The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-01-27


work he IL called upon 90 perform he
trlufnphantly marches from success to
success. u7til his people are delivered. 1
recognize that / am a young and mex
perienced man, In a new country. armed
My with enthusiasm for my sacred call
lg and with the conviction that / am
preaching a righteous cause. Bear with
mo. my heart Is full. / feel the re-
spo1sibility OF undertaking the great du-
ties which you have placed Ia my charge.
But | rely upon Gods aid and your as
sistance Let as work tremendously to-
gether. fully realize the maniio.d du-
ties am called upon 70 perform. No
where are they moro pithiy stated Than
In the memorable words OF our ssges,
These are the things, the fruits Of which
a man enjoys in this world while tho
stock remains for him for the world to
come, honoring parents, the practice OF
charity, timely attendance at Ais touse
OF stuay, morning and evening, hJsplta.-
ty To wayfarers, visiting the sick, at
tending the dead to their last resting
place, devotion in prayer and making
peace between man and his fellow; buL
the study OF the law Is equal to them ALL"
But to quote another rabbinlcal maxim:
THE day Is short whilst the work is
great" can only strive to do my best,
to encourage the practice OF charity quite
irrespective OF creed. to try and admin
lister solaee TO the mourner the sick and
the stricken, TO plead for the polr, to
encourage the struggling, to bind myself
and identify myself with you In your
joys as well as in your sorrows. plead to
the wealthy to remember their poorer
brethren on the day Of their rejoicing, t.
make an effort to encourage the pra .ti~e
of acts OF MADNESS. a quality which can
he tsNa kv rim nd
The maxim which / have just quoted to
you makes the study of the law reli gious
instruction, equal to all OF these quail
Ties, because 1t is the symbol OF sanctiLy,
the hallowing Of life. BY becoming inn
bued with the sentiments contained In
our literature, the other virtues must
naturally follow
The whole course Of a mans life depends
uIon the attention given TO this all I'M
portant subject, and / therefore place it
in the forefront OF my duties here The
synagogue has taken the place of the
sanctuary In these times; II is here that
we assemble for prayer and 1t Is my
ardent hope to find our services will be
vel attended Public divine service Il
essential 10 every community In order to
keep alive the religious convictions which
would otherwise lie dormant Our great
legislators have at all times recogni ed
This necessity by instihting prayers at
liked times, and 1t Is to the synagogue
more than to anything else that we must
attribute the marvellous vitality OF our
faith. And assuredly does not our pres
ence here as the lineal descendants of the
kingdom Of priests and holy nation of
Bible times, constitute record In tha
marvels OF the world? Time after time
We have been all but extermna,ed oar
scrolls OF the law have been trampiel
under foot, our literature has been ruth
lessly committed to the flames the cream
OF our race has persisted in the fires OF
the auto da fe's." But as long as the
Jewish heart beats in sympa hy with jew
Ism ideals, as long as we keep allght tho
torch OF our language and literature as
long as We make the synagogue the center
Of our spiritual and intellectual aspi.a-
lions, as long as we study the word of
God. We shall preserve our nationallt. in
tact As long as we keep the Sanctuary
IN our midst we shall jealousy guard or
ancestral inhertenee, we shall be pro ID
Of the name of jew. And do not imagine
we shall lose caste with our non Jewish
heighbors Ivy openly protesting our Juda-
ism Quite the contrary, Every right
thinking man will respect the one who
firmly maintains his convictions. 1t Is
only the coward who strives In vain to
conceal his Jewish origin that forfeics the
very respect which he Is so anx.ois 70.
gain Let us then endow our temple til
our zeal aud devotion; let us exclalm with
the Psalmist: II was glad whoa they
said unto me let us go into the house OF
the lord' Let us give our minds to the
study OF Holy Writ. to the ulivat o. OF
our literature and language, to re search
In our unique history, 10 the pursuit ol
those splendid ideals, which have been
preached by our poet-prophe.s. and we
shall he efiecting a real sancthcaton OF
Gods Holy Name, and may success crown
our efforts, Amen
And lot the beauty Of the Lord our
God be upon us and establish Thou the
work OF our hands upon us, yea the work
OF our hands establish thou it,"
| Almighty God Thou who hast pre-
Served Thy people .rael through so many
Vicssitudes, Thou, who hast upheld and
supported them through so many cen
turtles, bless this congregation whose
hearts are now lifted up to Thee in
prayer! Grant Thy servant strength 10
perform his sacred duties grant him for.
titude to carry on his mission! lncline
the hearts OF his congregation toward him
ana establish peace. friendship and CON
cord between him and this congregatfl IN.
May we learn to realize the sublimity Of
our faith, the nobility of our sacred her
itage' the glory of our history, the beauty
OF our literature, Make our way even
ana our path smooth Spare us from
sickness sorrow or grief Incline our
/ hearts toward Thee and remember us IN
the day OF our distress. R'ess this greut
nation and its leaders, Bless This hnly
,onsregaton' Bless the work OF our