi general information. said DR..
from the most varied fields OF knowledge to eluci-
date themes which especially his. Let us glance
at what comparative philology teaches about mans
name. In sanscr,t lie liz called .'the thinker" in
Greek the 'sazcr upward" In Latin "the speaker"
all terms celebrating some ennobling attribute But
when We turn TO our own language We hnd him
called "Adam'-earth. Not the one who scars
the pnons OF intelligent thought above his sphere
but EARTH" not him who Ruzcs on lofty noun
tains. tut "Adsm'-earth. Not the only animal
who Possesses artculate speech. but ISL enosh tho
feeble one"-the weakly Such arc the titles which
revealed religion bestows creations lord. Which
view plcasos you best. friends? That which magni-
nss Sas him perfect by his E own
The good teacher does not profess admiration OF
what his documentary scholar knows, but
tells him how much there In to be learned
and paints the pleasures ana honor of study. Greek
philosophy bids gaze and look upward in spccu-
lative thought, but their feet soon collide with
earthly obstacles. Hebrew philosophy bids
and rcfino themselves from EARTH The Greeks
made men OF their gods with human shapes and
passions; Judaism makes gods OF its men. spiri.
tualizcd. loving heathful and therefore. powerful.
the FALL AS MEANS or DISCIPLINE.
The fall, said the Doctor Was this consistent
with mans earthly sphere2 1t was no unfortunate
accident. but preordslned to give man forstsste
OF the paradise OF obedience and blessing and then
cast him forth to win II by his exertions. by his
fall Adam first realized the Specification OF his
name, the lowly earthling who has 10 rise. We all
In day pass through the same experience as the
primeval father. As Innocent, merry children we
walk blithely by our parents side the butterflies OF
humanity. slipping each innocent pleasure. hut before
q score OF years have passed over our heads we cat
OF the fruit OF knowledge and experience dsappoint
ment, shame and remorse. Before we are twenty
years OF age We learn much OF the world and world
noss. but innocence and purity are tho fee we pay
for our schooling. We fall ~ naturally our first
parents tell. The aim of our maturer years must DO
to regain the paradise OF childhood. We purchase
knowledge, let us II to limit labors TO last
ing gains-love, honor aud virtue--to scorn the
fceting ones OF human hon ors- wealth and mere
qualification. The pleasures OF earth coming no
longer spontaneously. we must work for them let
our enjoyment be the sober. Finally, remem
boring our childhood's purity, let us prepare our
selves for the time when we all shall be children
again in the mansions OF our heavenly Father. Let
us who have fallen strive to rise again. Then
Adams example shall have worked it's mission.
whom men, who little less than angels, at length
shall equal them.