Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-30

this country than there was fifty year.
the people and the country at the presen,
Ia the uplifting influence OF the church.
Ine church is more powerful than II was
ntty years ago, and Its influence has been
,en. Fifty years ago there was stain on
disappeared, as IF washed away with a
sponge dipped in the flower OF the repub-
Hc-the stain OF human slavery has been
removed never to return.
A Great People.
The Jewish people are a great people
venerable people. with a remarkable his
tory, which touches the dullest student pro-
foundly. Their part in the uplifting of the
United States has been eminent. The rep
resentatives of this race are found In
every walk of life. They are a positive,
conservative force. They are found in
art, In science, in sculpture, in letters, In
law, IN medicine. in commerce-in short,
In all avenues where work is being done.
This jubilee is time of contrast and we
turn to contrast the Hebrew in this and
In other lands. During the last few months
the eyes of the world have been on Russia.
The story Is too horrible; 1t challenges our
credulity. 1t seems impossible that at this
age In the worlds progress thousands and
tens Of thousands Of men, women and chill
dren should be put to death for no cause
except that in their hearts runs the blood
of the Jew.
How different from our country and our
lot. We hope that IT is the beginning of
the end. The voice of the entire civiliza-
ton should be heard in mighty protest to
such deeds. In this hour the people of the
United States-Jews and Gentiles alike
should from their abundance lend succor
to those in their hour of dire extremity.
Il am gratified to be with you and to
indulge in the hope that the fifty years
In the future shall be even more fruitful
than the past fifty. This Is the dividing
line. between the fifty that have gone and
the nifty that are to come. What shall
they say. those who stand here fifty years
hence? Let them say that their ancestors
wrought well; that the spirit which inspires
you has grown in strengthened may that
time be the perfect fulffllment of the splen-
did possibilities of 1908"
The Vice Presidents address greeted
with hearty applause.
Commissioner Vests Address.
Commissioner Henry L. West was the
next speaker. He spoke in part as follows:
Fifty years are factor in the life of a
human being, but how meager such
period OF time appears in the eternity of
Him to whom a thousand years but as
day. How narrow such a span of time
even in comparison with the history of the
race which this congregation SO worthily
represents. Through 5000 years the Jewish
people have existed. many times passing
through great tribulation, and yet always
maintaining their dominant characteristics.
6lldlI not lblllBHl weary you Will a re-
view of that history. Time will not per-
nit, nor could l be expected to add any
thing to your store of knowledge
Let me, however, dwell for a moment
upon the two great debts which the world
owes to the Jewish people.
Onward and Upward.
IF we are liberty-loving cosmopolitans
concerned more in the onward and upward
tendency of the human race than in the
events which marked the emancipation of
any one nation, we must go back to
period antedating the United States and
England and France-aye, even before the
days of Sparta-to the first great move
ment toward the bursting of the bonds of
human slavery. Because it was the first
recorded event in the development of hu-
man democracy, the exodus Of the Jews
from Egypt ought to command far more
attention than Is generally accorded to it
Viewed simply as the endeavor of a people