The American Israelite from Cincinnati, Ohio • P4

THE! AMERICAN ISRAELITE. HARNACK'S INCONSISTENCIES THE UNION OF AMERICAN HEBREW CONGREGATIONS. from the wild radicalism which Is being preached by auto-Inspired prophets. Tho Union should and, no doubt would gladly welcome tho Orthodox congregations of the Eastern cities whenever that has been dune during the year, of the progress of humanity along paths of benevolence, whereupon they astound us with nn enumeration of nil tho vast bequests and endowments of which the concluded twelvemonth can boast. They tell us of tho millions only in name but in nil truth, ho will havo done a service to the cause of Judaism.

Ho is not tho originator of the plan, by any means. Tho feeling is in the air that something muBt bo done to democratize the synogog. There is a new llfo pulsating which cannot but result In much good to tho house of Israel. THE AMERICAN mm EDITED UV ISAAC M. WIS13, July 4th, 1854, to March 2th, 1900.

LEO WISE PUM.1RIIEI18 AND Prophietobs. Office, N. W. Cor. Fifth and Race Sts.

Telephone, Main 1013. Western Office, G. Goldberg, 324 Dearborn Chicago. brutalize man by a seven-day working week. The recent events In Franco which culminated In tho separation of church and stato Is another evidence of tho baneful influence of religion In tho guise of the church.

It Is a mistake to urge that France Is against religion. It Is not true. The church usurped tho civil authority, and would do so In tho United States today if opportunity were afforded her. But because the United States has no state-established church or religion, Hint does not imply that the United States' is antl-rellglously inclined, or even non-religious. The church mado France atheistic, if so sho be; but tho separation will render her a morally-religious community.

The church In France, with Its dubious policy, made the term religion to be hateful TOHIAS SOHANFARllES. Professor Harnack, when pressed for nn answer as to whether Jesus tauZ aught that was new in tho matter tho kingdom of heaven and of rcnt ance, replied: "I answer with Wpii hauson: 'It Is quite true that what Jesus proclaimed and what John th Baptist expressed beforo him In hi, exhortations to repontnnco was nisi to bo found In the prophets and even In the Jowish tradition of their time Tho Pharisees themselves were in iios' session of it, but unfortunately they were In possession of much elso ue-sldos. With them it was weighted darkened, distorted, rendered inolfccl tlve and deprived of force by a thou-saad things which they also held religious and every whit as Important as mercy and Professor Harnack forgets that the same charge can be made against Christianity. Ho forgets that a growth of dogmatic shrubbery has grown up around tlio ethical tree of Christianity which has disfigured and hidden the tree, and which in tho majority of Christian minds has como to take tho first place of Importance. For ono who has taken the liberty to cast aside the dog.

matics of Christianity ho shows Ids exceeding narrowness In Interdicting the possibility of a similar procedure on the part of the Jew. But ho Is not the flrst Christian to declare that nineteen hundred years ago Judaism spoko its last word. These so-called liberal theologians with all their broad mind-edness would have the world believe that Judaism has been outgrown; that it has been superseded. Ask them what religion to-day presents evidences of life, what religion is a dynamic force in the henrt of humanity, and their answer is quick at hand, thoro Is but ono such religion, and that Is Christianity. "Judaism," they declare, "Is a- static, stagnant, ethnic force, Incapable, of growth and development" It Is evident thnt these men do not understand the genius of Judaism.

They are as narrow and as bigoted as the most orthodox believer. Tlioy use an altogether different standard of criticism to their own faith than that which they apply to Judaism. They will go Into rhapsodies over the inspirational force sent out by the prophets of Israel, only to conclude by saying that with the coming of tho Man of Nazareth, a new dispensation was given to tho world, such as the world had never seen or heard of before, and such as it is likely it will not see or hear of again. While Pro-fossor Harnack Is frank to assert that In speaking of religions there Is but one religion with which we havo to deal, and that Is Christianity, he does not hesitate to declare that nothing can ever surpass the religious Individualism of that Psalmist who said: "Lord, when I have thee, I ask not after heaven and earth," and that for ethical grandeur we can never go beyond what Micah Bald: "Ho hath told thee man, what Is good and what the Lord doth require of thee, It Is naught but to do justice, to lovo morcy and to walk humbly with thy God." How ho can harmonize a statement of this character with his announcement that Christianity is tho ono and only religion, he a'lone can understand, no one else can. Who has the right to decido what constitutes the essence of Judaism, the Jew or the non-Jew? If the Christian claims tho light to decide what constitutes the essence of Christianity, the same rlsht belongs to the Jew touching his own religion.

