The Jewish advance., September 06, 1878, Page 2, Image 2

About The Jewish advance. (Chicago, Ill.) 1878-1881

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·) Die Feste, die Presse und der Frankfurter Abge
ordnetentag. \n\n purpose of accomplishing this task com
mittees should work under the direction
of central commitrees, whose headquar
ters should be respectively at Paris and
at Vienna.
Afterward Dr. Philippson became
convinced that it was only the central
consistory of the French Jews which
were in a position to take the matter
properly in hand. The English Jews
were not near enough to their other
European brethren to work among them
for that purpose; the Jews of Germany
Austria and Italy did not enjoy the po
litical liberty necessary for that work.
Full of ardor for his idea of emanci
pating the Jews of Turkey, Dr. Philipp
son came to Paris in May, 1854, after
having secured the approbation of the
Israelites of Vienna and that of the
Consistory of the Israelites of Belgia.
On his arrival, Colonel Cerfbeer, the
President of the Central Consistory, had
evinced “great enthusiasm ” for the ideas
which he had set forth in his memorial,,
and the other members of the Consistory
had likewise shown their sincere sympa
thy for the plan he had proposed. The
particular points of Dr. Philippson’s
project were then discussed. The Con
sistory, however, not being complete at
that time, the decision was postponed.
Dr. Philippson left Paris full of hopes
that his project would be accepted and
acted upon as soon as practicable.
[to be continued.]
j Copy right Secrred.J
jp^ERDINAND J^ASSALLEJ
A Biographical and Characteristic Sketch.
[Adapted from the German.']
Part I.
Lassalle Before the Agitation.
The last similarity between Lassalle
and Heraclitus is, that notwithstanding
their self-consciousness and pride, they
had both an equal yearning for public
honors and applause. Heraclitus said
in one place (Vol. 1, page 434): “ The
greatest destinations earn the greatest
fate.” This is explained by another one
of his sayings (Yol. 1, page 436): “ The
masses, and those among them who deem
themselves wise, follow the poets of the
nations, and look for advice to the laws
without knowing that the masses are
bad, that only a few are good, and that
the best search for fame—because the
best will always choose one thing instead
of many, and that one thing is the per
petual fame of mortals.” Thus “ fame ”
was for Heraclitus the greatest fate to
be achieved by the greater destinations.
His search of fame was with him not
only an immediate instinctive desire
which is part of our nature, but it was
also an object created by philosophical
reflections.
“ Fame,” says Lassalle, “ is indeed the
contrariety of everything, the contra
riety of the category of immediate real
existence generally, and of its particular
objects. It is the being of men in their
non-existence, clear perpetuation in the
loss of material existence, and therefore
it is the achievement of the endless ex
istence of man.” Then he adds, with
enthusiasm: “ As this is the reason why
fame had taken such a strong hold of
mighty spirits, and had always raised
them above all trifling and limited
causes; as this is the reason why Platen
sang of fame, that may approach ‘ arm
in arm with the trying angel of death,’
it is also the reason why Heraclitus has
seen in fame the ethical realization of
his speculative principle.”
This estimation of honor and fame may
be in the best accord with the metaphysi
cal system of Heractitus, but it cannot
be denied that it is a direct logical con
tradiction to aspire for the admiration of
such, at whose judgment we look with
contempt. But ideas which are logically
opposed to each other may psychologi
cally blend in perfect reconciliation.
Therefore we see in Lassalle a pride
which does not bow down before any
thing, which never yields its point, close
ly united with a strong desire to hear
praises and compliments, to earn the
admiration of strangers, the approval of
the despised masses. I would beg to be
correctly understood. There is nothing
more natural, more human, than to be
rejoiced at the praise, at the applause of
the better classes. A person that is
altogether indifferent to such matters
will not easily become prominent as an
author or as a laborer in- any direction of
public concern. We may even go fur
ther, and say that a certain measure of
recognition is a necessity for a writer or
for a public speaker; it is a condition
withont which he could not breathe. But
such a public worker may sometimes feel
satisfied with private marks of appreci
ation, if the tide of public' opinion is
against him. or if he endeavors to “ pull
against the stream ” of popular ideas, as
was the case with Lassalle. Such pri
vate recognition ought to be referred to
in very rare instances, and even then
with great reluctance by a man of tact.
