Mexico weekly ledger., 1882-03-23
UEERAL DISCOURSE
,.arrsd by Mr.. Isaac Frank Over the
Rensins OF Mrs. Lewenstein.

BRETHREN AND FRIENDS, LADIES
.m~ GEsrIEMEN: You must not ex-
rect 5 regular sermon of me on this
1accssion. My capacities and limited
question doesn't qualify me for that.
mt, IS We have no spiritual guide
md adviser of our faith here, 1 was
,.ouested by friends of the deceased
"a make a few remarks on this sor-
rosful OCCASION, and 1 will endeavor
70 comply with that request to the
bes. Of my ability. We are about to
oopsign to Mother Earth the mortal
,euains Of a sister in Isrel-a woman
sroug in faith, and strong in mater
,d love. She was married about
taity years ago in Germany to
her now sorrowlng husband. During
thst time she bore him nine children,
ofvhom four have passed before her,
and FIVE are still living-two sons and
three daughters. Years ago the sons
aok it into their head to emigrate to
this country. Although she had a
plessant home, was surrounded by
friends, and did not suffer for any,
thing, her heart yearned with an I'M
eoutrollable and unextinguishable love
for the sight once more of her darling
boys. Like Jacob of old, she said:
Enough. My children are alive. 1
will 60 and see them before 1 die"
And, Notwithstanding her advanced
age and feeble health, she undertook,
with a heroism almost sublime, a
long, tedious and perilous journey
for what? To better her condition?
To make a fortune? No! MOI!
Simply and solely to enjoy that high
est and hottest of a mothers bless
ings-to once more embrace and
clasp to her heart her beloved chill
dren; and, on beholding them after
along separation, she surely thought
again with Jacob, if she did not say
so: "Let me die now, since 1 have
seen thy face, that thou art yet alive"
Night not this have been prophetic?
1t may be probable that her death
vas fastened by the hardships and
privations incident to that journey
and the change of climate. But did she
care',o o complain? She was willing and
resigned to sacrifice years of he1
precious and valuable life for that
one moment of unparalleled happiness
Of seeing her boys.
Ny friends, it seems to me, such
holy, such self-denying love, cannot
grow like a tree or a bush grows. II
must be implanted in the human
heart by q power outside of ant
above Nature. And, again, sucf
love cannot be 81 implanted for the
short space of IL earthly existence.
1t cannot die, but must continue for
ever, although the way it works ant
manifests itself may be a mystery tt
lis. O! that this bereavement ma,
teache us to appreciate THAT mother
love, and that we all may lead such
life as will reflect honor and glOr'
upon her memory!
Idon't desire to detain you long
hut l cannot forbear of mentioning
one point of great interest. Lik
Abraham of old, comes the grief
stricken husband, before the citizen
of this town, saying: 81 am
stranger and a %sOjourner with you
give me a possession for a burying
place, that l may bury my dead on
Of my sight" And with unparalle
liberality and commendable generos
ity, the Honorable Mayor and Counc
of our City set apart a portion c
their beautiful lefty Of the dead &c
the exclusive use of citizens of tn
Hebrew faith. We owe thanks, dee
heartfelt thanks, to our worthy Mayo
and City Council for their prom
action in granting u request, an
the citizens generally, and l am sati:
fled l voice the sentiments of all pre-:
ent if l hereby publicly express thos
thanks. But our gratitude shout
also be directed to the Ruler of the Tn
verse. who, in His wisdom and mere,
with His omnislcent forethought, a
ways provides the remedy before II
inflicts the blow. While our brethre
in portions of the old country a
prosecuted, ~maltreated, murdered an
driven into exile for no fault of the
own, but only through the fanatics
of their enemies. because they see
to remain true to the faith of the
fathers, this land of religious libert
offers an asylum to all oppressed, al
grants not only a home for the living
with the guarantee of life, liberty al
the pursuit of happiness, but also
home for the dead. Let us prai
the Lord then for His goodness al
mercy, for although He will som
times chastise us, He will never TO
sake and abandon us. May this fir
corpse, which we plant in this sol
become a monument of the liberali'
of our fellow-citizens, and may
bear rich fruit and aIbountiful harve
of religious liberation and brother
love for all mankind and may tt
mound, which will be erected ov