If Professor Harnack and other liberal Christian theologians declare that the Important element In Christian thought Is Its ethics, and tho llfo nnd personality of Its so-called founder that the dogmatics of Christianity are of secondary consideration, Jewish teachers have tho right to declare that ethical monotheism constitutes the primal element In JewlBh thought. Liberal Jewish teachers have tho right to declare that Judaism is a growing quantity and that at no two periods of its history was Judaism In all of its phases just the same. Propli-otism Is a development over Mosaicism. Rabblnlsm Is a development over Prophetlsm. The Spanish Philosophical Period is a growth beyond Rabblnlsm nnd the Modern Reform Movement Is a growth beyond tho Spanish Philosophical period.

Nor have wo said the last word relative to its thought. Other ages will come to add their contributions to tho never-ending stream of JewlBh thought. At no period in Israel's history has tho last word been spoken relative to the Judalstlc conception of things. The Jewish orthodox believer will, of course, deny this position. According to him Judaism is law.

But the orthodox Christian believer will deny the right to Professor Harnack and his kind to declaro that the ethics of Christianity and tho life and personality of Jesus constftuto tho essence of Christianity. To tho orthodox Christian the dogmas of Christianity are of paramount importance-Professor Harnack ought to give the same right to liberal Jowb aB ho himself takes. If he does this he must forver have done with tho thought that Judaism 1b Pharisaism, that it represents an ethnic, a static force. He must conclude that Judaism is pillared on God and goodness, the highest elements In all religions. THE iiixro Grand Prix, Purls, l0O region oi Honor The Grand Prize St.

Louis, YOUIt INSPECTION INVITED. D.H.Baldwin&Co. 142 W. Fourth Cincinnati. WE TUNE, MOVE AND RENT PIANOS.

late The Guiding Force In American Jewry. The Exponent of American Judaism. The often-repeated claim that tho so-called "trefa" banquet at Cincinnati was tne cause of the withdrawal of the Eastern Orthodox congregations from the Union of American Hebrew Congregations Is without any foundation in fact. They had becomo members of the Union most unwillingly, and the association with tho congregations that held moro modern views being most distasteful to them, they wore looking almost from tho very start for some pretext to at least excuse, if not justify, their withdrawal. This the "trefa" banquet offered them, and It was seized upon with avidity.

The actual facts of tho occurrence, that Is, of the banquet itsolf, have been told before, but It can do no harm to set them down once more as a matter of record. The Council was held at the time of the Hebrew Union College graduation exercises, that is, in the hottest soa-son of the year. To those who are familiar with the conditions that may reasonably bo expected In Cincinnati In the summer time It will be easily apparent that the guests could not be fensted In the city below the hills, and that the proper place to dine and wine them would bo one of the then fashionable- hilltop resorts. The High land House was then In the hey-day of Its glory and of such repute that Theodore Thomas did not hesitate to lead his orchestra there, nor the elite of the city to congregate on the brow of Mt. Adams to listen to it, while enjoying the cool evening breezes that swept up from the Ohio.

Dr. Wise and the officers of tho Union and College were well aware of tho condition of mind of the Orthodox visitors and took every precaution to avoid offending their religious scruples and thus give them the pretext for secession that they were seeking. The committee In charge of the banquet were cautioned over and over again to have everything strictly "kosher," and they promised that It should bo. To this end they consulted with tho proprietors of the Highland House and' asked to be allowed to supply a full force of Jewish cooks, etc. The Highland House peo ple declared that It would be Impossible to turn over their kitchen to out siders, but suggested instead, that a reliable Jewish caterer be put In charge and given full power to insure that everything was en regie.

