The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-12-30
RABBI CALISCH
ON dying YEAR,
His Address at Betha Ahaba Yester-
day Evening.
EXISTENCE OF FATHER TIME.
Man Has Thrown the Chains OF Caicu-
Iation over the Fleeing Form Of
Timc-Eyils aud Entrances
OF the Year.
EXISTENCE OF FATHER TIME

Rabbi Calisch spoke last night on the
Dying Year taking his text from
Psalms XIX.
IL began by saying that while philoso-
pliers may insist that Tine Is only a fg-
ment of the fantasy We ordinary NOR
tails do recognize keenly not only its ex-
istence, but, az this season OF the year
the all too rapid Tight OF that fabric OF
the imagination. For Us the old man
with the scythe and glass is a figure real
enough indeed. and though crowned wth
the snow OF age he is strong Of limb and
feet Of foot. and the sands IN his glass
never cease to run.
Yet, true IT is that Time Is an entity
born Of human Imagination. for who or
what outside Of man does know Of time or
record his endless march on the roadway
Of the years2 IL IS true the concentr C
rings IN the trunk of a tree may denote
the passage OF the seasons, and the scars
on IT'S surface and the veins within its
body mays tell Of the seasons that have
passed DER the earth, yet these things are
but the marks Of inviting growth. For
though this terrestrial ball may by it's
annual voyage through space, measure
for man the standard of his computa-
tons. yet what does the earth know OF
the years? And IL the sun consc' Gus Of
the centuries? And do the everlasting
stars take notice Of the weeks and days.
It's man only. finite. mortal. perlshng
man that has thrown the chains " calcu-
lation over the fleeing form Of fime and
trapped eternity behind the bars Of pass
ing years.
FLEETING EVANESCENCE or LIFE.
And by these self-same years does man
realize the neeting evanescence Of his life.
Even in his own frail body the change
from one condition TO another Is so grad
ual. and the boundary lines between them
are so indefinite that he needs must
make for mself n tallystick for time
and let the years notch thereon their UNI
Wearied passage. Thus men record and
observe the anniversar es that occur IN
The narrow limits OF their dresides, or In
the wider circle Of their communal or ma
tional life. And especially now. as we
are about 10 cross the boundary that lies
between two mlghtier provinces IN the
empire OF eternity, the consciousness OF
Times all-pitiless vOlition comes the
more deeply home to us. With the clos
ing of the week there will come TO us tho
last day Of this year. and with the clos
ing Of this year Will come The last year
OF this century.
with what profound awe does this
thought Undue u.s. We are standing az
the death-bed OF a giant The gasp OF
one short year ana the cycle Of an hun
drcd years is over. And though that year
be but the gasp OF a century's breath
yet in mortal reckoning II contains end
less potentialities for good or ii. In tina,
uncertainty lies both our weakness and
our strength. our weakness rests In our
ignorance. our strength is founded on our
faith.
A. we look over the years we "lll lind
that IN spite Of mistakes and follics, in
spite OF passion. temptation, selfshness
and falsehood. the human race has adj
yanced. tardily and painfully, yet adj
yanced, by the hope and the faith Of the
greatest and best among them. The years
are TO man what the canvas and the
cOlors are 10 the artist They stretch on,
as an illimtabie canvas OF opportunity
and now as we look, ere the last link
falls 10 ill cut the number of the COM
pleted circle. We may see by the tracings
that the best changes are not those that
are the most apparent.
CHANGES OF THE YEAR.
What splendid dramas have been played
upon that stage Of history. bitter TRACE
dies. farcial comedies Thalia and Melpo-
meme trod close upon each others heels
across those century-supp0rted boards.
And human passion and fury have come
and gone; and love and hate and selfish
ness and self-denal have made their en-
n mce and their exit. Pleasure and duty
have wrestled there. and hcDe and fear
nave struggled for possession. And midst
Ii all what uncountabie human beings
have run their short race and now sleep
with the still more unnumbered hosts OF
earlier ages It's SOLDERING thought
comes home 10 Us. and bids the world
pause and think.
IT'S an idle boast that speaks OF our me-
chanical and material triumph. Should
SIC say that conquered steam and captive
electricity. and added comforts. aye, more
sneryating luxur es are the standards o.
our progress? Can We lay claim 10 equal
advance in morals and spirituality? Shall
70 be said that we, on the bordeTland OF
The twentieth century. and OF untold me-
chanical and material pOsslb lties. shall 4,
be said that we are not ready morally to
meet them? Has our progress been only a
veneer Of beauty applied externally. that
we are no nObler no truer, no more god
ike than our primordial parents? Shall
10 be said that our progress has only been
such that g YES fair front 10 falsehood.
calls d.shOnOr by a sweeter name. hides
roguery under suavity OF manner. euphe-
mixes lewdness and cloaks the doings of
the devil with the livery Of heaven?
Let rather the advances and the
triumphs OF the material world be but
the chariot wherein shall ride the greater
and grander figure of the spiritual
triumph. the triumph over self. the con-
quest Of pass on. the dominion over base
ness and sordid motive, progress that
makes for honor. for integrity. for peace.
Tor the recognition Of the sacredness OF
human lie. for wisdom in things godly,
For understanding in the highest and the
hOlest. Then as day uttereth unto day
and night speaketh 20 night. thocgh their
words be not heard Of man. yet the r
melody. reaching 10 the uttermost ends OF
he earth, shall be peace Of endless
pean unto the everlasting God.
THF WHFFIS co AR0llN0.