The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-09

Rev. 1. p. Mendes Draws Some Les
SONS From the Act OF a Modern Jew.

sons From the Act OF a Modern Jew.
THE Irony Of History, as Illustrated by
thu Act Of a Modern Jew" was the sub
ject OF Rev. 1. p. Mendes' lecture yes
terday afternoon.
It Is always a source Of qualification,
Rev. Mr.. Mendes said. to an im9ersonal
and conscientious observer OF the times
TO discover a disposition on the part OF
others to accept truths as often as they
ere discovered. Irrespective OF the place
where they may be found or the person
who may be their discoverer. Among the
present topics Of interest nothing has call
ed forth so much true generosity and
broad philanthropy as have the distress
ing conditions which follow the wake Of
the bubonic plague Of India. This awful
scourge has been recently brought under
immediate observation by the arrival at
the port of New York of a ships crew
stricken with IT, and thousands of persons
nave been filled with fear and anxiety lest
II should find a foothold on this fair coast
his scourge, Of which we have read
many times in history" said Mr.. Mendes.
Is merely an Old enemy in new dress,
as scientific examination has proved it to
p@ close relative. if not the real Black
Death. of the Middle Ages
In those remote times when its terrible
ravages swept periodically over Europe,
every effort was made according to the
knowledge that the people then possessed
to find iIs cause and 10 discover an eff
tectuai remedy for IT, until in an evil mo-
ment religious fanatic noticed that the
Jews were com aratively immunes, and
in short time accusations were hurled
against them, charging them with poison
ing the wells, and an active persecution
INN 4fafd eli EgfrH in 70
of these efforts he black death continued
surely onward. leaving death, desOlation,
and sorrow in its path
Now mark the course of events" said
Mr.. Msndes; "the Jew in the Middle Ages
was accused of having created this plague
and was in cons quence compelled to sub
nit to every indignity, and even to suffer
martyrdom at lines, because the world
could not be convinced Of his innocence.
Now I am going to read to you frag-
ment of nineteenth century history which
is as interesting as IL is instructive
and contains its own wise lesson. In 1888
a Russian Jew, while studying in the Pas
teur Institute, in Paris, conceived the PM
lanthropic idea of binding his whole ener-
gy and time to discover, if possible, Vi
rus that by incubation would destroy Ash
attic cholera and the bubouic plague. By
means of the knowledge that he possessed
he raised a culture of microbes, and,
though thoroughly convinced of their dead
~ nature, determined to try the effect
of an incubation upon himself This he
did of his own free viii and accord ara
for the sake OF mankind. The result prov
ing satisfactory, DR.. Hafsaine, the dis
coverer, went to India, and, though hav-
ing 10 meet and surmount almost uuheard
of difficulties, finally succeeded in con-
vincing the more intelligent of the ma
tives of the efficacy of his remedy and
! ~.
Of the people. His treatment was follow
ed with most gratifying results. fully sc
per cent. Of those treated recovering. In
one place alone $1,000 people were moe
ulated with most successful and crafty
ing results. This act is an eloquent illus
tration Of what a nineteenth century
Jew has done in the cause OF
religion and humanity and his life stands
out as a glorious example TO the entire
world as an Illustration of the loving
kindness of the Jewish race besides be-
ing an act that is without a parallel in
the history of the world. 1t is with CRATE
full heart that I say that Dr. Hafsaine
does not stand alone on mis- broad plat
form of religion and humanity, for it is
true that the Jew is al all times ready
and willing to take part in all phian>
thropic work. To be sure. he is not al
ways understood and he differs in some
ways from those with whom he has C
work, with The result that his feelings ar
often wounded"
Mr.. Mendes spoke of the cordial wei
! come eXter1ed Or. Hafsaiue ia England
by Lord Lister of the Royal Society
From this reception OF DR. Hafsaine, ano
| from the many words of sympathy eX-
| tended US no longer than last Friday
said Mr. Mendes, Ill can be seen by think.
/ ing persons that the Old barriers of re-
/ ligion and caste are being thrown down
and that the time Is fast coming wher
I the world viii recognize that the jew ant
( the Christians are brothers, children Of
one Almighty God and striving together
/ for the common purpose of bringing hui
mAnity out of the darkness of bigotry ans
| ignorance into the perfect light OF knowl
edge"