The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-03-22
PAGES 8 TO 16
LECTURE BY SIMON WOLF.
HE ADDRESSES THE CLASSICAL So
CIETY ON JEWISH PERSECUTION.
What the World Owes to the Race Which
Has Suffered So Patiently and So
Long Shakespeare's Shy1ock - The
Predi ction of Buckle.

The Classical Society met In the studio OF
Miss Ransom Wednesday evening to listen to
lecture by the Hon. Simon Wolf on the
"Persecution OF the jews" A fine audience
was attracted by the gentleman's well-known
reputation for culture and oratory. Judge
Shellabarger, the president of the society, in
troduced Mr.. Wolf, who stated that he had
not come prepared TO make an elaborate
speech, owing to poor health and want of
time, but in compliance with Miss Ransom's
urgent request He began with the question,
"Who are the Jews r' and in answering
showed how much the world is Indebted to
this prosecuted race. First, for the Saviour,
whom all the Gentle world adore, then for
the Apostles, and back Of them the Ten Com
mandents, the Psalms OF David, and the
grandeur of the prophets. 1t was the Jews
who first founded schools, colleges, and
opened commerce to the world. 1t was the
Jews, widely scattered as they were, who were
always loyal to the government under which
they lived, numerous times affording that ma
terial aid of money which made it possible for
statesmen and patriots to carry on to success
the wars that made nations free.
Referring to the noble efforts in this direc-
tion of such Jews as Hrolym Solomons, who
made the heroes Of the American Revolution
heavy loans, which had never been repaid, he
said: II ask you to ponder, to study, to inves-
tigate. We must Investigate to be just; we
must be just to be sons of God. Men and
women are to be judged by their acts, on indI-
vidual merit and not on race or creed"
Mr.. Wolf said 1t was Jewish money wrung
from the jews under the persecution of Ferdi-
nand and Isabella that in the providence of
God led to the discovery of America Owing
to political prescription and persecution the
jew had no solace save in family life, no mo-
tive to engage In other lines of life save those
that promoted business interests. The Jew
recognized only one God and fatberhood and
one brotherhood. This is the religion of the
jew, the foundation of the happiness of the
Jewish home.
Shylock, he said, it had recently been dis
covered from the original document I'm the
Vatican upon which Shakespeare founded his
play, was not jew, but a Gentle, and the
great playwright reversed the character in
order to catch the then prevalent public
opinion In regard to the hated race. The Jew
is patriotic citizen, who asks nothing of this
country, which is his by adoption, save that
you investigate and treat him fairly on his
merits as man and not on race prejudice
The world owes much to the Jews. But why
should he (the Jew) be proud? If much has
been committed to him he has only to be
humble and scatter of his abundance with a
liberal hand. On his mission to Egypt when
consul In 1881-'82, Mr.. Wolf said he found the
places where the Jew had been persecuted,
desolate, where, according to Disraeli In his
"Tancred," ''stands to-day the proud de-
scendants OF great race' amidst it's material
ruins.
Mr. Wolf briefly called attention to the re-
cent works by noted authors on the status of
the Jew, and spoke most feeingly of the per-
secutions OF four millions of his brethren I'm
Russia, appealing to the Government even to
lift Its voice against this outrage to humanity.
and In public honor to protect the down.
trodden by an enlightened public sentiment.
Mr.. VOLTS lecture was warmly received At
its close Judge Shellabarger expressed himself
as believer In the views of that philosopher
of history, Buckle, who has foretold exactly
OF the rehabiliment of the jew among the
civilized peoples of the world
Mr.. Lewis Abram and Judge A. g. Riddle
took part In the discussion, confirming Mr..
VOLTS position with notable examples
vote OF thanks was passed which was not
only compliment to Mr.. Wolf, but of thanks
to Miss Ransom for inviting him to speak on
this interesting topic.
Among those present were Judge Shella-
barger, Judge and Mrs. Veazey, Mrs. and
Miss Heavens, Mrs. and Miss Wolf, Mrs.
Dean, of Chicago; Mrs. Tpllock, Miss Stowe.
Mr.. and Mrs. William Metcalf, Judge Riley.
Mrs. Morton, Mr.. and Mrs. Goodfellow, Mr.
and Mrs. Dickerson, MIR. and Mrs Lloyd, Mr..
and Mrs Fosdick, Mr.. and DIR. Caroline Wins
low, Mrs. McMonigal, Mrs. Todd, Miss Rich
ards, and many others.