Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-05-22
THE LESSON OF A LIFE
RABBI cALIsCH breaches ON
CLADsToNE's CAREER.
iSEz .HpLE OF HUMAN POSSIBILITIES
Thoaeats Which the Life of the
Great statesman Accentuates-The
Compatibility of Religious Con-
victior with High InteIiectuaIity.

viction With High intellectually.
.Hev. Dr. z. y. calisch. the learned and
ecquont rabbi of the congregation OF
Eeti' Ahasa. preached yesterday an in
tefesiils and able discourse on the life
o. the late William Ewart Gladstone,
Ensand's sreat premier. 1t was the
bs1si Saturday service. and the congre-
sstlOn Was large, as It invariably IS
hen Rabbi Calisch rose to preach, he
| ave out 40 text, as his custom Is, but
I SID THE paih etic closing on Wednes-
day IL ths week of the life Of the sage
/ -: Hawsrcen may well serve us as
! ieAt Tor earnest consideration. Even
we're y not that Gladstone's career was
~ special interest to US because Of its
connection with Disraeli, II would yet
, az peal 10 US as a noble example Of hui
man possibilities. and serve as an In
spird t.ea to L. ali to attain to the highest
degree ~ nobility and usefulness in life
| thoi ics wiUhin our individual capacities.
Inc f@rre ~ Gladstone is one that may
htirsi. Dc placed by the side OF those
great moral and mental heroes to whom
he human race has given birth-to be
-ns Thed within the abbey Of an unfor-
-fr'9s feV~rence, to serve as beacon
itnis inf tie generations that shall in
Va & com" sail over the wide ocean OF
human expiration and human endeavor.
Lessons FOR PRACTICAL GUIDANCE
Ills ,fe may serve to emphasize many
itss"n. practically for the guidance of
our i cs--bnt j am going to use II TO lay
stress upon the thoughts only. Before
doing 80, let me say a word as to the
life itsrf OF mere biographical facts,
| need net speak. Your daily papers have
given these in full. But when we con-
Template the life Of William Gladstone.
we find ourselves linked as II were, with
an age that seems far distant from US,
separated by a wide gulf not so much OF
years as OF achievements that have
changed the whole complexion OF human
living and altered the international re-
lations OF the world.
1.-THE sketch o. this single life," con-
tinued Or. Caiisch. gives point 10 all
that may De said OF the stupendous
speed of our modern progress, for its in
fuence was felt IN more than one direc-
ton OF that progress. Were we disposed
to linger upon the accomplishments or
Gladstone. We might point to versa
tility that Was as remarkable as the in
oustry that gave it respected position IN
the various avenues into which IL VEN
tured. We could speak Of an understand
Ing that was equally at home in mathe.
matics as IN si8tesmanship, of a person
atty that was powerful in lltera ture as
In politics Of q comprehension that en-
brace9 theology ns well as diplomacy.
or az intellect that perused tbs classics
as IL do lie problems OF state. Of an elo-
quence that vas effectuai alike in the
missions % mercy AS IN the halls Of Par
li3mc1i But these arc not the things 10
which | would here give prominence o.
etnph'ss. They were gifts from the ex-
haustless source o. all life and love and
reason and the merit OF them lay not N
'heiT possession. but in the noble use 10
which 'rey Were put.
FUIYTITY or AN AGE LIMIT.
The e'ghty-nine wears OF Gladstone's
life demonstrate the futiliiy Of an arbi- |
trarv axe limit Had he been compelled |
20 re-'re at 60 or s.. the world would |
have lot a score Of years OF cOnsum- |
mate craftsmanship And with Gladstone |
we have Bismarck. retiring az 50; Leo |
NH commanding the admiration Of the |
w"Tic at g. ana Ranke writing history |
az 81 Had this Iule applied Moltke |
would have been cut on from the war OF |
1870 ard Farragut bcfors the attack of |
Noble And to mention an instance still |
nearer "a -. we find our own grand old |
man - Judaism. Rev. Isaac NJ. Wise.
II Cinciorou. stil active and forceful, /
though - yeJrs had laid their snow upon
his brow.
His HUMBLE. REVERENT FAITH.
The second thought to which I would
point 81 having been emphasized by the
life Of Gladstone is that humble and
fevereLt Gath can be associated with
liaheSt intel actual attainment and most
1onored place. There were very few oc-
;Is ony on which Gladstone did not take
y ttIuity 10 confess his faith and to
)rint or ;hat, In spite of statesmen and
Z nis'ers spite Of premiers and poiit-
- ns he jestinies of nations were con-
'eired and guided by a power higher
fan al human endeavor. He firmly be-
'-vei ;0Qt righteousness exalteth a ma
ion.' and IN all his work we can see the
'r'kstound Of an earnest belief that up
'"Ir him through all his difficulties.
trough all his speeches we see the
inct ~ A. and there are very few of
hem that are not vibrant with the living
''''''H ~ Il iOlly tndI was !
hid or his faith.
LESSON FROM HIS LIFE.
81, Is his aspect Of Gladstone that 1
yoHd especially commend, especially to |
hose wac deem religious conviction TO be
compatible with intellectual attain
'nt or prominence of position social or !
iherTise. 1 would commend the picture |
II that heroic form of the premier of
lie British empire, bending over the
ro,.ems Of States, and breathing the
Tayer that his work may be helped and
proved by the God of nations: seeking
ae strength from on high to uphold him (
r 'ha tremendous difficulties of his ex-
Ted positlon-this picture / commend /
. you whose burdens fall heavy who {
81 themselves giving way beneath the {
'cie d: Of their trials-to You of little G
an look you upon this picture, and
ter. in humble imitation, look you up
no your God, and find in Him that
IC ogth that is not in yourselves. Many
weary hour will be saved, many a q.
's,ry avoided, many a sorrow soothed ,
= That firm and steadfast faith by the ,
ccTniJion that He who sends us bur-
IN. u bear will send us strength to bear :
lem, II We only seek Him." I
.