This was done, the caterer of a well-known Jewish club being selected. But, as Is so often the case, the unexpected hap pened. The caterer, though well In formed as a whole as to what was and what was not permissible in the Jew ish cuisine, did not happen to know that soft-shell crabs were "trefa." He placed them on the blll-of-fare and the fat was in the fire. True, all the pots, pans and cutlery had been tho meats and poultry were "kosher or, at least, had been bought from a Jewish butcher, who said they were; no milk or butter was used in the cook ing, the Ice was a sherbet, tho cheese was missing, and no cream was served with the coffee, but all this was of no avail, there still remained the tooth some, but otherwise objectionable, soft-shell crab, and It was the fly In the ointment. It was, perhaps a little un fortunate, from the seceders' point of view, that very few of them realized what a splendid opportunity had been offered them by the caterer's blunder, until almost all of them had done ample justice to the meal, which main tained the standard for which Cincin nati was, and is, famous.

Even the unfortunate caterer did not at once realize his awful mistake, for so few of the bones of contention found their way back to the kitchen, that there was bitter disappointment among the cooks nnd waiters, who had been ex pecting special treat When the op portuneness of the occurrence did dawn upon the disaffected they were not slow in making tho most of It. They were quiet enough in Cincinnati, but when they reached their respec tive homes they began to rage worse than the heathens. The principal target of their abuse was, naturally, the late Rabbi Isaac M. WIso, envy giving odge to malignancy. Nor did they cease their abuse when his entire in nocence and his absolute lack of any connection with the banquet manage ment were pointed out to them.

They chose this course deliberately, and they gained their point when Dr. Wise, losing patience at the continued pinpricks of pigmies, abruptly closed the discussion, as far as he was concern ed, with the statement that he had a better use for his time than to spend it In the inspection of pots and pans, and that to him religion was neither in whole nor In part a matter of tho kitchen. It was a rather unfortunate thing to do, but Dr. Wls'e, being a strong man, was not always politic, and so gave occasional opportunities to the enemies of himself and the Union. But, after all, the banquet was only the pretext for secession, for which tho malcontents had long been seoklng.

Out they went, bag and bag gage; yet, strange to say, neither Union nor College were a whit the worse for their going. This Is, of course, ancient history, and may seem to be without present Importance. Yet to so believe would be an error. When tho question of the relations of the Union to the Amer ican Jewish Committee comes to be considered at the Atlanta meeting, as It no doubt will be, tho claim will be advanced that tho Union should be made to Include all American Jew ish congregations and bo the sole representative of American Judamm, and then It will be well to recall the Cincinnati banquet to show how disastrously tins, and, for that matter, all other attempts to secure solidarity in American Israel, for any purpose whatever, have failed. The Union can well afford to pursue the even tenor of Its way and do Its work along the lines upon which It Is now advancing.

It represents, and let us fervently pray It always will represent American Judaism, our ancient religion free from tne cere monialism of a past age, which has become meaningless to us, and no less they chooso to resume their allegiance, but until they do so It can get along very well without them, much as It Is to be regretted that it should bo so. Similarly It hns no need to pay any particular attention to tho American Jewish. Com mittee, the B'nnI B'rith Order, tho Federation of Jowish Organizations, the Zionists, or nny of the other bodies that aspire to leadership In Amorlcan Jewish affairs. It has its work to do, and enough of it to occupy all Its attention. To do It successfully It needs no nlllances with other bodies.

It has done so in tho past and, no doubt, will do so In the future. All the support it has hitherto needed it has received from tho congregations that are Amer ican In spirit as well as In name, and there Is no danger that this will diminish. So let the delegates to the Council that meets in Atlanta on Jan uary 15, 1007, como together with tho full assurance that they represent all that Is best of Amorlcnn Judaism and Jowish Americanism, the earnest, un selfish, liberal, progressive section of American Israel, which has until recent ly been the ruling power in American Jewry, and will be again when tho immigrants who have been coming to our shores during the post twenty-five years shall havo been assimilated. "THE COMING Thore is a great movement in these days for matters to readjust and settle themselves. The worn-out cloak of medlaevalism is being gradually thrown off, and soon shall we eventually emerge into the modern era of a sat isfactory enlightenment The shackles of a false tradition and a false senti ment are being burst asunder.

