The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-04-20

not only as coming from one, but
it announced i'll the emphatic
voice OF Sinai, echoed ard enforced by the
sublime thoughts and speech of the proph-
cts, that this God is one who demands
righteousness. lsraels grandeur consists
in the fact that it had a genius not only for
religion, but for true religion.
The call then to Israel was to place itself
in opposition to the world. If such was the
special call of Israel in history. it followed
from it's very nature that its road through
the ages would not be Il bed of flowers,
but that often it would on account
of its love of truth suffer from hatred INC
persecution. Therefore the prophet by his
divine insight says: II will lay hold upon
thy hand and l will keep thee, and | will
give thee as a covenant of the people for a
light of the nations" These few words ex-
plain the experience and the method of
Israel in its missionary task. This express
sion of the prophet described the method
of Israel and the manne of it's answer to
the bitter experience which it was made
to undergo. 1t was to be a silent testi6er
to the truth. From the lessons of it's early
history it had learned and never regarded
itself as a soul-saving apparatus, and
sought for no converts. 1t is a mistake to
suppose that the lack of desire to convert
sprang from any Indifference on the part of
Israel. Moses, the founder of the religion,
had already indicated that Israel was to be
a silent example to the surrounding ma
tons.
The mission then of Israel was to grasp
the idea of tire oneness Of God and right
eousness, and to proclaim these facts to the
world. Judaism not only seeks to give in
tellectual liberty and moral freedom, but it
would be no religion at all if it did not
minister to the woes of men which are
sometimes the fault neither of error nor of
peryerseness. but are the heart breaking,
the wear and tear necessary to the turmoil
of life. 'Io take out of the prison
house those that sit in dark
ness" Judaism, like all religions,
gives man Il God who says: 81 am your
comforter" There will be a morning when
God Will wipe away the tears of the suffer
ing. But Judaism does this again in its
own peculiar way, asserting the dignity
and God relationship of every human be-
ing: There stands no mediator between
God and man. Bat none 80 low,
80 miserable, SO depraved, but that
if he but open his heart God
the Father Himself will take him to his
bosom like the shepherd gathering with his
arm the lamb. To all sides OF human
nature Judaism brings a message of sal
7ation.
II am the everlasting one: that is nv
name, and my glory will l not give to an
other nor my praise to craven images" 1t
is the love of truth, abstract, absolute
truth, which would be the sufficient
cause of lsraefs right to build
temples, even II all Its ideals which
touched upon were accepted by humanity.
81 am the everlasting. and l will not give
my glory to another" is the battle cry of
Israel when it enters the war of ciashing
doctrines to-day. Its noble service in the
past is daily becoming moro and
more recognized by scholar and
legislator, by philosopher and skeptic,
by believer and atheist, by reformer and
enthusiast. But the greatest enigma to all
seems to be its unwillingness to die. They
would all like to pay their respects to Israel
as an pnearthed mummy, Eu: Israel refuses
this homage. And now, friends, l have at
tempted to draw before your mental eve
some of the truths which this building is to
stand for.
Let us consecrate with a few words some
OF the symbols in our sanctuary. Very
much simplifed il our ceremonial. The
days of earthly glory of the temple are
passed, no more sounds of iutes and trump,
cts ana cymbals. But all the more spiri-
tual has our faith become. Two symbols
have travelled the rough road of ~Israel's
historic life. There they are the light
and the thera and light thou hast
been a constant companion of Israel's
priest, never vert thou dimmed in the
sanctuary. Thou did'st remind him that
darkness, mysticism, superstition and ig-
norance were no recommendation to enter
ahe house of God, and there the holy
, shera Tor whom our ancestors often
: enough laid down. Thou hast been
! u guardian angel. Thou hast laugh,
US to govern ourselves and thronoh tho inu
l become free III spite of the CALLING opp.es
sion which centuries placed upon us' q
3 let your influence not wane from us in hat.