Semi=weekly graphic., 1897-10-09
THE ISRAELITES,
AN INTERESTING PAPER READ
 BY MISS CLARA BLOOM.
A Brief History of the Jews Told By a Cultured Jewsss on
 Atonsment Day.

nance, where truth and fiction are combined in presenting to genera ton after generation m entertain Ing volume, and arc well adapted to religious meditation. Thase records shadow forth days of sorrow and days of mlrth. shadow and sunshine, tribulations and peace for all denom- nations, particularly tho Jews, whose record Is, indeed, q sad one. How sad their lot was has been told In verse by noted writer, who said: 'cTribe of the wandering foot and weary
 oFeast,
 Why not flee away and bs at restf
 The wild dove has her nest. the fox tho cave, Mankind his country. Israel the grave" From time immemorial the Israel- ites have been a persecnted race, scattered In exile over the face of the earth and strangers to the land of their forefathers. Until the Roman conquest they had enjoyed compar- atlye peace, but after that thousands Of the wretche.i Jewish captives almost weary of life, turned their steps northward, to find. if possible. that peace for which they Ao ardent ly louged md which was so con stantly denied them, This accounts for them being found about the Sixth and Seventh centuries, in Franco. Italy, Germany aud Spain, and about the Eighth centuries in England. However. even in these distant countries they met with the same trials and contempt. Indeed. their ingenuity was taxed to the utmost to discover means for earn- ing livelihood. for very few avenues of industry were opened to them. Unused to severe manual labor and debarred from the professions by rank predjudiees, they Gt laat. through sheer necessity. adopted a business quito new to them and be- eame "money.lenders. They were not fitted for this business; their natures revolted against 1t; but live and maintain their families they must. There were always people eager to buy on credit and to bor. row on interest. and from king down to peasant a loan might bo needed for any purpose. at any time. Though frequently arrested and im- prlsoned for demanding interests on debts, and called insurers, the Israelltes rigidly maintained their h. tegrity and trust In God; they never wavered In their rIghtful resolves and successfully continued their bus iness for many years.
 But through these many years they suffered many indIRnities and cruel ties. Suddenly, In the midst of seem- ing prosperity, au edlct was Issued, commanding every unbaptised Jew and Jewess to leave Spain within twenty-four hours. Unwilling to sacrifice the religion of their iore- fathers, they were glad to escape, penniless, with their lives. And this was not rare occurrence. Ii hap pened frequently In various coun- tries. for the tolerance extended to the Jews was not based upon appre- eiation of their higher qualities, but wholly upon the self-interest ol king and country.
 Their scholarship was very little cared for, and only the skill of the physician was at all noticed. Yet, rather perilous, for If a Jewish phy- slcian cured hIs patient he was quite likely to be accused of witchcrait; or if, in spite of care, tho patient died, some afReetionate relative or disap- pointed legatee would, In all proba- bility, bring charge of poisoning against the doctor.
 Is It not like fairy lore that, after centuries have passed away, we fnd them here in this "land of the free and home of the brave," honored, upright and intelligent citIgens;patri- ots of known honor, men of dIstIne- ton and men oi wealth. On both sides of the Atlantic. now that pref udice has almost passed away, we find them ia all the professions and walks of life, race intelligent and of liberal ideas beyond the ordinary. Truly, the Israelites are d wonder Iul race, for through trials that would have appalled, any other nation, they have passed through unscathed. and we'll may they be proud of their victory. Ever peace iul and persevering. now that they have entered the 565s years of thelr existence, the Israelites' mission Is still peace. and their motto, "Up- ward and onward"
 They have been very lmpoFtant factors in tho commercial realm, and some of the largest and leading bus iness interests In the world are pre- sided over by our co-reiigionlsts. Their industrious, persistent efforts. balanced by common sense and in- tegrity, have been the means of broadening their fields of labor and of placing them upon the top rounds oi the ladder of fame. Yet, great as has been their service to humanity. their service to religion has been vastly greater. What sect frat