The evening times., 1898-09-10

wherein the Jew snail work out the tasks
set before him in the service of mankind
to be blessing unto the families of the
earth To a consciousness OF this sub
lime function TO which he has been called,
the American Jew must awake and unto
that purpose, In the fulf.lment of his his
toric mission, must dedicate his temples,
his homes, his every thought. energy, and
impulse
Tradition says that when Solomon's
temple was built, no sound of mallet or
hammer was heard. Part fitted securely
into part and was firmly placed In silence.
Allegorically, this is true of your temple
as well. Silence, faith. love, and hope
have builded with lneir mighty forces and
this structure stands complete. These ST.
lent forces must continue, so that not so
much in the crowded gatherings of festi-
val days as In the quiet and continuous
earnestness of Sabbath worship. of pa
tient classroom effort, and OF the hun
dreds of nameless offices to which these
halls shall be devoted, you will build unto
the lives and character of yourselves and
your children the solemn and everlasting
elements that will dedicate your sous in
peace to God.
who is like unto Thee, o Lord" Exc
dus xv:11-13-17-1S, preceded the address by
the Hon. Simon Wolf, which was as fol-
lows:
Address of Simon Wolf.
The Hon. Simon Wolf. in his address,
spoke as follows:
1.-The eloquent and instructive orations
already delivered by the beloved minister
of our congregation and the chancellor of
the Jewish Chautauqua give ample and
abundant evidence of the faith that is in
us, the history through which we have
passed. and the loyalty and patriotism
x,yl,i inI1 hat- oxyinn m N
behalf of human liberty and humane
achievements.
Little there is left for me to add, but,
as a layman and a member of this con-
gregation. as a citizen of the United
States and of Washington, l am rejoiced
that l should have lived TO see this day;
that a temple worthy of the Nations
Capital of the liberality and generosity
of the Jewish people should be dedicated
to civilization and the civilizing influences
that spring from the philosophical deduc-
tions, aims and objects of the Jewish
people 1t is a bond of union, cementing
anew man to man, and the presence here
of so many of cur fellow-citizens of
Christian faith gives proof that we are
esteemed and respected in this commu-
nifty: that there is no feeling of enmity
or prejudice, but, on the contrary, feel
ings of love and a recognition OF those
attributes for which the Jewish people
have stood from time immemorial-'the
fatherhood of God and the brotherhood
of man.
IF this city has grown to be the most
beautiful and artistic capital, II beauty
and grace adorn it, if culture and re-
finement are it's handmaidens, | am sure
no one will dispute that in this direction
we have contributed our quota and that
whatever appertains to the development
to the growth and prosperity of Wash
ington and of the great and free republic,
we have never shirked any duty or re-
sponsibility, but gladsomeIy co-operated
on all the lines that make for the uplift-
ing of all classes and all shades OF opin-
ion,
1T is a glorious sight to see at the
close of the century the Jew recog-
nized factor in the great republic of the
west, to know that they in common with
other fellow-citizens have aided III strik-
ing off the shakes of the slaves in the
late civil war; and again, given up their
life-blood and treasure to wrest from the
cruel oppressor's hand the fair islands
that soon will blossom as the rose under
the inspira tions and guidance of free
people
And in saying this. l do not wish II
to be understoo that malice or feeling
of revenge actuates anyone VINO claims
to be true Jew. That is not the teach
ings of our sages; that is not the spirit
of our religion. The evolution of time
and the revolution of history have taught
us to be generous, to be just.
THE unerring DEGREES of Providence
mark every step of our history. Every
nation that struck us down has passed
into oblivion: and the blow recently
struck at Spain is but the finger mark
of Deity In chastising those who have
ignored His eternal and divine precepts.
France, that great nation which at
one time stood as sponsor of equal rights.
and which has among its citizens some
of the brightest men of Jewish faith cut
loose from its moorings, and Is drifting
helplessly upon the great ocean of injus-
tice and wrong. But as the Germans
say, There is nothing so finely spun
but is bound 10 be discovered under the
sun
80 the great crime Of the nineteenth
century. the incarceration island
of death of an innocent citizen and SOL
dier has stirred the conscience of the
world and is reacting upon those who, in
an hour of bigotry and malice, thought
they could defy the laws of God and man.
Clouds are disappearing, and the sun
of truth and righteousness will soon
illumine the broad expanse of France,
and Dreyfus, the citizen. will once more
clasp in his embrace the heroic woman
who will figure in the annals of time as
a heroine
These thoughts are not spoken be-
cause there courses through my veins
the blood of Jew, but because / am an
American, proud of our country; proud
or its citizens, knowing that no such
wrong, no such dastardIy injustice, could
ever be enacted under the American flag.
The other day l read in the Review of
Reviews anecdote attributed to Bis
marck. and the writer says that he spoke
of that great Jew, the adventurer. Dis
raeli.' 'Adventurer,' my friends: If Dis
raeli, maker Of empires and the crowner
of empresses, the winner in the great race
OF eternal fame. the man who sprang
from the Jewish stock and rose supreme
among the nobility of England is to be
called an adventurer, then what are the
great men of genius who have climbed
the ladder of honor and success? What
is Napoleon, Lincoln, Grant. Mckinley,
and the hundreds of others, who, spring
ing from the people, rose superior to their
circumstances, and governed not only an
empire, but dictated terms to the world?
why, my Christian friends, your own
Saviour sprang from the loins of the Jew,
a commoner, a democrat, with republi-
can principles, and his teachings today
govern the civilized world.
"Ah. no; we are not adventures; we
are the high priests who. scattered in
every part of the world by circumstances
beyond our control, contribute wherever
situated, to the glory. to the honor, and
to the prosperity of the nation, notably
here. where we are so supremely free
and happy, where we have every inspira-
ton for the betterment OF man.
"On these lines l trust this temple will
forever stand. | trust that every minis
ter of the congregation of the future, and
every member worshiping, will never
forget what they owe to these glorious
United States Like the symbolism of cd