Tho mind is being freed from the slavery of fanaticism and superstition, not, however, to bo subjected to a dangerous and deteriorating license, but to bo gently bound by a universal moral law. The sign of all tills momentous change Is to bo seen, not in revolu tions, but in evolutions. Revolutions are more frequently disastrous in that they produce violent reactions, brought about by various agencies; ovolutlons, on tho other hand, aro the Inevitable and legitimate means of progress whereby such progress assumes a sta ble and wholesome growth. And the present great movement in human af fairs, preceding the coming dawn and presaging it, has been slowly and sure ly maturing since the Renaissance, and now at length becoming a fact. God works not in a hurry, in His own good time does He effect completion, Take the world of what we have come to regard as religion.

For cen turies this world has been looked upon as the church, and the church Imposed an infallible and unohanglng creed upon its constituents, to depart from which was heresy and rendered the guil ty ono punishable, liable 'to excom munication and religious ostracism. It 'usurped all power, temporal and spiritual. All monarchs and people were subject to Its rule nnd authority. Gradually this power of the church weakened and waned, and its power became but spiritual, though one section of it clung to the temporal as well. But what concerns us most In this respect is: the church and religion were identi cal, the state was purely a civil body.

If the stato wanted religion, it had perforce to go to the church, for it could not obtain It from any other source. Religion thus became per verted from its true Influence Into other channels, much the same as when the religion of the eighth century prophets was charged In tho age of Ezekiel with a priestly significance which brought about such disastrous effects, clouding duty at tho expense of a rigid formalism, and exalting the letter at the expense of the spirit, as later creed at the expense of deed. Religion, identified thus as the church, became nothing else but a servile cc- cleslasticlsm, ritualism and formalism, In which fanaticism and superstition played no mean part Judaism as a church suffered likewise In this way. It became a church with all the drawbacks of a church. The church satir ized religion and civilization, clogging tho wheels of progress.

There nrose men who thus, commonly speaking, hated religion, In that they were not In accord with Its priestly present ment, and with all the" paraphernalia that went along with such presentment. They tore oft tho mask, only to be descried as anti-religionists, and mado martyrs for their convictions. Modern individuals have attempted the same course, many have suffered for their action, while many more havo triumphed and helped free others from their toils. Modern men and women are com mencing to discover that the state, and not tho church, is Identical with re llglon. The old Jewish commonwealth was a rellglo-civll institution, in that It wa's above all things a moral quan tity, it was never a church as such Its laws and institutions were civil laws and civil institutions, and as SUCH they were Intensely religious.

All our Jewish laws and Institutions which are of value to-day are civil and municipal. Take the Sabbath, for in stance. Originally the Sabbath was a civil ordinance for moral and spiritual upllftment as well as for rest Rest was the prime motive of Its introduction into the human economy, its sanctlfl-cation was a later thought. The so- called religious interpretation was foisted on to It when the church, or priestly system, become prominent and prevailed an Interpretation which has played such great havoc In respect to Its observance. An effect Is seen in modern attempts to enforce Sunday laws (Blue laws, as In some de cades ago), because tho day of rest is a religious institution oi tne cnurcti.

This, however, Is sufficient to destroy all endeavors to regulate a civil rest- day. If religion and the church were only kept out of the matter altogether, success would be achieved and mankind would come Into its unique privilege and prerogaltve. The civil Sabbath of the Moslac code would bo an univer sal and accomplished fact, and no moro would man outrage God and that havo been left to universities, 11-1 brarles and hospitals and extol tho men and women who have bequeathed those stupendous gifts ns humanity's greatest friends, ns tho conspicuous patterns of benevolence. It matters littlo how the huge fortunes have been ncqulred which are perpetuated to emblazon a name; It is rarely remembered that In nine cases out of ten these far-famed benefactors are recruited from tho unmarried or the childless, that tho element of self-sac-rlflco Is altogether wanting in thin species of charity, that mostly, too, these philanthropists leave to others the difficult task of carrying out their own more or less whimsical directions; It Is tho size of the gift that makes the philanthropist, which commends his name to the awe and emulation of our school children who are taught to rank him among the heroes nnd saints. The blare nnd glare of philanthropy hns to a great extent crowded charity itself into the background.