But Lassalle could not withstand such
temptations; his pride was too great that
he should not allude to the appreciation
of his works by his private friends, and he
did so without the proper discretion or
taste. He uses this recognition not as
an oratorial weapon, but simply as a
natural consequence of his merits.
I do not allude here to his plain and
outspoken self-consciousness with which
he made war against the untruth and
hypocrisy of his assailants—he was per
fectly justified to let them know, as he
did repeatedly, that he was not a novice
in science, that he was a man of solid
learning who had written works of last
ing value, whose one work even was des
tined to create an epoch in the domain
of science. But that which I intend to
account as one of his faults is his too
great love of honor, his noisy and osten
tatious beating the drum of self-praise
at apparently trifling occasions. Thus
when he had once written a satire against
a well-known journalist and literary his
torian, he boasted before an assembly of
uncultured workingmen that he had done
it “under the loud applause of the
greatest scholars and thinkers of Ger
many, who gave him their congratula
tions by words and by letters.” The
edition of the pamphlet alluded to*
while full of willful wit, but without any
literary form, was constructed, in his
imagination, into a great spiritual
achievement.
This foible of Lassalle becomes clearly
apparent in the fred poetical creations
which he has wrought—as, for instance,
in his favorite hero, Ulrich von Hutten,
of his drama, “ Franz von Sickingen.”
Ulrich depicts, with a pathos which
speaks of Lassalle’s innermost senti
ments, how he felt when the “dark tyr
anny of religion” raised its head in
Germany, when the closed phalanx of
obscurantists (Dunkelmaenner) was ar
rayed against science, and Cologne, l' the
German residence of priestly knavery,”
misused Beuchlin and his works. All
this is very well. Even the noisy, thun
dering style of diction is not out of place
here. But the unfortunate appeal to
applause and recognition soon comes in
and mars the effect. Thus the hero
proceeds:
I knew then why into existence I’ve been
called,
And why so roughly hammered in misfortune’s
forge.
Like foaming waves into the ocean rolling
backward,
And like the breakers surging backward from
the rock,
I threw myself headforemost in the contest,
With flashing eyes, with high, upheaving breast,
With passion trembling, ragihgwith delight.
The ax of wrath, the war-club of derision
I swung destructively o’er my opponents’
heads,
While Europe loudly did applaud my actions,
And loudly did her merry laugh resound,
When on the stage their pitiful existence
To public scorn in parody I gave,
I roused for me a world so full of hatred
Which wars ’gaint me, which I in contest meet,
Hard pressing breast to breast in tight for life
and death.
From the preceding elucidations it will
be apparent why Lassalle had devoted
the greatest part of his youth to the
study of* a spirit which is so antiquated
for us in time and in the state of cul
ture; that spirit had great affinities
with the young enthusiast wdio made it
his study. Heraclitus’ nature was closely
related to that of Lassalle, not only with
its logical proclivities and its dialectic
tendencies, but also in its? ethical con
ceptions of state, in its perfect resigna
tion to the common and general, even in
its personal capacities, virtues and vices.
The ancient Greek was a perfect type of
his modern admirer, whom his spirit con
quered two thousand years after his
death by the same power by which the
spirit of Socrates created for itself an
ardent worshiper in Soeren Kierkegaard.
[to be continued.]
Gorrespondence.
We do not hold ourselves responsible
for the opinions and assertions of correspon
dents.
Editor Jewish
Chicago, Sept. 1st, 78.
