Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-10-12
Rabbi samfeId's Lectures.

SERVICES DCgdn 1T y o CLOCK IN the alter
moor of Wednesday with a sermon by
Rabbi Samfield On the fear. of death. The
object OF this discourse was to point out
the error of being in constant dread of
final dissolution. He advanced the idea
that death is not sudden, but gradual
that in n child who approaches manhood
childhood gradually dies; that when he
reaches his prime the life OF his youth has
passed away, and so on until the final end is
reached. The history of the ancients was
drawn on TO show that the pagans had
little dread of what is now looked upon
with feelings akin to terror, and that
while now parents never speak Of
death to their children, the ancients
were accustomed to talk of it in the
most familiar way. With them to die
was to go TO sleep, to rest or to be
gathered to their fathers. The rabbi read
passages from Milton and Dante, giving
their description of the horrors of hell,
and its lurid terrors. After the soul parts
IRON the body, the Israelites draw a veil,
leaving to God that which He gave, and
restoring the body to the bosom of
mother earth. The lecture delivered at
the opening OF the services yesterday
morning was deeply interesting. In sub
stance it was as follows:
The text of the sermon was taken from
the book of ~Jonah-the passage where he
is asked by the marines OF the ship, From
whence art thou?" second, "What is thy
purpose p and third, "To which people do
you belong?"
As to the first question, the rabbi said it
could be applied to the Jews in Israel.
He then gave a vivid description of the
different epochs in Jewish history, il
Illustrating the fact that the Jews had
brought spiritual redemption to the hu-
man family. When the modern lsraelite is
asked the same question he should proudly
answer, like Jonah did, 81 am a Hebrew,
and fear the Lord, the maker of heaven
and earth" The rabbi then alluded to
some who are descendants of the Jewish
race and denied their religion and their
descent before the world.
AS to the second question, "What is
thy purpose? ?" he spoke of the Israelites
in general, who must not rely upon the
past, nor upon the merits of their an
%cestors, but must mediate, especially on
the Day of Atonement what is their pur-
pose here on earth. The ancient classic
nations were distinguished for their ex-
ce!lence in martial occupations. As colon
iZers and in the pursuit of the artist The
purpose of the Jewish people was to teach
the highest conception of God and become
the religious teachers of mankind. AS
citizens the lsraelites may amaSs wealth,
be social in their intercourse and shrewd
in business pursuits, but as Jews they
have higher duties to perform, which
must manifest themselves in their
excellent moral conduct. If we ask
or the Day of Atonement the question,
What is thy purpose ?" it would teach US
that the day was instituted to return to
virtue, to integrity, to purity and to God.
The construction of the word atone being
a merging together of the two words at
one significantly points to the purpose of
the Day of Atonement-to be at one with
our mission, at one n in harmony with
our fellow-man, at one with ourselves.