Anniversaries marking Morais' ministry (25-26th, 37-39th, 43-46th years). Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Mar 1888 · Sabato Morais Digital Repository · Legacy Projects from Judaica DH at Penn Libraries

Title

Anniversaries marking Morais' ministry (25-26th, 37-39th, 43-46th years). Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Mar 1888

Author

Morais, Sabato

Date Created

16 March 1888

Location(s)

United States -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia

United States -- Pennsylvania

Format

10 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 11, Folder 3

Has Format

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p3pv6br9f/manifest.json

Link to Colenda

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p3pv6br9f

Provenance

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

Is Format Of

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx11FF3_3.xml

content

On my 37th anniversary
of the ministry.

Brethren. A practice quite prevalent among clergymen, is that of stating reporting periodically the temporal condition of their respective churches. You have doubtless noticed it almost weekly in our city papers. I have read also of Jewish Ministers also who, at stated intervals, will detain their congregations with a detailed account of the number of children they have named; of marriages weddings and fu--nerals at which they have officiated. To me a presentation of such statistics appears value--less, from a religious standpoint. A natural process it is to be born, to become wedded get married and to die. When those events occur, Church or Syna--gogal rites are generally called into requisition. Very few persons will then dispense with pastoral services. Surely, that is no cause for special gratulations. Real advancement will not be gauged by a measure of that character, nor even by the evidences of a swelling list of pew-holders, but by the conversions made among all classes, and in all directions.

The changing of vicious habits into the practice actual exercise of virtues, of sinful propensities into right--eous aspirations, of inertness inactivity in the field of edu--cation into energetic active energetic cooperation, of lukewarmness into enthusiasm for what is useful and beneficial to the human race. That should be the proof test of a shepherd's influence among his flock. Jere--miah of old was assured by the Divine Word, that he would stand next to God who sent him forth to chide and exhort, if he could draw but one sunk in shame out of his lowness and raise him to a high plane [Hebrew] Now: it has been my greatest ambition, during the thirty seven years which I have just com--pleted in the service of this Congregation, to win the heavenly grace of my Master, as promised to the ancient prophet. I craved for the a self gratulation proceeding by the from my knowledge of men and women of my the chosen race, whom my endeavours brought nearer to the God of Israel in humility and closer to their fellow mortals in sentiments of charity and of love and charity.

I did not, of course, lightly esteem numeric--al strength, for by its means alone I could work. With none to listen to my utterances, or to my delivering performance of our public worship, I could accomplish nothing. Therefore in the same degree that a lessen--ing of our members by from various causes, at different periods of my ministration, grieved me to the core, so did our occasional increase fill my heart with profound satisfaction. The Sages, applying figuratively a sentence from Proverbs, tell us that the King of the world is extolled when many crowds assem--ble to do Him homage at consecrated spots [Hebrew] [Hebrew]. I have tried my best utmost by the force of example to make bring many to this minor sanctuary and let the latter resound with the voices of Hebrews, coming to glorifying our Sovereign Lord; and here I sought also opportunities to gain for Him loyal adherents.
But if I have ever distrusted my capacity to reach the goal I strove for, current events developments have discouraged me completely. I have discovered that the pabulum spiritual nutriment in which the present generation feeds is not in my possession.

Formerly scriptural lessons applied to our condition, commanded attention; admonishing counsels, respecting the preservation of our Jewish distinctiveness, would be considered in keeping with the principles governing the Synagogue; a mere spontaneous popular chanting of time-honored hymns and pray-ers would create an impression. Not so at present. The books holding our prophetic teachings have been made to given room to modern philosophies. Hebrew characteristics are preached against as stumbling blocks in the way of progress. Individuals must not dare to disturb the harmony of non-Israelitish hired choristers. Week after week pamphlets embodying thoughts, the current of which I often find it too difficult to follow, are sent to my address. They come form more than one city of the Union, as the utterances of ordained Rabbis, whose po--pularity is growing immensely. Farming a criterion from what is submitted to my perusal, I must conclude that a radical change has taken place; and that what I might have hoped remotely to ac--complish heretofore, is now a days altogether beyond my reach.

