The record-union., 1895-06-25
A DOUBLE ENTERTAINMENT. I.
Rabbi Krauskopf's Lecture and Talk
Last Night.
He Lectured on the Jews. and Told
of His Visit to Count Leo Iol-
stoy Last Year.

The Sacramento Lecture Association
closed its 1S94-95 season last night. There
was large attendance the Congrega-
tional Church being well filed to hear
Rabbi Joseph Krauskopf of Philadel-
phia, than whom, probably. there is no
better known Jewish divine In this coun-
try. The subject OF the lecture was "Only
Jew" It was a defense OF the Jew
against the popular snd common oojec-
tions raised to that class Of reiglonlsts'
These objections the lecturer took up one
by one, and replied to, in each case hnd-
ing a virtue, greatly or wholly atonlhg
for every Ill chargeable to tho Jew. ana
like shame attaching to the Gentle.
For SO much as is Objectionable IN the
character of the Jew, the speaker found
the cause to be in persecution and wrongs
suffered by him. If he is exclusive or
clannish. it is because centuries OF reJec-
ton have burned it into his character.
If he is crafty. cunning, vulgar ana
praspinr, it is because ages OF persecu-
ton have made him SO; because klngs,
rotentates and codes have pushed MN
aside unjustly, and made hlm 10 walk
apart and be forever upon the defensive;
In the character OF the Jew ne iouhu
make him at once the desplseo, leareu
and deified man, the crafty, exclusive
and yet the Ii beral and wise man, VINO OF
ali others believes in and lives up to and
has Tor his mission the establishment OF
the doctrine OF the brotherhood OF man
under the tatherhood OF God.
His method OF handling his supJecl,
the imagery with which he adorned his
disconrse. the biting but polite sarcasm
with which he contrasted his people with
those of other sects, the wit and Vlgor WIN
which he marshaied historical parallels,
and the inimitable logic by which he pro-
ceeded from premise to proof of conciu-
sion-these may not be adequately de-
scribed. 10 attempt to do so would be to
snoiI a beautiful lecture and destroy It's
effect. A full reading of it, however,
would serve widely generous and good
end but such reading cannot be mere
given. ,.,.:.
of the story of the Wandering Jew was
very different from that gained by ac-
ceptance OF the fable a cunning monk
originated That the Jews are wanderers
and scattered among all peoples, he found
10 be true, and the work OF a great pur-
nose. which only the Jew can accomplish
and which will be realized in the brother
hood of man under the 1atherhOOd OF
God.
He sketched the history Of the Jewish
race, and found the greatest marvel OF all
time in the fact that though 1t mas put
5000, coo memb bers as against hundreds OF
millions of other great sects, 1t has been
preserved and kept a people, and that 1t
must be, therefore, not for punishment,
hut in the working out of the great pur-
poses Of Providence.
His ascription to the character of Jesus
was q mastery piece OF oratory and
scholarly elegance, and was accurately
~ II
So. too. his Interpretation OF the indict-
ment. trial and crucihXion of Christ was
one of the finest pieces OF pleading that
one can conceive. Nothing was denied
that is claimed by Christians IN these re-
spects, but he pointed out that at the
time the Jews had no government, no
laws, 10 courts. They could neither try,
convict nor execute. AS a people et that
time they looked for and longed for a
temporal king. When, therefore, there
came one who made a triumphal entry,
and was by his followers pronounced
King OF the Jews, there was opened
door for charge OF treason, which the
Romans, Jealous of their rule, were only
too glad to avail OF.
But 1T remains that Jesus was a Jew,
and was first acknowledged by Jews;
that his disciples and apostles were
Jews, and that Jews were the first to ac-
cept his wonderful and unassailable
erhood, and to preach them to the
world, and give them to us IN the books
of the New 1 testament.
Rabbi kraue K OPT is a fluent, easy, unaf-
fected and most entertaining speaker.
lie attempts no oratorical flights, but his
deep earnestness, his fervor, his clear-cut
logic, his perfect self-possession, his
splendid pleading for liberation, liberty
of conscience and speech, his impressive
method of enforcing declaration and
his admirable and adroit marsnaling of
evidences, make him one of the most en-
PERTAINING OF speakers.
1t is not at all surprising that he holds
an audience in wrapt attention for an
hour and three-quarters as he did last
night.
AS there had been announced during
the last two weeks three different sub
jects for the lecture, and as there might
have been some disappointment that his
interview with Tolstoy had been changed
for the lecture be did give, Professor
Raymond announced that the Rabbi
with remarkable kindness and out of
solicitude to oblige, had consented to tell
the story briefly OF his visit to ToIstoy TO
10 many as chose 10 remain after the
close OF the lecture.
Accordingly fifteen minutes later the
lecture-rOom in the basement OF the
church was filled, and the Rabbi, III a
conversational manner, but not less inter-
esting and impressive way. told the story
OF his visit last year to Count Tolstoy.
He described his personal appearance,
sketched his life, outlined the social sys-
tenn TO which he is giving the best of his
lite sketched his religious creed, analyZed
his books, and paid glowing tribute TO
the great author and reformer whom
Russia lears and admires, and who would
be an exile in Siberia to-day were it not
that so many millions of people would
enter protest that Russia dare not turn
deaf ear to.
On the whole, Rabbi Krauskopf's clos
ing of the lecture season was one Of the
happiest and mostinstructive and enlight-
ening entertainments ever given under
the auspices OF the Lecture Association
In all the years of its existence.