Other influences have been potent to mnko old-time charity seem a thing of the past like tho simple, unsophisticated faith of other days. Scientific charity discourages private good-doing as ama teurish and misdirected; it commends tho study of sociology nnd would hand the practice of charity over to profes sionals, specially trained to investi gate, to subject the applicant to searching questions, to economize expenditure and compile impressive statistical reports. There was a time when charity was mostly hand-made, warranted sterling and of the genuine ring. Tho art of advertising, of course, was In Its Infancy; peoplo were unenterprising and Impractical enough to believe even in such a thing as secret charity Mattnn B'sesser giving in the dark as it were; at certain seasons the poor were regularly spoiled by lavish giv ing, but the heart had a goodly share In the exercise, the feeling between rich and poor was one of mutunl bene fit and of some fellowship, the effect of charity was not to glorify the millionaire and to degrade the unfortunate Into a number In a card-index; charity meant a semi-religious exer cise of human kindliness, not a tax of social decency or an asset of popularity, business success or posthu mous fame. Just how much of this isi due to a change of conditions, how much to a change of views and feel ings It would not be easy to define.

The life of the city breeds distrust whore people do not know their near est neighbors, where vices flourish and swindles abound, It Is natural that the sense of human brotherhood should be more or less stifled, that with the in stincts of hospitality thoso of spon taneous charity should become atrophied from disuse. The barriers of wealth stand largely In the way of that soul-to-soul charity which our prophets have extolled; our carpets and cur tains, our table-linens and table-eti quette keep the poor brother from our table, whore once the lowliest was a welcome guest. Even when the spoil ed children of Providence make an honest attempt to open their palaces to the poor or to brighten the shanty with their presence it is next to im possible for them to do away, even for the time, with the accusing contrast between their own glistening pros perity and the shabby meagerness they havo come to look in upon. With all these difficulties to contend with, obstacles which even the modern settlement rarely succeeds in overcoming, It is still In our power to re store the name of charity to Its olden honors. The nowapaper-standard, with Its snobbish love of bigness and noise, must be overcome by the home-train lnff of genuine, unaffected thoughtful noss for the poor; "philanthropy," lovo of the fellow-man, must he shown by narent and religious teacher to con sist In moro than tho mere setting aside of hugo plies for the upbuilding of one's fame; our children atten tion should be called, In their reading nnd otherwise, to thoso truer and higher philanthropists who gave their lives and affections, their thought anu talent and toll to the relief of some species of suffering, to the abolition of some cruel wrong or abuse; tnoir admiration should be aroused, not so much for tho dying millionaire ns he Is disappointing greedy relatives to practice out of his grave a generosity to which In llfo he may have been an utter stranger, but rather to such acts of self-sacrificing brotherllness ns are often practiced by poor towards poor, to such Instances of true compassion and unwearying helpfulness, of gen erous forbearance and angelic patience out of which charity shines with un dimmed radiance.

Above all we Jews, "the merciful who are children of the merciful, ought to keep alive In our children's hearts all the noble and tender tradi tions of kindly ministrations which have distinguished the Jew for so mnny ages and which, in the gulso of the "Mitzvnh," tho pious duty, formed so vital a body of practical religion. We need something to counteract the hard utilitarian spirit of our "sci entific- charity." In the humanitarian, as In tho religious field, there is such a thing as a blasting tyranny of intel- loctuallsm. We need to realize that while material resources form tho bodv. system, method and foresight. the mind of charity, the Issues of life nro from the heart after all, here as In all other Interaction between one soul and another.

Max Heller DR. KOHLER ON ZIONISM. Tho Israelite expects next week to nMDAnf on "Zionism or Judaism, Which?" from the able pen of Rev. Dr. naurman is-onier, president of the Hebrew Union College The article will be a reply to one of Rev.

Dr. Solomon Schechter, president of the Now York Jewish Theological Seminary, recently published, which was in defense nnd advocacy of Zionism. Dr. Kohlev's ability as a writer and thinker are well known and his essay will be read with Interest The Russian government is suro of having its candidates for tho Duma returned from tho contral provinces. Its plan Is of charming simplicity.

