The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-04-24
B'NAI BIRTHS WORK.
The Last Day Of the Busy Con.
yention.
MOVEMENTS FOR LIBERAL CULTURE.
Plans for Instructing Jewish Youth in
History and Literature.
PAST PRESIDENTS WILL HAVE A VOICE
Growing influence Of the Younger Mem
bers Offset by New Privileges
for the Elders.

The convention OF the seventh district Of
the independent order OF B'nai Birth con
tlnhed their work yesterday. The session
opened at 10 a. m. aud continued with lit
tie lntcrniission throughout the greater por-
tion OF the day closing with an executive
session late In the afternoon.
The report on amendments WAS referred
10 the committee on laws and lodges The
following amendment was proposed 40
amend article 10 Of section ., In the sixth
line after the word parts Insert II he
shall not nave otherwise designated TO one
or more or his childrcn."
Tho report on intellectual culture was
read and action postponed until the after
noon session. II was as follows:
Your committee on intellectual culture
regrets TO report that the lodges OF the dis.
tHcl have not taken up this feature Of our
work with that zeal aud thoroughness
which its nature merits So far as could
he ascertained through uroihciH sources,
few of the lodges lave not been derclict,
huf II may he safely asserted mat lu Il
gIeut majority of them the suggestions OF
inc standing committee are rot followed or
even attempted. The increase IN the runks
Of noneudoWment ln-mhrin, who u-u3Illy
enter WITH iacal impulses. justinrs tue hope
7hdi intellectual culture ray vet become As
characteristic Of uuf order as rs rs hcuev
o.ent work at present The paths mat lcad
10 this goal are as set undiscovered. The
greatest obstacle iS that The average Jew
s. a luau Of business, Who prefers 80 spend
DIS leisure iu the tclaAHtious Of the club
T0om Of tho E1ictles ~ The house OF plons-
IRE. While tuesc diversions are proper in
their place. VIC do not believe thHt they
SHOULD suppiant or obscure he Fundamentals at
duty Of cultyAting HE heart by cnrching
the Intellect When 10 T. apparent thar
both ran not exist In u community 10 Is
give IL 10 the more substantial and refining
Influence OF mental culture
n 10 our duty tu encourage aud 10 stlmu-
late by every proper means individual cf,
Tort Tor progress iu the achievements ur
the mind and the convention Grafton aud
essay should De bar type Of the monthly
lodge oratlou md essay. Nor should ora.
tors aud essNyists direct their c0orts Ia
Illustrating the objects OF the order, or tn
eAhortl1g itH nrmbers 70 II" their duty.
Ne know our duty ana that are derc-
hcl IN Ing performance hut we hav& OK
e"litiNr officers to look after that, ana we
si at the feet Of our orators and cssayiats,
that we may reap the benefits of their
scholarship. rcscureh and industry. The
field " Jewish history, philosophy thculu
~, etc, Is wide ana NOT entirely developed.
We COGnt ourseNp, fortunate in the op
Pormnity Of hearing the earnest elolucnce
o. The orator Of tue convention, Brothcr
J.. WJlscy OF Little Rock. aud We welcome
ga the records " The grand lodge the Schol
ary essay Of brother {. pcsscls We eau
uot refNlln from intruding into the prov
irce OF other committees with the remark
mat the presence OF our beloved leader aud
thut ueycr-taillug spring Of hewltchiug elo
Quencc, whose haGitnt Is Ia Mississlppi
h1Nc caused q mental intoNicatlou, whict
produces lmpaticncc for the arrival of Thu
We commend the effort Of your stnndin,
cnmuittcc on intellectual culture To on
courage the production Of drama by
J wish author cNeInpifyng Jewish char
AFTER. and we recommend the appropriation
Of the suui 81 $50 for the purchase of
scholarship as reward for such author
fhip. ia b. awarded in the discretion o
that con- uittcr.
We call your attention 70 that scctior
~ tlt Presidents message referring 10 tht
Introduction Of tho lectures aud lcCtur,
courses Of the Jewish ChautauQul Society
md recommend that proper steps he tukNl
"nd propef appropriations made for ~
effective operation In every communitl
iu Tho district
II is our opinion that the methods of Tia,
Chautauqua Society arc calculated. NOR
than any other system ;hua far presented
4" hiring about that mental uplftmen
which is the universal desire. Its success
VIII depend chiefly on the consideration
and unrcmtting efforts of its promoters
hut much also upon n good beginning. va
therefore advise the exercise OF cxtrem
care thar none but lecturers of scholarship
NM ren9wh pe introduced, men whose OF
forts WIN be permanent contribution
10 Jewish literature. The system Is no
meant for entertainment, but instruction
and for once the Cruces of oratory shoul
We congratulate the National Council q
Jewish Women upon their efforts for th
upllfimept of our people and pledge thpr
cur hearty support we call YOUR atru
tlon Ia the fact that the council, MS wei
ny the Chautauqua society, have aduptC
effective means whereby our boys nm
girls may he brought to knowledge .
Jewish history, philosophy aud lteratur,
lnasmuch as our Youths Ans iliaries hnV
the same common object, we hc
iieve that II would he wise &
Bring about union OF tn
work Of these three organizations In tina
direction. The advantage Of union ant
the hangcrs OF confusion In such matter
are too well known 10 require cxtcnde,
statement and there should be hruugh
shout either concerted action OF the with
drnwa VI two of those organizations frou
this field az cndenvor, The facility witt
which the business OF the convention 4
dispatched under the new regime threaten
10 improperly shorten the session OF IN
convention: In order 10 reigedy this condl
Won and to furnish opportunity for III
exercise Of the oratorlul talent Of the mem
bers, we advise that ona afternoon Of Ca,l
session he set apart for the general dls
cUssion OF subject ~ interest 10 tn
Jews. that such subject be selected In ld
vance Of the convention and that pape
thereon he perpared and read nv a mem
her NJ tho grand lodge TO he selected b,
the standing cominIttee
Respectfully submitted,
": j. Danncnhaum,
Isldcre Lewnthal