San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-09-09
FAREWELL SERMON,
Delivered by Rabbi jacobson at
Temple Beth Ell.

Mine still, but soon not to be, what
shall 1 say? During my stay here in
your city have ever been striving to
represent our Judaism, eternal as she
IL in the pass and ever deRthless, and
to urge you not to merely give for
NAL assent unto her principles,
but to bestow upon her the whole
love of your might, which can be done
only by performance of all her
sacred ceremonies, by all adherence
to her revealed law and its laws, and
by an Identification of yoursel YES
with her spirit, 1 have failed-and
failed think 1 have-I alone and
personally must take all the blame,
for you have ever been my encour-
ayers, indeed have been my friends
in the hours of distress, illness
and sore trials and I have felt more
as familiar, towards you all, than
rs strange minister attempting
to do you service but for
short time Towards you my heart Is
filed with loving gratitude. Some of
you have thought that was wanting
IN attachment to you, that was al
ways DESTROYS of getting away from
here, and in this opinion you have
felt yourselves justified and strength
ened by the fact that have ever been
telling you of my efforts to secure
| other fields. Let me, however, recall
and aDalyze the remarks and efforts
of mine that have produced this ne
ton in your minds. Since 1 have
been in the ministry have continual
| ly been impatient with the fact that
II a IN In In III
city where the email Jewish COM
munity could support but one min
lister no matter at how large or small
a salary. l wanted to 60 to larger
places where other synagogues and
other rabbis were to be found. wrote
to this effect to my aged and respect
ed teacher. He advised me to
remain in such congregation as this
| OF yours, saying that thus / shall be
"Echod Bedoro," the leading minis
| ter there and the head of Jewish
affairs, while elsewhere I might be-
come but second class. But none OF
that Caesarian ambition, which
would rather be the first in the small
est city of Gaul than second in Rome,
was in me. l felt myeelf too young
to guide myself and others, and !
wanted to be where others were who
| could guide nae. In the South or in
the north, in cities that have but one
intelligent Jewish minister and no
other inducement but an increase OF
salary, / should not have made a
change of pulpIts for few hundred
dollars, more or less. To you who
know how slight u value put upon
money, need not say Therefore, that
I do not leave you for salary's sake
or for material gain, other than for
the reason you know-my health.
AS to material gain, by this step 1
stand, as probably you are
unaware, in my own light.
have applied for a position adver-
tised as open by next January, and
calling for applications, but which by
the announcement, were not to be
opened or answered until the first of
september. The place is in q metrop-
oils. know no reason why have
not as much right as any other to ex-
pect trial call. ! thus might have
had the chance for a place In large
congregation in city where many
synagogues and several rabbis of
note are located. say II might have
had a chance" but that chance is no
more. Such congregations do not
like q minister who changes tiocks
too often; nor with decent self-re-
spect could so soon desert my new
charge. Do you think that 1 should
have so lightly injured my prospects?
If not hODr, selfinterest would then
have hidden me to stay here.
made men ton in my resignation
OF something with which several have
found fault, namely that technically
was not bound to remain with you,
inasmuch although this was the last
moment and L had even suggested
some improvements in the holiday
observance as my official word of &C.
ceptance to your offer to me of re-
election with increased salary had
not yet been given. But understand
me please; mentioned this not as
giving me any warrant or right to
leave, but merely as an apology. Had
my word Of acceptance been given
either verbally or In writing, what
ever 1t would have cost me I should
have remained with you. Morally
however 1 felt myself obligated and
against that obligation 1 interposed |
merely the plea OF my health which |
cannot stand against a warm climate, |
however uniform it be or however |
beneficial to others.
Again I repeat II my ministry here
has been q mere formal office and of
no other benefit, alone am at fault,
not however through want of earnest
ness or through inatten ton to my
work, but 1 must make the
humiliating confession, though
lack of ability, L feel that
have not made you better, more spir-
itual, more charitable, more Jewishly
and Americanly patriotic, which are
my purposes and ends for my people