New-York tribune., 1919-05-05

serted from his pulpit, "and to such an
act l for one will not be nartv 7
would refuse, and I hope that anv min
lster of my faith would refuse. to per
form marriage when he knows the
young man enters it to avoid con-
scription."
bolshevism, toward which a certain
type of Jew in this city has shown a
tendency to lean, has also come in for
his heartiest condemnation.
"Bolshevism," he said in his sermon
only few days ago, ais menace to
the whole world, and it is the duty of
every American to counteract it's
spread by disseminating the principles
and ideals of American democracy.
mo Jew can remain a Jew if he en-
braces such doctrines, as they would
be in direct contradistinction to all
that Judaism has upheld for two
thousand years"
Born in Cincinnati
The cleaning white beard that DR.
Silverman wears baspeaks nearly sixtv
years spent for the most part in
the service of his race He was born
in Cincinnati in 1860. He received his
classical education at the University of
Cincinnati and his theological at the
HeDreW Union College.
His life work was begun in Texas
and his first charge, in Dallas. was. bv
a strange coincidence, Temple Emanu-
El. After short service in Calves
ton he came to New York in 1888 to
Temple Emanuel, where, after a
short term as assistant to Dr. Gustav
Gottheil, he became rabbi
Under Dr. Silverman the temple has
become the richest Jewish congrega-
ton in America-probably in the en-
tire world Only a few years ago the
board OF trustees refused an offer OF
$3,000,000 for its site at Fifth Avenue
and Forty third Street.
Beginning in 1S45 as the first
avowedly reform congregation among
the Jews of New York, so poor that it
could afford its rabbi salary of only
5000 year, the temple has grown rap
idly and under DR.. Silverman has en-
joyed its golden age.
Impressive Pulpit Figure
1t is not only its immense financial
resources that make Temple Emanu- Ell
great. To larger extent it is the
spirit Of the congregation over which
DR.. Silverman presides. There are
rarely empty seats in the edifice and
almost never when the rabbi is to
preach.
In stature we'll above the average
height, DR.. Silverman makes a most
impressive figure in the pulpit His
delivery is repressed but forceful, his
manner imposing.
and dignifed, but the chief appeal OF
his oratory is his remarkable voice
deep pitched always and in moments
OF emotion rolling and echoing splen
dldly. 1t is in the pulpit that his
reSemb blance to what men imagine the
prophets of the Old Testament to have
been is most striking.
At times the bitterness Of these
prophets against conditions as they
affect the Jews creeps into his dis
courses. In a recent Christmas sermon
he said:
"The Jew does not need Christina.
to teach him peace on earth, the joy OF
living, good cheer and fraternity. The
Jew invented the message Of peace
1900 years before Christianity came
"Christmas Day has brought no JOY
to the Jews. 1t was dreaded a few
years ago in the ghettos of Europe, fol-
it meant another series Of destruction
OF life and property. Men left thei1
churches whore they sang Good Will
to men and went to the Jewish quar-
ter to attack, to pllaee."
Always Fights Materialism
He always holds the attention Of hi!
congregations. No matter on what sub
Ject he speaks, he makes it impressiv,
and interesting to his hearers
At his silver jubilee, on the twenty
fifth anniversary of his coming to tn;
temple, he told what his work in lif
had been aimed toward. He desired
he said, to combat the wave of mater
lallsm and skepticism that had sprun,
up in the last quarter century an,
wished to waken anew the spirit o
morality among the people,
That is the work to which he ha
bent his energies and which he i
carrying on in Temple Emanu-El
where each week his voice sounds t,
the people of his race an appeal ant
exhortatlon to return to the old ideals