Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-02-24
NRSH|NG1ORS BIRTHDAY
AN E1cELLENT DISCOURSE PREACH
ED by RABBI HARRY LEVI
ON FRIDAY.
THE PATRIOT AN EXAMPLE
In Many Things for American Citi-
xens-Reas0ns Why We Remember
Washington, and the Lessons
Taught by His Life and Acts, Flo
quently and Logically Presented.

AL the EOH street IempIe last friday,
Rabbi Harry Levi preached a very
| earnest and forcible sermon, selecting
as his theme why Do We Remember
Washington" He dwelt upon the life
and character of the great patriot, and
the lessons taught by 1t. Following is
the full text of his excellent address:
Two weeks ago as February II ap-
preached, we felt ourselves being ir-
resistably drawn beneath the spell OF
honest old Abe. So we said a word
about him, a word of tribute and APP
probation. To-day we have lived
through the anniversary of the birth
of another, the first President, h Fa-
Their of his, of our country. The jutax-
position of these two anniversary days,
falling as they do so al each other,
! might we'll this evening offer us occa-
sion for a comparison between the two
men of whose lives they are comment
orative. And indeed the comparison
would be neither useless nor uninter-
esting. Both lived for their country,
both labored for il, the n over q
century ago, the other not yet a half
century ago. Both had definite ideas
as to what they owed that country.
and both tried to carry out their ideas.
So they had resemblances; but they
had differences, too, and influence of a in
structive and striking kind, to some
degree perhaps the products of their
differing times, but also no doubt the
products of their differing personali-
ties. But both achieved large results,
and it is for history TO put the proper
estimate ON those results. Perhaps it
is doing so already; without any Ques-
ton it has done SO. Already the ac-
c~hievements of Washington and Lin
coin are being compared n people
are trying to determine to which the
country has mor reaSo to be graft
fed. 1t would indeed be a pleasant
bit of work to contribute something to
the discussion this evening. But aside
from the fact that the profit to be de-
rived from such a contribution would
be questionable, and aside, too, from
the fact that there is other work to
do, during the years that are gone We
have as these differing anniversaries
have made their appearance said such
a word as would permit you to draw
your own conclusions as to the COM
parative Importance of the men we re-
member. And after all perhaps that
has been best. We have characterized
Washington, we have characterized
Lincoln. We have tried to call atten-
ton to the particularly admirable fea-
lures of both; have tried to show why
both deserve a position in our Hall
of Fame, and have left it to you to
differentiate their distinctive contribu-
tons to the welfare our country now
enjoys. What conclusions you have
arrived at l do not know; but whatever
conclusions they are they are you own,
and nothing but time itself shall refute
or confirm them.
This evening then I institute no COM
p~arison, for l am satisfied with what
has been done by the two men men
toned. What / offer is simply a word,
to me. appropriate to the occasion. /
spoke to you two weeks ago about Lin
coin. Tonight i turn the hand of
time back and speak to you of Wash
ington, though in a manne in which
perhaps l have not spoken of him be-
fore. But really there is nothing sur
prising in that. More and more as the
years hurry by do VIZ see Washing
ton in a different light. He did so
much in the life that was his that those
who lived near him in time found it
almost impossible to refrain from en-
larging on his achievements, and so
adding to his glory, but at the same
time tranagressing the limits of truth
But we are separating the chaff from
the wheat to-day. To-day l dare say
we know Washington better than did
many within whose lifetime he pass
ed away, and by whom though lauded,
he was no doubt misunderstood. And
learning to know Washington as we
do, We are coming to see that we do
not need the legends that have grown
UP about him to make his life mean
something to us. We look above and
beyond those legends; yes, and above
and beyond his minor faults too flor
like all other men he had them) for a
proper understanding of what he did
for his country and so for all time.
1t is of these larger results achieved by
Washington that | would speak to you
this evening, and I weave my thoughts
into the form of an answer to the ques-
ton, why do we remember the Fa-
Their of our county?"
You will not, | am sure either mis-
understand II misinterpret ME when
| suggest that by the word we / re-
fer to those of Us who as members Of
Israel, are gathered here this evening.
What want to do is to see why we
remember Washington. For after all
great men are ours, not as others find
occasion to eulogize them, but as we
do. For what boots it US to know that
others land certain men. l doubt not
that in Russia Russians bow the head
and bend the knee when the names
of their rulers, past or present, are
mentioned. and no doubt the same
thing is true in Galicia and Roumania.
and other countries where Jewish his
tory still spells Jewish martydom. So
it would be no consequence to us this
evening at all to ask why Americans
as a whole have reason to sing Wash
ington's praises. That we know. All
history speaks the answer. But what
We want to find out is the degree to
which the Jew al echo the answer
and re-echo it as February % comes
and goes each year.
| may say at once then that the Jew
accepts the estimate of history and en-