To secure a hearing from the rising generation, a person must be abreast with the whole evolu--tion of science. He must, moreover, cite German and English authors with the same ease as I might quote passages in Hebrew from in Holy Writ. Unless a Minister can display that rich equipment of learning, he may as well beg to be superannuated. But notwithstanding my unusually long continuance in office, I am not prepared, and I hope trust never to be compelled, to make that request. There are, my brethren, various natures, each having its own pride. Some are proud of their looks, which they take great pains to preserve to an advanced age; others are proud of their wealth, which they deem the supremest good and with which they will not part; some are proud of their learning, which they will seeking the every opportunity to pompously set it off. My pride--pardon the freedom--is my independ--ence. Deeply touched, as I am indeed deeply by the slightest token of affection or regard from any of my fellow-creatures, and more especially of my congregants, I would nevertheless consider a pension, degradation.

So long as my the heavenly Guide authors of my existence permits me to retain my physical and mental powers, they shall be devoted to the task which I assumed at this season thirty seven years ago. My con--stant supplication to God, is not to survive my useful--ness. But will this be felt have wide scope any appreciable scope, under such altered circumstances? That is the question, burning within me like fire. There stands facing me vexa--tiously, the fact that my contemporaries reject that which satisfied their fathers. They must be entertained at "the Temple," both vocally and instrumentally. They demand a ritual, brief, yet so broad as to be no longer distinguished by its He--brew characteristics; it must be clear ofrom demina--tionalism, perfectly cosmopolitan. Fiery eloquence in the sermon is looked for, positive Judaism shall be eliminated, to allow a place for the admixture of poetical effusions out of Greek, Latin and Teutonic classics. I need not confess my inability to rise equal to that degree standard or so alter to shape my course as to agree with the spirit of the time.

But were I in possession of the varied ca--pacities now required exacted, or could I do violence to my convictions and yield in some matters, in order to please modern taste, why might i not be asked to please also about the in transferring of the Sabbath? Rabbis who are earning the plaudits of vast multitudes for having introduced Sunday services, ostensibly as sup--plements to the worship or the holy convocation commanded enjoined upon the day of the Decalogue, unmista--kingly advocate the total abolition of the latter. It has been recently contended that "Reform," to claim that title, must not "tolerate the continuance of an exclusive Saturday service, in which God is thanked for the Sabbath rest which the members are not enjoying, and which estranges thousands from our faith." You have heard it then; because many refuse obedience to the Law, the Law must be put down to accomodate the disobedient. Thus, in a number of wealthy and large congregations East and West, Sunday the Church edict of the early church is stealing a march on the fourth commandment of Sinai. Woe for the hour that the work of Moses shall be supplanted by what is falsely called stolidly termed "American Judaism." Christianity shall have won the victory.

Brethren. At the completion of thirty seven years in the Jewish Ministry, I take my stand where my congregation first placed me. I shall not swerve. Contumely I am prepared to bear. The jeers of such as call me "the un--progressive one," will not scare me into an ac- a com--quiescence in pliance with that which I consider destructive a gradual surrendering of my father's belief. At this period of my life I cannot promise a fresh supply of know--ledge in the discharge of duty; too late would it be for me to qualify myself and bring to bear upon it a familiar acquaintance with philosophy and science, or undergo a series of musical teachings training; but a determination not to shrink from labor within the range of my faculties, to apply myself to it earnestly and faithfully, I can pro--mise. Those who ask for no more, and are will--ing to remain under my unpretending pastorship, will not, I trust, be put to shame [Hebrew] "And may these words wherewith I make supplication before the Lord, be nigh unto the Lord our God day and night, that He may maint--ain the cause of His servant, which is the cause of His people Israel continually." Amen.

I am happy to relieve my Jeremiade on this, to me commemorative, Sabbath by congratu--lating the Congregation "Mickvè Israel" on the receipt of a legacy--the highest in material value ever deposited into its treasury. May the generous gift prove an incentive to disburden this Sanctuary from the weight which a combination of untoward circumstances laid upon it; so that it may be truthfully called "the house of God." And may she be ever blessed, who righteously provided for a hereafter by deeds, securing the further worship of her living Redeemer, benefitting the orphans and the sick of his people, her sisters in faith in the hour of distress trial and her brethren in poverty, promoting religious education at home and industry abroad. May the memory of Katharine Kaas be praised on earth, and angels in heaven inef--faceably record her charities in the book of a life blissful and everlastingly blissful. Amen.

Identifier

p3pv6br9f

identifier

SMBx11FF3_3