Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-09

NOW STANDS ALONE IN BARBARIc CRuELTY-THH
OPPRESSED WILL BE WELCOMED IN FREE AMERICA
Last evening there was a large attendance al
the Washington Hebrew Congregation. where
the services were conducted by the Rev. L.
Stern. pastor. At the close OF the services the
pastor delivered an interesting lecture, his
subject being '1492-Is92" The lecture was
as follows:
The midnight bells, ringing in the year
upon which we have entered recently, signal
lied the completion of the fourth century of
civilization and continued progress on this
continent. Well may the heart OF the Ameri-
can citizen swell with pride when reviewing
these 400 years of gradual development and
comparing our achievements within that com
paratively short period and our present status
to that of even Europe. with civilization root
ing in the remote ages of antiquity.
THE COMING CELEBRATION.
And the grea. nat onal event which. q year
hence, in the proud metropolis of the pros
porous west il to bring this fact nearer to our
own consciousness aud that of the world is
indeed worthy Of the liberal and enthusiastic
support of the Pc ople of this hemisphere in
general and of this great Union in particular;
worthy of the unqualified and unstinted aid
on the part of our government and national
legislature. For celebration to mark an
event as grand and far-reachiug in its conse-
quences as that of the discovery of America
BY Columbus should be adequately grand and
as nearly perfect as the united efforts of a
great and enthusiastic people can make it.
And in these efforts. well as in the manner Of
the celebration. nationality or creed should in
no wise be recognized or represented. For in
more than augnt else We glory Ill ore great
achievement OF the last century-the merging
of nationality and race and creed into one
grand citizenship. according to all the same
rights and privileges, and requiring of all the
same duties ard responsibilities throughout
the length and breadth of our dear land and
wherever the glorious emblem of our liberty is
given to the winds. Yet. while thus as Ameri-
can Israeites neither require nor desire
any distinctive share Ill this great national cell
ebratiOn. il is none the less true that we have
special reason TO enter heart and soul upon its
spirit. Today the persecution OF our hapless
brethren in benighted Russia brings homo to
us so much more forcibly, by way of contrast
the ipestlmab!e blessings which We SO bounti-
fully enjoy in common with our fellOw-cIti-
zens OF other creeds, in this our beloved land
of freedom. And even SO. the bright picture
of the discovery of this continent 400 years
ago-a continent destined to become the haven
of the dOwn-trodden and oppressed-appears
to our eyes and the eyes of every friend and
lover OF humanity, III colors SO much more
bright and glowing because of the dark back
ground on which the hands of history has
painted it. On the 30th day of July. I492. Just
four days before Columbus with his three ships
lett the harbor OF Palos. the greatest crime
recorded in the annals of MEDIEVAL history was
perpetrated in the expulsion of the Jews from
Spain
EXPULSION OF THE JEWS FROM SPAIN.
Let US take a few elmpses into the events,
sad and distressing though they be, which cul-
minated in that catastrophe. The period
from the eleventh to the sixteenth century was
TO the Jews in CHRISTIAN lands the most mel
ancholy and gloomy. 1t is written in letters of
blood II Is. as celebrated Christian writer
puts 1t, the history Of the disgrace of human
ity- Fanatical priests, tyrannical crowned
heads and a blind and ignorant populace COM
Dlned for the preparation OF every conceivable
crime born and inspired by injustice. hatred,
prejudice and avarice agains: the bapless jew.
The persecution of the early Christians by the
Roman emperors was mere child's play when
compared to the deep and cruel wrongs the
Jews were subjected to during the mid
die ages. Hated and despised in every land
because OF their belief, they were driven from
place to place. despoiled of their possessions,
yexed and tortured and slain without mercy.
What If they were yirtuous and honest intelli-
gent, Industrious and patriotic, patient and
subfnIssive-thelr crime was to be Jews. And
then, their enemies were never at loss to find
some preteXt for their attacks. And IL jew
happened to be really guilty of some wrong all
the Jews received the blanca curious injus-
tice. which even in our day and generate may
here and there be still observed.
Happier than in any other land were the
Jews IN Spain, al least up to the middle of the
fourteenth century. Especially during the 400
years Of the wise and gentle rule OF the earlier
tlGhOnletan princes or kaliphs did the Jews OF
Spain enjoy Il respite that was to them like a
fair. happy dream. AN earthly Paradise"
"A garden Of Eden" Spain is fondly called by
old Jewish writers of those days. The liberty
1t gave. saws a modern historian. was SO new
so wonderful, so sweet Men might work and
might worship at their will; women might be
fair without fear; children might grow IN
clever and ind no locked doors labeled
conversion. barring their pathway TO success
Wealth might be honestly won and pleasantly
enjoyed, taking its rIghttul place u means OF
dlhusing happiness Each country has the
Jews 1t deserves Mahomedar Spain deserved
good Jews and 1t had them and it was richly
repaid III Its own generous coin. In the middle
ages Spain led the van In culture and in COM
merce, and IN her Jewish subjects she found
literally her guides, philosophers and friends
They stood by her as Loyalty on the field of
battle as in the council chamber and in the
mart. Jews must have been also q valuable
contingent Of the army, for in l0S6 We find the
generals on both sides, on the eve of a decisive
engagement. agreeing go to fix the day that il
might not interfere with the Sabbath of the
Jewish soldiers.
TRUSTED CoUSsELoRs AND FAyoRITE PHYSICIANS.
Jews were the trusted counselors and favor
lite physicians OF the rulers Of Spain. and the
enlightened kaliphs prided themselves of many
Of their Jewish subjects renowned for their
fine literary attainments and ripe scholarship.
The schools of Cordova, Granada and Toledo
turned out students by the score, not only fully
versed IN Jewish learning and theology, but
also IN general literature. philosophy and medi-
cine. And We have the authoritative statement
that even in those remote days there was not a
jew in Spain who could not read the Bible both
in the original Hebrew as well as in the language
of the country. II was in these schools where
amid a grand galaxy of distinguished men,
the illustrious philosopher poets, Solomon Ibn
Gabirol. Abraham lbn Ezra and Jehndah
Haleyi. received their education-not to forget
the most brilliant luminary the bright literary
SKY of that period, the great Maimonidcs, and
later the noble and distinguished statesman and
scholar. Abarbanel to whom we shall have oc-
casion to refer again.
But after the beautiful dream of undisturb bed
peace and happiness of the Jews in Spain there
had to come by and by a terrible awakening.
Another dynasty of kailphs, arose pursuing a
new and hostile policy against both their jew
ish and Christian subjects and inaugurating an
era of persecution, strongly contrasting with
the tolerant rule OF their predecessors On the
other hand, beginning al the extreme north of the
peninsula, the Christian, thati Roman American
Catholic church. slowly bat steadily and surely
advanced to recoBquer the various provinces
lost to the Moors In former centuries, and soon
a very great portion of Spain once more con-
sisted Of independent Christian kingdoms.