Literary Production. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Oct 1887 · Sabato Morais Digital Repository · Legacy Projects from Judaica DH at Penn Libraries

Title

Literary Production. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Oct 1887

Author

Morais, Sabato

Date Created

1 October 1887

Location(s)

United States -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia

United States -- Pennsylvania

Format

8 pages on 4 sheets

Rights

http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/?

Language(s)

English

Source

Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies

Sabato Morais Collection, Box 10, Folder 7

Has Format

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p3c24r62c/manifest.json

Link to Colenda

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p3c24r62c

Provenance

Transfer of Custody from the Hebrew Education Society, 10 March 1913.

Is Format Of

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx10FF7_10.xml

content

87
On the statue for Meade,
and the memorial fountain
at Stratford on Avon Oct. 87

It is refreshing to turn one's mind from subjects full of vexation, to others that breathe love for what is noble; respect for what is good. Now a days, we may open a book in search of com--forting knowledge, and find that where we looked for solace, insidious doubts lurk. We address a man whom we imagined distinguished reverent, and hear him scoff. Papers ostensibly in the interest of positive religion, teem with irreligious discussions; weakening the child-like faith which leads us creatures in prayer to the footstool of the Creator, shaking our belief in a personal accountability to the all-seeing God. [Hebrew] "Thus is truth missing, and he who departs from evil is considered foolish." To be sure: one might spare himself much grief by avoiding both reading and arguing, but then he might as well change into a breathing corpse, automatically mo--ving among sentient, live beings. Indi--viduals of that description are at times met, but I recog--nize in their existence a vegetative growth. not I fail to discover

an the intellectual soul. Who that has brains to think and a heart to feel, would wish to keep deathly passive to his surroundings, even if these do often inflict acute pain?
Still, it is pleasure occasionally to avert the eyes from that which disappoints and distresses, and fix the vision on what affords real veritable satisfaction. Such a transition I experienced this week by reason of two incidents which I witnessed; one personally, another mentally. A reformer to them in a Synagogue is not, in my opinion, unsuitable, because for, I hold that what--ever teaching is calculated to elevates human nature, enters largely into the sphere assigned to the Jewish pulpit.
In accepting the an official invitation to attend the exercises at the unveiling of a statue raised to the victor of Gettysburg, I obeyed my a loyal instinct. I owe him profound gratitude to the gallant soldier who, when the fate of the Union, but more immediately of Philadelphia, trem--bled in the balance, hurled back the raying wave that rushed on madly to overwhelm our fair city and lay waste the rich fields of our state.

George Gordon Meade was the man of des--tiny whom God made invulnerable, that he might stand undoubtedly unscathed the fiery ordeal of the three first days of July 1863, so that the glorious fourth showed and gladden Pennsylvania on the glorious fourth 4th with triumphal songs. Equestrian statues are not the monuments by which a people can best eternize the memory of its heroes. A history recalling unflinching devotion to a righteous cause; a history whose pages become will inspreing words that to future generations with patriotism, is the golden memento that the un--sparing hand of time will can never reduce powder--into dust. But so long as granite and bronze are moulded into figures for a recognition of splendid services rendered to an imperilled nation, the general who battled in "cemetery ridge" and hushed into dead silence the thunders of disunion, must have such a statue as that which the children of the great Republic he helped to reconstruct, have erected. Feeling thus, I acknowledge the invitation with thanks, and applauded joined in the outbursts of patriotism enthusiasms which the

solemn occasion evoked. The utterances that fell from the lips of the orators, brought back vividly to the my mind, the four years of trials which held civilization in fearful suspense, lest the wheel of progress be brutally with rudely thrust back. For had the country hallowed to freedom been sundered in twain, monarchical kingly pretentions wickedness would have doubled its iron wheel and fiercely act crushed. "Divide et impera" is its motto, and we all remember the scheme of crafty Louis Napoleon, and the fatal end of his unfortunate tool, Maximi--lian of Austria, the would be emperor sent to of Mexico to watch the result of our struggle for the maintenance of a United Republic. But at Gettysburg the unhappy fratricidal war, which gave tyranny joy, reached its turn-ing point, crisis, and the immortal chief, who vindicated right, gained then and for ever a niche in the Temple of undying imperishable fame. I met him the hero once at a family celebration in the house of a brother Israelite. His high stature formed a beauti--ful contrast with his lowly demeanour, his2 martial carriage with his1 gentleness courteousness with. Let us be thankful as that as a Philadelphians, by reason of

the military station assigned to him, and because of the handsome home which this ap--reciative city of ours prepared for his residence, Gorge Gordon Meade left a reputation un--sullied; the heritage of a character ennobled by civic virtues.
But the day before I personally witnessed the solemn ceremonies in our picturesque Park, I had mentally stood at Stratford upon Avon on the historic spot, which despite all Mr Donnelly's alleged discoveries, will ever remain sacred to the memory of William Shakespeare. Unpardonable arrogance it would be to add to the sentiments that touching prose and flowing soul-inspiring poetry wafted across the Atlantic; nor could I pre--sume to improve on what America's and England's gifted orators said on Monday last. But I may with propriety point to the gift and to the giver, that elicited the celebration. Mr James Russel Lowel in his admirable letter to the Mayor of London, suiting his language to that of Dante, who called Virgil the Spring from which whence copious floods of eloquence had issued,

showed how preeminently fit was "a memorial fountain" to honor the bard who poured forth a river of mellifluous speech, and Oliver Wendell Holmes in his surpassing ode to that "memorial fountain," charming--ly portrayed the refreshing and sweet agencies of its waves and sprays--emblems of the human affect--ion, of charity and friendship, that swelling the breast of our far famed renowned townsman. That the weary might slake their thirst, the son of toil rest awhile at noon under a cooling breeze, and even beasts plunge their nostrils in pure water after tiresome trots in heat and dust, was the aim of the munificent donor. But he would also beautifully illustrate the title of the city in which he most usefully lives, by a present signification induction of brotherly love, that covers up all overlooks former trespasses, even as the book of truth teaches: [Hebrew] "Hatred stirs up up strife, but love covers up all sins." The sins of stains black stain on the escutcheon of Great Britain in the days of the Rearsarge and the Alabama, George W. Childs sought to wash away by an abun--dant flow of fraternal kindness.

The man in whose honor of whom an equestrian statue was raised, has won a2 golden page in the history of freedom by1 his prowess and heroism; he who caused a well proportioned structure of great utility to be raised in the town that produced the literary genius of two English-speaking nations has secured a front rank in the annals noble order of real nobility--that of large hearted bene--faction. For he encourages industry, rewards me-rit and with a spirit which disdains to set a wall of partition between creeds and colors, bes-tows his wealth upon whatever is deserving of his countenance. May Philadelphia never need again the priceless services of a general Meade, but may she always count upon the munificence broad generosity of citizens like her distinguished civilian George W. Childs. In the soul stirring prophecy of Isaiah, that we have read this Sabbath, may peoples from afar off say to of our city: [Hebrew] [Hebrew] "Enlarge Widen the space of thy habitation" "For to the right and to the left shall there shalt spread forth out, and thy seed shall inherit nations." [Hebrew]

Identifier

p3c24r62c

identifier

SMBx10FF7_10