This district is being ravaged by famine and pestilence. Tho government officers after driving out tho representatives of the various charitable organizations that were helping the stricken people and confiscating their supplies have now informed the stricken populace that they must elect the administration candidates or starve, as no relief will be given until their obedlonco to this command Is assured. Tho method is typically Russian. Jews tho world over are finding it difficult to sympathize with tho Poles In their struggle for the maintenance of their nationality and language, much as they are naturally Inclined to do so. This Is becauso of tho cruel Industrial discrimination which tho Poles have practiced against tho Jews, more especially In Gallcla, where tho absolute refusal of the Polish nobles, landlords, mine owners and manufacturers to employ Jews In any capacity, have caused the direst poverty and widespread suffering that in intensity exceeds even that of the Russian Pale.

Tho Poles while seeking equity do not do equity. They do not como Into court with clean hands and can, therefore, hardly expect that the world's vordlct will he In their favor. The Isiiaelxte has arranged for a series of letters from Dr. Voorsanger, the rabbi of Temple Emanu-EI, of San Francisco, a member of the faculties both tho University of California and Leland Stanford University, and a writer on Jewish affairs who has no superior. Dr.

Voorsanger has gone abroad for an extended tour, during which ho will visit tho most prominent cities of Europe, and also Egypt and Palestine. He Intends to make a careful study of tho political, social and economic conditions and possibilities in Palcstino, and present the results to tho readers of the Israelite. Dr. Voorsanger is exceptionally well equipped for tho task he has undertaken. He is a keen observer, an accomplished linguist and has had a great deal of experience in sociological and charitable work.

It is safe to say those letters will form a most attractive feature for tho Israelite for some time to come, and the editor considors himself most fortunate In having been able to make this arrangement with Dr. Voorsanger. Tho first letter of the series appears elsewhere in this Issue. "Secui.au education hns always been tho solution of thlB question and no other solution Is possible," is tho blunt statement mndo by Keir Hardlo In an address to tho British Parliament, in a speech on tho educational question that Is now agitating the Empire. But thoro Is Uttlo hope that Mr.

Hurdle's advice will bo heeded. To an outside observer it appears that the hierarchy of tho Church of England, not having learned anything from what has be fallen Its sister church in Italy and France, is riding for a fall. Its obstinate determination to teach its religious dogmas, to tho exclusion of all otherB, In tho schools maintained by tho taxpayers, has brought disestablishment measurably nearer and It may como within a year or two. It is also quite within tho rnngo of possibility that with tho church will go tho House of Lords, or should It survive tho debacle it will bo so materially remodeled that It will practically bo a new body, more nearly approaching our own upper house. A freo people will only submit to hereditary lawmakers as long as they do Its will.

Much tho same rule applies to tho existence of spiritual authorities. Both muBt rest upon popular assent or, lack ing that, upon bayonets and, the lattor will hardly bo given support in Great Britain evor again. CHARITY AND PHILANTHROPY. There is a subtle matoriallsm, far more menacing and Insidious than our sensuous pursuit of property and en joyment, In tho gross and palpable standards which wo are In the habit of applying to spiritual things. It is not only in the present that nations measure their greatness by tho size and efficiency of their military equip ment, their happiness by the balance between exports and imports, their world-standing by the fear, envy or servility they Inspire; but great historic movements are by preference reduced to economic factors; for the reign of Ideas and the powor of genius Is substituted the influence of sol's and the fluctuation of prices.

A sim ilar materialism looks to the wealthy university, to the gorgeously furnished hospital, to tho lavishly complete or phan asylum for the richest results in education and healing. Wo omit from our calucatlons tho play of personality and its Inspirations wo forget that wo are dealing not In mechanics, but in psychology; our conceited shallowness rashly applies its wholesale methods and its short-cuts in realms whore growth must be slow and Influence impalpable. Largely owing to these habits of superficial reasoning the phenomenon called philanthropy is occuyplng to day a place quite out of proportion olther to Its merit or Its Importance. In their annual summing up of the past year's events our newspapers pretend to give a picture of the good Miss Miriam Morris, Traveling Representative. Entered as second-class mall matter it the Post Office at Cincinnati, Ohio.