Advance :
The Jehudim of our Garden City are
becoming fashionable. A good many
who never thought before of leaving the
city during summer months are now, for
the last two years, very prompt fre
quenters of summer resorts; some take
a trip on the lakes, and others go to the
newly-discovered watering-places that
are quite flourishing in this and the ad
joining States. Even the temples are
imitating the fashionable churches, and
grant the Lord a rest. But how is it that
the Chicago Israelites can not, or will
not, afford to observe the Sabbath and the
Jomim to vim, the days of holy convo
cation? Why does such a deplorable
state of affairs in all matters of J udaisni
exist in this community? Why are the
temples and synagogues so lonely and
deserted, and the ministers have to
preach their eloquent sermons to empty
benches, or to a few old ladies and young
children? (two classes, that can never
be satisfied at the same time, for the
old, as a rule, do not understand the
English language, and the young are not
familiar with the German). Where are
the sons and daughters of Israel, our
young ladies and gentlemen, on Sabbath
and holy days? The young gentlemen
are in business, you may excuse them;
the most of them are not independent,
and cannot do as they please, but must
the young ladies go shopping, or finish
the very interesting and charming novel
just during service time? Have they no
respect for the faith of their fathers,
who maintained it and preserved it with
their heart’s blood, aye, with their very
lives? They, our forefathers, suffered
humiliation, unspeakable and indescriba
ble tortures and pains, finding consola
tion in the hope that our faith is through
them perpetuated for the coming gener
ations, and we banish their memory from
our hearts by letting the structure of
Judaism, the spiritual monument of
their faithfulness to their Heavenly
Father, break and crumble and sink into
oblivion. Alas ! they, upon whom the
main hope of Judaim is resting, the hope
that they will maintain it and cherish it
in the domestic circle, the home of all
religions, in their spheres of action in
the midst of the coming generation, are
giving Judaism the cold shoulder; they
are most indifferent to its brilliant teach
ings, and care very little to know its
golden rules and divine truths. Women
are more naturally inclined to obey, to
suspend their own will for the will of
those they love. This quality endows
them with a great and mighty power of
deep and warm love. The love feelings
of the mother to the child have proven
through all ages, and among all nations
and races of man, to be the acme of all
tender feelings, and therefore women are
more susceptible to religious ideas. I
even venture to say that women have
saved religion to this our material
istic age.* Christianity is promulgated
and supported to a very great extent by
women. No religion can afford to lose
the sympathy and interest of a good
woman, for with wife and mother the
whole family is sure to follow. I con
sider it, therefore, of great danger and
detriment to future Judaism if the
women of Israel are turning away from
it, and I cannot blame the honest minis
ters and truthful preachers of Judaism
when they become disheartened and dis
couraged, and at last indulge in bitter
complaints and dark predictions, as I
heard one of our learned and honest
rabbis do on last Saturday. Our literary
societies have indulged in dolce far
niente for a long while, and are now re
suming their noble work in behalf of
education, culture and intellectual im
provement. The Jewish heart has
manifested its charity, also, in these
associations, and the cry from stricken
humanity in the South has reached
the hearts of our young people.
The Sinai Literary has donated $50.00,
and the Zion Literary $100.00 to the suf
ferers in the South. But where is the Y.
M. H. A.? Why do we not hear any
thing from it? Is this organization still
in existence, or did it die the natural
death of old age? It seems to be very
cold on the North Side, and I am afraid
the Y. M. H. A. has met with the sad
fate of Sir John Franklin on his Arctic
expedition, and we will have to be satis
fied with some relics of its once useful
existence.
Ihe Zion Literary had a very inter
esting meeting last Friday night. The
literary programme was very good and
highly entertaining. The subject for
debate was: “ Resolved, That standing
armies are beneficial to the nations sup
porting them,”* The Zion Literary has a
very good set of officers, and the mem
bers should show them a little more res
pect by keeping better order, and pay
more attention to the exercises, but I
am sorry to state that the order is very
poor and defective. The exterior of the
Zion temple is being painted over, and
will soon assume a fresh and friendly ap
pearance; it was highly necessary, for
this house of prayer iooked from the
outside as dark and as gloomy as a
prison. I read your valuable paper with
delight, and hope that the Israelites of
Chicago will establish its future. Your
criticism on Schnabel’s Almanac in your
“ Surgeon’s Knife,” was very sharp, but
just; even the letter of the learned Dr.
Kohler did not weaken it, but, as it
seems to me, rather strengthened your
arguments.
The Ladies’ Society of the Zion con
gregation arranged a pic-nic on last
Wednesday, at Silver Leaf Grove, for
the children of the Zion Sabbath School.
Mrs. J. W. Strauss, one of the voluntary
teachers of said school, a lady of refine
ment and culture, and of a very chari
table disposition, deserves the special
thanks of the children and their parents.
The little folks enjoyed themselves very
niuch. The ensuing term of the Zion
Sabbath School^ begins on next Sunday,
Sept. 8th. Wishing you a “ Shanah
towoh,” I promise to come again if
agreeable to you. Ben-Moscheh.
*Not Judaism, the principal teachings of
which rest entirely on the responsibility of
men.—(Ed. Jew. Adv.)
*A wise and practicable subject, is it not?—
(Ed. Jew. Adv.)