Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-11-29
MOUNT ZION.

MOUNT ZION.
| Rabbi Sonneschein's Lecture at the Tenn.
pie Yesterday.
An intellectual, as well as oratorical treat,
was given to the Mount Zion congregation
In their temple yesterday afternoon, by Rev.
8. q. Sonnesohein. rabbi of Sharai Enneth
temple, at st. Louis. It is impossible to
convey, in cold type, the warmth and fervor
which characterizedit the lecturers delivery,
and without that bare outline of the lec-
ture will be as satisfactory to the reader as
if the whole address were given, The rabbi
opened by remarking that among the great
| number of lectures annually delivered in this
| city only very few were on religious topics,
| but that, although his effort would not be
| strictly dootrinal, he should endeayor to give
1t religious tone and tendency. He said
he should not attempt to make an
| elaborate argument, but convey his
thought through the medium of parallels, and
| illustrate his medium by metaphor instead
of elaborate explanation.
Speaking without notes, he then compared
| the three great creeds of the world, the
| Catholic, the Protestant and Israelitlsh, by
| likening them to three families, each de.
votees of the art of painting, who filled their
homes with works Of art, and particularly
with paintings. In one you were invited to
| admire seeming picture in magnifcently
carved, polished, and richly gilded frame, the
picture being concealed from sight by q
| curtain. You were asked to admire the cost
ly frame, and 1t was really gorgeous enough
to extort admiration from any beholder;
but if you approached to left the veil and
view the picture itself you were ordered to
stop; that the frame alone was to be looked
upon by common eyes. Finding little
satisfaction here, you next visited
another of the three families, where
you found large collection of elegant pic
lures in bright colors, with hue and tint
carefully blended, which the owners would
assure the observer were by the old masters,
but close inspection by oonnoisseur would
show them to be only copies. Next and last
yoa visited the family of an artist, and were
shown into his studio, where he was found
| in the midst of his work, surrounded by the
various specimens of his skill. After admir-
ing these sufficiently, the artist took you into
another room, where he said was kept the
only work of his hands with which he felt
satisfied. He had labored on it for many
perfection as could be done in one brief life
time. Upon examining this wonderful pro-
duction you found it to be simply an outline
sketch in pencil-no coloring. no fine, artis-
tic touches; simply the bare, rough outlines
of an unfinished work.
The speaker related the story of the widow
in the " chapter of II. Kings, how that she
went unto Elisha with complaint that bis
servant, her husband, was dead, and that
now the creditor was come to take unto him
for bondsmen her two sons; how Elisha bade
her tell him what he could do for her, and
she replied: "Thy handmade hath not any
thing in the house save a pot of oil" Then
Elisha commanded her TO return, and to
borrow vessels of all her neighbors, seven
empty vessels; borrow not few" And the
prophet further commanded her that when
she was come into her own house, she should
shut the door upon herself, and upon her
sons, and pour the Gil from the vessel which
was full into those that were empty, which
she did until all were full. Then the pro-
phet directed her to sell the oil and pay her
creditor. Then the orator, turning to his
congregation, said, $50 you and
borrow all the vessels that you
can, and from the vessel of truth you now
possess fill all the Others" The lesson
intended to be conveyed being that to en-
large its usefulness, the church should not
confne itself too exclusively to the man
ners and formal customs of far away past,
but adopt in their stead the more modern
usages now in vogue among enlightened
nations. The ancient custom of the Jews
of separating the men from the women in
the synagogue by curtain had been aban-
doned, and SO might other mere forms, and
with profit Hebrew churches had borrowed
from the opponents of their creed the mod
ern method of arranging and seating their
houses Of worship. Borrow from them more
of things that have merit-more vessels to
Il ii with the oil of sacred truth from your
Own, which is as inexhaustible as that Wild
ow's in bible story, and your church Will
grow moro and more prosperous, and finally
fill the earth with true religion. The elo-
quent speaker here alluded to the
narration in Maccabees of the sacred jars
of oil kept in the sanctuary, and which were
carefully guarded to keep them from the
proclamation Or any but anointed hands, and
how, when all were exhausted but one that
cne supplied enough oil to keep the
lamps burning brightly for eight days. Thus
might the Israelitish church, from it's sacred
flask, yet illuminate the world. Referring
again 10 tue WiCoWS cru5e, ue SalU tne jew
ish church was the widow, and the creditor
was the materlalism of this driving, crushing
age, which threatened to rob her of her sons.
Save your children from this iron monster
By following the advice of Elisha. Real re-
Hgion was always filled with doubt, while
that which was not a true religion,
was always sure of itself, always
ready to battle for its dogmas without ques-
tionipg whether they are right or wrong.
Real religion was the reverse of this. Never
80 certain of the truth of its convictions as
to deny the right of others to differ from it;
never sure of its infallibility as not to con-
tinue its search after divorce truths. The
speaker closed with an impassioned appeal
to his hearers to heed the lessons he had en-
deavored to inculcate and to act upon to
build up their faith and extend it through
out the earth.
Rabbi Judah Wechsler then arose and, in
behalf of Mount Zion congregation, thanked
Mr.. Sonneschein in feeling terms
for his eloquent and powerful ad-
dress. Speaking in relation to
the subscription now being raised for the
building of new temple, he alluded, in
terms of warm acknowledgement and graft.
tude, to the liberality with which the people
of st. Paul, not members of the Jewish