Los Angeles herald., 1906-01-07
PORTLAND RABBI SCORES
THE TRUSTEES
Reads Open Letter Addressed to
Temple Emanuel in New York,
Largest Jewish Congregation
in the United States
BY Associated Press.

United States on the freedom of the
pulpit. His letter was i'm part:
When a majority OF the trustees of
Emanuel came to me for the purpose of
ascertaining whether call to occupy
it's pulpit would be accepted. and, if
accepted, upon what terms, I made but
one stipulation If l accept q call to
Emanuers pulpit / do SO with the
understanding that l am to be free and
that my pulpit is not TO bc muzzled.
MY stipulation was met by the state
ment of the committee, The pulpit
shall always be subject to and under
the control Of the board Of trustees
which statement has not been dis
aVoved at either of two subsequent
meetings of the board of trustees. Such
a formula Is not chiefly humliating TO
me, who unequivocally reject it's terms.
but much more humiliating to the con-
gregaticn in the name of which terms
are offered A question of supreme
importance has been raised, whether
the pulpit shall Dc free or whether the
pulpit shall not be free. The whole
position of the churches is involved in
this question, for the steadily waning
influence Of church and synagogue is
due i'm no small part, | hold, to the
widespread belief that the pulpit is not
free and that it Is subject to and under
the control Of those officers and mem
bers of the church or synagogue who
for any reason are powerful in it's
counsels.'
The communication to the temple
trustees by DR.. Wise further reads:
Rabbi Must Yield
The logical consequence of a con-
flict of irreconcilablc views between the
rabbi and the board of trustees is
that one or the other must give way.
Naturally it must be the rabbi. 1t
goes without saying. therefore, that a
such a juncture he should have the
privilege of resignng. His failure to
exercise that option necessarily implies
an acquiescence by him in the views of
the board of trustees.
In personal conference with mem
bcrs of the committee said Dr. Wise.
this was explained 20 mean that if
some members Of the congregation
should differ from my views expressed
in the pulpit and should make repre-
ScntatiOn to that effect to the board of
trustees, the latter would expect me to
alter or he silent touching the views to
which objection had been raised.
The mere fact that n certain num-
Der. not necessarily "a majority of the
members of the congregation, or cor
tain members Of the board OF trustees
retraction, silence or resignation with
out the slightest guarantee that reason
and right are on the side of the OBJ
jeCtors. The mere statement of the
case is his own sCVercSt condemnation.
How can n man be vital and indie
pendent and helpful if he be tethered
and muzzled? a free pulpit will some
times stumble into errcr. A pulpit that
is not free can never powerfully plead
for truth and righteousness. The min
lister is not to he the spokesman Of the
congregation, not its message bearer.
but the bearer Of message to the con-
gregation.
Schism Better Than CoWardice
"Too great n dread there may be of
secession on the part of some members
Of the congregation, but, after all, diff
ference and disquiet. even schism at
the worst, are not so much to be feared
as that attitude of the pulpit which
never proVOkes dissent because it is
cautious rather than courageous, peace
loving rather than prophetic, time
serving rather than right serving. The
position of the board of trustees asserts.
not as it alleges the right to criticiSc
the pulpit which does not demand eX-
enptiCn from criticism, but to silence
its occupant. to imply that the board
l. y
right, or else that the conviction Of the
| board of trustees snail stand whether
right or wrong. and that the minister
must aCquiesCe in these conviction
right or wrong, or else resign. Under
! the terms stipulated by the board of
trustees the minister may in time be
called upon to acquiesce in views of the
! board of trustees at variance with
| those held by them today
mot only is he expected to sign away
| his present II dependence but to mort
| gage his Intellectual end moral liberty
| for the future, to subscribe to a state
| ment of present and future convictions
! of the board OF trustees to blank
! page. the contents which are to be de-
! termined, not on the basis of his
understanding of and loyalty to the
| teachings of his religion. but by the
| views of the board of trustees This
! is indeed TO attempt to rob the pulpit
! Of every vestige OF freedom and indie
| pendence. ] am asked to point the way
and my hands are tied; | am asked 10
go before, and my feet are fettered.
Too Great Sacrifice
"If could bring myself to accept a
call TO Emaaue's pulpit upon such
terms, and this is unthnkable, the
trustees would never find it necessary
yictions. as it is, with idle rhetoric, inn
piled they would not do. for assent on
my part to the stipulation involving the
subsection to. and control of the pulpit
by them would involve such sacrifice
of principles as would leave me no
convictions worthy of the name to sur
render at any subsequent behest of the
beard of trustees.
The absence of friction in the past
between the rabbis and board of trus-
tees OF Emanuel. TO which the com
munication refers. proves that the pul,
pit has been circumspect or that 1t has
been most effectually muzzled. or thai
the board of trustees have had the for,
bearance Of tine angels with the occu,
pants of the pulpit.
'As for the forbearance of angels
which has possibly been theirs / wisl
TO make clear that / would not delive
my conscience into the keeping of tn,
angels. MY conscience is my own