The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-04
SCHIFF AS A JEW Is
PRAISED BY DR.. WISE
Not Like Those Flinging
Children Into Fifth Avenue
Baptismal Fonts
BORE PEOPLES BURDEN
Stands on Pedestal Which Flu
ture Generations Cam
not Shake.

Rabbi Stephen S. Wise made the life
and achievements of the late Jacob H.
Schiff the text Of a sermon yesterday
at the Free Synagogue Congregation in
Carnegie Hall. praising the indepen-
dence and self-respect which Mr. Schiff
held as a Jew. DR.. Wise said
Jacob Schin was a Jew. / do not
merely mean that he was a good Jew,
or a high minded Jew. or great
hearted Jew. mean that he was great
as Jew, not merely an outwardly con-
forming Jew. but a spiritually affirming
Jew. When l say that Schin was a
Jew I mean more than that he was not
a non-Jew. Many Jews are only that
They happen to be Jews by birth, un-
happily. as they conceived 1t. They are
Jews by race. but they are not Jews.
high. sef-revering and greatly self
ennobling.
Death Rather Than Baptism.
"Schiff was so great as Jew that
he would have persisted sooner than do
what not a few mean hearted little
souled Jews are doing to-day, namely
fingng themselves and their children
into Fifth avenue baptismal fonts. L
believe Schiff would have gone to the
stake II It had been necessary sooner
than do that He would not crawl in
at the back door of Fifth avenue club
nor suffer himself to be endured in GER
tain social circles.
"As a Jew he bore himself with just
as much self respect as any non-Jew
in our city or nation ever bore him.
self 1t never occurred to him that he
could put Jewish life behind him. that
he could forswear the Jewish faith.
Proudly and rejoicingly was he jewish
throughout his days"
Mr.. Schiff was the first Jew In Amer
Ca to understand rightly and to honor
the East European Jews IN America
DR.. Wise said, and he was the first
American Jew of distinction born IN
Western Europe TO break away from the
snti-East European Jewish attitude. Mr..
Schff was big enough, he said, to be
sympathetic with Russian Jews and TO
treat them with no inferiority because
they came TO America thirty or forty
years later than other European Jews
Concerned About Jewish People.
Sneaking of the leadership Of Mr..
Schiff among American Jewry he said
The banker was one Of a small number
who within the last ten years had seen
that the time had come for the Ameri-
can Jews to take their affairs into their
own hands" and that a completely
democratic OrQer must De lIlSldIlcu.
"Schiff was n great Jew In that he
gave not only of his possessions but OF
himself" said Dr. Wise. THAT he gave
r;ore than his Enthusiastically, his
| heart-that Jewish heart which bled
over the sorrows and tragedies of his
people. A man who gives himself his
mind. his heart his sympathy. his de-
| yotion. gives ALL This Schiff did.
| mo man can take his place. No mar
ought to dream of filling his place
| that place which Schiff sought not. thai
| rlace of power which was forced upot
him not only by reason of his deserving
ard his devotion. but in very large par
| because few American Jews of wealth
| and power are truly and greatly con
| cerned. as Schiff was concerned. about
| the we'll being of the Jewish people
! "Schiff is gone. and with him passes
| the Schiff era. The fittest way in which
| 10 honor him is not to name his success
| scr or successors, but that all Ameri.
can Jews solemnly resolve that no mar
/ shall be compelled nor permitted e
| bear the whole burden of his people
and that all Jews give Of themselves, oil
! their possessions and OF their uttermos'
| devotion for the sake of the security
| and the honor of their people,"