The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-11-11
SEEKING LIGHT.
A Service and Lecture at
Temple Emanuel.
Rev. DR.. Voorsanger Speaks Inter-
=. estingIy About the Struggle
of Humanity.

Rev DR.. Jacob Veorsanger delivered a
in its lack of conservatism at the Friday
evening service in the Temple Emanuel,
on Suffer street, last evening.
The service was the inaugural one of q
series at which it is intended to limit
religious offices TO pure theistic worship,
in which Jew and Christian can join alike.
The discourses which at each Friday even
ing VIII follow the ritual are to be instruc-
tive lectures rather than sermons.
Last night Rabbi Voorsanger opened his
brilliant address with an allusion to the
death of the poet Goethe, whose last in
telligible words were More light" He
left US text, my friends" said The
speaker, "a text charged with so much re-
Election that generations hence Will quote
it. l believe in those Two words of
Goethe's. The whole struggle of humanity
is expressed in them"
Then followed description of how man
kind in every age and cline had sought
light. He wanted TO know, as we want
to know. In the shadow Of the rocks of
the wilderness, on the banks of the Nile,
in the temples of the Gauges, everywhere
he struggled. everywhere he prayed for
more light, everywhere it was given him.
We are as far removed from the perfect
light as they we're. for the perfect light is
the seat of God. knowledge is never COM
pletely attained, wisdo N is ever an in
FAINT.
We are entitled to full and perfect in
duiry into all the sources of knowledge.
We want the truth about everything. But
the truth-seeker is not always received
with acclamations. Only a part of any
of US seeks to reach the highest truth.
The other part is content to eat, to drink
and TO die. The truth-Seeker was an an
archist-he rudely disturbed the plan OF
his brethren. And the lecturer went on
TO describe the martyrdoms many dis
coverers endured in darker ages.
'.Y on say those days are gone forever,
he continued. Perhaps, as far as the
rack and the torture are concerned, but
the old conflict is still existing in our
midst. Knowledge. you say, is now an old
book, all who will may read it. Your
children are being highly educated. are
seeking the highest light. But why is it
that authority refuses to recognize the
right to extend the same privilege TO re-
ligion that it extends to all other branches
of human knowledge?
''In religion alone revelation has ceased
thousands of years ago. Must mans
mind live in the future and his sen timents
always fettered to the example of the
paSt?"
The rabbi then emphatically denied any
belief that God ceased to reveal himself
wher he revealed himself on Sinai Il
profess myself believing Jew. proud of
my ancestry, believer in the law of
Moses. But refuse to believe that can
not pray at all times. refuse to believe
! may not investigate the causes OF my
faith if the investigation leads to bet
ter understanding of the knowledge OF
God. | hold tn ere is no standard OF
heresy. Each generation must make its
own impression-seeK its own way to the
great jehovah"
Rev. Jacob Voorsanger concluded by
the statement that it was his wish to con-
secrate the Friday evenings to the seeking
of more light.