Year: 1873

DIR. GOttheil's Second Sermcn-Markcd


Impr0vemcnt-Inf1uen Of Woman on


the FormWtion Of Individual and Moral


Character.


The congregation which gathered in this beautl-
ful temple yesterday was larger than on the pre-
vious Saturday. The new preacher, DR.. Gottheil,
showed q very marked Improvement both in mat
ter and manner, and delivered practical dis
course on the influence OF woman In the formation
OF individual and moral character There is large
room for Improvement In the Doctors e!ocution,
which he win doubtless attend to by and by. He
showed his utter disregard Of ceremonial OBJ
servances yesterday by wholly discarding
the rabbincal cap and surplice and appear
ing in black cloth suit with white
necktie. The same delberation marked
his utterances as on the previous Saturday. On
Wednesday evening he preached In German, and
the congregation yesterday seemed very much de-
lighted with his ministratiOns. His text was the
the story OF Moses birth and remarkable preser-
walton, rs found in the Book OF Exodus 1t Is I'M
possible, the Doctor said, to contemplate the early
days Of the great prophet Moses without believing
that


THE ANCIENT RELIGION OF ISRAEL


was preserved and maintained mainly If not solely,
by the piety OF Hebrew women Referring to the
prosecutions o Pharaoh, the Doctor remarked that
In proportion to his oppression the people pros
pered and multiplied. Then the royal monarch be
gan to fear them, and gave orders that every male
child born among the Hebrews should be destroyed,
but the females might be saved. They might live,
but they should suffer and be degraded. No such
system OF tyranny has ever been exercised toward
any nation as toward the Hebrews. But the more
they were oppressed the more they multiplied.
Pharaoh overlooked one great element in female
character IN issuing his cruel edict, namely-sym-
Of his throne and kingdom The Doctor drew
from this narrative the idea that great men at
their entrance into life and all through it are sur
rounded with danger, but the entrance OF Moses
was peculiarly one OF danger. The Doctor looked
upon his preservation as miracle, both In Its
of the circumstances showed this. The prompt
recognition by the egyptian princess OF the chiids
origin the tact act Of Moses s sister @ in suggesting He
its mother-these incidents indicated clearly
Divine Providence as well as the natural tact ana
sympathy OF woman. And from this the Doctor
enlarged on the influence OF woman In the iorma-
tion OF human character Many man has acknow-
due to the influence Of pious mother. Even the
great leader OF this country as the Doctor had read
short time since, admitted his Obligations TO his
mother


THE INFLUENCE OF A MOTHER


is, like the air that we breathe. unconscious and
subtle TO ourselves. The Doctor gave some Illus
tratiOnS Of the qualification OF women for this
work, and remarked that when the Egyptian
Princess handed the child over to its mother the
chasm that divided the two nations was spanned,
and the rest was left to the heavenmparted affec-
tion and love or wOman's heart But while wOman's
influence cannot be spared IN any department or
human existence, 1t Is most needful in religion.
The Doctor defined what religion is-not dogma or
ceremonial merely; not what man believes so
much as what he lives and feels in his heart
towards God and towards his brother Woman is
the divinely-appointed priestess IN this sphere.


THE CRISIS OF JUDAISM.


The Jewish religion, as well as others, Is passing
through. crisis and, in their intercourse with
their ellOw-men, Hebrews must yield something as
well as others, but they must also see to 1t that
they are firmly rooted In the ancient faith. The
scientific Investigations OF the age have their in
1uence upon Judaism as they have upon other
forms of religion ana help TO precipifate the Crisis
save the ancient iath and transmit 1t unsullied to
their children9 Only, he answered, by the women
mothers OF old did-teach their children the good
and the right way OF the Lord. And 1or this he
prayed that the Lord would give Judaism what 1t
needs-piOus mothers


An election will be held during the week, when
the congregation will vote either to retain DR..
Gottheil or to let him return to England again.