The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-02-16


We have invented that virtue, that
our religion is the only one which
breaches it earnestly, our race the
only set of people who practice it en-
Enthusiastically, L should spurn any
such phrase as contrary to the spirit
of charity itself. There is no Jewish
or Christian or Mohammedan charity
in any sense of exclusive proprietor
ship; charity is as wide as the world,
as broad as the heart of mankind;
pity and compassion require no religi-
Gus dogma, are bound by no racial or
helpfulness to the weak have been
practiced by the heather, too, not
| only by the believer in one God; to
label any virtue whatsoever as some
thing that was copyrighted by any one
system of faith. is an outflow of that
| blind arrogance which charaeterizes
| the spirit of fanatic, intoIerant sec
! tarianiSm.
When we speak of Jewish. charity
We do not mean to reflect on others
as our interiors; we are referring
simply to the fact that the Jews have
| their Characteristic way Of praetic-
ing helpfulness, that they have early
begun to study its problems, that,
when the history of mankind's pro-
gress in charity will be written, our
contribution TO the understanding and
the solution of its problems will be
found to be of no small Importance.
In morality, as in religion, no one
system can equally embrace and inn
partially emphasize all aspects of
truth and duty; but each one presents
some section of the great circle with
all the eloquence of faith and fervor;
some day the circle may be complete.
and, as its harmony dawns upon ewes
from which every veil Will have fallen,
We may then rejoice in differences
which blend into one perfect whole.
We may then honor our fellowmdn
for his sincere convictions, even while
Ye cling to our own with undiminish-
ed loyalty
Meantime it is service to humani-
ty for each religion to study its past
with affectionate pride, for every
racial family TO perpetuate and cherish
its best traditions, TO deepen and en-
noble each individuality that, bearing
fruit after its kind, it may the mole
surely enrich the garden of genuine
civilization.
Love of Kindness.
There is, then. sU,h a thing as Jew
ish charity in this sense that from the
earliest times, the ''love Of Kindness
has been an integral clement of
Judaism along with ''the doing of JUS
tice" and the walking hum5ly with
the Lord your God"
In our Bible there is not sounded
any deeper Or heartier note than the
constant appeal on behalf of the
stranger, the widow and the orphan. |
should only be repeating what is ia
miliar to the most of you if remind
81
that accompanied, in old Palestine.
the gladstone harvest season; if
sought to string together the pearl
wreath Of immortal verses that urge
the claims of the poor. if l re-echoed
the stirring appeals of prophet and
lawgiVer on behalf OF the helpless
and the down trodden, if enumerated
the laws and regulations that were en-
acted for their benefit The very
spirit of charity breathes in Abraham's
treatment of his orphaned nephews,
in Joseph's forgiveness of his broth
ers crime, in the meekness of a
Moses, the patience of David with
Saul's inf1Tmity, in thousand trifiing
but important acts of hospitality and
generosity, of humanity and forbear-
ance, until We can not wonder at such
an episode as that related in the his
tory OF Ahab, where the servants CT
the Syrian Ben Hadad advise him to
throw, himself entirely upon Ahab's
mercyt for, say they, "the Kings IF
the house of Israel are kindly Kings
q Kings, 20, 31.)
But the Bible has become, in some
sense at least, the property of MAN.
kind; centuries upon centuries zap
between those days and our own, the
life Of the dispersed Jew in the me-
dieval Ghettoes was something widely
different from that of his ancestors
in the land flowing with milk and
honey; can it be said that the Jew
under rabbinical statutes proved him.
self the legitimate heir of Bible ideaIsa
Did Jewish charity grow or decline in
the days OF exile and interminable
martyrdom?
If to translate ideals into practice,
IL to crysta'ize principles into poular
usage, Of this be progress, then rab-
binical Judaism did, in the field of
charity, signalize an advance upon the
Biblical era. You will not expect of
me that furnish a cumbersome arm
DRY Of proof, but many of you know
how pervasive and exacting, how in
eXOrable sincere and consistent were
the charitable practices of our faith
ers- They had widened the concept
of charity from the Justice that de-
mands assistance for the weak to the
kindness which finds opportunities
for service in every CRITICAL situation
of life "Kirdhness," said they (Suc-
cab 1861, is better than charity;
kindliness is personal, charity must
employ money; kindliness may be
pra, ticed by the poor man towards
the rich. not only from above; kindli-
ness may he best0wN5 even upon the
dead, not only upc" living
In consonance w is spirit of hui
manEty the Jew under the rabbinical
dtspensatiOn placed SO generous ar
Interpretation upon the duty OF chaIitv
that 1t became necessary to limit tho
exercise of benevolence until it was
made unlawful TO expend mors than
one-nfth Of ones properly III its our
suit
Actual Practice of Life.
But charity IS tested by the actual
practice of life; the law is a mere
narration of the spirit which prevails.
(lnR nlUCf no ;e4, 50