Los Angeles herald., 1907-09-09
CEREMONY GREETS
JEWISH NEW YEAR
566s IS usHERED IN AT TEMPLE
B'NAl BIRTH
Rev. Or. s. Hecht breaches to Large
congresation-Lights, Flowers
and Draperies Grace
Sanctuary

Solemn New Year services of 566S, ac-
cording to Jewish calendar, were held
throughout civilization last night.
Temple B'nai Birth was ablaze with
light. White draperies in front of the
ark and around the pulpit desk lent an
impressive appearance to the sanctuary,
while floral decorations added to the
beauty of the house. The temple quartet
rendered the solemn traditional melodies
and the large congregation filled every
available space in the sanctuary The
rabbi Rev. DIR. S. Hecht, had charge of
the service and at the close of it, before
the mourners' prayer, delivered an ad-
dress
He said:
Upward is the path of life. We, the
children of the living God, are climbing
that path. Occasionally we halt in the
ascent to ascertain, IL possible, the pro-
portion between the results aimed at and
achieved. We have artifcially divided
time, have borrowed from the waning
and waxing moons the proper distances,
and by unanimous consent have declared
that twelve lunar revolutions. counting
from the new moon of Tishri, the seventh
month"; shall constitute year.
"Sudh a renewal we have reached in
this hour, and we have come to halt
in our climbing the rugged path. have
watched the dial of time, which, has
changed from 5667 to $685. the number
representing the newborn year, the ruler
of time for the next twelve months.
What Dost Thou Seer
"And as we are gathered in this house
of God tonight the hush of solemnity
falls upon us and out of that silence we
hear distinctly a voice that seems to ask,
What dost thou see?
'The prophets of old had heard that
same question, and the answers they
made, though apparently incongruous.
might aid us in supplying the required
answers to our earnest self-inquiry.
''The prophet Zechariah answered the
question by saying: L see flying
SCROLL 1t was in this strange and pc
culiar form that he read the signs of the
time That flying scroll, conjured up
before the vision of the man OF Vlvlu
imagination, seemed to him to bear on
its unfurled. surface the register OF the
peoples shortcomings and faults; they
were in sight of all, and at the same
time indicated the disastrous results OF
a perseverance in that course.
..And as we, seeking an answer to that
inquiry. naturally think of the prophet
that vision, peculiar as it was, becomes
instinct with meaning for us and teaches
us sthe great lesson of receiving and
giving The harmony of the universe
depends upon mans making return Tor
what he receives. The selfish man would
receive, always get, but never think OF
giving He disturbs the equilibrium In
nature, in society, and though for a time
he may believe himself at an advantage
he discovers, often too late, that he him
self has been deceived, has deceived
himself most cruelty. The curtain is
rung down upon his career and utter
darkness envelops him.
Advantages to Come
.sBut he who gives of the dealth, of the
wisdom. of the power he received, will
gloriously establish the fact that his
life fulflls a purpose, because he will
leave behind him something that VIII
rebound to the advantage OF the fu-
ture."
In like manner the speaker treated the
vision of the prophet Amos, who hau
seen a plumb-line in the hands of God,
pointing out how the divine in man, the
builder and architect of the temple of
needs to Nppiy the plump,nne
to his work, in order that the sublime
structure may answer its purpose.
"And once more the question is heard:
What seest thou"
Here the speaker feelingly alluded to
the beareavements that have fallen upon
the members of the congregation during
the year, to the sorrows and sickness
which might prompt many to take a
gloomy view of things, to question the
wisdom and justice of God. and said:
"Such views are not justified by the
proper conception of life, by the even
present duty of making returns for re-
ceipts Love must think of self last and
least; true love is sacrifice. The tears
you weep must not be tears of bitterness,
but of sweet memories which never die,
of hope which ever sustains.
The Future
"As to the future-that is mercifully
hidden from our view; we know that