The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-12-31
A SORROwfUL LEAVE TAKING.
RABBI q. ". LoEwENsTEIN or
TEMPLE BETH ISRAEL
the Eve OF His Departure
for other Fields.


Knowledge OF the farewell service at
Temple Beth Israel, including an antlci-
patton of splendid music and the farewell
lecture OF Rabbi II. Loewenstein prior to
= his departure from his nock drew a very
large audience last night. who were pres
ent to hear his last public expressions
before a Houston congregation.
The services, which proved TO be beau
tiful and impressive. with music inter-
spersed by the choir, commenced az the
time appointed, 1880 clock, and 1t APP
rearel from the general attention AMI
glanccs of expectation that 1t was SER
vice OF more than ordinary Importance.
The Arion Quartetie, invited 10 partici-
pate. never sang in sweeter melody as
also did Miss Hughes in her solo, IL VIII
Extol Thee" and oclor members OF tn
chcir, The usual service in Hebrew Was
read and responded to by the congrega-
lion In the same language. The farewell
remarks OF Rabbi Loewenstein We're in
lalt as follows:
My Friends. Five and one-haif years
ago l stood in THIS pulpit TO deliver my
inaugural address and to tell to the con
gregation of Beth Israel all my plans, my
desires, my hopes. Fresh from the school
bench. came fun of ideal plans which
move the youth budding into manhood.
had all the necessary requisites for my
| chosen profession schooling, practice and
contidence--but one thing was lacking;
one thing, yet the most important one
| IVES not present, but this. under the guild
| ing hand CT the members OF my flock I
speett.ly learned. and Il will abide with
me forever. And this thing, that necessary
| quality, was experience.
| l leave YOU with the assurance that
have gained In little while what mauy
people strive for all their lives and are
often lowered into the silent castings of the
tomb without having engaged-the wis
dom Of the teacher.
| He Is severe master, but never err
ing one. This experience and his lessons
are more frequently derived from pain
than from pleasure. But the tears wash
away the suffering and leave the face dry
with pleasure, and Joy Is hts successor.
SO do / appear before you tonight to
| express to you. my friends, my apprecla-
ton and to bid you all an afectlonate
farewell. My views have been altered
somewhat since my college days My
boyish idols have been battered and bro
ken and would not know themselves were
they to see their own image in the mirror
of the mind. Such idols as to the place
and position of the rabbi, his various du-
ties and offices, have long since been
abated BY Father Time. The grand idea
stfil prevails, but the dream Is torn into
a thousand fragments and their ornaments
are dragged into the dust. Truth crushed
TO earth Will rise again" and So too must
oui ideals assume The forru OF truth, the
principles VIII rcasSert Themselves and
the dream of boyhoo1. under the stern
guidance of experience, will once more
jump into being and live in the eternal
INN ,xT
bearing fruit, and yet never experiencing
the icy hand of death. THE flower with
ereth, the grass dryeth UP, but the word
OF God will stand forever ''-Isaiah Kills.
So, my friends 1t Is with religion. Min
listers may come ministers may go, season
VIII Follow season, year, year and decade
decade. Those who are now In the full
enjoyment of youth will Join the silent
majority and yet in spite of all this re-
lison Will persevere and be still on earth |
until the great Judgment day shall come
and man be no more. For religion IS no |
new thing, 1t is not OF today or of yester- |
day. but eternal.
From the time Adam and Eve stood |
alone in the Garden of Eden until tits |
very moments end this very place where |
we IN this temple stood and offered our |
devotions TO one eternal God, has 1t been
the custom of man to offer come devotion |
to the Supreme Being
The earliest savages saw God in the
atmosphere, the earth, then the sun, moon
and planets. the groves. the woods the
mountain heights became Gods first sane
tuares. The idols became gods, and their
ninistr2tlons have been attended with
sacrifice of animals and of children But
this brutal stage was soon passed and the
IDEAL religious worship of the one God
ushercd Up
The monotheism of Father Abraham has
persevered in the world until today he Is
worshtped and venerated by all the civil
lied Nations with but minor changes and
1t is the hope OF every true follower OF
religion that the day will ecama when
everyone. irrespective Of faith be he jew,
CHRISTIAN Mohammedan, will be able TO
stand Mt tho same place and at the same
lime together worship the God who is God
without inlquity, the God WHO is the true
God So does religion live, and has 1t lived
and VIII II live on forever 1t depends
not on the ministration of any one man. L
nor does II depend on one sect or denomi-
nai'cn. but like the evergreen it's verdure
she'll never depart.
The flower may bloom. the flower may
die. men may come and men may perish II
but the word Of God will stand forever.
New. my frierds. my work Is done, II
lay asddo my mantle and it. will fall on II
shoulders moro worthy OF bearing it. II
leave you perhaps never more to see you,
but In my heart and my mind your pic
'"''S VIII ever De more ihSiing ones than
thoae turned out by tho most experienced II
Your kindness toward me.
your forbeararcs with my faults will all
ways endsar You to me and the Pheasant
recollections of my first charge will be
rsrnto't and solace to me. when time
shall have allotted my period to my pres
Dat years.
For all that has been done for ma II
hank you. for these that may have Will
fully injured ask forgiveness and extend
10 them the broad hand OF fellowship. And l
N conclusion ! invoke upon all here as
semhlst the grear prssstly benediction
which the high priest n the temple ut
Jerusalem called upon the assembled con-
sregation' MAY Col bless you and guard
'ou; may God make His countenance to
shine upon YOU and be gracious to you;
nay God LIT up his countenancc upon you
Ind give yon peace Amer
After the singing e very beautiful Sc
lection by the choir and the hsnedictlon
had been pronounced IN Hebrew the as
'emblfge was about to dispense when Mr..
,. w, Kidd appeared on the pulpit ana
'ffere4 In few well selected remarks the
hand Of farewell in behalf OF the Masonic
rider which he represented As past ven
,rahlc master OF tho San lacsnto lodge OF