The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-09-06
SERMON BY THE NEW RABBI.
iRoE B. n. CaliSch Preached al Beth Ahaba
Yesterday.
AN INTERESTING SKETCH OF his LIFE.
uvered at tho synagogue-BriEht Future
for the Congregation.

hnND4. Nnu ~ w ="
ago accepted the pastorste Of that oongrega-
ton, arrived In the city last Thursday morn
ing and went TO Ford's Hotel. whore he Sc
cured n room until such time as he shall make
arrangements TO move his family from Peoria
10 this city for permanent residence.
Mr.. Calisch was born In Toledo June %.
1866. q. present being twenty-siI years old. His
psrents moved to Michigan soon thereafter
and remained until be was tI years old.
They then moved 10 Chicago. Just ono month
p~reyious 10 the great fire of 1871. where they
lost everything except the clothes they wore.
Mr.. Cnlisch. with his mother and brother then
went to Toledo. while bis father endeayoredi
10 rc-establish a home. Mr.. Callsch returned
soon after and attended schoOl unti 1910
ghcn his father died.
Tie was then ten years old and began work
as q cash boy in a large dry-Eoocs store u
Chicago.
He was sent TO the jewish Orphan Home
for Children at Cleveland. o., after remaining
there one Yoar.
IN AN ORPHANS HOME.
He STAYED at the Orphao Home three years.
apd while there won q scbolarshlp ~ ne
Hebrew Union College at Cincinnati lie
went 10 that city ia 1879, and remain
ISIS from Hughes high School
and In 1887 from the College aud University
OF Cincinnati. He was elected IN Nay, 1871
before graduation, 20 a position IN feorla,
from which city he now mes Mr.. Calisch
was married in January. 1890. TO Miss
Woolnes. of that place.
The congregation over whom MI. Calisch
will preside is one OF the strongest ana uiost
influential in the South. and the new rabbi
was selected after having preached before
them and upon mature consideration. fiis
pastornte. therefore, commences under the
brightest auspices. He conducted the regu-
lar Friday services on that evening a. well as
the services OF the Jewish Sabbath yesterday.
Tx srRyIcEs.
The services commenced promptly at 10
o'clock and lasted d little over one hour. The
ceremonies were very impressive. and The
rabbi was assisted in the reading lesson by
the venerable president OF the congregation.
MIR. Moses Millhlser, and Mr.. n. w. Nelson,
the vice-president, while the congregation
Joined in the responses.
The lesson. which was from the fifteenth
chapter Of Numbers. was read from u scroll
OF parchment in the original Hebrew.
The music was OF q fine character. and with
Mr. Jacob Reinhardt At the organ. the choir
sang with splendid effect. The congregation
was very large. and comprised all the prom
inent Hebrews in Richmond.
His sermon was received with great satls-
faction, and his reception was warm and cor
dial. His remarks we're based on these
words:
For the lips Of the priest are over TO keep
knowledge. and tho law they are l9 sees from
hosts is heNMsiachi ii. =. lie said:
NV Friends,-When come five months ago l
stood in this pulpit before you as 2 candidate
FOR your favor l gave expression 20 the feelings
of fear and trepidetion that then filled my
breast. felt then that / was standing IN, the
place OF one who by his talents, his zeal and ms
noble. blamsloss life in your midst, hed render
ed himself dear 10 you snd his name honored IN
the community; and who; IN ne very ,pertorI3-
Master, in whose vineyard he had so ably tolled.
ttNow when in the passage OF time. 1 have been
called permanetly 10 occupy this sacred post ana
to stand in his place, ! must sGoln express ,tho
anxiety that is within me, the hope ana tne Tear
i~nterwoyen, that ] may DO so. scoeptaply ~ your
ewes. and to the credit Of our beloved faith. J
feel nat am in the presence Of friends. and #
those who wish mo well, and 1t shall over 20
my honest and earnest endSsEGT 10 m ma MIA
myself worthy OF that friendship, ana 10 make
possible the realization OF my hopes.
