The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-29
HEBREW FEAST OF WEEKS.
Pentecost Duly Inaugurated
by Services in the
Temples.
To-Day = Confirmation
Exercises.

Exercises.
The Feast of Weeks or Pentecost was
ushered in by the Hebrew residents of San
Francisco last evening, Services were held
in all the synagogues and temples, which
were beautifully decorated for the occasion.
At the Temple Emanuel Rabbi Voor-
sanger delivered an address entitled "The
Basic Principles of Common Faith
Rabbi VooIsanger said:
1t is characteristic of all great men that they
approach woodworking ideas with the greatest
modesty and hesitancy. When Moses is ap-
pointed messenger to the enslaved hosts of
Israel and ambassador to the royal court of
Pharaoh he pleads poverty of speech to avoid
the great consequences he knows will be en-
tailed upon him through the discharge of his
duty. Previously, when he stands face to face
with the angel within the thorn bush that is
wrapped in flames and yet is not consumed, he
is told to take off the shoe from his foot for the
place wherein he stands is holy. When the
word of God comes TO Isaiah he desires to
avoid the appointment as Gods missionary.
He processes TO be man of unclean lips, unfit
for the work the divine economy has mapped
out for him. When jeremiah is called from
the priestly indwellers of Anatoth to occupy
the tripod of the prophet he likewise fears the
magnitude of the task and confesses himself to
be but lad who cannot speak.
So it is the characteristic of the truly great
man TO be modest and tender when assuming
mission which shall move the world. The be-
ginning of their tasks finds them in trepida-
ton, in terror, for new ideas revolutioniZe the
world, and the prophet assumes the RESPONSE
bility OF overturning old institutions and
building the structure of salvation upon their
ruins.
1t seems to me that this same idea underlies
the Sinaitlc revelation. The sacred tradition
in noting down the beginnings of human legis-
lation cannot avoid feeling the terror that
strikes the heart when the immensely OF action
involved by that revelation is considered. The
all stricken and terrified. Only their latest de-
scendants feel comfortable in the practical APP
pllcation OF such glorious principles
1t seems to me, said the preacher, that the
greatness of such ideas IS were propounded by
the Jewish prophets can only be realized when
applied to the needs of the whole world. Their
religion was local perhaps, but the fruition of
their plans and their mission comes to the
whole world. Such ideas they propounded
cannot know geographical restrictions nor the
limit OF time nor the character OF transition.
Perpetuity Is stamped upon their face-the
eternity of the fixed and Interchangeable idea
that comes to man from God. Therefore hold
that Judaism as taught by the prophets and
rabbis of Israel, while it may at one time
have been local religion, is in reality
world-em bracing faith, in which are con-
tanned the basic principles of q common re-
ligion that can unite all men in the bonds of a
common belief in God, the father and the
ethical rules by which mans morality shall
prosper. Ii these principles were properly pro-
pounded from every pulpit, denominatio or
undenominational, and were to be taught in
dependently of all tn Biological considerations,
If such thing were possible, the time would
really not be very far distant when the pro-
phetic visions of Isaiah and Micah would be
realized in the perfect union of all men be-
meath the banner of the living God.
1.-THE Sinaitic Covenant" was the subject
of Rabbi Jacob Nieto's address at the Syna-
gogue Sheriff. Israel last evening.
In the course of his remarks the rabbi
said:
What most particularly wish to impress
upon you is the uniyersalist nature of the
Sinaitic covenant; to show you that the ten
dency OF the whole scheme was in the direction
of SO great a widening out that finally it in
cluded all the human family within the COM
pass OF its operation; that Notwithstanding its
erstwhile national or tribal coloring when
the brightness of the tints which belong to all
Oriental enactments and which are necessary
concomitants to any species of legislation
which was meant to be acceptable to Oriental
minds had in some degree subserved, it was
nevertheless perceived that the Book of the
Covenant included the principles of humanity
in the broader acceptation of the term. Those
exalted ideas of conduct which form alike the
bases OF all religions were perhaps for the first
given to ordinary man in such form as he
could readily comprehend, and thus was the
war against an esOteric priesthood begun
Continuing: 1t has been charged against
Israel that their decalogue has been derived
from an Egyptian source, and that they regard
themselves as the people chosen by God to be
the recipients of special favors. In regard to
the former charge feel impelled to say Egyp-
tldn OF HOI the WOTIu Is Stlll 1nQeDteQ TO the
Jew, for had it not been for the Jew we might
be yet awaiting the results of excavation and
archaeological investigation, to find anything
akin to the decalogue; besides l doubt
whether we would have fonnd anything so
concise and yet SO comprehensive. With respect
to the latter charge 1 most emphatically deny
that Judaism teaches its adherents that they
are entitled 10 any preference over the rest
of humanity. The Jew is glad that it fell to
his lot to preserve intact the Scriptures, and
surely, considering what his recompense has
been through all the storms fanaticism has
aroused in bygone years, no one can envy him
or wish TO deny him such honor he deserved
by merits for having thus far fulfilled his trust.
At the Temple Beth Israel, the services
were conducted entirely by the cantor,
such being the practice among orthodox
Jews. No address was delivered by Rabbi
NJ. S. Levy.
Services will be held in all the temples at
10 o'clock this morning. The children at
tached to the Sabbath-schools of the
various congregations will be confirmed,
and music of high order will be a feature
of the services.