Subscription Price, Per Year, Postage to Europe, Per Year, $2.50 $1.00 Betrothal, Marriage, Birth and Death Notices, each J2.UU To Subscribers, Special Rate 1.00 Resolutions Fifty counted lines or less, exclusive of heading and signatures 6.00 For each additional lino 10 Congregational Advertisements, two Inches, each 2.00 Rates for display advertisements Will be made known on application. CINCINNATI, JANUARY 10, 1907. JEWISH CALENDAR. 5667 A. M.

1907. Rosh Chodosh Sh'vntWed'sday, Jan 10 Rosh Chodesh Adar Friday, Feb. ID Fast of Esther Wednesday, Feb. 27 Purlm Thursday, Feb. 28 Rosh Chodesh Nissam.Saturday, Mar 10 Shabbas Hagodol.

March 23 Pesach, 1st day. March 30 Posach, 7th day Friday, April 5 Rosh Chodesh Iyar. April 15 Lag B'Omer Thursday, May 2 Rosh Chodesh Slvan. Tuesday, May 14 Shahuoth Sundny, May 19 Rosh Chodosh Tamus.Thursd'yi June 13 Fast of Tamuz Saturday, June 29 Rosh Chodesh Ab Friday, July 12 Fast of Ab "Saturday, July 20 Rosh Chodesh Ellul Sunday, Aug. 11 Rosh Hnshona, 5008.

Sept. 9 On account of falling on Saturday It Is observed on the day following. The unanimous nomination In the Republican caucus insures the election of Simon Guggenheim as United States Senator from Colorado. Mr. Guggen heim is a man of unblemished Integrity, lino ability and good education, and will worthily represent the state that has so higlily honored him.

With. ono Jew in the Cabinet, two In the Senato and several In the House of Jewish' Americans have every reason to. feel that there Is no political discrimination against them. In writing of the year in Russia, for the McCluro newspaper syndicate, Osborn Spencer says: June 14 a Jewish anarchist throw a bomb into a procession at Blalystolc, whereupon Christians sacked the town and murdered 200 Jows. Mr.

Spencer no doubt believed that thlB was true, but it Ib not. It Is an instance of the impossibility of over-tailing a lie, once it 1b started. The statement that Blalystolc massacre was started as stated above was originated by the very Russian ofu-clnlB who instigated the deviltry and given currency in America by the Associated Press, which as usual presented the official version of Russian occurrences. The Associated' Press line contradicted its first announcement a dozen times Blnce it was mado, hut tho original lie has gotton the start and Is still going tho rounds and doing tho evil work for which it was intended. Tjie groat reserve fund which we possess in our matchless Book is the resultant of conflicting opinions.

Spiritual possessions are not acquired through indolence of thinking. In ancient Israel, prophet opposed prophet and seer disputed seer. Thoro wore incriminations and recriminations, charges and countor-chargcB. A Hana-nlah denounced a Jeremiah whom ho thought "lifted to undue promlnonco." But Jeremiah was sure of his ground, and his words wore treasured by posterity. Tho criterion established by the prophet of Anathoth may still be recommended In tho storm nnd streBs of tho battling opinions of the present day.

The future alone will toll whoso was tho true word of God and whose the spurious. "theological hatred," though unedlfylng at times, is after all productive of good. Tranquility leads to stagnation. A living cause is necessarily tho battle-ground of warring opinions. And tho vanquished cause will pleaso a Cato, though victory pleases the gods.

Whatever may bo tho outcome of movements having for their aim tho consolidation of Jewry, there can be but agreement on one point, that as things are now constituted tho syna-gog and tho schoolhouse attaching thereto are tho proper institutions in which Jewish sentiment may be fostered and tho Jewish consciousness strengthened. Great reforms, however, are necessary, if tho synngog is to be a potent factor in Jewish life. There is too much wastefulnoss in the administration of synagog funds. There must be a happy medium between ugly penury and gorgeous extravagance. The returns are often altogether disproportionate to tho outlay.

The financial side, it is true, cannot bo eliminated, but It must not obtrude Itself. Rich and poor should worBhlp together and meet on a common level at least before their Maker. Dr. Stephen S. Wise's undertaking In New York should bo watched with Interest.

