The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-09-16

ROsh HoShannah, the Jewish New
Year, is being appropriately celebrated
, in Pensacola today by the Jewish cii
| ZenS, it being UsheTed in last evening
at 8 o'clock, when all places of bust
| ness were closed and viii remain sc
until the same hour tomorrow, al
which time the celebration concludes
The festival of Rosh HOshannan is
one OF the most important among the
Jews, because on that day all griev-
ances are forgiven and the faithful
| Sept %, YOm KippUr, the great epoch
| of atonement.
Services at Bethel.
At Temple Bethel last night Rabbi
Jacob D. Schwartz preached a most
eloquent and interesting sermon,
which was listened to intently by the
| largely congregation which had gath
cred. He spoke as follows:
Text: Psalms 143, s, Il remember
the days of old. l mediate on all thy
| dOings. 1 reflect on the works of Thy
/ hands"
my Friends: What a wonderful
| thing is memory! The past, dead un-
| der the thickening layer of departed
| years, springs again into life under
! the spell of memory. Pictures of by
]
the canvas of time, are reflected with
| renewed brightness in the mirror OF
memory. Thoughts born of the tina
| that is no more, hopes kindled in
youth, ambitions, joys, condolences,
! sympathies, loves, linked with the
years that have flown, are called in
| to grateful remembrance under the
| impulse of memory. The disappoint-
| ments of life, it's distress and sorrow,
| the dark hours of grief and despair,
are transformed into not wholly
| bitter recollections by the softening
| touch of memory. Memory mingles
| for us the sweet with the bitter, the
satisfaction of having enjoyed and of
| having treasured as well as the pain
of having lost and of having been
| bereaved. We can thank God that this
is so, that we cherish the recollection
| even Of our bitteTest sorrow, that we
cling to the memory If our SOreSt
trials. For only so do we experience
our deepest joy, and in the remem-
brance of our griefs ana of our pain
are bound up the sweetest and most
sacred experiences of our souls, by
reason of the widening Of our hearts
and the deepening of our sympathies,
and because of the peace of resigna-
ton which in time follows upon trou-
and tonight of all nights we feel
the hallowed touch of memory. To-
night of all nights the past is sacred
to US, and the memories of olden days
are awakened, when perchance We
lived in other chimes, or welcomed
the New Year under other roof trees,
or were surrounded by loved ones who
are now far distant or have passed
out of our lives forever. Tonight OF
all nights there cluster thick about
us thoughts of by-gOne days, hopes
or the year that have flown, recollec-
lions Of dear ones gone from our sides,
pictures of home and the friends and
companions of other years, memories
OF happy days, of rich experience, OF
love that shall never die. Tonight OF
all nights we are called upon to Re
member" to gaze into the depths OF
our own souls, to Scrutinize our past,
and to be WatchfuI of our future
Shall we, then, be unmindful of tia
message and neglect the opportunity?
Shall we not, rather, heed willingly
the call to Remember" and here in
the house of God, in this assembly OF
friends worshipping together on this
holy night, and in order that We may
indeed draw encouragement and
spiritual nOurishment from this Day
of Memorial" mediate once again on
the great question of life, its obIiga-
lions and responsibilities, in accord
ance with the words of our text: 81
remember the days of old, mediate
on all Thy dOings, I reflect on the
work of Thy hands"
There are a great many things IF
the Olden days that we can remem-
Der with profit tonight. With profit
we can remember tonight the sue
scesseS of past years, the triumphs of
labor, OF skill, and of perseverance,
the overcoming of temptation, the ce-
menting of lasting friendships, the
widening of our sympath1eS by deeds
of helpfulneSS, and the broadening OF
our lives by sharing in the lives Of our
fellOwmen. These things are pleasant
recolIections, which viii brighten the
days to come and furnish new strength
and new courage for still grander
achievement With profit We can re-
member likewise tonight the failures
of the past, the neglect of duty, the
falling short in the meeting of obi
cations and trial, the shrinking from
sacrifice, and the betrayal Of love and
confidence These are recOIlectiOns
born in the bitter experience, which
cannot be passed over lightly, if We
would profit by them and make the
earnest aspiration or the future atone
for the guilty errors of the past. The
sages say, IF thou undeTstandest the
old, thou canst understand the new,
or, to widen the application, IF thou
knowest the value OF the past, thou
wilt best be able to attain a worthy
future" 1t is only when we are con-
scious of our weaknesses that We are
able TO overcome them, only when We
have tasted failure that we can appre-
ciate success, only when We "remem-
ber' in humility and in coutriteness of
spirit our sins and shortcomings, that
we can hope TO leave them behind for
ever.
What we are called upon TO 're-
member especially tonight, however,
Is not so much our struggles and our