The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-07-26
THE CHURCHES AND
TO-DAY'S SERVICES
Responsibility of the
Individual to Society:
Sermon by
RABBI EDWARD n. CALIsCH, Ph. ID.
Sermon by
Temple Heth Ahnbah.
written for The Times-D >pa,ch.)


Josepl'H life The scene liz that one
wherein Judah offers himself as bonds.
inan to Joseph In order that the young
est brother benjamin. might be per
hlitted 10 return to Canaan with the
others. The Incident Is one OF touch.
inG appeal II is not so much tho
ANXIOUS affection Of Jacob for BcnJa-
nin' evidenced In his reluctance to let
, ,i,e iad accompany his brothers; nor
ABOUT by Joseph knowing them. but
their not knowing him; nor the un.
e1hceaied dismay OF the brothers over
the sorrowing figure OF the patriarch
In the distant background OF the pic
ture The quickcning OF tho heart
comes with the action Of Judah lie
Is the hero OF the episode.
Those brave words of HIS command
our respect and admiration. 81. thy
servant. became surety for tho lad unto
our father" lie says To Joseph Let
now. pray thee. thy servant remain
as bondsman unto my lord. and let the
lad go UP with his brothers"
That which attracts attention is
Judahs fnc senso OF responsibility At
the timo when the needs of the family
were pressing and they all stood about
helpless. IN the face OF the condi-
tons which the Viceroy Of Egypt had
laid upon them. he stepped forward and
assumed the brunt OF the burden. The
safety Of Benjamin WAS tho one con-
siderat!on. He undertook 10 assure II.
81 will become surety for him" H. sai
unto his father.
JtDAH'S REC0GNITION
or HIS R;SPoNsIBILyTY
And he was. to the extent OF being
ready TO sacrifice his owr liberty In
place OF the lad. and under crcum-
stances that would surely have
tc1ua,ed Ills action had he desired to
shic!. himself behind them and re-
aouncc has pledge. For all that he
and hts brothers knew. Benjamin was
thief. The cup had been found in
his sack. Judah might have returned
10 his father with the seemingly true
and nicsi excellent reason for Benja
minis absence. that the latter had
brought his trouble upon his own head.
3ut Judahs scnse Of his obligation, the
recognition Of his responsibility was
go keen aut true. that he offered him
self his liberty, and his life IL need
be, so hat tht lad might go back to
hiss home and not bring the gray hair
- his father in sorrow 10 the grave.
], il this sense OF responsibility that
Is the foundation OF the moral world.
Tho progress OF our finer and truer
4 CIVILIZATION depends upon 1t. Without
~ We may have martial Victories, and
industrial triumphs. and material
might and prosperity, but not freedom.
nor right, nor justice. nor truth The
recognition OF moral Responsibilities is
the hallmark OF manhood. |; is no,
r ~ (. physical duress from which there
8 rs nc escApe Its impulse 10 obedience
lies simply in the sense that recog
nzes IT, and In the appeal that /,
Lmakes TO the nobler ana higher emo
Vtions within us.
nEsroNsIBILIri Personal
AND INDIVIDUAL OBLIGATION
Furthermore. II must be recognized
as personal and individual obligation
J! there is one thing or which this ago
Is TO b" apprehcnsivo il Is that the sense
Of personal! individual rcspon sibility
~ growing weaker. Men are obcd!ent
10 The law, il is true out IL is the
law OF the statute hook and not tho
moral law. The impulse that controls
many is rather the fear OF physical
cunpulsion than the stirring or the
moral sense The policcman's club is
nightier than the ten commandments,
The prospect ~ the penitentiary is
more powerful restraint than the pos
sib.e pangs of violated conscience.
There is tendency toward centrnli-
eaton that is endangering the demo-
cratic sense. both from "A political as
we'll AS IA moral standpoint Men are
crying for laws and moro laws. 10 be
enacted By Legislatures and Congress.
They little realize that legislation can
not beget laWfulness. and that :ha
statute book is more often the grave
yard than the fountain head OF civic
power and righteousness.
There is similar centralizinS
tendency in industrial and comm rciai
life The really dangerous factor in
the big business enterprises, trusts
corporations, etc, Is not the size OF
them, but the elimination OF the ele-
meut OF personal responsibility. Ire
mendous power breeds the almost ire
sistible temptation TO the abuse OF II
in tyranny and oppression, in the ruth
less sacrifice of all things that stand
in the way Ht still! greater power JUS
tice and fair dealing are denied. Com
petition is mercilessly destroyed.
THE LEGAL FICTION OF
CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY
When dishonorable ana even Grim
directors hide behind the bulking
shadow of the corporation. They per-
sonally nave not done these things
they say. II is the corporation that is
guilty. The legal fiction of corporate
Responsibility end corporate guilt has
done more to debauch the conscience
of this age than any other ono thing.
Honorable men ard tender hearted
women accept as dividends the count
ors coined from the palpitatinG flesh
OF oVerworked. underpaid and half
starved men, women and children In
mine and mill ana forge and factory
y distinguished jurist has said:
Guilt is personal" IT is so because re.
sponsibilty is personal The moral law
speaks to every individual human
heart thou shalt" and thou shalt
not" The decalogue is addressed in
the singular number &c the individual
It begins. II AIN the Lord thy God" |:
is Il direct personal, Individual appeal.
Rabbinic tradition says that when the
Jsraeites were fed with mamma in the
desert. tile mamma was adapted to the
need and taste OF every individual. The
infant, the young, the middle aged and
the old, the sick and the we'll, each
found in it the special nutriment re-
uuisite for his special condition: mean
ing that tho spiritual nourishmcr. of
Gods word is adapted to every single
soul. The law touches every individual
human heart.
AS we find our highest comfort and
strength In the ideal of our personal
relationship with God, so we find our
fInest duty in our personal RESPONSE
btlity to Him for our conduct. 1t is
true all men do not apprehend the