The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-12-09
B'NAI BIRTH DAY
IMPREssIvE CEREMONY AT TEsf-
 PILE BETH-OR LAST NIGHT.
Mir. A. Lee 0berdorfer, of Birming- ham, Spoke Interestingly on
 "The New Patriotism~ To 3a Laxee Audience.

The celebration of B'Nai B'Rith Day, the ceremonies of Emanuel and Ala bama Lodges of the InternationaI Order of B'Nai B'Rith in Temple Beth Or last night were, both Interesting and impressive to the large congregation of the members and friends of the order who heard them.
 s Beginning with the eloquent address of Rabbi B. F. Ehrenreich on "Chari- ty,' the program executed included also the oration by A. Leo Oberdorfer, of Birmingham. on "The New Patriotism" :" a learned but vibrantly vital setting forth of universal humanitarianism; and sympathetic reading of one or the best4 speeches of the late Leo. N. Levi. inl his life the most beloved of the order in the district of the United States. by A B. Meyer. When. the congregation gathered no electrical current could be had for H. illumination and the light afforded by d few gas-Jets and several candles placed at the altar was so dim that not even an attempt to render the music planned to add to the beauty and pleasurable solemnity of the occasion was made. Rienzi Thomas had been expected to give two organ recitalsy Mrs. I. H. simon, vocal solo, For All Eternity; Miss Nellie Wolff. violin solo. Wagner's "Walther's Prize Song; and Leoh B. Kohn, vocal solo. sHold Thou My Hand" The disappointment was general.
 C. F. Moritz introduced the Rabbi as the first speaker. pr. Ehrenreich speaking upon charity as his general theme. dealt eloquently with the gen. eral advancement of humanity towards q wider and fuller conception of the duty of man to man. More and more, he said. man had come to realize the obligations laid upon him.
 Speaking then more particularly of the duties as we'll as the accomplish ment of B'Nai B.Ritr, he told of what the order stands r;,wfiAt are its pur- poses. and how well it is consuminating them. He reviewed the labors of the order. and dwelt particularly upon the succor. 1t afforded the immigrant Jews, who coming from lands of op- ca. meet with injustice because of their ignorance of language. GUS toms and law; helpless because they had been crushed by long years of practical servitude. Yet those people, he said, yearning for the breath of freedom, showed. the broad signs of citizenship sand would one day be a strong element in the better civiliza- ton of the country. It was. to these people, pr. Ehrenreich concluded, that the Order of BiNai B'Rith had afforded and expected to afford help, and it could do no higher or better work It was particularly the members of the Southern District of the Order who could help them by bringing them to the South and the Southwest The mere payment Of dues was not all the members could do; they must offer the hand of benevolence and speak the word of comfort and announcement that would make the strangers feel they were at last in the home of the free.
 Mir. Moritz. introducing Mir. ober- dorfer, said that besides the purpose of charity, the order wished to incul- cate honor and patriotism in it's mem bers present and prospective. and that the orator of the evening would speak to that purpose.
 Mir. Oberdorfer treated 'the New Patriotism" with scholarly but vitally eloquent force. To rabbis and theo- logians, MT. Oberdorfer began. and to the Grand Lodge of the order. must be left the solution of some of the more Intricate problems of religion and so- ciology; but the members of the order, surveying the field of human endeayor, past and present. must ask themselves what part they will play in the great movement toward complete civiliza- tion.
 The nineteenth century was the age of science. he said. and it's marvellous material accomplishments are the in- signia and trophies of its wonderful wisdom. But the physical improve ments were merely means to an end. and the spirit of that century were more than mechanical and utilitarian.
 The foundation of eleemosynary in- stitutions, the abolition of cruel and Unnecessary punishment, signified the spread of democracy. he said. and the movement is accelerated by public ed- ucation. The charity of the ancients, from an impulse of pity. gave way to ! the charity impelled by sense of duty. The advancement of woman in social and civic rank followed and was one of, the most beneficent changes wrought.
 War, now almost the one great blot upon civilization. he said, is tend ing to exterminate itself. The better the weak and the unfortunate, the spread of education through the foun- dation of schools and libraries, shows that the new patriotism. which raises altruism above egoism, has already been firmly established and is growing stronger with each succeeding day.
 As there is a new patriotism. he con- tinued, so there was new traitor, the men who through fear or for favor dared not to speak the right, but held for what was to his own advantage. He was the truest patriot who stood bravely and fought eor the right and for liberty.
 At the conclusion of the oration the congregation retired after a benedic. tion from Rabbi Ehrenreich.