The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1906-10-06
BLESSED HOPE.
Unsurpassed by ANY Other Gift ProvI-
dence Has Bestowed Upon Human
ity-Fine Sermon by Rabbi
Klein at Jewish Me-
mortal Services.

ity-Fine Sermon by Rabbi
Klein at Jewish Me-
mortal Services.
At the memorial services held in
/ Synagogue Bikur Cholim last satur.
| day, the Jewish Day OF Atonement,
Rabbi NJ. Klein delivered forceful
and eloquent sermon on stHope, .
taking his text from these words:
sWhy art thou cast down, o my soul:
and why art thou disquieted in me!
Hope thou in God: for | shall yet
praise Him for the help of His coun-
tenance. The Chief takes pleasure
in reproducing herewith the full text
| of DR.. Klein's remarks:
ssThe day is passing: the shadows
lengthen. From morning till noon,
from noon till evening have we dwe1t
together in this hour of spiritual fell
lowship. The moment of the closing
advances, and as we go forth, each of
us to take up the thread of Iife's work
| once again. what message sounds this
| hour unto us-the height of Atonement
season, the hour of glorious consumma-
ton of the holy periods promise?
Before God the secrets of the heart
have been laid bare; the sense of our
shortcomings has weighed many of us
down, but the very acknowledgment of
fault is the beginning Of betterment,
the very confession of sin the COM
mencement of better life. AS the
day has advanced, throughout our
prayers the gladstone refrain OF for
giveness has become ever more promi-
nent, and at the closing service, in the
very ecstaey of devotion, reeonciled
with conscience and with God, let as
go forth with new life and spirit. new
strength and faith in the eternal one
God: Him have we sought, Him have
we found-this our truth, this9gour
hope, this our spiritual life. Thus
the closing hours of the day bring US
hope, and as a precious encourage
ment for the trials and temptations of
the coming days call out in the linger-
ing tones of friendly cheer: hope, be
strong, have courage, despair not.
1--WE have read the touching memo
rial service in recollection of our dear
departed; in love we recalled them,
feeling convinced that the bright light
of their spiritual presence hoYered
about US. In remembering their vir-
tues, in thinking upon their good
deeds, we gained inspiration to so
live that when the summons comes for
US to join them in the mysterious
realm above, where each shall take
his chamber in the silent halls of death,
we may hope that our lives have
been an uplifting example to all
about US and that our memories will
be ever redolent OF loving deeds
and faithful acts.
During the coming year we know
not who will be called hence, but upon
Whoms soever it may fall to meet trial
OF this kind the day Of God gives as
it's parting word: hope, be of good
courage, forsake not. Our strength
that is unto US given shall be so ap-
piled as to make our lives worthy of
the love of God, and in all the change
of things our hope and our strength
must base themselves first and last
upon the goodness of God, SO exquis-
itely expressed by our masters and
teachers il Israel.
g Hope thou in God, for / shall yet
praise Him for the help of his coun-
ten ance. = One Of our sages once
said: IF the all-powerful Being, hold
ing in one hand the realization of all |
human desires, and in the other hope, |
said to me, Choose, would say, o, |
Almighty and all-powerful God, keep
for thyself reality, but leave to me
hope, which is the better for me.
Great is the blessing of hope, un-
surpassed by any other gift with |
which Providence has blessed hui
manity. Hope is the sunshine of the
soul; without it our inner life would
become barren even as the earth /
plunged in darkness. Hope is like the
dew and rain unto vegetation; without T
It our blossoms Of Joy would fade and /
Wither. Even unto the breaking eyes
OF the dying, hope presents the lovely I
picture of Immortality. It pierces the
darkness of the sepulchre aad pene-
tr ates the hidden realms of death. 1t
soothes the heart of the bereft with the
promise of a fearless reunion in the t
hereafter, when the garments OF NOR
tality shall have been dotted and the
white robes Of eternity shall clothe as
with glory and joy. 1t is well that
Israel, above all other nations, should /
hope. have good courage and forsake
not. All chains are not yet broken;
tyranny is still raising aloft its hide
Gus head. Many of our brethren are
still laboring under oppressive laws
and amid hostile surroundings. The
twentieth century has not fulfilled its
promise. But hope abides with US,
and whether salvation comes from the
east Or from the west, We feel that
come It must.
aAnd SO, let Us learn the lesson of
hope. When we have mastered it
thoroughly we will know better how to
1