Intermountain Jewish news., 1925-10-22

catcchism and become Christian
minister--or at least acquire secu-
lar professorship. He hcarkencd for
a moment to the urgings of Amos
Dean, prominent Albany lawyer,
who offered him legal partnership
II he would study for the bar, and he
went as far as to buy his Kent and
Blackstone, before his unconquerable
idealism triumphed over his tempo
rary encouragement.
Needing rest and change, he went
on his first American tour, and came
to Washington. Those were the days
when the nation was wracked BY
anti-slavery agitation. Enthralled
he listened to the Senate debates. He
met Seward, Calhoun, and Webster,
and was offered position by the lat
ter in Boston University. He was in.
troduced to President Zachary Tay-
lor, and was the first rabbi to call on
a President at the White House.
After the inspiring Washington ex-
perience came an event which estab-
lished the young immigrant preacher,
three years after his penniless arrival
in America, as the foremost figure in
the Jewish pulpit. and the leader of
Reform in America. Rabbi Raphall,
the most distinguished orthodox lead
ed of time, who had come here from
England, was denouncing the young
rebel, from a Charleston pulpit. Wise
accepted the invitation to debate the
differences between reform and orth-
odoxy with Raphall in Charleston,
and popular opinion seemed to give
the victory to Wise. Yet later events
We're to prove that the Charleston de-
bates had been damaging to the
younger Rabbi.
Wise returned to Albany. He was
followed by call to Charleston. His
Albany admirers would not let him
consider it, much less accept it. Yet
Immediately after he declined this
offer, bull of accommodation,
signed by Raphall and the orthodox
rabbis, appeared in the "Asmonean,
a new Anglo-Jewish publication, de-
barring Wise from the Jewish faith
because in the o.bates with Raphall
he had denied the possibility of a
personal Messiah. The Raphall bull
Sat in moi ION nj .F N
orthodoxy to ruin Wise and his work.
Under the leadership of Louis Span
ier, the new Parnass of the Albany
congregation, bill of trumped-up
charges was brought against Wise.
He refunsed to answer them and was
deposed from Office by illegal pro-
cecdings. Acting upon legal advice,
ne nevertheless went to his synagog
to conduct Rosh Hashonah services.
There ensued one of the most dis
graceful scenes that American Juda-
ism has ever witnessed. The Rabbi
was struck down before the ark. A
bowling mob invaded the house of
worship. The Rabbi, stoned, spat up
on, jeered, was led a prisoner through
the streets of the holiest of the Holy
Days. Such was the crucifixion of
| Isaac NJ. Wise for his self assumed
leadership.
But out of the depths of suffering
came a revived, strengthened faith
and a reward. The adherents of
| Rabbi Wise organized Temple Anshe
Emeth, the first truly Reform congre-
cation in America, house of wor-
ship spiritually emancipated. There
| Rabbi Wise first found freedom in
American freedom to help American
Jewry to spiritual regeneration.
Anshe Emeth was the beginning of
the dawn. Quarrel and dissension
were at an end within the Temple
| and the leader, secure in his imme-
diate work, was free to devote him
self to the broader spiritual needs Of
American Israel. He wrote exten-
sively. He edited the "Asmonean.
He wrote history of the Jews, and
had to borrow money to publish ii,
and to give his enemies an opportu-
nifty to attack him because of it. Yet
he lived to see twenty five hundred
copies of his work in circulation, a
potent factor in the process now be
gun in the transformation of Ameri-
can Judaism.
In 1854, Isaac NJ. Wise left Albany,
and moved to the scene of the cul-
minating achievements of his career.
He accepted a call to become Rabbi
of the B'ne Yeshurun Temple at Gin
cinnati-shifting the scenes of the
great battle for the reform of Juda-
ism from East to the West. AL
though Cincinnati was as orthodox
when Isaac NJ. Wise came there as
Albany had been eight years before,
I his reforms in this case were more