Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-25
TALK ON OPTIMISM
Dr.. Abrahams, Jewish Scholar,
to Lecture This Evening.
VISITS POINTS OF INTEREST
Renewal of Acquaintance With Am.
bassador Bryce-House Guest
of DR.. Simon.

Dr. Israel Abrahams, Jewish scholar
of note and professor of Cambridge
University. England, has arrived in
Washington to be the house guest for a
few days Of Rev. DIR. Abram Simon.
rabbi Of Eighth Street Temple. He re-
newed this morning his acquaintance
with James Bryce. the British ambassa-
dor, at the embassy on Connecticut ave-
nue.. The distinguished visitor also de-
voted some of his time today to the Jew
ish collectio min the Library Of Con-
gress. through which he was shown by
the librarian, Herbert Putnam, with
whom he also has an acquaintance.
DR.. Abrahams and Ambassador Bryce
were we'll acquainted in former years in
England, during their residence at the
same time in London. and often met
each other at various historical society
and other scientific gatherings.
This morning they discussed subjects of
interest to each other in an informal
visit. no entertainment pans for the re-
ception of DR.. Abrahams having been
made at the embassy.
During the afternoon DR.. Abrahams
will visit various points of interest in
the capital in sightseeing trip with DR..
Simon and tonight he will lecture at
Eighth Street Temple on the subject Of
"Optimism-
Discusses Ten Commandments.
Speaking last night at the Eighth Street
Tempe on the subject Of the Ten Com
mandments of Moses. their place in his
tory and their relation to art. DR.. Abra-
hams traced the appearance of the COM
mandments and the tablets on which
they were written from the fourth CEN
fury to the present time. He explained
the reason for the appearance and dis
appearance of the tablets in both Hebrew
and Christian church decora tons, the
means Of Illustrating the older manu-
scripts in regard to the commandments
and showed a reproduc ion of the first
page. as he called it. of British law, as
introduced by. Alfred the Great in the
ninth century, THIS being the command
ments given to Moses.
DIR. Abrahams said that Christian art
up to the thirteenth century was never
unfriendly to the Jews; that it was in the
middle of the thirteenth century that
there appeared pictures deriding the
difficult now to find the decalogue in
any church In England as a part Of the
decorations, and he said the high church
was responsible for its removal.
LII. ADIdudnS mas DeeH IN the OnlteQ
States about month, making a tour OF
the United States for the purpose Of lee
turing at the principal universities and
before the large Hebrew congregations.
He was the guest last night, with num-
Der of others invited to meet him. Of ST.
with Col. Roosevelt, whom he greatly
admires. and he declares that it Is the be-
lief in England that the United States is
to be congratulated upon having three
men such as the President. Gov. Wilson
and Col Roosevelt to choose from for the
presidency. He declares that the issues
in the United States at the coming cleo
ton are understood in England. and that
the outcome is being closely watched.
Predicts Universal Peace.
DR.. Abrahams is believer in the pos
sibility of universal peace among ma
tons He says that at Cambridge Uni
versity a peace society has been formed
which has a Jew as its secretary, and
that the Jew is the crucial element in the
equality of races and an important factor
In universal peace. He declares that the
influence Of the Jew is always for equal
ity,- and that Jewish ideals are conducive
to humanitarian, because the Jew STANDS
for the good side Of cosmopolitanism.
Prof. Abrahams is leader Of Jewish
liberalism and has insisted that any
movement among the Jews not founded
upon religion is anti-Semitic. For TWEEN.
ty years he was the editor Of the Jewish
Quarterly, published until two years ago
in England. and now published in this
country. but circulated all over, the world
He has been at Cambridge University fol
the last ten years. teaching before thai
at the Jews College. London. Honors
have been bestowed upon him by nearly
all the leading educational institutions OF
Europe.