Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-03-27
OF JEKYLL AND HYDE
This Strange Story The Foundation Of
Rabbi Calisch'S Interesting Lecture.
REPRESENT GOOD AND EVIL.
The Discovery of the Drug Like the
Tasting by Adam of the Fruit of
knowIedge-Cbsidh the Ever
lasting Eden for the Human Race.

lasting Eden for the Human Race.
Rabbi f. N Calisch. OF Beth Ahaba
synagogue, lectured in Grace-street Pres
byterlan church last night for the joint
benefit OF the old Dominion Hospital and
the Retreat for the Sick. He had good
audience and his DISCOURSE based upon
the wonderful story OF 'Dr. Jekyll and
Mr.. Hyde" was entertaining and in
structive.
In opening. the speaker referred TO the
good that the two institutions under
whose auspices he lectured were DOING
and TO the untiring efforts Of the ladies'
In their behalf. Continuing. be said tnat
our physical and spiritual lives. though
separate entities and of varying natures
are so bound together, as long as this
life lasts, that their conditions AFFECT one
another. The walls had witnessed many
struggles between life and death. They
could tell OF the tears that had fallen
when the last gasp was breathed, and
Azreal had sheathed his victorious sword
and OF the fervent prayers that fen from
grateful lips when, the crisis saIeiy
passed. the weakened frame crawled back
from the gate of death and took up anew
the almost sundered thread of life But
whether life or death triumphed, one fact
was proved, that clean and moderate life
was a greater factor counting Tor good
than even scaDel or drug.
The self-same truth is emphasized IN the
Strange story Of DIR. Jekyn and Mr..
Hyde." Here followed an argument OF
the story. giving its saiient points me
tale itself" continued the Rabbi, is IN
so far as human knowledge goes, physl-
caiy impossible. Psycholosieally' IL
takes place every day. Its moral. terseiy
told. is the struggle between the good
and evil impulses Of the human breast
with the inevitable consequence that at
tends the indulgence Of the evil
ORIGIN or EVIL.
"The origin of evil has been the vexed
problem of the human race since us
birth. Every generation has met II;
wrestled with II. and, dying. lelt II 70
the succeeding generation 10 meet anu
wrsstle with again. Its truth must De
learned anew on the bitter benches
of the school OF experience. Every race
of men has traditions that point 10 the
time when there was 10 evil, when the
children OF men lived, as did the gOds' IN
sinIess and amending existence. kqualIS
common TO every race are the tfadItIohn
that tell OF the loss Of that happy exist
ence bv the stain of sin. and that that
fan brought with II all the train OF hu-
man woe ID. G. Brinton C'Myths OF the
New World" page SO says tnat wnen
Christopher Columbus. fired by the hope
Of discovering this terrestrial paradise
broke the enchantment OF the CLOUDY sea
1t was but to light upon the same race
OF men, deIuding themselves with the SAM
fiction of a long-lost garden OF Their
youth But no matter whence II came
the evil is here and has TO be met
The speaker then gave the various We've
OF Buddhism, Zoroastrianism. and otheT
religions Christian theology. ne salo'
makes the disobedience OF Adam respon-
slble for the introduction of evil, ana
finds its only solution in the acceptance
of the rneSsfahship of the Nazarene Rapbi
Jewish theology has higher and nobier
concept EVIL Is not an absolute anu
elemental existence. II IS relative an
accidental All that is serves Deneh-
cent purpose Every force and power o.
the universe works toward ultimate goou
Man for himself. holds the solution OF the
problem Of evil In his own hands.
Let US say that the discovery by Dr
Jekyn in the story. Of the drug, Is as
was the tasting by Adam OF the Irult oi
the knowledge OF good and evil 10 potn
OF them il was a knowledge presumably
forbidden. but a knowledge whose pos
session gave them infinite power altered
all their lives and made them conscious
OF another existence. Until Adam had
tasted of the fruit he had no conscious
ness OF his nakedness; until Jekyl dIalh-
ed the drug he had not felt the impulsiye
dominance of the passions, nor the healy
recklessness of constituencies action.
HIS RISE AND DOWNFALL
.srhe expulsion from Eden. usually
looked upon as the downfall Of man, Is.
I'm fact. his rise. The story Of the Gar
den of Eden is retold in every genera
tfon. There IL an everlasting Eden Tor
the human race Ii Is the Eden Of enid
hood. Each new soul born unto the chill
dren Of men comes from the, out
swinging portals or Paradise, and brings
the aroma Of Heaven with ii. In ig-
norance OF the severer duties and ask
OF life. the child roams through child
hoods halcyon days in the unsuliied
happiness OF innocent irresponsibiity.
The child is not blamed for wrong; II
does not know better. IL Is not guilty
of theft: IL does not know what steal
ing means. But the child CROWNS
older learns And, with greater know
ledge comes responsibility. The acQui-
sition Of knowledge drove Adam and
Eve The acquisition OF that selfsame
knowledze destroys childhood's Eden
to-day. But that acquisition is neces-
sary. Adam, IN the Garden. was child
Adam without It's gates is the man.
Following the thread Of the story, the
speaker showed how Hyde, which stands
for the evil impulse, grew larger and
stronger the Oftener he appeared. and
Jekyll. the good. grew eorrcspondingiy
smaller and weaker. Finally, Hyde
came involuntarily. even against the
will. Evil, at first under control. finally
grows overpowerlng, and masters us
agoinst our viii.
Sickness Is not normal condition OF
our physical being II is possibility to
which all are liable. and which all invite
by imprudence. indlscretion, wilful eX-
cases. or neglect. Health is the normal
condition OF the body. Thus, the hu-
man race Is normally good. Our birth
right is virtue. not vice. Sin Is spirit
uai disease, which we bring on yoiun-
fariIy. II Is an evil tendency. TO which
we yield. Edward Hyde represents this
tendency, and the horror OF his life y
what we must avoid.
WHERE THE STRUGGLE BEGINS.
sThere is a supreme hour in the life Of
every human being" DR.. Callsch con-
tinued, when the soul energies from the
thraldom OF ignoran; responsibility
and drinks deep of the knowledge OF
good ana evil Then the spiritual ssrug-
sle begins Then the choice must be
made. and its consequences abided by
The speaker then drew a strong ard
graphic picture OF life. showing the power
fui contrast between a life lived honor
ably and one where evil Is INDUCED and
followed. Sin, FIRST small and weak.
<rrnws With INDULGENCE The horrid form