The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-10-03
SERMON ON
THE SH0FAR
Rabbi Merritt Delivers Fine
Lecture to Hebrews.
RECALLS ANCIENT CUSTOM
-ISraeIites are Commended for
Righteous Ways.

With a modern cornet, blown by a
Wichita musician. for a -shofar7 the
rams horn whose resounding tones have
proclaimed the Jewish New Year from
time iInmemorial the Hebrews Of this
|, city ushered in the first day of their new
year. Beautiful services were held in
sedgwicH Music hall yesterday morning.
conducted by Rabbi Merritt OF the He
brew Union college of Cincinnati.
There was not so large q number of
people in the congregation as Wednesday
evening, but the service was moro i'm
pressive and grand The music yester-
day was very exceptional and the solos
were rendered with pleasing skill. A
prayer service preceded Mr. Merritts lee
ture. His sermon was an instructive one
and taught a lesson Wen worth every
mans attention.
Mr.. Merritt took as his subject the
"shofar. which has been in all ages past
utensil Of the temple. Before begin
ming his lecture the clear sound of
cCrnet could be heard ringing out the
four calls of the shofar. namely: Tekioh
and Shevorim of Ternoh and Tekieh Ged-
oloh.
The speaker spoke of how the younger
generation had probably never thought of
the significance of these calls, but told
how the hearts of the older generations
were filed with joy at its sounding. He
spoke of how reform had done away with
many of the ancient traditions of the
Jewish people His sermon expressed a
regret in its every word that his people
were ~discarding these grand old customs
Of their fathers. He said:
The shofar with ali its symbolic
snatches. IS the guide that leads the on
locker from picture to picture. furnishing
the information without which these
PAINTINGS would be mere dsubs of color
on Iifeess. background
The different calls represent the youth
with all his ambition and ideals his bat
tie with facts, and his defeats and vic
tories. He brought out the full force
of these meanings and expressed himself
in an elegant manner.
Despair" he said, sis the crucibie
from which the soul comes forth fiawed
and fiecked with doubts and negations or
firm and compact with the unshakable
strength of faith. 1t is a pressure that
brushes or solidihes, force that makes
atheists and skeptics or creates heroes
and prophets of the ideal In deeper
souls it begets the negation, that matter
speaks the final word. that force Is the
fundamental reality of the universe. In
the shallower spirits it finds expression
in the dictum of Epicureanism, eat drink
and be merry, for tomorrow we die
Judaism has a different answer to the
enigmas and perplexities of this patch of
light set in the darkness of the unknown.
Jewish idealism finds its source and its
strength in optimism. 1t rejects the chill
ling negation of the atheist. 1t scorns
the maudlin cry of the epicurean.
In conclusion Mr.. Merritt said:
This is the re-echoing message that
the shofar sounds-strength TO aspiring
youth. courage to struggling ideahsm,
hope for the bafflad seeker, rest for the
despairing heart. And as we go to our
homes today, filed with the sacred joy
of the new year. let US fix this age-old adj
age of the shofar in our hearts. Let us
resolve in the spirit of this day TO aim
at the highest and noblest ideals in life
to advance with firmness and resolution
bearing our burdens manfully and we'll
to go forward TO meet the future armed
with courage and hope and an unfiinch-
ing trust in the Divine love and benef
cience of the Unseen Goodness"