Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-27
QUERIES PROPOUNDED
DISCOURSE BY RABBI STERN OF
HEBREW CHURCH.
Lessons Drawn From the story OF
Jonah-Love Of Freedom,
Good Citizenship.

Rabbi Stern Of the Hebrew synagogue on
9Th street between H and / Streets oe-
lIyered a discourse before his congregation
Yesterday afternoon, in observance VI
THANKSGIVING day, in which he SAID. IN
part:
.sHoly writ tells US that Jonah, the
nronhst. unwilling to do the bidding Of God
and endeavoring to flee from His presence
+ook massage ON q ship bound for Tarshish.
A fierce storm arose and the crew. frantic
with fear, cried aloud. every man to his
god while Jonah lay fast asleep in the
hold of the ship The mariners. wondering at
the mans strange behavior. aroused him and
asked him these questions: What is thy
occupation?' Whence contest thou. and
what is thy country7' OF what people art
thou?'
To-day a grateful nation unites in prayers
of thanksgiving to the throne of grace.
Indeed 1t would be strange and surprising.
as In the story just told. to see any citizen
of this land lie asleep. as 1t were. or stand
aside indifferently, If not sullenly, amid
this great national rejoicing. this magnifi
cent outburst of patriotic enthusiasm. this
grand manifestation of just gratitude for
blessings so lavishly showered upon US.
"True, our ship of state does not always
Klide along smoothly 1t is but natural
that amid a population of more than eighty
millions of souls. heterogeneous In charac-
ter and distributed over vast area, ex-
tending from the Atlantic to the Pacific
and from the Canadian border to the south
ern seas. diverse questions, social, economic
and political, should arise, the solution of
which we'll may battle the best and wisest
OF governments. Yet we know that, on the
whole our national affairs are successfully
conducted. Our people are generally pros
porous, happy and contented And 1t Is
meet and proper that today, above all
other days. these facts should be duly en-
DhaSiZed and gratefully aCkDnulad0ad
With a view of arriving at an intelligent
recognition and appreciation of the bless
ings we enjoy as nation. let us be guided
by the queries quoted in our test
Whence contest thouT The cradle of
the great masses OF the Inhabitants of this
Land. or their ancestors. stood in European
lands Europe, with Its high state of cul-
ture Its various attractions and numerous
points OF interest, Turing annually thou
sands OF our citizens to travel abroad, but
also with its empires. Kingdoms and multi
farious principalities, Its manifold conflict
ing interests and consequent unrest and
ever burning questions, Europe even to-
day is a volcano threatening dire disaster at
any moment Peace can be maintained
only at immense sacrifices. Enormous Is
the numerical strength of It's standing arm
les. comprising the flower OF its manhood,
depriving labor and industry of millions
of sturdy arms and skillful hands. and i'm
posing the burden of heavy taxation upon
the masses even the masses Of the strug-
CLING poor. who thus are driven by the
hundreds of thousands to seek their for
tunes elsewhere.
These conditions, together with more or
less illiberal and oppressive measures pecuI-
tar to monarchical forms of government.
are largely responsible for that feeling of
unrest and dissatisfaction far SURPRISING
In extent, intensity and bitterness any
thing similar to that which now and then
may come to the surface in our own midst
and that can only be held In check and
subdued by the strong arm Of those in
power.
Our Country,
And now What is thy country?' the
country of our birth or adoption. A coun-
try abundantly blessed by the goodness of
the Creator: of amazing wealth and bound
less resources-but blessed far more Ours
lit cannot be said too often-is a free coun-
try. ours government by the people and