The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-05-16
TINE WOKLD's CIVILIZATIONS.
Contributions Made TO Iss Wonderful Pro-
cress- silent Influences.


Rabbi L. \. Calisch spoke on the sub
iect what the Jews have given 20 the
world" yesterday morning. lie began b
quoting paragraph from the New YorL
sun, which read:
There is a Jew." said the Rev Or
Blank. as he sat in his study with Jew
hater ana pointed 10 plaster cast O.
Michael Angeles magnificent head OF
Moses. "And there IS another Jew IL
aided, as ne pointed 10 a painting OF the
Veronica Christ. And there are yet
other Jews" he continued. as he glanced
around mis- walls at the pictures OF the
prophets, apostles. and sages. from David
and jeremiah TO Paul and Peter. Yes.
my Christian brother, these are Jews, ana
are they not men who have voiced the
highest thought of the world for ages,
whose teachings is the guide Of our lie
to-day, and who will lead mankind 10 the
end OF timer" The Jew hater had not
taken fun account OF these things before
hearing mis- pastors imprisoned words.
which. however set him a-thinking.'
The civilization of the world, continued
the Rabbi, is made up Of the contribu-
tons of the various peoples. Every race
and class adds Its share hc various
artisans and mechanics bu,.u a house.
cellar through the gradations OF masOns.
carpenters, plasterors, plumbers, electric
ians and artists who finish the walls With
exquisite creations Of taste and fancy.
The work of all Is needed, yet the work
or some IS more highly esteemed q an
the work Of others, for the reason that l.
requires greater skill and more thorough
training. Thus is the fabric Of human
civilization upreared by various classes.
And were men 10 disentangle the contri-
buttons Of the races, it will be found THAI
some have given less and some more. Il
has fallen 10 the lot of the Jew TO make
the highest. the noblest. the most endur-
ing contribution, that of moral knowledge
His teachings voice the highest thought
and have been the guide Of life through
ages past. are yet to-day and VIII be IN
years to come. That among the Jews
themselves were men who were Cistin-
gulshed by the possession Of highest gifts.
should be a cause Of gratitude, more than
of pride We should rejoice In these men.
the Moses. Isaiahs, Davids, Pauls Of the
human race. as we rejoice in the light OF
the sun. for their lives were intended 10
be OF value and Of blessing to all the
race. as surely as the rays Of the sun
fall alike upon all men.
The world does not give full value 20
the silent influences that affect the de-
volopment Of man. Tn ancient days oisy
conquest and migration altered maps and
brought various nations into contact and
from them both was taken what was best
of each The soldier was the harbinger
of progress. But the soldier after all was
but the unconscious vehicle of thought
and the soldier persisted while the thought
lived-fOr I'm truth the pen is mightier
than the sword" When the emasculate
East under Persia met The simple and
sturdy strength of the West under Alex
ander the Great and his Macedonian
phalanxes. the superior physical strength
Of the West triumphed at the moment
but the refinement. the culture, the luxury
Of the East triumphed In the end, for
the impalpable thought IS might!er than
the palpable spear. This same thing
happened two hundred years later be-
tween Greece and Rome. The crude
strength Of the legions Of the Tiber easily
overcame the luxury enervated armies Of
the Peninsula. but the thought the philo-
sophy. the culture. and civilization OF
Greece made itself felt IN Rome. And
again these conditions occurred when
Rome fell before the invading barbarlans
Of the North.
They viii resent open physical agrees
sion but they yield unconsciously TO an
invading truth, and absorb il into their
being The quality that I'm an Individual
makes him impose his personality upon
those about him IS precisely that which
makes one PEOPLE felt among the peoples
OF the earth. IL IS not always size. or
strength or appearance or even conscious
effort. with either individual IT class. II
is the inherent dominance Of ruth as It
makes itself felt In the various avenues
Of human activities.
1t is I'm this measure, that In the past
Israel has given 10 the world its highest
treasures Of hope. Of faith and of ethical
truth, and its noblest heroes Of thought
and OF morality. Il Is in this measure,
that Israel Of to-day is TO find It's most
splendid duty. I'm the radiation Of an in
fuence for goodness and justice and truth
that cannot be denied Rejoicing IN cur
great men we should try 10 emulate them
in kind If we cannot I'm degree. Pure end
noble lives are required OF a class that
there might spring up a single man that
shall lead en- nobility and greatness. Great
men are born Of more than their parents
They have an accumulation OF moral
strength behind them, that had been con-
served through generations FOR them.
The people Of Israel have been a liking
dom OF priests" in the past. II IS their
duty 70 be no less so in the present.
ministering at the shrine Of God and IN
the service OF humanity and givlng forth
an impulse for Righteousness which tire
world subconsciously receives and feels
and act upon. for the truth that is theirs
is that to which ares"the eternal years OF
God"