If he can maintain a pewless synagog not to Frenchmen. Now, however, tho As sociations Culturelles will attend to the moral progress of France, and, freed from thoso fetters forged by a cruel and rapacious priestcraft, will play a great part In the unfolding of civilization. The Idea that creeds are but. temporary, suiting the needs and conditions of tho age, has been ovldenced by the attitudes of many Christians in the last and the present centuries, and by the progressive tendency of all religious bodies in free and Intellectual countries. No longer do they regard the theologies, which are most fre quently expressions of Ignorance In terms of superstition.

Conduct and character have assumed their right positions In the scheme of life. And it will only be a matter of time when all will agree openly upon this practically conscious-settled question. To go further, take the present edu cational crisis in England and also the vexed matter of religious Instruction in our American public schools. While the British Commons has passed an Education Bill excluding dogmatic re ligious instruction from the board schools, the Lords declined to pass tho measure and insisted upon such teaching. This has raised a storm of protest as far as non-conformists and dis senters are concerned.

It stands to reason, however, that moral training should be Imparted in school. If statistics were taken, It would bo found that a very small number of children attend a so-called, religious school, and that, If no moral training he taught in tho public school, tho children would receive no instruction whatsoever in what is of great im portance for their moral health and growth. Moral Instruction Is indeed possible, and should find a place in our public school curriculum. Another matter still calls for our at tention and urges Its claim upon us, demonstrating that the Influence of the church as such Is very feeblo or non-exitent in most necessary quarters, and that It Intrudes where it Is most Ineffective and where It has a disas trous effect This Is In case of moral unfortunates, moral degenerates. Our method of affording charity Is pau perizing, our method of regenerating Is degenerating, our method of redeeming criminals Is criminalizing.

Our kindness and charitableness in deed provide Institutions wherein un fortunates aro branded with the mark of Cain, and we are visited seven-fold for our sins of this moral murder. Church organizations do indeed hold out the hand to the unfortunate and fallen, but with a string attached to their charity. The hungry must sing a hymn before bread is given to them, moral unfortunates must subscribe to a creed ere they can be saved. That is why Y. M.

C. As. and kindred bodies are inefficient to copo with and master Hie situation. The very idea of the church or religion being a priestly and authoritative Institution has estranged them, and they will have none of it. What should meet the demand 'Is a ciwi! Institution pervaded with a mora atmosphere which should stimulate solf-respect and be helpful.

No relig ious formality should repel thoso whom we want to aid and uplift And this is what Judaism has ever and always urged. Judaism novor was intended to be an Infallible church, a creed-bound, ecclesiastical and formal system. According to Judaism, society is founded on education, service and humanity In the highest and best senses. It asks not to subscribe to Its tenets In- order to receive aid, in order to obtain moral support. It has no creeded password.

All who come are welcome without question to all that Judaism affords. The claims of hu man brotherhood demand to be imme diately heard and answered. Judaism, In olden time, was a civil, a morally-civil, institution, nnd whoever transgressed a civil ordinance- was condemned to die. When the priestly system prevailed, the punishment for breaking a so-called religious ordinance was but outlawry (Karet). The fact remains, we must face the Issue.

We must meet the boy problem, tho girl problem, the man problem, the woman problem. It would, therefore, be well for all religious bodies organized as churches to recognize that their moral perspective Is out of plumb; that religion must be realized as moral education and moral service, and that they should, therefore, endeavor to correct that perspective for tho benefit of humanity at large and for the safe growth of civilization. Montague N. A. Cohen.

PROCESSION TO NEW HOMES Of Jewish Families Marched To the New Nassau Colony. New York, January 1. With brass bands playing and flags flying, 500 Jewish families of the lower East Side marched to Brooklyn to-day, where they took cars for Nassau County nnd dedicated the "Jewish Colony of Woll-kofttown." The parade was led by Max H. Thuma and Morris Becker, the organizers of the colony, who rode on horses. Several carriages and automobiles fol-lowed.

American flags were carried and Jewish hymns chanted. The object of the colony is to have a town of Its own, and the scheme includes a synagog, hospital, school and market. Fortify the system against disease by purifying and enriching tho blood In other words, take Hood's.