The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-11-23

rms ~.As,rassr CT rms JEWISH RACE.


baltimore sun, ycsttrday.1
Rev, Benjamin Sold preached an inter-
! cs;ing sermon b, fore the Baltimore Hebrew
! congregation, Lloyd and Watson streets,
| SATURDAY, on the occasion OF the introduce
! ton Of his new PRAYER. book. He took bis
| text from Psalm cxxii. "For the sake oil
my brethren and my friends l greet thee
with peace" After some Introductory re-
marks, In which he dwelt upon The friendly
| relations existing between himself and the
| congregation, the occasion itself-the adop'
ton OF the prayer-book-being a visible
token OF their esteem. DR.. Sold designated
the characteristics which distinguished The
prayer-book Of to-day from that used by his
ancestors for more than q thousand years
viz, truth and humanity.
BY this he =" did not mean 10 say that the old
| ritual contained uniruths, or That our lore
fathers stood before God with false prayers.
But that because the old prayer-book wa
only too true, II Is not suitable for ourtimes.
| As far as principles, remembrances, and
homes are concerned, they are the same, un'
allersble for all times. But principles, re-
membranes, and hopes are not all that
shoulI be laid down Ia the ritual. IL Is
very essential that the inner feelings
and outward expressions should be in ful'
harmony aud conSOnance. Now this was o
| distinguishing merit Of the Old praver-book,
that u was q true mirror OF those dark ages
in which it was created. and for that very
reason il must become obsolete with us.
What was truth then is ialsehoOd to-day.
FIRST. the old prayer.book, created at q
time when the Jews occupied an isolated
position, Is full OF lamentations and out
bursts Of grief for The prosecutions and in
81 $50 I-1 - "a hAH IhA
prayers tell OF the cruelties, tortuTes, bu-
mutations, and misery OF the Jewish people.
And what else could be expected than that
q people trodden under foot rs 1t Sas should
so lament and weep? But we occupy now
an honOred place among the nations OF The
earth. We enjoy all rights and privileges.
and are no longer excluded from the profess
siOns and all educational institutions. Hence
il would be committing a gross injustice
against our fellOw.cTtiZenS, and we would
pray with f1lSehood at least upon our lips,
for we know The difference between those
times and these too well 10 have it in GU
hearts.
The next thing untrue for our times for
which we prayed was the return to Pales'
tine. During the middle ages, when the
Jews were prosecuted, maltreated, and Of
ten prevented om following out The die
tates Of conscience and their religion, it Is
not TO be wondered at that they considered
their former home as their only home,
Palestine was the cradle Of our race. bul
grOwn.up men, adults, can lind no loom In
a cradle. and Israel is now too large for IT.
first hOmc. Its home is everywhere where
freedom has taken up its abode. We who
live in an enlightenod country aud IN tbt
midst OF unpreiud ced nations cannot bt
In ernest when we pray for a return &c
! Palestine; and, indeed, why should it BIZ
made a subject OF public PRAYER when any
so inclined are at liberty TO journey there
Love Of Zion will never vanish from amons
rs. but our religious mission can only bt
Accomplished " we live among the nations
Finally we prayed for the restoration o
the temple services and sacrifices. I(
former times the sacrifices were Si2ni6can
symbols, but to-day they have lost tbcil
meaning, and why should W wish 10
priests and Leyites when each one OF u
can be a priest at the atlas OF humanity, o
which there are nUmberless ones IN thu
city and country? The second distinction
of the new prayer-bOok is humanity. IL
il we pTav for a good, noble beart; fol
observation-disclosures and sing'cness OF purpose
for DatlcncF, perseverance,, and virtue, 10
all that eunObles mankind. Nothing Of
sectarian nature or of credible exclusive
ness taints u prayers we suPplicaie ohl
for that which will make OF every Israeli
a noble. upright, better man, and that u
our whole aim. And, finally, we gray 10
the eplighien nent and progress Of all men
without distinction OF rfce or creed.
The speaker closed with the wish That III
new prayer.book which they bad introduced
might prove a blessing 10 the congregation
bring the peace which il breathes in ever.
line 10 their ranks, and draw tue worship
pers in full numbers upon every sunday
this house Of God.