The Jewish outlook., 1908-02-07

only the Latin but all other races than
the AnglO-SaXo are dying, slowly, 1t
is true. but none the less surely. Vol
umes have been written to prove these
assertions. and the whole student
world is becoming convinced by the
arguments advanced. But to return
to my story.
Our ancient lineage caught up the
music so descriptive of national
thought and tribal government and to
their natural and intense patriotism
we must ascribe the credit of pre-
serving an anthem which shall last
throughout the ages and preserve the
traditional folk-music which had al
ready become nationaliZed before the
dispersion. This national air came
into England via Ireland with the
Tuatha de Daanan or tribe OF Dan
Sir Edward Elgar of England says
it was stolen from the Germans. and
in uttering this statement he paid an
unconscious tribute to the truth of
our Israelitish origin with the patri-
archs of old from whom it had been
handed down through the successive
migratiOns of race chosen of God to
preserve all the ancient landmarks
of their early eastern home. Sir Ed
ward Elgar says the American ma
tional air is the English national an
them. He admits the English OBJ
tanned it from the Germans. but fails
to trace it any further back in its his
tory. and his Ignorance of our lofty
ancestry who have preserved the air
all through the ages is Oh II par with
the navy and war departments OF our
own government. which are attempt
ing to force the American people to
recognize the Star Spangled Banner
as our national anthem. | would not
say aught against the soul-stirring
words and music of that extremely
patriotic song. but it "begins so low
and goes up so high that nobody can
sing it." and the American people
will never adopt it as their ndfiOndi
air so long as they retain their pride
of ancestry and their love of country.
Sir Edward makes one statement.
however. to which I fully subscribe.
viz: "It would be entirely hopeless
to expect that anything will ever be
done to radically improve the worlds
national anthems-to make them more
palatable. Most of them are as old as
the hills and any nation would regard
it as just as great Il sacrilige to change
any part of their national songs as it
would be to eliminate some of the
chapters of the Bible and put in views
of an ATHEIST in their place.
Having then. national air handed
down to us so propiciOusly and. with
all. so intensely Saxon. it remained
for some one to ''set" the music to
words which should be distinctively
American and national. That honor
fell to man ''whom fate tried to con-
ceal by naming him Smith. In Feb
ruary, 1882. Dr.. S. F. Smith wrote
the words of our national hymn which
were "set' to the familiar strains of
the national air of our mother country.
an air embodying the very "sOul of
music" which David s harp had shed
in Tara's halls, and while the harp
now "hangs mute on Tara s walls
yet the refrain is resounding down
the ages and will continue to shed its
soulful tune for the prophetic guild
ance of its patriotic devOtees. We as
people. and a nation, will continue
to sing ''sweet freedom s song" un-
til "our fathers Cod forsakes our
liberties and ceases to protect us by
His might.
When DR.. Smith, the author of
America, wrote his stanzas and the
Il