THE MINISTER OF rHE PAST.
The conditions which confront the occupant
of the pulpit to-day are somewhat different than
they have been in former DAYS. Lake. the trlbe
ofLeyi among the ancient tribes 81 Israel ne
family Of preachers occupied p unique position
among the families Of the human rage. The
minister wasono set apart, pIesumabiy,I from the
rest. lie was supposed 10 he unlnterested III
things Of worldly or OF common, every day I'M
port. His time was occupied differently, and
his thoughts ran in different channels. Sealed
Up IN his closet, hnITOuAAtl " NlN bDvhof bLNot
silent voices Of the past, his life crept on, apart
Ind distinct from tho whirling, brswling, noisy
stream ~ daily avocations. OF daily struggles,
trials. perilE, battles, victories or defeats. His
WAS not a heart beating with the ever active
present, but rather sfhliating with the spirits
OF buried days. or oisS o erlehpln4 the barriers
OF this htes narrow span, would speculate on
the boundlessness OF eternal regions. Ho
was with men, not in life itself, Int
only at its end. teaching them how TO die well
not 70 live nohly. But against this conception.
or rather. miscOncoption of the priesthood, we
have the words Of our prophet, The Iys of tho
priest shall guard knowledge, and the aw they
shall seek from his mouth The two cHprc--
sions Of knowledge" and law speak plainly
that the prophet, even IN the days 81 old. rec.
Ssnize do 5si' la sseDl'r we ke0"i he ro ss Tsri
OF the priestly function. And this
conception is coming 70 the fore. Men are O.
ginning 20 recognize to-day that priests, min
listers and preachers are essentially human, and
"a such have n vital interest IN al things human,
in all human wisdom ,s.ill and knoTledee. in all
human oHdeayOrs, advances, struggles, victories
and defeats.
PRIESTS OF TO-DAY.
That priest is no longer ready 20 meet the re-
Quirements and conditions Of his holy once,
whose lfe Is al one sided, whose interests run
IN one direction only, even though that direc-
ton be the purest and most sanctlied. A great
deal OF the halo that surrounds the priest and
the preacher has suTrcndOr0d 10 tho intonser
light of the modern, practical views of men and
things. Sacordotalism IS dying out, even III
churches whore sacerdoishsm most tlourishes,,
fhlt bUt NtlttlsdlA TIC II tOIYfCi. I M illthi fiDAfi
has lost its odor of sAnctity aud its infallihility
is endangered. The time has ONE when no
longer the Office uuhOlds the man, but the man
must uphold Che Office. A olerg lyman is honor
oil. and his life Is Of influence to-day IN just 70
much as that life is consistent with his teach
ings. 1t Is his character. ana not ms Office. that
gives him claim upon the good will and the
esteem OF men.
Being Of men, being human, his goodness and
virtue secure for him respect. as much so NJ
lis learning aud ability, for they are no less
hard-won victories oyor the temptations and
weaknesses Of humanity than are his wisdom and
acouirements Victories in the fields of learning
and knwledge. knowledge and law, scbOl-
arship and morality are the essential require
ments OF the modern pulpit occupant.
THE CONSOLIDATION.
Furthermore, in the average congregation. We
find two parties who make just this double de-
mand upon the pulpit. The modern Clergyman
brightest OF most learned man in the congre-
CATION. There may be others more enllght-
ened, better read than he. He does not do ell
the thinking for his congregation, oven IN the
domain of religion, yet If he offer 10 them the
example Of . noble and exalted life. he will
always receive the homage and devotion
Of y certain class, There are Others. who
think Differently; who do not wish 10
and who will not listen to a duh and proxy SER
brilliant, ~forcible. eloquent lecture will 20 far
with them 20 cond rns shortcomings or de6eien-
cies in the life aud oAsractOr Of tho lecturer.
They occupy the pCws every sabbath, 10 be en-
tertained. tnayhap instructed, by thc pnlpit. 10
them IL is a secondary matter whether the pulpit
be pure or no.
Be il said to the honor of the memory Of the