Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-09-23
IMPRESSIVE NeW-YEAR SERVICES.
DIR. Csiisch breaches Special Sermon on
Israel's Ideal.


The services held at Beth Ahaba Syna-
gogue yesterday morning at 1890 o'clock
in celebration of kosh Hashonah, the
Jewish New Year, were Of an unusually
interesting and impressive nature. SO
great was the crowd in attendance that the
editce was almost unable to accommodate
all the congregation. The music was eN-
ceptionally fine, while the sermon deliy
cred by Rev. DR.. Caliscb. was a mastery
effort, Teplete with beautiful language
and sage suggestions. The speaker chose
rs the SUBJECT for his discourse "lsraePs
IDEAL" and from beginning TO end be
held the rapt attention OF his hearers.
The JEWS COMPLETE SUPREMACY.
DR.. Calisch said that for twenty centu-
ries the Jew had been compelled TO suffer
martyrdom because through HIM the
world was TO receive the benefit of a mono
theistic and rational faith. The world
never recognizes its benefactors until II is
too late, and those who have benefited hu,,
manity suffer IN proportion TO the good
they have done. 1t IS as true OF Israel
as people as 1t is true of In
dividuals. The Prophet said that
the Law" shall go forth from
Zion and the Word Of God from Jerusa-
lem. In all other things, IN ell other
trlumphs. IN art, in invention, in me
must yield to others, or take her place as
her children individually may have
wrought. butln this Law - Of righteous
ness and this Divine Word" she stands
alone-suprGmely. completely-and she
has been made 70 suffer for her supremacy.
THE French writer, Ernest Renan, y
continued the speaker, has said that
there are but three histories OF real IN
terest in the past of humanity-Greek his
tory, the history Of Israel, and Roman his
tory; that IN the triumph of human pro-
gress Greece has played the intellectual,
Rome the civic, and Israel the moral role F.;
| that in the giant frame of human acqulsl-
tion Greece was the brain, Rome the
Drawn, but Israel the heart"
MANY rERsEcUTIoNs TO SUFFER.
The speaker here touched upon the
many prosecutions which the Jews have
undergone in the past and which they sui
| fer to-day IN Russia. and as manifested IN
| tho antI-SemitIsm of even Germany and
! France, but SAID that even as Gods grace
and their adherence 10 the Law had made
| them indestructiOle in the past 1t would
| do so for oil time. IL means that Israel
| has an ideal TO accomplish; that until this
/ IS accomplished she Will remain in spite OF
everything. This ideal IS tho ideal OF q
purely devotional and true religious life.
! Dr. Calisch then eXhorted his hearers TO
remain faithful 20 the teachings of the
| Law, TO make the ideal realized III their
! lives. and to make their actions true ex-
ponents Of lsraels pure faith. When by
their actions the world began 70 under
stand what Judaism really meant then
! would the lDissiOn be accom- llshad. then
would the ideal begin to be realized, then
would Israel be at rest.
At the conclusion of the services the
shofar was blown by Mr.. Il. Bottigheimer
Being a pure rams horn, the trumpet is 9
reminder of the sacrifice OF Isaac, where
the ram was substituted in place OF the
son.
DECLINED A PHILADELPHIA CALL.
| A few days ago DIR. Calisch received {
! call from the congregation of Rodei
| Scholon Synagogue, of Philadelphia. one
of the most prosperous and well-knowr
Hebrew churches in the country, but
great pressure was brought 10 bear upon
HIM by the members of his faith here, anc
! he has decided to stay in Richmond. He
says be has become greatly attached e
the city-certanly he has made bimse
exceedingly popular and established al
excellent reputation for his eloquence anC
ability. The church TO which he wa
called has been presided over for many
years by DIR. Jastrow.
Services were also held in other syna
gogues of the city yesterday, and th'
places of business Of all orthodox Jew
| were closed.