Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-03-07
INTERESTING LEcrURE.-Th,

y INTERESTING LECTURE.-1le
Ooera House was filled last night with
an intelligent and appreciative audience
ofboth Jews and Christians who ha.
assembled to listen to the lecture de-
Ijyered by Rev. f. \. Calisch, of Rich.
mond. Every seat in the main audi.
torium was occupied long before the
reverend gentleman assembled the stage,
and bv the time he began his discourse
much Of the standing room had been
taken up. Mr.. Calisch's reputation as
a fluent and entertaining speaker had
preceded him, his short address at the
banquet of the Alexandria Council,
ROYAL Arcanum, last January, having
been regarded as foretaste of what
might be expected from him in the lee
une field. About eight o'clock Mr..
Isaac Eiehberg introduced the speaker
10 the audience. Mr.. Calisch began by
saving that his appearance here was the
consummation of a long-cherished wish
10 stand before an assemblage of Alex
andrians. He had been in this city on
other occasions, but his remarks at such
times had been impromptu, and it had
been for some time his hope that he
would have an opportunity of making
a longer talk before the people of this
city. so many of whom he had lately
known and mingled with. The speaker
c%ulogized Alexandria, her history, ira
ditions and hallowed ~recollections, and
said he loved everything sacred to Vir-
ginia. The Wandering Jew" vas the
subject of his lecture. He referred to
Eugene Sues famous novel bearing this
name, and in eloquent terms described
Ahasuerus in his wanderings amid the
eternal SHOWS of the north and the
burning sands of the tropics, seeking
death in every form, but compelled to
move on as Il weary footsore wanderer
until Time should be no more. He
compared this tradition with the histo-
rs OF the ancient people, and to facts
with which all Bible readers and stu
dents of history are familiar. lie be-
gan to describe the lot OF Israel from
the termination OF their captivity in
Babylon to the present day, when in
America the descendants Of the ancient
stock are allowed to be men-to wor-
ship the God Of their fathers, TO engage
in any occupation they desire, 10 en-
ter political life and partake OF its hon
ors whenever their industry or genius
@cntitle them to places of honor. He
rapidly told how the race had been
used as a football by n nation after an
other since the time the Romans be-
s.escd Jerusalem and destroyed the
Jewish politv, about 20 A. D.: referred
10 the Spanish persecution after the
Moors had been driven from Grenada,
the Jcw-baiting in Germany and the
anti.Semitic movements in the land of
the Gar. In July, 1892, the speaker
said, Jews for refusing to conform to
the confession of faith promulgated by
the SpaniardS, had been eXiled, and one
month later Columbus sailed from the
the SAINT country and discovereda con-
tinent to which the outcasts of Israel
could cmigrate and enjoy the freedom
of speech and citizenship, and the place
in the world for which their Creator in
tended them. This was a noticeable
coincidence, but, said he, the hand of a
mysterious Providence seemed to be in
the movement. In this haven Of rest
from persecution and bigotry the Israel
ties had become citizens, and when
civil war rent the land both armies had
large percentages of Jews in their
makeup, whose blood ran on battle
fields, and whose remains now rest in
federal and Confederate cemeteries.
Side by side with Christians they fought
for principles they deemed sacred, be-
ing Americans in every n save in the
private matter of ecclesiastical prefer
encc. He dwelt with especial pride
upon the fact that liberty-loving Amer
lea in lis political composition knew no
religious diflerences-that the Jew
when worthy was to be found in the
halls of legislation or any where else
his mental powers entitle him. Mr..
Calisch then referred to what are sup
posed to be the Messianic hopes of
Israel, and rejected the assertion that
the chosen p~eople-that is the mass of
them-are looking for a personal Mes
siah or are desiring to be deported TO
Palestine. He acknowledged that the
more orthodox of his kin did entertain
such beliefs, but that the Re-
formed wing, which was a large
majority OF the children of Abraham
did not. The latter class did not
await, expect or desire to go back to
the land Of Judea. America-Nirginia
was good enough for the modern Jew.
He referred to the fact that in the dim
past such a hope did animate the
breasts of Israelites, but, said he~mrthe
nineteenth century, amid the glare OF
modern discoveries and emancipation
from ignorance and intolerance, the in
tclligent Jew has long since learned to
regard such prophecies as having a
tigurative meaning only. The chisel OF
science driven ~ the mallet of common
sense would eventually bring from the
rough marble block OF theology the
true idea of Deity. The approaching
age. he claimed, would bring the frui-
ton of all so-called Messianic hopes
when truth would reign eternal and
when the brotherhood of man would
be recognized-when all human differ
ences would be healed in an epoch OF
pence. This would be the elimination
Of Messianic hopes, instead of the APP
pearance of a personal Messiah. He
believed all eventually would worship
ut the same shrine, but under what
ecclesiastical auspices he would not
pretend TO say. He concluded by say,
ing the recent parliament of religion in
Chicago NAV have been 4 straw to show
mhinh unr thn wind is NOW hlNMinn